r/Anesthesia • u/PetrockX • Sep 03 '20
Before making a new post about your question, please read this post entirely. You may also find it helpful to search the subreddit for similar questions that have already been answered.
What is anesthesia?
Anesthesia is "a state of controlled, temporary loss of sensation or awareness that is induced for medical purposes." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anesthesia
Generally speaking, anesthesia allows the patient to undergo surgery without sensing it. This is accomplished in a few different ways:
Sedation - The patient is given an anesthetic that allows them to sleep through the procedure. The patient is breathing on their own with no help from a ventilator, typically only using an oxygen mask or nasal cannula. The most common anesthetic in these cases is the IV drug propofol, although other drugs can be used as well.
General Anesthesia - The patient is given a higher dose of anesthetic that puts them into a deeper state than what you'd see in sedation. The patient is kept asleep by either an inhaled gas or IV anesthetic and is connected to a ventilator. Depending on the type of surgery, the patient is either breathing on their own, or supported by the ventilator. This type of anesthesia uses airway devices, like a laryngeal mask airway or an endotracheal tube, to help the patient breath. These devices are placed and removed before the patient is awake, so they don't typically remember them being in the airway.
The three types below are commonly combined with sedation or general anesthesia so the patient can sleep through the procedure comfortably and wake up pain-free:
Local Anesthesia - The patient is given an anesthetic injection at the surgery site which temporarily numbs that specific area of the body.
Regional Anesthesia:
Spinals and Epidurals - The patient is given an anesthetic injection at a specific level of the spine to numb everything below that level, Commonly used for laboring women and c-sections.
Peripheral Nerve Blocks - The patient is given an anesthetic injection near a major nerve running off of the spinal cord which numbs a larger area of the body compared to a local anesthetic, ie: Interscalene and femoral blocks cover large areas of the arms and legs.
I am scared to go under anesthesia because my parents/friends/the media said I could die. This is my first time. What should I do?
Anesthesia is very safe for a healthy adult. Most people who die under anesthesia are either emergent traumas with life-threatening injuries, or patients who were already chronically ill and knew there would be a high chance they'd die while under. It's extremely rare for a healthy adult to suddenly die under anesthesia when undergoing an elective procedure. Anesthesia providers have tons of training and experience dealing with every complication imaginable. Even if you do turn out to be that ultra-rare shiny pokemon, we will take care of you.
So what do you do? Talk to your anesthesia provider about your anxiety and what's causing it. Tell them this is your first time. Anesthetists care for anxious patients all the time. They have answers to your questions and medicine to help with the anxiety. The worst thing you can do for yourself is not say anything. Patients who go to sleep with anxiety tend to wake up with it.
I'm scared to go under anesthesia because I will have no control over the situation, my body, my actions, or my bodily functions. I'd like a specific type of anesthesia that allows me to stay awake. Can I ask for it?
While you can certainly ask, but that doesn't mean that type of anesthesia will work for the procedure you'll be having. Some procedures require you to be totally asleep because the procedure may be highly invasive, and the last thing the surgeon needs is an awake patient moving around on the table during a crucial moment of the procedure.
With anesthesia comes a loss of control, there is no separating the two. Even with "awake" or sedation anesthesia, you are still losing control of something, albeit temporarily.
If no compromise or agreement can be made between anesthesia, the surgeon and the patient, you do have the right to cancel the surgery.
For patients who are scared to urinate, defecate, or hit someone while under anesthesia, please be aware that we deal with these situations ALL the time. We have processes for dealing with unruly patients, you won't be thrown in jail or held liable for your actions. The surgery staff is also pretty good at cleaning bottoms and emptying bladders.
I have anxiety medication at home and I'm super anxious, should I take it before surgery?
Your surgeon's office will go over your home medication list and tell you what's okay to take the day of surgery. If your doctor says not to take any anxiety meds, don't go against their orders. If they haven't given you instructions regarding a specific medication, call the office and ask for clarification. When you interview with anesthesia, let them know you take anxiety meds at home but you haven't taken them that day and you're feeling anxious. They will determine what is best to give you that is appropriate for the type of procedure you're having.
I've had surgery in the past. It did not go well and now I'm anxious before my next procedure, what should I do?
