Anesthesia, Resuscitation, and ICU: Q&A

Look, spinal anesthesia is definitely the lower-risk route here, regardless of any other factors—it’s just the better choice, period.

But since there's even a slight chance they might not be able to pull off the spinal, we can't say the risk of a myocardial infarction isn't a factor. It really comes down to how massive the infarct actually was (whether we're talking STEMI or NSTEMI), what the current EF looks like, and if the UZV shows any localized wall motion issues. That said, the anesthesiologist is going to demand a cardiologist's sign-off on all this anyway, so you'll get your answer then.

One more thing...
My mom has a colonoscopy scheduled in a few days—she’ll be under sedation. She’s dealing with a bit of a scratchy throat and a cough right now, though no fever... would that be an issue with the anesthesia?

Nicholas Johnson8 said:One more thing.
My mom is scheduled for a colonoscopy under sedation—you know, anesthesia—in a few days. Right now she’s dealing with some congestion and a bit of a cough, though no fever. I guess... would that be an issue when they go to put her under?

I've had both a gastroscopy and a colonoscopy while under sedation, and I was told—quite clearly, actually—that you have to be in perfectly healthy condition.

I’m not totally sure if I’m in the right spot here.
Some people might find this question a little silly, but hey,
I’m scheduled for surgery to fix some nasal polyps, and honestly, I’ve never been under general anesthesia before. Does anyone know what the drill is like before, during, and after the procedure? Like, do they put you under with a mask, or do they just give you something through an IV? Am I just going to drift off, or will they have to put a breathing tube in my mouth to do the work for me?
Thanks so much!

The anesthesiologist will sit down and walk you through the entire process in detail right before they wheel you into surgery.
What you can definitely count on is being intubated, but as for how they’ll set up the ventilator—well, that’s entirely up to the anesthesiologist's call.

I’ve actually gone through three different polyp surgeries—honestly, if my throat hadn't felt a little scratchy after one of them, I wouldn't have even realized they had intubated me.
They never used a mask to put me under, either.
If you want more specifics, feel free to shoot me a private message.

Megan Hill21 said:I’ve actually had three different polyp surgeries, and honestly, if my throat hadn't been sore afterward, I wouldn't have even realized they put a tube down my throat.
They never used a mask to put me under.
Shoot them a private message if you want more details.

Can I send a PM? Thanks!

Hey everyone—my mom had a colonoscopy under anesthesia yesterday morning, and everything seemed fine at first.
But then, last night and through the early hours, she started dealing with this itching all over her back.
Could this be a side effect from the Propofol... and is it something we need to worry about—like, should we be heading to the doctor right away?

brightgull95 said:Don't sweat it—the anesthesiologist will walk you through exactly how everything is going to go right before they take you in.
You can definitely expect intubation. As for how they'll set up the ventilator, that's entirely up to the anesthesiologist.

Or it won't happen.
I just had brain tumor surgery. It was a super complicated procedure because the tumor was in such a bad spot.
Walked into the exam room, and my gorgeous pupil is already hunting for a vein to poke. Just kidding. I blink, open my eyes, and just hope for the best in the next room.
I’m seeing 100 IV lines in my hands and feet, endless tubes coming out of my head, all sorts of stuff on my chest, and everything around me is just ringing. Six hours of intense neurosurgery is finally over. Honestly, I feel like I just want someone to pick me up and make me a cup of coffee.
No nausea, no pain, nothing—it's like my stomach hasn't even been touched, even though I know it has.
At the end of the day, we're all dealing with our own unique situations. Every body reacts differently, and you really can't know how you'll handle it until you're actually in it. I've always been pretty sensitive to stuff and usually deal with all sorts of side effects, but honestly, I've had a great experience with this.
There it is.

Can someone help me out? I’m still trying to figure my way around this forum. If anyone knows if there's a thread about brain tumors, could you drop a link? My spouse and I are looking for a place where we can connect with others going through the post-op phase.

Thanks!

it’s like this:

Larry Scott43 said:like this:

Found it. Thanks!

