Anesthesia

[yessy1016 3]

"Oh, for crying out loud"--that's what my mother would say after reading some of these posts.

Really, now do you think that your anesthesiologist is a grammar school drop out? The level of their educational requirements humble the most of us. Ask for their educational credentials when you meet with yours, if you have any concerns.

Sure, there is risk anytime you have surgery--of any nature. I remember having a toenail bed removed once and just before the surgery began, my surgeon came in, placed his hand on my shoulder and prayed for God to guide his hands. --for a toenail bed!!! He was a family friend and I asked him about his praying. He told me, "The extra help never hurts".

"Let it go"!

Show some confidence. These highly educated and trained professionals know what they're doing. Relax--they got this.

Concentrate on fulfilling your end of the bargain---drinking enough, reaching your Protein level, exercising and getting on with, "The Best Part of Your Life"!

That was amazing

Sent from my HTC Desire 626s using the BariatricPal App

[Spinderella 9]

I don't doubt the abilities of the doctors and anesthesiologist in any way.

As I said, I was getting all these negative and comments that just pushed my personal fear over the edge from supposed "professionals" just made it harder for me to take it all in.

I appreciate the supportive comments and even the "oh, brother" comments. I just wanted to feel better about this one aspect so I CAN focus on all the other things that ARE in my control.

[4MRB4PHOTO 3,900]

Anesthesiologist: (while starting to apply the anesthesia) "Count back from 100 to 0"

Me: "100, 99, 98, 97, 96, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

The next thing I know, I am in the recovery room. I didn't have any issues with it.

[yessy1016 3]

Its true... And I am so glad I found this forum.. This is truly amazing..

Sent from my HTC Desire 626s using the BariatricPal App

[nervousnelly719 67]

@@Spinderella I am worried too.. I have sleep apnea as well and no machine. My surgery is in less than two weeks. We have to trust that we are in good hands and focus on the future... Best of luck to you

[2goldengirl 2,076]

I don't doubt the abilities of the doctors and anesthesiologist in any way.

As I said, I was getting all these negative and comments that just pushed my personal fear over the edge from supposed "professionals" just made it harder for me to take it all in.

I appreciate the supportive comments and even the "oh, brother" comments. I just wanted to feel better about this one aspect so I CAN focus on all the other things that ARE in my control.

You have been giving some irresponsible and alarming information from professionals who should know better.

First, your pain doctor. yes, an anesthesiologist BUT one who spends their time doing injections for pain. A delicate business, but I'm betting this is someone who hasn't anesthetized someone for surgery in quite a while. An anesthesiologist who works in surgery is MUCH more likely to be at the top of their game in terms of putting you under and waking you up.

Second, your sleep study staff. This was just stupid and irresponsible. Of course they're going to encourage you to get and use a CPAP, that's their job. BUT that's where it ends. None of them has ever put someone under anesthesia, or woken them up.

Third. there are lots, and lots, and LOTS of people out there who have undiagnosed sleep apnea. Care to guess how many of them get surgery when neither they, nor their anesthesiologist, knows they have sleep apnea? You don't "die and never wake up", for pity's sake, you're monitored within an inch of your life and if your breathing rate slows down they deal with it then and there. I never heard of such nonsense.

Now, about your sleep apnea. You say it's mild, and that you can't tolerate your CPAP. Have you spoken to the doctor who ordered it and told them that you just can't handle it? There are other means to deal with sleep apnea than a CPAP. My husband uses an oral appliance - the way our insurance is written, someone with mild sleep apnea uses an oral appliance it takes more severe apnea to require a CPAP. It is important for your doctor to know that the prescribed treatment isn't working for you. This is true whether you are being treated for sleep apnea or anything else.

So find yourself something else to worry about. My sleeve will be my ninth time under anesthesia since 1973, and I can say for good and for certain that anesthesia now is a total breeze compared to what it used to be. You're much less groggy and less apt to be nauseous, for one thing. The drugs they use are much shorter-acting than before, which means you clear them faster. I personally think the few seconds between the time you feel kinda drifty and you are totally out are delicious, and post-anesthesia sleep is wonderfully deep and sound. Enjoy it!

[Babbs 14,680]

If you didn't wake up from anesthesia, how would you even know anyway?

I've said it before, most people don't die under anesthesia. They die from the complications AFTER the surgery. And those are >1%.

You're going to be surprised how much of a non event being under was. You go in the OR, and then after that you're waking up. Simple as that.