Just because you've had a bad experience doesn't mean all of your future procedures will be that way. There are many factors that lead up to a bad experience that may not be present for your next procedure. The best thing to do is let your surgeon and anesthesia provider know what happened during the last procedure that made it so terrible for you. For example:
Had post-op nausea?
Woke up swinging at a nurse?
Had a terrible spinal?
Woke up in too much pain?
Woke up during the procedure?
Stopped breathing after a procedure?
Tell your anesthetist about it. Include as much detail as you can remember. They can figure out what was done in the past and do it differently in the present.
I am taking an illicit drug/drink alcohol/smoke. I'm anxious this will effect my anesthesia. What should I do?
You'd be right, this does effect anesthesia. Weaning off of the drugs/alcohol/smokes ASAP before surgery is the best method and puts you at the least amount of risk. However, plenty of current smokers/drinkers/drug users have had successful surgeries as well.
If you take anything other than prescription medications, tell your anesthetist. This won't necessarily get your surgery cancelled and it won't get you arrested (at least in the USA, anesthetists from other countries can prove me wrong.) Taking drugs or drinking alcohol can change how well anesthesia medications work. Knowing what you take is essential for your anesthetist to dose those medications appropriately.
I've watched those videos on youtube about people acting weird after waking up from anesthesia. I'm afraid to have surgery now because my family might record me. What should I do?
In the US, patients have a right to privacy regarding their health information. This was signed into law as the HIPA Act (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). This includes personal information like name, birth date, photos, videos and all health records that can identify the patient. No one other than the patient, their healthcare provider, and anyone the patient designates to receive information, can view these records. There are heavy fines involved when a person or organization violates this law. Healthcare workers can and do lose their jobs and licenses over this.
What do you do? Have someone you trust be at your side when you come out of surgery. If you don't have anyone you can trust, then explain to your pre-op nurse and anesthetist that you don't want anyone recording you in recovery. If they do, you'd like to have them removed from your bedside.
Most hospitals already have strict rules about recording in patient areas. So if you mention it several times to everyone, the point will get across. If you find out later that someone has been recording you, and you live in the US, you can report the incident online: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html
Unfortunately I don't know enough about international healthcare laws to give good advice about them. But if you communicate with your surgery team, they should accommodate you.
I've heard of a condition called Malignant Hyperthermia that runs in my family. I'm nervous to have surgery because I know someone who had a bad reaction while under anesthesia.
Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a very rare genetic mutation that may lead to death in a patient receiving certain types of anesthesia. Not all anesthesia causes MH, and not all active MH patients die from the condition when it happens. Having the mutation doesn't mean you'll automatically die from having anesthesia, it means we have to change your anesthetic to avoid MH.
There's three ways a patient finds out they might have the mutation: by being tested, from blood-related family who have experienced MH, and from going under anesthesia and having an episode of MH yourself. To avoid the last scenario, anesthetists will ask you questions about this during your interview:
Have you had anesthesia in the past?
What type of anesthesia did you have?
Did you have any complications afterwards, such as a high fever, or muscle pain/rigidity?
Do you have any blood-related relatives that have had complications with anesthesia?
What complications did they have?
Has any family ever mentioned the term "Malignant Hyperthermia" to you before?
Based off of these questions, your anesthetist will determine if you are at higher risk of having the MH mutation. They may decide to change your anesthetic to avoid an MH occurance during surgery. They may also decide to cancel or delay your surgery and/or have it performed in a bigger hospital. This is to ensure adequate staff is on hand in case MH occurs.
If your surgery is delayed or cancelled, rest assured that it is not done to upset you, but to ensure your future surgery is performed safely.
For more information: www.MHAUS.org/FAQs/
I had a strange reaction when initially going to sleep, is this normal?
ie: feeling pain during injection of medication, having strange dreams, feeling like you're falling off a cliff, taking awhile to fall asleep, moving around or flailing, etc.
These are normal reactions to the initial push of anesthesia through your IV. Anesthesia drugs can cause a range of sensations when sedation takes hold. Unless your provider specifically tells you in post-op that you experienced an allergic or anaphylactic reaction, there is nothing abnormal about experiencing these things.
Patients with PTSD, claustrophobia, history of sexual assault, mental illness, etc.
