General anesthesia

[danelle]

Hi just wondering if anyone has had general anesthesia and had complications from it or surgery itself. I may be having surgery soon and was just wondering how POTS patients handle being "put to sleep".

One of my main concerns is BP and HR of course but not only during surgery but for a day or two after. Does it make the palpitations and BP worse for a few days?

I know I will need fluids and probably closer monitoring but what type? And is doing it in a dr's office safe for us????

In case you are wondering what type of surgery-vaginal(hopefully) hysterectomy, wisdom teeth cut out and extracted and later on breast augmentation.

Hope all is doing well, haven't been on in a while.

Thanks,

Danelle

[MightyMouse]

I had no complications, other than the normal sluggishness afterward, and a bit more POTS-y for a few days as the drugs cleared my system and my body recovered from the stresses of surgical procedures.

Nina

[morgan617]

Nope, just the regular stuff associated with generals. morgan

[Ernie]

Hi,

The last time I had general anesthesia they anesthetist told me that they had trouble to wake me up and that I should never have general anesthesia again. They did not explain the reason. Also I had a POTS crash that lasted for 6 months. I am a rare bird so maybe you should not compare yourself to me!

[OCsunshine]

I have been under anesthesia 4 times.

-Endoscopy

-Appendix removed

-Gall bladder removed

-Wisdom teeth extracted (all 4 of them)

For the mild anesthesia (endoscopy and the wisdom teeth) I had no troubles at all. I woke up feeling sleepy and groggy and didn't have any problems afterwards (besides the normal pain of having four teeth pulled!).

For the heavier anesthesia (appendix and gall bladder removed) I came out of the anesthesia fine (they didn't say they had troubles waking me up or anything), but I think it was just a resistance to the strong pain meds. They put me on demoral when I was coming out of the appendectomy and I was very nauseous and vomitting for a day after that- but once I asked to be taken OFF the pain meds completely, they put me on Toradol instead, and I did really well with that. So I was convinced it was the pain meds that didn't like me- not the anesthesia.

When I had my gall bladder out, I told them NO DEMORAL for me! I asked for Toradol only. Of course, they insisted on stronger pain meds and I wound up with Morphine in me when I came out of the anesthesia. For 2 days after the surgery I was in the ICU with a racing, irregular heart (super fast for over 48 hours) and my blood pressure was flipping up and down, and I was very ill with other problems.

But I am still convinced it was not the anesthesia that bothered me- it was the strong pain meds my body didn't like. Once I convinced them to take me COMPLETELY OFF pain meds after my gall bladder surgery, I was fine. I can handle pain very well, and the 4 incisions didn't bother me a bit. My heart went back to normal and I recovered.

Everyone has different experiences with anesthesia. Even 'healthy' people have weird reactions when they wake up sometimes- I have heard of people crying when they wake up, or laughing for a while, or even singing songs that make no sense... ha ha ha.... but most of the time I think people just feel groggy and disoriented. It's not a big deal- eventually you become more alert and it's like nothing ever happened. It's always a learning experience (surgeries/hospitals) because you can find out what your body can handle and what meds it will adjust to better than others.

I'm sure you'll do fine, don't be anxious about it! I love having anesthesia because you just sleep through everything and it's like no time passes at all... you're instantly in the recovery room and the whole procedure is over and you never even knew it! It's great!

Let us know how you're doing afterwards!

[OCsunshine]

Oh I forgot to add that yes, my doctor at Hopkins ordered extra fluids for me (warm saline) during the procedures. And he always has a phone conference with both my surgeons and my anesthesiologists before I go under... so that makes me feel much more at ease about things.

Most of my procedures were done in a hospital, but my wisdom teeth were just done in the surgeon's office. I was nervous about that (not being near the ICU), but things went fine and they monitored my blood pressure the whole time and it wasn't a big deal.

Sorry for the double email, I am just forgetful!

[leah1321]

I had my wisdom teeth out in the hospital OR with doctors who knew about my health concerns. I did great during surgery and in past surgeries with general. However, I returned to the hospital 24 hours later with no pulse and no bp (I walked in too!) I don't remember too much after that, but I was told that I also had an extremely low potassium level and fluid level even though I stayed overnight in the hospital and received many bags of iv fluids and took plenty of potassium. I think it was the anaesthesia. I also have trouble with the stuff they give you for procedures because I respond slowly and they always give me too much and have trouble waking me up. Then I throw up a bunch.

Oh, if you have trouble with adrenaline/epinephrine, ask them not to give you anything with epinephrine or adrenaline unless it is to regulate a very low hr or non-existent one. They often wake people up with a strong stimulant, but there are other options. My doctors also insisted that I have at least one bag of fluid in me before they cut and they monitored my heart stuff for several hours pre-surgery and of course for 24 hours after. Lucky me though- I got sick a few hours after leaving the hospital- figures.

