No one ever believes mewhen I say this!!! I was put to sleep and they were sticking the tube down my throat to pump air into my lungs. I woke up and felt I was choking in the tube, but I couldn't move my body. The didn't see my eyes open BC they were getting me ready for medflight. I thought I'm going to die from choking and nit from the gun shots. I could hear them, feel them. I'm crying!! Choking...I managed to move a finger, I thought if I could just pull it out I'd be ok. A nurse seen my finger move and said, "She's waking up!" I watched them inject me with something else and I was asleep.
-
We are a multilingual website again. Read the notice about this.
-
Understand AI use at MyPTSD: all AI use is explained in our AI help page. AI use is by choice here. It exists if you want it, but does nothing unless you choose to use it.
News Anesthesia Awareness Isn't Just In The Movies
- Post starter batgirl
- Start date
- Status
Yes you had awareness and the reasons may have been multiple. As a trauma - most of the drugs we use for awareness drop the blood pressure - so if you were a trauma patient, they might have been dealing with blood pressure being very low or not there at all. I have had patients where I have intubated them (put in the breathing tube) and whispered in their ear "You might be awake, and it will be OK - we're breathing for you and we'll get you something for being awake, when we can do it safely."
When you lose the feeling of air going across your vocal cords and throat - it feels like you cannot breathe. I know, because I have had that experience. When you have anesthesia, your provider should understand your trepidation - and your risk!!! - at being aware again.
The risk factors for awareness for a real anesthetic - bleeding or blood leaving the body (heart bypass, trauma, stat-C section for bleeding, big transplants (liver, heart/lung, multivisceral) because your blood carries your anesthetic to the brain. If your blood is leaving your body - there goes the anesthetic. Patient who abuse drugs or alcohol and don't tell that to their anesthesia provider are risking awareness. If your body is accustomed to a certain amount of drugs or alcohol, then the usual doses of anesthetic drugs won't be enough. Finally - women of child-bearing age are at risk for no other reason than they have active ovaries.
Tell them that - they can look it up.
With C sections under spinal or epidural - the block to make you comfortable has to be up to mid chest and that will cause you to feel like you aren't breathing. As long as you can hear your voice, you are breathing - it just feels awful because the brain loses proprioception. I always tell my patients about that before we get started so that they don't get surprised.
intothelight
Sponsor
This is interesting and I wonder how much adrenaline affects anesthesia or sedation. I have had several medical procedures over the past few months, and the doctors were surprised at my level of consciousness. All of them involved sedation, but I was never really unaware of what was going on. There was no pain, just being fully conscious.
One physician who did my bone biopsy wasn't surprised. He deals with a lot of veterans and said it was common for sedation not to be as effective on people who were anxious. He did a great job of telling me what he was doing and why, so I really was more relaxed. Even showed me the sliver of bone when he got it out.
No comment on the bone marrow biopsy though. Those hurt, but I think is it more from the pressure and the amount that is taken out.
One physician who did my bone biopsy wasn't surprised. He deals with a lot of veterans and said it was common for sedation not to be as effective on people who were anxious. He did a great job of telling me what he was doing and why, so I really was more relaxed. Even showed me the sliver of bone when he got it out.
No comment on the bone marrow biopsy though. Those hurt, but I think is it more from the pressure and the amount that is taken out.
Intothelight - it is true that people who are extremely anxious need more sedation in general - adrenaline and other mechanisms in the brain can cause that. Also, many medications - antidepressants, benzos, alcohol, street drugs for instance - cause the body to require higher levels of sedation or anesthetic. Cigarette smokers will generally require far more anesthetic than non-smokers.
I'm glad your doctor talked you through your procedure - it's important for doctors to talk with patients and keep a dialogue going when patients are not completely sedated.
Sorry your bone marrow biopsy hurt.
I'm glad your doctor talked you through your procedure - it's important for doctors to talk with patients and keep a dialogue going when patients are not completely sedated.
Sorry your bone marrow biopsy hurt.
Then w pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes I soared to sumo 404lbs and ended up with a c-section. Healed great, on the outside. However there was a knot the size of a golf ball, the Dr said it'd go away, just serous(sp) fluid. It grew to grapefruit size and he stuck the opposite end of sterile qtip in me, nothing came out. Again said no big deal.
4 days later it was the size of a basketball, red, swollen and hurt like hell. Me and my baby went in for a check up and finally saw a new military doc who realized I was severely infected. Advised me to get someone to get my baby and begin prepping for surgery. My husband had to run from one side of post to the hospital while a nurse took my son and I was in the OR within about 45mins. (PS, c-section was my first surgery).