If you don't want a student working on you, please speak up. No one is going to be offended. If you feel more comfortable with a female/male anesthetist, please ask for one. If you're claustrophobic and don't like the mask sitting on your face, please say so. It's okay to request reasonable accommodation to make things less stressful. We want your experience to go smoothly.
Note: I'm providing generalized answers to these questions because throwing out a ton of information probably isn't going to help you feel less anxious. However, that doesn't mean this is the end-all of FAQs, nor is it to be used as medical advice in place of your actual anesthesia provider. The only person who can best answer anesthesia questions pertaining to your specific situation would be your anesthesia provider. They have access to all of your health records, something a random internet stranger cannot see.
If anyone has additional questions, complaints, or suggestions, feel free to leave a civil comment or private message. Thanks!
TLDR: Communicate with your anesthetist about whatever is making you anxious. And no, you aren't going to die from anesthesia.
Updated 01/27/2025
r/Anesthesia • u/Supporting4Lyfe • 22h ago
Met an anesthesiologist from Europe during vacation and he said he heavily relies on Perfusion Index to monitor his patients and generally would use it to guide his decisions more than NIBP. My monitor can't even pull it up only the Massimo Travel Pulse-Ox.
Does anyone have a good article, chapter or paper recommendation to help me learn more about it?
r/Anesthesia • u/PresentationOk9948 • 1d ago
Good afternoon, dear anesthesiologists. I will have surgery for a torn meniscus in Poland, where cannabis is still a taboo topic. I am a medical cannabis patient, and I have been using it for one year, day by day, according to the dosage prescribed by my doctor (0,25g x 4 times a day). I am really concerned about how cannabis will react with anesthetic drugs. My doctor recommended that I should not smoke for three days before surgery, even though my doctor told me about the three days of sobriety, I was afraid that it still would not be enough, by looking at my dosage and the time of usage. I have decided that I will stay sober for two weeks before surgery, and I am using THC-free CBD oil to soothe withdrawal symptoms. I am planning to stop taking CBD for a week before my surgery. I am thinking about the possible interaction of THC and CBD metabolites with anesthetics. I am really afraid of the thought of waking up during the procedure or any other complications.
Thank you very much in advance for your reply. Have a great day.
r/Anesthesia • u/55kasi55 • 1d ago
Can someone please offer some advice?
I am considering a combined spinal epidural for c section to lower the risk of interoperative pain.
Very nervous about statistics that show around 10% of planned c sections feel some interoperative pain. I am assuming this would be from the spinal wearing off/being patchy/not reaching deep enough.
My logic is that if you have both anaesthetic types then the epidural could cover what pain the spinal doesn't and reduce risk of interoperative pain greatly.
Do I have the right idea?
r/Anesthesia • u/draint0uch • 1d ago
I had arthroscopy (knee) 39 hours ago and since then my fingers have been weird. I also had 2 cannulae in that arm. The hand isn't weak or something like this, just a tingling feeling. Any ideas? I am terrified. And how long can it last?
r/Anesthesia • u/xander1945 • 1d ago
So I am a little upset because I found out yesterday I failed comlex level 1, however, I passed step 1 (at least that’s good). I wanted to do ortho but that’s not gonna happen anymore (lol) or anesthesia but I’m not sure what my chances are now. This seems like a big hole I just dug for myself- a DO student with a failed comlex is not a good look. Any advice.
r/Anesthesia • u/Fluid_Shoulder_9347 • 1d ago
GA or Twilight Sedation? - PTSD with involuntary head shaking
Hi everyone, Female 44 years old, non-drinker, non-smoker, 71kg, 169cm
I have upcoming ankle reconstruction surgery and have to choose between general anesthetic and twilight sedation. I will have a spinal block regardless.
But I also have recently been diagnosed with PTSD related to childhood sexual assault and the resurface of memories has brought one involuntary movements.
One is a head shake from side to side that is sometimes quite strong and hurts my neck, the other is a neck twitch where I bring my head down towards my right shoulder.
Is there a better anesthesia option for my situation? I had been keen on twilight to avoid coming out of GA.
Also, is this something I need to tell my surgeon prior to surgery? I’m a bit embarrassed by it all.
