Just curious....

[Justy Me]

For those of you who have had surgeries lately, has anesthesia improved much since you were a kid? I was sitting here recalling how awful that whole process was when I was young, from being put to sleep and it taking forever to kick in, to waking up and being horrified by hours of double vision and throwing up. I know that things have improved due to time and advancements in technology and science and all that, I was just curious to hear people's stories now to see if things have gotten much better in the way of quickly going under and quickly coming out of anesthesia.


Sorry if this is silly....lol. It's almost been 20 years since I've last had in-patient surgery and I can still smell that rancid cherry gas. Ah, memories :-p

[jellolegs23]

I had a bladder surgery done about 2-3 years ago. I was put out by IV anesthesia. They can give you Valium to make you go out more quickly and relax you. They also have made the mask anesthesia smell better than it used to. As far as nausea after waking up they can give you anti-nausea medicine so you won't feel nauseated. Also, when you talk to the Anesthesiologist before surgery you can tell them the symptoms you have felt in the past when waking up from it and they can mix the anesthesia differently so you won't feel those symptoms nearly as much. Basically, its all just about you speaking up about how you feel and what you need to feel better.

PS this is not a silly question. Many of us on here have similar experiences with it.

[mcco5543]

everything Jello said! I don't use the mask anymore (horrific experience as a child) I think your reaction to anesthesia doesn't really change over time in terms of nausea, how fast you come out of it etc...but the experience overall is much better.

[Dodger67]

The gas mixtures have changed - they don't use ether anymore and many of the other gasses have been reformulated.

Ether was the main culprit that caused the nausea hangover that lasted for a day or two sometimes. When I had cardiac surgery a few years ago I couldn't believe how quickly I was fully awake and feeling fine - I ate real food just half an hour after waking up! :dance2:

The stuff they used when I was a child (70s and 80s) was horrible :puke:

[NerdaliciouS]

...They have yummy bubble-gum flavour smelling stuff that doesn't burn now!

Actually, I like to make the comparison to that flouride foam they use at dentist offices when you go in for your 6 month cleaning.
Years ago it used to only be available in mint, and it wasn't even really minty, it was TERRIBLE. Now they have a whole slew of flavours and they don't really burn, and they don't make you want to vomit anymore! I've found it similar with anesthesia so I thought I'd throw that comparison in to see if it helped, lol.

[Ziggy]

+1 on tell the anesthesiologist that you have nausea/vomiting after anesthesia, and they will actually start the anti-nausea meds before they even wake you up.

[Gymp]

...The stuff they used when I was a child (70s and 80s) was horrible...

Ain't that the truth !!!

I used to have a nasty habit of actually waking up during surgery,for some reason or another by brain really fought against the drugs,it really surprised a few doctors.

Gymp

[NerdaliciouS]

I used to have a nasty habit of actually waking up during surgery,for some reason or another by brain really fought against the drugs,it really surprised a few doctors.

Gymp


That... IS TERRIFYING!
The only thing I ever got was it took me forever to go under, and forever to wake up! Yay for random flashes of memories that make no sense!

[sean]

Ain't that the truth !!!

I used to have a nasty habit of actually waking up during surgery,for some reason or another by brain really fought against the drugs,it really surprised a few doctors.

Gymp

The stuff nightmares are made of, traumatic to be resisting yet trapped, you must have the will of an ox.


Me on the other hand am not sure of what I remember about being knocked out or woken up as a kid, I think that says it! (I do recall slapping)
My last surgeries as an adult, back in the 80's/90's, I do know by the time I was there prep'd ready, and my willingness and desire to get it over with I'm sure a few hypnotic suggestions would probably have kept me under.lol
Waking up, has 'always' been days in intensive care, again my willingness/determination to leave it behind, maybe I don't need to remember.

Will not forget, absolutely hateing morphine and I think pethadine, on it and coming of it, Ive experienced hallucinations, tremmers, vomiting, it's truely horrific!!!

I am sure anesthetists today are far better trained (with listening skills) and more knowledgable and governed by laws! rules and regulations that demand faultless practice. I think we just need to speak up about any concerns.....and of course jump into the void of blind faith empty handed...AAAAHHHHhhhhhhhhhh!

Thinking....wisdom teeth, day surgery....yes threw up all night, felt grosse.

Years later...a cycstoscopy, day surgery....I requested no anesthetic (as I'm sure you guys get it....hello, so I'm to be cathed with a steel size ?18 cath instead of a size 12 about 8 times a day) I didn't need or want anesthetics.
I have told the story, my request disturbed everyone, I was left to last, given cups of tea (I assumed a full bladder was required). I pee'd full force into the Uro's face, it was pandemonium behind the curtain.
I haven't stopped laughing about it.

