Gagging on breathing tube post-op?

hopeful07 · February 27, 2007

I wonder if they gave me the reversal drug -or- if I am just one of those people who take a while to come off of the anestesia (I was in post-op for 2 hours when it was supposed to be only 1hr). When I went up to my room the nurse wanted me to pull myself on to the other bed. I was completley numb from the waist down & could not move my legs or butt off of the streacher. It felt like when I had my epidural with my 3rd son and it took a long time for the sensation to come back. The nurses were surprised also and came back to check on me every 30 minutes until I could move my legs again.

I wouldn't want this to scare anybody off either- I know the decision to be banded has probably saved my life or at least extended it greatly. It really did not scare me too much (except the feeling that I wasn't breathing until I saw the nurse and he talked to me); I just think that if we are more aware that not everything will always go smoothly and knowing more about the little things that can go wrong will make it less scary if they do occur.

Good Luck to the not-yet banded - Keep on Going Strong to my fellow bandsters & thanks for all the great comments :biggrin1:

mellove · February 28, 2007

When I was banded, I told the doctors that my biggest fear was to wake up in the middle of surgery and not be able to let anyone know...but I didn't. When I came out of my sleep, I felt the tube and felt as if I couldn't breath, but just as I was about to panic, they pulled it out, then I heard them ask me if I could move to the other bed. I couldn't even move my body, so they lifted me by the sheet that was beneath me. I couldn't even lift my arms for about 5 mins after surgery when I was back in my room. AFter they took the oxygen mask away from my face, I was out...I don't remember anything for 3 hours when they woke me to walk. I didn't have any scratchiness of the throat or anything. Just groggy.

dmmedina · March 1, 2007

The exact same thing happened to me, I woke up with the tube on, they told me to relax and I went back under, It sucked big time and I do not hope this on anyone.

hvnbnd4 · March 1, 2007

My husband is a surgical nurse, and works in the OR..I had this happen to me once and actually tried to grab it out. The anesthia guy said everything is ok mrs. rowland, and I went back out..my husband says this happens because the sleeping and the waking are very close together..they have to make sure you can breath on your own before taking the tube out. So, they slightly wake you up and then take it out. It is possible to wake up a bit too much but they quickly put you back out..is nothing wrong..just a bit scary...geri

March 5, 2007

I woke up with the tube in my throat and my hands tied to the bed rail. I could breathe through the tube and knew that I was tied down so that I would not pull it out. A nurse explained to me that it was a difficult entubation and that they didn't want to have to re do the entubation should I not be able to breathe. It made sense to me and so I waited until they took out the tube a few minutes later. I wonder if this happened because I have sleep apnea.

Ariel · March 5, 2007

I have sleep apnea so they told me that they would have to leave the tube in for a little while longer than avg. while i was waking up and that i would have to follow their breathing instructions. Well when i woke up i had the tube in my mouth it didnt seem like a big deal to me. I had to take 3 deep breaths before they pulled it out. The hardest part for me post op is they asked me to move from the operating table onto another bed. Why do they do that?

Davyna · March 6, 2007

I didn't even know I was going to be intubated. In all my research, I never found this bit of information, and my dr sure didn't bother to tell me. I didn't wake up with the tube in me and didn't really have any throat discomfort.

Right after surgery tho, they wanted me to breathe into this apparatus that prevents you from getting pnenemonia in your lungs by forcing you to cough up mucus. I sure wish they had told me to hold my incisions when I cough.

FYI- If you have to cough- Hold your abdomen very close (I even used a small pillow) and cough repeatedly to get stuff up. As my mother, a former RN, states, "Clearing your throat doesn't count!"

faithmd · March 6, 2007

I didn't even know I was going to be intubated. In all my research, I never found this bit of information, and my dr sure didn't bother to tell me. I didn't wake up with the tube in me and didn't really have any throat discomfort.
Right after surgery tho, they wanted me to breathe into this apparatus that prevents you from getting pnenemonia in your lungs by forcing you to cough up mucus. I sure wish they had told me to hold my incisions when I cough.

FYI- If you have to cough- Hold your abdomen very close (I even used a small pillow) and cough repeatedly to get stuff up. As my mother, a former RN, states, "Clearing your throat doesn't count!"

I'm kind of amazed you weren't told how a surgery goes. Certainly some minor surgical procedures don't require intubation, but something like this falls under the category of needing intubation. Especially for us larger folks who are much more likely to have sleep apnea, they want to have control of our airway. And no one told you about the incentive spirometer? Sheesh, I'd make the suggestion to your docs office that in the future they might want to be a bit more informative to their patients about what's going to happen to them...I think it's only fair that people know what will be happening.

I'm glad things went well and you didn't have any discomfort, and thankfully your mom was able to help you out with some things. And she's right, clearing your throat doesn't count :bananajump:

aubrie · April 21, 2007

Well, I never woke up from surgery with one in, but I HAVE had scratches and swelling afterward and a sore throat for two weeks!!! I have also had my stomach pumped many years ago, and I truly thought if the poison in my stomach didn't kill me, the tube down my throat would. I fought like a wild cat. They had to strap me down. I couldn't breathe at all and thought they were going to accidentally suffocate me. I've never been so fearful.

Syrah · April 23, 2007

Interesting discussion! I vaguely remember waking up with a tube going down the side of my face and I remember them pulling the tube out of my throat (just barely -- like it was a dream or something, but I remember it feeling like sandpaper). I agree with whoever said that it's not a sign of incompetence on the surgical staff's part. It's part of the possible risks you face when you agree to this (or any) surgery. I specifically asked if I would be awake when the tube came out, about 3 times. Every time, I was given the same answer (which skirts the issue): "You won't remember a thing." Huh!

Susan3343 · April 26, 2007

I will be banded on May 4th and today attended a class with the dietician, RN and pharmacist. I was told it is a state (OH) requirement to attend this class. The RN did tell us that when we wake up we may have the tube still part way in and that we would just push it out. I am afraid... no really I am scared ****less of this but I am still going to go through with it because I am keeping my eye on the prize! Am in day 2 of the preop diet. Hasnt been too bad but I am sure that at some point it will make me nuts.

beachgirl · April 26, 2007

Okay,

I just asked my daughter who is a surgery tech and she said that it rarely happens but if you will tell them before hand to get it out before you know what is going on that they will and you will never ever know it. I know I have had 5 surgeries and have never came to and had that to happen. So, don't freak out just tell your anthesiologist when they have you sign the forms. Hope this helps and I wish you a wonderful, uneventful, quick and painless surgery.