After that I went through 16 more surgeries back to back every single day and they couldn't keep me from going septic. Finally, a Dr.Hill, whom I respect immensely, came in and shut the doors. She took my hand and with tears in her own eyes let me know that they could not fix me. They were sending me out to a Plastic Surgeon (not a wound center) to let him try because they were out of ideas.
I met Dr.McCabe the following day, being completely septic and he didn't even bother to look at me. He informed myself, my dad, and my aunt that he would simply wound vac me and there'd be no prob, I had no business with him, and I was to be back the next morning at 6am. Septicaemia got worse to the point I was at the ER at military hospital and they cleaned me as best they could. When I arrived there he was cold and didn't speak to me any. I was scared and just wanted it over.
When I came to there wasn't 1, but 2 wound vacs and the lower half of my stomach was missing...Including my bellybutton. He informed me I was too large for it to work right and I'd have to deal another way. Once every 3 days I was put under and they would cut away everything dead and dying, leaving enormous flaps and holes and replacing these 2 pads which, in truth, had no suction.
Then on the 3rd time around we went back and there was a new intern with the anesthesialogist. Everything was normal. They explained, I got a valium type thing to relax me, then started counting and was asleep. Suddenly there was this ripping that cause a God awful scream I still cant believe I made. The intern backed up bt McCabe said just get the pads out and finish. I remember begging them to stop, to hit me, and the anesthessiaologist said Id have (verset?) and remember nothing. That the pain would leave. But I would one nurse pulling at a would vac pad stuck so hard she had to brace herself against the side of the bed to get it out. I remember it all.
And then when they did get me out and finally bring me around, realizing that wasn't the best route for me, I had a chest tube in my neck by mistake and a hole in my stomach that was filled by 8 rolls of wet curlex and 5 rolls of dry. Because of the wounds and tubes I couldn't even old my baby. McCabe realized me while I was still being pack wet to dry. 8 wet, 5 dry. 1 bottle of vicodin and no antibiotics. and told me no follow up necessary. I have pictures I have no idea why I keep.
After that they did gastric bypass to try and get the wound to heal. which it did but it still cracks and tears and gets infected, especially if I'm hot. The they found a terotoma tumor in my left ovary that was benign but had to have the ovary, appendix and gallbladder removed. And I was told Id probably have no more children because the other ovary was covered in cysts.
In AZ I began getting severe migraines and my neurologist gave me a medicine that cause the anastomosis (stomach to intestine) sight to burst and my heart stop twice.
The nightmares are horrible. Id rather not sleep at times. And what's worse is knowing that anytime I go out I panic if there are too many people..Like a flight or fight situation. I stay inside my house more often or not.
My family (mom and brother) say they feel as though they don't know me any more and I don't think I do any more either. Luckily my husband understands as he is a soldier and get PTSD up close and personal and my kids and my life. I'm thankful to be alive and with them I just wanna feel happy and normal.
4 days later it was the size of a basketball, red, swollen and hurt like hell. Me and my baby went in for a check up and finally saw a new military doc who realized I was severely infected. Advised me to get someone to get my baby and begin prepping for surgery. My husband had to run from one side of post to the hospital while a nurse took my son and I was in the OR within about 45mins. (PS, c-section was my first surgery).
After that I went through 16 more surgeries back to back every single day and they couldn't keep me from going septic. Finally, a Dr.Hill, whom I respect immensely, came in and shut the doors. She took my hand and with tears in her own eyes let me know that they could not fix me. They were sending me out to a Plastic Surgeon (not a wound center) to let him try because they were out of ideas.
I met Dr.McCabe the following day, being completely septic and he didn't even bother to look at me. He informed myself, my dad, and my aunt that he would simply wound vac me and there'd be no prob, I had no business with him, and I was to be back the next morning at 6am. Septicaemia got worse to the point I was at the ER at military hospital and they cleaned me as best they could. When I arrived there he was cold and didn't speak to me any. I was scared and just wanted it over.
When I came to there wasn't 1, but 2 wound vacs and the lower half of my stomach was missing...Including my bellybutton. He informed me I was too large for it to work right and I'd have to deal another way. Once every 3 days I was put under and they would cut away everything dead and dying, leaving enormous flaps and holes and replacing these 2 pads which, in truth, had no suction.
Then on the 3rd time around we went back and there was a new intern with the anesthesialogist. Everything was normal. They explained, I got a valium type thing to relax me, then started counting and was asleep. Suddenly there was this ripping that cause a God awful scream I still cant believe I made. The intern backed up bt McCabe said just get the pads out and finish. I remember begging them to stop, to hit me, and the anesthessiaologist said Id have (verset?) and remember nothing. That the pain would leave. But I would one nurse pulling at a would vac pad stuck so hard she had to brace herself against the side of the bed to get it out. I remember it all.