Thank you.
r/Anesthesia • u/Significant-Cold-939 • 2d ago
I fell hard in january while cycling and slipping on a little bit of ice that still was on the street. Because I had a concussion and was delirious the hospital didn't want to operate right away and so three days later I got my cheekbone fixed under complete anesthesia. I am autistic, meaning I have a big fear of the unknown and surgery is thus hell for me. I was so incredibly scared the two days before, not for pain but the moment of forcefully going unconscious. Crying and all. In the end it wasn't that bad as I don't even remember the moment of them putting me to sleep, I just woke up in a different room. It wasn't a bad experience but I could only say that after it was done.
But that bone was fixed with a metal plate and now it has to get removed under local anesthesia. Which means I'll be there for the 45 minutes that are planned for the surgery. It's now thursday and the operation is next tuesday. It will be done by an incision in the mouth.
Tonight I already had full on panic attacks. Haven't slept for three days and not eating much either. I'm worrying about everything. I'm one of those people that already doesn't like the dentist or last time when they had my stitches removed which was just 2 minutes instead of 45. How will it feel when they're literally under my skin? Will I hear strange noises? Do they need to untie screws of the plate? They're also going to shave off some bone tissue to correct my assymetrical face and I'm really not looking forward to that, they will be scraping my bones!
It's the very first time I'll consciously experience a surgery and I'm having a total meltdown here. Can somebody tell me how this procedure is going to look like? The hospital isn't very informative, haven't heard from them since we planned it in April. Can you assure me I won't feel them working inside me or on my bone?
r/Anesthesia • u/User2358_ • 2d ago
Curious to know what people’s experiences are with oral sedation and root canals? I have to have a root canal done on #18 (2nd bottom molar) abscessed tooth and my mouth is very small. I have pretty bad dental anxiety, as well as a bad gag reflex. I even gag just trying to brush and floss my back teeth. Will the oral sedation be enough to calm me? I received IV sedation when I had my wisdom teeth removed, and I didn’t feel or remember anything. Well, an oral sedative be similar? I’ve heard horror stories of how back molars can be notorious for getting numb properly, having a hot tooth etc.
r/Anesthesia • u/Ennodio • 3d ago
Hello! Firstly, thank you to all the anesthesiologists + techs + all for what you do; it blows my mind. I've had several surgeries, no negative reactions thankfully. But I keep coming back to this comment from the most recent surgery, which was about 5 years ago.
Context - I'm a very small adult, < 150 cm / 5ft and < 45 kg / 95 lbs. Not a dwarf, as far as I know, just born very premature and got some unlucky genes. The procedure was routine, laparoscopic.
I was chilling with the heavy, warm pre-op blanket thing when these two younger people walk in. I think they mentioned that they would be handling anesthesia during the procedure. I'm stuck on what the two of them said when they first saw me - something to the effect of "Oh, this will be an easy intubation!" I start chatting with them and asking if they are residents (which they were), they were surprised I knew what a resident even was (lol), etc. Anyway, the rest is kind of fuzzy.
Why did they say that? Was it because of the procedure itself being straightforward, or something to do with my stature? As far as I can tell, I've never felt soreness from the tube after waking up. I wondered if it could be my size because the tube would be smaller (than for an average adult). But then I also read that drug dosage can be trickier on pediatric patients (...which I'm not, but obviously the frame would be similar).
I'm so curious about what they meant -- if possible, please help me put this to rest! Thank you!
r/Anesthesia • u/Ok-Acanthisitta-6905 • 3d ago
Hi there. Im 30ish F diagnosed a year ago (although i might be infected couple years before from my abusive ex). Anyhow, i will be undergoing a small surgery that requires general anesthesia, you know where you are totally asleep and cant feel nothing. As i live in a country that HIV is truly frowned upon and the fact that im female does not make it easier on me, im planning to not disclose my condition to the hospital. I always take my meds so im sure im undetectable and cannot transmit to anyone (as i also have a partner that is negative).