Leah

PS. everyone responds differently. I wanted general because I thought it would be best to have an anaesthesiologist in there with me watching my stuff and to be intubated and have two lines inserted just in case of an emergency.

[corina]

Hi Danelle,

I have severe anestheasia trouble. Heartrate and bp. VERY much nausea and severe headaches. I'm so very sick after surgery that I don't want to do have it again. I'm sorry, it's very misty in the brain. I wll write more later. Best wishes,

Corina

[steph37822]

oops

[Jenn202]

I have had an appendectomy, Endoscopy, and wisdom teeth removal in the last 4 years... All went ok... I had IV fluids for each procedure and I believe I recovered in the same time a "normal" person would have.

[Madwife]

Hi there! Is it possible for you to have an appointment with your anaesthetist prior to surgery in order to discuss your condition and make them aware of possible complications with anaesthetic??? This is what I do and just helps to remove some of the anxiety of it aswell. I'm not goin to go into specific drugs as what we can use here in the U.K. is not liscensed in the U.S. but it is possible for them to slightly alter the ingredients of an anaesthetic to those which are known to have less of vasodilatory effect, therefore reducing the risk of such dramatic B.P.drop and to icrease fluid input level in order to maintain B.P.

I am fine under anaesthetic but I always have seizures once coming out and follow with a few POTSY days but I'm just an awkward devil and if seizures are not a usual part of your collapse events then this will not affect you.

As I say not to sure how things work over there but it is worth having a chat with your gynae consultant/surgeon prior to operation to see if chat with anaesthetist is possible.

Best of luck x

[JenniferInOhio]

Hi! Well, I didn't do well with general at all. I had a diagnostic laparoscopy. I did okay during the surgery, but was pretty bad afterwards. The surgery/general is what caused my POTS (I think). Either that, or I had POTS before (just the tachycardia part) and didn't know it.

[MomtoGiuliana]

It's the surgery I have trouble with, not the general anesthesia. Also I have trouble tolerating some pain meds a bit. I don't think there is any established connection between POTS and problems with general anesthesia. My specialist has told me that many POTS patients have relapses following the stress of surgery.

Best wishes--hope your surgery goes ok.

Katherine

[tracy]

Before I was diangosed with POTS, I had my gall bladder removed. I didn't know I had pots, so they didn't do anything extra for me. After surgery, I was only to be recovery a little bit, well needless to say, I was in most of the day. They had to put me back on oxygen, because they couldn't wake me up. Finally after waking, I was very slugish for quite a bit.

[danelle]

Thanks for all the detailed responses. Don't know if I am gonna go through with it or not just yet because I am so POTSY right now anyway. BUt these responses give me something to think about.

Hope all is doing lets POTSY than me and Derrick He has already missed 5 days of his senior year d/t the POTS Can't get meds regulated. He is starting to get pretty depressed because he is very social and loves his classes this year, plus it is his senior year. If we can get him through until Dec., he will be done with high school. Wish him luck and those of you who pray, please say a prayer for the both of us to improve.

Thanks to you all, you are the greatest,

Danelle

[AJVDK]

I had knee surgery early this year, at the time I didn't know I had POTS, i was told I has Sick just tackycardia, and I had a pacemaker at that time, and I had no problems at all!

Good Luck!

[Michelle Sawicki]

I had surgery a few years ago. I went into bradycardia while under, but they gave me atropine and I stablized. They also made sure I had extra fluids and an arterial line to constantly monitor vitals.

Michelle

[Sue New]

Hi There,

I know this is an old post but I am a new member and have a lot of problems with General Anaesthtics. I have had 11 operations to date so far:

1 x Wisdom Teeth Extraction (all 4 removed)

3 x Laparoscopy (1 with Myomectomy)

3 x Colonsocopy (1 with Polypectomy)

2 x Knee Artroscopy

1 x Total Abdominal Hystectomy

1 x Cystoscopy

One of my Arthroscopies had to be cut short due to my BP dropping dangerously low and I was kept in hospital until the top figure rose to a safe level.

Recently I hacve had fluctuating responses to the anaesthetic - my BP tends to drop during and immediately after the surgery but then goes dangerously high so that I have to remain in recovery until it goes back to normal.

The last couple of operations I have had it has been touch and go whether the surgery would go ahead or not as the anaesthetist has been worried about my adverse reactions to being put under. I had to undergo an ECG Stress test and be cleared by a Cardiologist 2 days before my Hysterectomy and even up to an hour before my Cystoscopy last month, I did not know if they were going to let it go ahead or not.

I am scheduled for 2 more ops in January so I am sure I will be going through all the uncertainty again when I go for the pre-op assessments .