[Valentina 2,642]

Anesthesiologist: (while starting to apply the anesthesia) "Count back from 100 to 0"

Me: "100, 99, 98, 97, 96, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

The next thing I know, I am in the recovery room. I didn't have any issues with it.

I don't remember saying "98". I must be easy!

[Miss Mac 6,262]

My sleeve was my 12th surgery. It's kinda like a nap.

[Momwith3minions 52]

I have moderate sleep apnea. I stop breathing up to 15 times per hour at night. Did I want to buy a CPAP?...nope. WLS, according to my sleep doctor, will cure my apnea.

During the EGD I was sedated. My bariatric surgeon put an oxygen tube in my nose. I went to sleep. I woke up in recovery.

I am more nervous about the actual surgery and the pain I'll be in. I've never had major surgery. Hopefully it's manageable.

[WLSResources/ClothingExch 3,444]

Sure, there is risk anytime you have surgery--of any nature. I remember having a toenail bed removed once and just before the surgery began, my surgeon came in, placed his hand on my shoulder and prayed for God to guide his hands. --for a toenail bed!!! He was a family friend and I asked him about his praying. He told me, "The extra help never hurts".

The surgeon was the greatest risk in this case.

[Siege 49]

I was exactly where you are before my surgery. Terrified of the idea of "not waking up."

It doesn't help that my family was only feeding into it (I had a maternal aunt die of complications post surgery, and the family has been traumatized ever since).

Then I had my EGD. And it was fine. Relaxing, even. And kinda cool. I woke up and it was over. I felt good. So, with that experience, my terror eased, lessening to anxiety.

Still, I thought, next time they are going to be cutting stuff out! That's different, right?

But I did my homework on my surgeon, talked it over until I was comfortable, and proceeded to try to put my family at ease. Those I could not put at ease I simply changed the subject. It was going to be fine.

It is hard to hear that your worry is unfounded - that doesn't really put you at ease. It is okay to be concerned. But you will be surrounded by professionals, educated and licensed in one of the most strict nations in the world. They have tons of experience. They do this all the time. It will be as easy as everyone here says it is.

[Dub 9,922]

Let the doctors be doctors and the patients be patient.

It's a piece of cake.

[WLSResources/ClothingExch 3,444]

Terrified of the idea of "not waking up."

If it has to happen, I'd prefer not waking up and never knowing a thing.

It's a piece of cake.

Picturesque, but not the most apt analogy. It's the aforementioned piece and all subsequent pieces of cake that brought us all together in the first place.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I just posted about this in a different thread/forum, but I'll bring it here since this is a more current thread.

I am BEYOND anxious and nervous about the anesthesia in general. Of course, I'm naturally nervous about the surgery as a whole, but I have a massive fear about the general anesthesia part.

If someone here could really help lessen or give me some guidance on this, I would be so thankful.

In a nutshell, my family gave a very personal fear to anesthesia and until now, I've been free from ever going under. But now, after a sleep study said I had "mild apena", my surgeon felt that it wasn't a big deal from a treatment standpoint.

The people at the sleep study HARASSED me and said that if I didn't get the CPAP machine, that the anesthesiologist would forgo my surgery and/or would do it and I wouldn't wake up. (!!!!!!) I was so upset and crying at this point because no one had told me that having apena in any form would hinder from me having my surgery.

After I purchased the machine, I just couldn't use it. I tried and tried, but with a chronic pain condition that I suffer with, this only made things more uncomfortable with the little sleep I get as it is.

When I told my surgeon and his assistant, they were very upset at what was said by the sleep study people and they said that it won't be an issue. HOWEVER, I see a pain management doctor and she also has specialties in anesthesia and post-operative pain and she tells me (even without being my doctor for WLS or PCP), "What? You have sleep apena? You can't take that lightly and if you have your surgery and don't do the CPAP machine, you'll DIE and never wake up from the surgery."

I mean, she said that IN FRONT OF MY DAUGHTER last week. I was in tears.

This is truly making me afraid that I may leave my just 3-year-old daughter and husband behind and I'm just so worried I'm making a horrible mistake and heading to my doom. It's hard enough having to deal with pre-op and getting prepared for this life change.

Help!

Not to pile on and add to your anxiety, But, as far as I am concerned, you would be MORE likely to not wake up after sleeping at home not using your CPAP machine than from going under anesthesia in an OR where you have a whole team of skilled medical professionals.

If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, you need to find a way to use your machine. It is that serious.