And then when they did get me out and finally bring me around, realizing that wasn't the best route for me, I had a chest tube in my neck by mistake and a hole in my stomach that was filled by 8 rolls of wet curlex and 5 rolls of dry. Because of the wounds and tubes I couldn't even old my baby. McCabe realized me while I was still being pack wet to dry. 8 wet, 5 dry. 1 bottle of vicodin and no antibiotics. and told me no follow up necessary. I have pictures I have no idea why I keep.
After that they did gastric bypass to try and get the wound to heal. which it did but it still cracks and tears and gets infected, especially if I'm hot. The they found a terotoma tumor in my left ovary that was benign but had to have the ovary, appendix and gallbladder removed. And I was told Id probably have no more children because the other ovary was covered in cysts.
In AZ I began getting severe migraines and my neurologist gave me a medicine that cause the anastomosis (stomach to intestine) sight to burst and my heart stop twice.
The nightmares are horrible. Id rather not sleep at times. And what's worse is knowing that anytime I go out I panic if there are too many people..Like a flight or fight situation. I stay inside my house more often or not.
My family (mom and brother) say they feel as though they don't know me any more and I don't think I do any more either. Luckily my husband understands as he is a soldier and get PTSD up close and personal and my kids and my life. I'm thankful to be alive and with them I just wanna feel happy and normal.
I guess I'm lucky because it is usually difficult to wake me up after anesthesia. I had to have the breathing tube while in recovery. I felt them pat my hand and heard them call my name but I could not move. I felt the breathing tube come out. I'm glad it was when the surgery was over.
However, when my mother, who was a surgical nurse, had cataract surgery, she could feel everything and saw everything they did. Afterwards she told the doctor and anesthesiologist that and they didn't believe her. She was afraid to go back in for her other eye and was traumatized by what she experienced. She was so mad. When she went in again she warned them about the last time. That one went on without a hitch.
However, when my mother, who was a surgical nurse, had cataract surgery, she could feel everything and saw everything they did. Afterwards she told the doctor and anesthesiologist that and they didn't believe her. She was afraid to go back in for her other eye and was traumatized by what she experienced. She was so mad. When she went in again she warned them about the last time. That one went on without a hitch.
Britt.f7 Cataract surgery is usually done with just sedation - they should have told your mom that up front. That way she would have had better expectations - and would have communicated during the surgery, that she was uncomfortable. I always tell my patients that they aren't going to be asleep for things like cataracts, EGD, colonoscopy, port placements, etc. I'm sorry your mom was so terrified of having her other eye done. When patients see or hear things they don't expect, it's unnerving - and it sets people up for worse worries.
Lise - you had a terrible set of complications, compounded by a true lack of empathy by your plastic surgeon. Some surgeons despise getting someone else's complication - but instead of discussing it with the surgeon whose complication it was, he took it out by being cold to you. I hope you are getting help with your PTSD. It will take time, but things can be better.
Lise - you had a terrible set of complications, compounded by a true lack of empathy by your plastic surgeon. Some surgeons despise getting someone else's complication - but instead of discussing it with the surgeon whose complication it was, he took it out by being cold to you. I hope you are getting help with your PTSD. It will take time, but things can be better.
Girl3, I figured she told them after the surgery, but she could have told them during the surgery. She felt the pain and argued with them about it. I don't think she was not expecting to hear things since she was a surgical nurse for over 30 years. I think it was just the pain she was feeling. I just remember her talking about the pain and how they weren't listening to her. She got cataracts around 60. I can't clarify this because, unfortunately, she died last year. She had an autonomic disorder, like I do, and, sometimes, our bodies don't react normally. Some things that should hurt, just don't or are mild. Other things can send us through the roof that wouldn't do that to other people. Maybe that played a part.
Oh Britt - I always consent my cataracts for both sedation and general anesthesia - just because I know that 1:50,000 people have defective sodium channels that don't work with local anesthetics. They should have believed her and let her have a general anesthetic. I'm so sorry your mom had that experience. It is frightening to give yourself over to someone else for surgery - and while all pain isn't avoidable, some experiences needn't happen so brutally.
- Status
Similar posts
Donation drives
Trending content
-
-
What Are You Feeling Today? Not Thinking, Rather Feeling! Can You Identify Yours?
- goingonhope
Comments: 34K -
-
-
-