Hey there! So, I’ve got surgery scheduled for this Friday. For the last month or so, I’ve been sipping on some lemon balm tea and taking 1.5 mg of bromazepam in the evening every now and then. Usually, it’s the tea about 4 or 5 times a week, and the pill maybe once or twice a week—I actually had my last dose just last night. Should I bother mentioning this to the anesthesiologist? Is there any chance this could mess with anything?

Walter Parker74 said:Hey. I have surgery this Friday. For the last month and a half, I've been drinking lemon balm tea and taking 1.5 mg of Bromazepam at night. The tea about 4 or 5 times a week, and the pill once or twice weekly. Last dose was last night. Do I need to mention this to the anesthesiologist? Could it affect anything?

You better be completely honest about everything. You don't want complications or, God forbid, something worse later on.

Spill everything. And if you’re smoking, don't even think about hiding it.

The only person I haven't lied to about my weight is the anesthesiologist :-) Trust me, there is a massive reason why you absolutely have to be straight with them in those situations! Lay it all out there! Even if you're on hormonal birth control!

I just finished up my neck surgery, and now I'm looking to get things done on my lumbar section. Does anyone know how much downtime I should plan for between these two procedures?

Hey everyone,
So, I’ve had 4 general anesthesias (heart surgery stuff)
plus about 15 local ones. No issues there, nothing
felt off, but that tube...
that damn tube is absolutely killing me..
Last time, I was stuck with it for like 3 hours while awake
and I was losing my mind. I was fully conscious, literally peeing on paper just begging them to pull it out
Like, "No, you aren't breathing on your own," and it was pure hell
That's what's freaking me out so much right now
I'm terrified they'll keep me in that semi-conscious state for that long again
My anesthesiologist promised he’d do everything he could
to make this less traumatic, but apparently
he still has to pull the tube out while I'm conscious
I'm otherwise healthy, an athlete and all, but a heart condition means 4 generals and I’ve got more coming
Maybe one or two more down the road
My question is: is there any way they can just pull that tube while I'm half-asleep? Thanks

When I woke up from my surgery, I didn't have a catheter. It probably just depends on the type of procedure you're having.

Melissa Phillips4 said:When I woke up from my surgery, I didn't even have a breathing tube. Guess it just depends on what kind of procedure you're getting done.

Well, I'm having aortic valve replacement surgery, so yeah, I'm definitely going under general anesthesia and keeping the tube.

I’m getting ready for nose surgery.
I know it’ll most likely involve general anesthesia...
When I think about the actual procedure—it isn't the surgery itself that scares me (I know there are much worse things out there)—but... But...
The second I think about the anesthesia, I get the chills and just feel completely uneasy.
Just a heads up—I have never, ever been under anesthesia before...
..is it going to affect me differently?
..will I actually wake up when it's all over?
..could something go wrong?
..will I end up in some "half-conscious" state when I shouldn't be?

It’s a constant struggle for me every single day.😵
Maybe someone out there finds this ridiculous... but it sure isn't funny to me.

Grace Williams19 said:I’m prepping for nose surgery.
It’ll most likely be under general anesthesia..
When I think about the surgery itself—I'm not scared (there are worse things out there).. But.. But..
The thought of the anesthesia alone makes my skin crawl. It doesn't feel right.
Note: I have never, ever been under any kind of anesthesia before..
..will it work on me?
..will I actually wake up when it's over?
..could something go wrong?
..will I end up in some "half-conscious" state instead of being fully out?

It’s a daily struggle.😵
Someone might find this ridiculous.. but they don't understand.

There are no guarantees.
As for the anesthesia, I’ve been through it three times. It's seamless. You fall asleep in literally two seconds. Then, just like that, you're awake and it's done.
Look, there isn't much anyone can say to help. You just have to accept that it'll be fine and realize you're just like everyone else.
Last time, I was shaking on the way there, but once I accepted the reality of the situation, everything turned out perfectly fine.
The staff is professional and kind; if you tell them you're nervous, they'll tell you that's completely normal. Everything runs smoothly.
And once it's over, it feels like it happened in an instant.