Take care all

Sue.

Edited November 27, 2005 by Sue New

[Jacquie802]

Hi, I always have a huge blood pressure drop after surgery. I assume it's due to the anesthesia(sp?). Usually a day or 2 after I feel fine....Well, most of the time.....I had an EP Study Sept. 26 and Sept. 28 I was rushed to the hospital with tachy and bp probs......I would prefer to have the surgery at a hospital though, rather than an office. Good Luck and keep us updated.

[persephone]

I have horrific problems with general anaesthetics. EVen when I was a little girl I couldn't hack them- and that was in the supposed pre-pots days

My bp just disappears, and I get very emotional and erratic afterwards- I think my body sends my poor brain haywire

Last time I had it was for a cyst on my right ovary to be removed and when I came round I could hear myself sobbing- and they couldn't get me to calm down. I kept telling them how thirsty I was but I hadn't been diagnosed with POTS then so they didn't understand that I was seriously dehydrated. I was parched- my mouth felt like it was on fire. THey wouldn't let me drink, they said I'd puke so they gave me an icecube to ****. I felt ill for days afterwards and evey single time I stood, my body just went "No, you're not doing THAT today!"

And even though I was fully conscious, my legs were giving way beneath me!

[Guest Julia59]

I had surgery for removal of my tonsils at age 18----and in 2002 I had cervical spine surgery.

I was pretty sick after my tonsils were removed---I immediately vomited when I got up to go to the bathroom, dropped my IV bag and blood was coming up the tube in the bag instead of the IV fluids going into my vein. I threw up a lot of blood-----the nurse was casual about it, and said it was from the removal of my tonsils. She said I lost a lot of blood during surgery. After that I was fine other then horrible pain----getting your tonsils out at age 18 is rough. It took a long time to heal, and I lost about 15 pounds.

When I had my cervical spine surgery the pain wasn't nearly as bad as it was when my tonsils were removed. As far as the anesthesia goes----well I had tachycardia of 130 just I was waking , but I don't remember the recovery room at all. The only thing I remember was being wheeled through the hallway into ICU----which is common for any spinal surgery. The nurse said "oh your pretty tachy". Thank's a lot nurse.

Then I stayed tachy until the following morning. My surgery was 10:00am and lasted until 2:30pm---about 4 1/2 hours. One of the resident Doctors said the steroids caused the tachycardia---not the anesthesia. I got sick once---and after I got sick I felt a lot better and was able to get out of bed and give myself a sponge bath.

Drugs are pretty rough on me period---and anti-nausea meds actually make my nausea worse---and give me a horrible buzz-----like a bad trip kind of buzz, I don't tolerate those---or pain meds well at all---so i'm kind of screwed as I need pain meds, but can't tolerate them.

I was stable during my cervical spine surgery----I read the surgical report. My blood pressure was really screwed up for a couple of months following surgery, but I felt like a million bucks from the steroid boost---as far a fatigue went. I was given pretty high doses of steroids, so much so that I had to have insulin injections as my glucose levels were over 230 which happens with the higher doses of steroids.

I apparently had some pretty big dents in my spinal cord from long standing pressure over the years from the combination of the congenital cervical spine stenosis and the two herniated disks. Steroids are to prevent further spine swelling----and spinal injury.

Julie :0)

[Mrs. Glass]

Sorry that I have not responded until now. Yes I did have a few problems with general anasthesia (sp?) In August I had general and I was very nauseaous for a solid week, and my b/p was lower for a time, the sluggishness lasted for almost 2 weeks. The 25th I had back surgery, and it was almost cancelled due to my low b/p, but the anasthesiologist put in an A line and kept my b/p perfect. I am still recovering from surgery. My b/p was very very low after surgery, but they kept pushing IVs and by the time that I was released it was still low but not dangerous, and also I have terrible problems with constipation. It seems that my bowels just totally shut down and nothing is going to make them move. So I have to have enemas just to keep from being poisoned. But I think it all depends on the person because I have read where some people dont have any complications at all. Boy are they lucky! Good luck on your surgeries. Im sure you will do fine. Mrs Glass

Hi just wondering if anyone has had general anesthesia and had complications from it or surgery itself. I may be having surgery soon and was just wondering how POTS patients handle being "put to sleep".

One of my main concerns is BP and HR of course but not only during surgery but for a day or two after. Does it make the palpitations and BP worse for a few days?

I know I will need fluids and probably closer monitoring but what type? And is doing it in a dr's office safe for us????

In case you are wondering what type of surgery-vaginal(hopefully) hysterectomy, wisdom teeth cut out and extracted and later on breast augmentation.

Hope all is doing well, haven't been on in a while.

Thanks,

Danelle