Sean.

[sbmama]

I agree with Ziggy to let them know so they can give you anti nausea meds! I throw up coming out of anesthesia (like after my wisdom teeth were removed and they had to cut my jaw open since they were super impacted, yuck), and my daughter threw up after the surgery she had this summer. They gave her IV anti nausea meds, and it seemed to help a lot.

[dahliafaolan]

At my hospital, phenergan, an anti-nausea drug they often give to chemo patients, is part of the normal anesthetic cocktail. Love that little fact.

I'd definitely say that anesthesia has gotten better over the years. I had the gas a lot when I was a kid to the point where I'm terrified to have anything over my nose and mouth, even if it's just pure oxygen, I'll fight against it. But the good thing is that you can request to not have the gas. Now, I have discovered a wonderful drug that they can add to the cocktail that has made things so much easier for me, at least for short surgeries. It's called Versed and it's an absolute wonder. I had been so used to the awful all day/week grogginess that accompanied surgeries. Then for one of my lithotripsies, they gave me Versed and I swear to you, it was just like going take a nap. I fell asleep in the middle of a sentence!! And when I woke it, it was like I had just taken a little power nap. No grogginess at all. I felt refreshed in fact.

[Dodger67]

Phenergan is really useful stuff - primarily an antihistamine, it comes with a whole bunch of useful side effects, it's also a mild sedative.

[technovicki]

...I'd definitely say that anesthesia has gotten better over the years. I had the gas a lot when I was a kid to the point where I'm terrified to have anything over my nose and mouth, even if it's just pure oxygen, I'll fight against it. But the good thing is that you can request to not have the gas. ...

Same here, I can't stand having any sort of mask over my face, not even nitrous from the dentist...its as if my brain connects all over the face masks with cherry anesthetic. I did really well on my last surgery (knee) but not sure if it was the anesthetic or that it wasn't a very long surgery or both. It was the first one I had were I didn't get sick. As a teenager I started asking for sedation through the IV pre-surgery because I couldn't stand that cherry smelling gas -- thinking of it now makes me :21a:

Though it's kinda nice to hear I'm not the only so scarred by it.

[NerdaliciouS]

its as if my brain connects all over the face masks with cherry anesthetic. I did really well on my last surgery (knee) but not sure if it was the anesthetic or that it wasn't a very long surgery or both. It was the first one I had were I didn't get sick. As a teenager I started asking for sedation through the IV pre-surgery because I couldn't stand that cherry smelling gas -- thinking of it now makes me :21a:

Though it's kinda nice to hear I'm not the only so scarred by it.

Pavlovian theory. :p

Thinking of the cherry smell makes me nauseous, but the IV is even worse for me (I should tell that story to you folks some day). Had to make a compromise!

[Ziggy]

Our Children's hospital uses versed whenever the kids are anxious about sedation or anesthesia. Micah gets it before sedated MRIs and before surgery. It helps a lot with anxiety! We call it silly juice.

[Justy Me]

Pavlovian theory. :p

Thinking of the cherry smell makes me nauseous, but the IV is even worse for me (I should tell that story to you folks some day). Had to make a compromise!

I can't IMAGINE anything being worse than the wretched cherry smell! Lol...yes you should tell that story I'd love to hear it I'm sure it's a "gas" :-p

Same here, I can't stand having any sort of mask over my face, not even nitrous from the dentist...its as if my brain connects all over the face masks with cherry anesthetic. I did really well on my last surgery (knee) but not sure if it was the anesthetic or that it wasn't a very long surgery or both. It was the first one I had were I didn't get sick. As a teenager I started asking for sedation through the IV pre-surgery because I couldn't stand that cherry smelling gas -- thinking of it now makes me :21a:

Though it's kinda nice to hear I'm not the only so scarred by it.

You definitely are not the only one....makes me happy I posted the question, it's comforting to know we're not alone in things and a little reminder now and again is nice.

At my hospital, phenergan, an anti-nausea drug they often give to chemo patients, is part of the normal anesthetic cocktail. Love that little fact.

I'd definitely say that anesthesia has gotten better over the years. I had the gas a lot when I was a kid to the point where I'm terrified to have anything over my nose and mouth, even if it's just pure oxygen, I'll fight against it. But the good thing is that you can request to not have the gas. Now, I have discovered a wonderful drug that they can add to the cocktail that has made things so much easier for me, at least for short surgeries. It's called Versed and it's an absolute wonder. I had been so used to the awful all day/week grogginess that accompanied surgeries. Then for one of my lithotripsies, they gave me Versed and I swear to you, it was just like going take a nap. I fell asleep in the middle of a sentence!! And when I woke it, it was like I had just taken a little power nap. No grogginess at all. I felt refreshed in fact.