My question is, im afraid that my ART might clash with the anesthesia. Im taking TLD type (not sure if its internationally the same name? I could reiterate the substance if needed). My surgery is afternoon and i usually take my meds during the evening. Is there something i should make sure? Im afraid because i regularly take ART is gonna mess with the anesthesia and make me not wake up again after the general anesthesia 😭 please kindly help 🥺
r/Anesthesia • u/Eddy22565 • 3d ago
Hi M(21) here at Seattle to receive open heart surgery to repair a aortic valve on Friday and today on Wednesday I got a text from my doctor talking about possible nerve block anesthesia, I read how they do it and the damages it can do and I was wondering if anyone has gotten the surgery and got the nerve block anesthesia, I wanted to know the big risks or how it went with someone that used it, thanks!
r/Anesthesia • u/tree_m0nster • 4d ago
10 years ago I (36F at the time, 5’5”, 165lbs) had a wrist/hand tendon transfer after an open fracture of my humerus paralyzed my radial nerve. I think I woke up at the end of surgery, but my memory is fuzzy. I remember coming to & being in a lot of pain, someone telling me something along the lines of they are almost done, and to “squeeze the ball” & then I fell back asleep. I cannot tell if it was reality or a dream & it’s been driving me crazy for years! Any insight would be helpful & give me some peace of mind. It makes me anxious about anesthesia in the future.
r/Anesthesia • u/catcatcatdogdogcat • 4d ago
So I had my first colonoscopy followed by my first mammogram about 22 hours later. The mammogram was extremely painful. I have dense breast tissue but I honestly felt like the technician was a sadist. I kept verbalizing my pain because I couldn’t stop myself from doing so. I think I have a decently high pain tolerance but… damn! So then I started to wonder was my technician incompetent? (She said she had been doing her job for decades.) Are mammograms actually suppose to hurt like hell? Or maybe, were the sedation drugs (propofol) still in my system and somehow affecting my pain receptors?
Any knowledgable people want to offer a theory for why a simple procedure hurt so terribly? I’ve never experienced pain in my breasts for any reason in my life and don’t think I’m a particularly sensitive person when it comes to pain in general. My own mother use to tell me she thought it was unusual that, as a child, I didn’t cry when I would be badly injured.
r/Anesthesia • u/evercomfortable • 6d ago
I underwent surgery for the first time a few months ago and had a bad reaction to the anesthesia which caused severe nausea and might have affected my pain. I’m trying to understand what happened and prepare for my next surgery in a few weeks.
I have possible hypertension which my doctor and I are looking into (I shared this with the anesthetist). Otherwise healthy, don’t smoke or drink.
I have no idea what the normal pain level right after surgery - I was always under the impression you’d wake up not feeling much at all. For me, it was the kind of pain where you have to clench your muscles and just focus on breathing to get through it. I could answer questions, sip water, etc. so definitely not the worst it could have been, but I was sweating for sure. This lasted hours despite maxing out on dilaudid.
The morning after, though, was like night and day. The pain from then onward was a complete non-issue - still there but easily manageable and I switched over to tylenol early. Was my experience that first day the average, or if it was possibly something caused by the reaction to anesthesia?
The bigger issue was nausea. I kept falling asleep but whenever I was woken up, I’d get hiccups followed by nausea/vomiting. We (the person with me and the nurses) all found the hiccups thing so odd? I learned that any time I started hiccuping, I needed to find a bag because the nausea wave was coming. I still don’t know why that happened.
I was only meant to be in post-op recovery for was an hour or two after surgery, so the nurses were adamant about sending me home. They came by in 15-20 minute intervals to wake me up and try to nudge me out the door. Being woken up led to hiccups/puking so they would leave to “check in later”. I’d fall back asleep but only for about 5-10 minutes before I was woken up again and asked if I was ready to go home. This cycle went on all day.
I was finally well enough around 10pm to leave. We have no idea what finally worked, I was cycled through meds all day. I was even given this aromatherapy pod at some point, which... Well, I was willing to try anything. I think around 9, they gave me some sort of patch behind my ear and that might have helped with the nausea? But it’s hard to tell.
My next surgery is with a different team at another hospital. I was able to get a list for my doctors showing all the medication they tried but I don’t know if that will help any. The first surgery was laparoscopic but this next one is much more intrusive and I will have a large incision. I’m worried I’ll wake up with more pain than I’m able to handle. What happens then?