I'm the same way I freak out at the thought of any mask touching my face. Hearing all your accounts of being masked is helping me to see I'm not in need of therapy to get over the trauma, haha.

That... IS TERRIFYING!
The only thing I ever got was it took me forever to go under, and forever to wake up! Yay for random flashes of memories that make no sense!

Me too, I took forever to wake up a few times and I recall my mom calling all my family members telling them to come " just in case"...sad but true. She over panicked is all lol. Then again the idea of not waking up when one should is a little scary huh.


I'm really glad I went ahead and posted this question....funny coincidence is one of the nurses who prepped me for surgery just retired and she recalls that I was a strong lil girl....I knocked her on the floor a few times when I was about to be put to sleep. What can I say I was scared!! Lucky for me she has apparently forgiven me lol.

[NerdaliciouS]

Hahaha... I don't want to scare any of the parents!!!!

Warning! If you're a parent, or are deathly afraid of needles, DON'T READ!





When I went in for my last detethering, I was 10 years old and not the fondest of needles, but I could deal with them. That was the worst hospital I've ever been to in my life; they messed up on my surgery and did a whole lot of bad. But during the bloodwork, I don't know if the person was just angry, didn't like me, or they had no idea what they were doing, but they took the thing and in a stabbing motion (literally, stabbing motion), jabbed the thing into my arm...And they missed the vein... Repeatedly. They were fishing around for it for at LEAST 10 minutes. The freezing stuff I asked for didn't work, and here they were jabbing a needle in and out of my arm, ATTEMPTING to hit a vein. ...I was stupid enough to watch it. My mom eventually came back in and went WTFFFFFFF?! and made them stop. Needless to say, they didn't get any blood that day. My arm was bruised like crazy, and I've been deathly afraid of needles ever since. So... I'd much rather take the gas (that doesn't smell like cherry anymore!) over the IV.

That hospital was dreadful though. I refused to let the lady take out my staples because she kept hurting me and calling me names, and when I went to the ER the next day, they brought in the stapler opposed to the thing to remove it... Oh boy, I learned how strong I am when I don't want to hold still that day...

[Gymp]

When I went in for my last detethering, I was 10 years old and not the fondest of needles, but I could deal with them. That was the worst hospital I've ever been to in my life; they messed up on my surgery and did a whole lot of bad. But during the bloodwork, I don't know if the person was just angry, didn't like me, or they had no idea what they were doing, but they took the thing and in a stabbing motion (literally, stabbing motion), jabbed the thing into my arm...And they missed the vein... Repeatedly. They were fishing around for it for at LEAST 10 minutes. The freezing stuff I asked for didn't work, and here they were jabbing a needle in and out of my arm, ATTEMPTING to hit a vein. ...I was stupid enough to watch it. My mom eventually came back in and went WTFFFFFFF?! and made them stop. Needless to say, they didn't get any blood that day. My arm was bruised like crazy, and I've been deathly afraid of needles ever since. So... I'd much rather take the gas (that doesn't smell like cherry anymore!) over the IV.

That hospital was dreadful though. I refused to let the lady take out my staples because she kept hurting me and calling me names, and when I went to the ER the next day, they brought in the stapler opposed to the thing to remove it... Oh boy, I learned how strong I am when I don't want to hold still that day...

I'd be scared sh*tless of needles too if I had gone through all that...
I don't EVER remember being knocked out by gas.As far back as I can remember it was always a small needle in the top of my right hand (right side) then having to count back from "10"."9".."8"..."7"...."6"....."5"... ZZZzzz

Gymp

[dahliafaolan]

Pavlovian theory. :p

Thinking of the cherry smell makes me nauseous, but the IV is even worse for me (I should tell that story to you folks some day). Had to make a compromise!

My boyfriend thought of the smell more as rotten strawberries and to this day, he still will have a violent physical reaction to anything with a strawberry smell. He's actually vomited from the smell of strawberry lip balm.

Justy, you are not weird for your reaction. I've actually gotten violent when a mask has been put on my face. My poor boyfriend actually got clocked the one time he put his hand over my mouth from behind as a joke.

technovicki, you'll be interested to know that scent is one of the longest lasting sensory memories we have as humans. I haven't taken liquid Ditropan in almost 20 years, but I can still smell it even now as I think about it. In fact, smell will bring about more violent reactions in me than any other sense. A while back, my boyfriend was making pecan pie and he had burned the brown sugar slightly and it smelled exactly like a glue they had used to tape a NG tube to my face. I actually had to leave the house or I would have thrown up. I hadn't thought about that glue in ages. I wouldn't have even thought I remembered it till that moment. But smelling that smell, I instantly was back in that hospital bed having the tube shoved down my nose.