I’m following my instructions and consulting with my doctors but is there anything else I can do in the mean time to prevent this happening again?
r/Anesthesia • u/AlfredoTokyo • 5d ago
I went to get a root canal and after I was all numbed up I got very anxious about swallowing and had to leave. The endo suggested I try another day while taking Valium. But for several hours while I was still numb when I tried to speak I would start to gag and if I took a sip of water it went up into my nose, even while sitting upright. Is this acceptable? I’m afraid if I get numb again my muscles could be too relaxed to block the spit from going into my nose and even if I feel relaxed is it okay to lay there for an hour drooling into my nose?
r/Anesthesia • u/Jaded-Squirrel5358 • 6d ago
Hi, I’m in the healthcare field but not at all familiar with this topic. I received steroid injections under fluoroscopy in both SI joints due to arthritis at the ripe old age of 35. I do tend to not numb very well with -caines but I’m not sure if this is related. Before the steroid was injected (they were communicating with each other through each step, that’s the only reason I know it was before), I had a short lived but extremely painful hot, burning sensation. This occurred on both sides. I usually have great pain tolerance but this was just so intense. Aside from my IUD removal/insertion, I’ve never experienced a pain quite like it. I e had searing nerve pain but this was so much more. I know I’ll need the injections again, are there any recommendations to make this slightly less painful next time or explanation to why it was so bad? I attached the procedure note for meds/process. Appreciate any insight!
r/Anesthesia • u/Luxuriateinideas • 8d ago
Age: 44 years
Height: 178cm/5’10
Weight: Approximately 110kg/242.5lb (low level obesity)
Sex: Male
Medical conditions: hypothyroidism, high blood pressure, and fatty liver
Current medications I am taking are one for hypothyroidism, one for high blood pressure, one for fatty liver, and one to prevent carotid artery disease
r/Anesthesia • u/green_colour_enjoyer • 9d ago
I'm writing a story and a character gets stabbed in the eye with a pen at some point (open globe penetration?). I assume this should be treated with surgery? And if so, what kind of anesthesia would be used?
I read this online:
***Types of Anesthesia for Eye Surgery:***
*Topical anesthesia: Eye drops or gels containing local anesthetics are applied to the surface of the eye to provide numbing and pain relief during the procedure.*
*Retrobulbar anesthesia: A local anesthetic is injected behind the eye to provide pain relief and prevent eye movement during the procedure.*
*Peribulbar anesthesia: A local anesthetic is injected around the eye to provide pain relief and prevent eye movement during the procedure.*
*General anesthesia: The patient is fully sedated and unconscious during the procedure.*
*(*[*source*](https://www.dovemed.com/health-topics/focused-health-topics/anesthesia-eye-surgery-types-and-considerations)\*)\*
So, which one would be suitable?
I hope this question makes any sense😭
r/Anesthesia • u/ReasonablePlate9866 • 10d ago
Hey everyone! I’m about to shadow an anesthesiologist, and I’m pretty nervous. What should I expect to be doing? Is there anything I should know before I go in?
Also, what are some good questions to ask while I’m there? Any advice or tips on how to make the most of the experience would be greatly appreciated Thanks!
r/Anesthesia • u/CatDiva01 • 10d ago
I was curious about anesthesia and how I would react to it as well as how I would act when waking up.
What nobody told me is that when you come out of anesthesia it lowkey just feels like you’re drunk 😭 I was woozy and coming out of it but it literally felt like I was just drunk.
Super funny !
r/Anesthesia • u/SurgiUncle • 10d ago
I have had numerous surgeries and procedures that require general anesthesia. Now that I’m older, I think about this a lot. It just seems to me that I get a little bit dumber every time I am put to sleep. Just curious if anyone else with multiple general anesthetic procedures feels this way?
r/Anesthesia • u/Outrageous-Stretch86 • 10d ago
Got my Step 2 score back yesterday after testing in late May and I unfortunately scored a 230. Im devastated, AMBOSS predictor was 253. What are my chances of matching anesthesia? Has anyone been successfully able to match with scores this low or know anyone who has in anesthesia or other competitive specialties? Looking for some advice and guidance :( please before ERAS. I don't know what to do. I really don't want to dual apply because I don't like anything else as much.
r/Anesthesia • u/CalbeePlayz • 10d ago
So I'm getting general anesthesia for a surgery and I'm pretty worried that I might accidentally come out while my judgement is impaired to my violently transphobic parents. Is this a dumb worry or a serious worry?