Went for surgery on 6/25

[3636millie 3]

Please, don't give up on having the surgery. Just be sure to tell the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and nurses that will be doing your surgery what has happened. They will be sure to take extra special care of you.

I would however, get some counselling before attempting the surgery again. You have been through something that was very traumatic. You don't want this experience to affect you for the rest of your life.

Best wishes and looking forward to eventually making room for you on the loosers bench!

[nurse_ally's mom 0]

From your description of the event, I am wondering if it really was midazolam that was given. It is not technically a paralytic. It was either not the medication you were told or it was an ungodly dose. I am just glad you are doing well physically now.

I know it will take a while for you to overcome the emotional trauma, and I imagine your mom is still very gun shy, too. I do hope you will reconsider the sleeve at some point. From reading here, it seems to a positive life change for many people. My daughter was sleeved by Dr. Aceves on 7-1-10 and I am scheduled for 8-12-10. Maybe letting more time pass and doing a little more research during that time will help your confidence return.

At any rate, I wish you good health and happiness.

Kathe

[KabinKitty 10]

Sorry this is so long! Just had to share my bad experience with a paralydic drug, but it was AFTER surgery.

I had 2 herniated discs repaired. The surgery lasted a little over 1/2 an hour. I woke up in the recovery room and saw the lady who was in the pre-op area with me and a nurse. I was going in and out of consciousness, and I believe what was waking me was the fact that my breathing would stop.

I would then wake up enough to gasp out the words "I can't breathe" to the nurse. She kept asking if I was in pain. I would say, "no, I can't breath". She then put a cold wash cloth on my forehead and asked if I was in pain. I continued to gasp out the words, "I can't breathe".

I heard her tell someone after what seemed to be an eternity to go get the anestheologist (who by the way was Russian and didn't speak English very well). I remember him asking me "are you in pain?". I told him AGAIN, "I can't breathe".

The next thing I remember is waking up and vomiting. (I got the recovery room notes and they put me under with Morphine) I kept vomiting, even when I was being wheeled to my room. (I have NEVER remembered the trip to my room after surgery before) and I remember apologizing to the guy transporting me when I would vomit.

I NEVER had nausea after surgery before, ever or since that time. Finally after vomiting for an hour or so after waking up, the nurse gave me something for nausea. It was the type of Morphine they gave me after surgery that caused the nausea.

That night (or the next?) the anesthologist came into my room and explained to me what happened. He misunderstood the doctor when he was told how long the surgery would last and he gave me to much of the paralylic meds. He tried to counteract it with another drug, but that drug obviously woke me up before I was able to breathe well enough on my own.

I say all that to say that, before my next 4 surgeries (except the 1st one that was an emergency surgery) I was able to talk with the anesthologist and explained what happened to me. I never ask for something to calm my nerves, I guess cause I know once I hit the table I'm in lala land in about 2 to 3 minutes. :svengo:

Presurgery is a scary, scary time and I'm no braver than anyone else. Maybe being a Christian and knowing where I'll be if something goes wrong helps.

God bless and I hope only the best for you!

[theresa 0]

thanks so much for responding with info re: Anesthesia i really appreciated it

i'm glad your okay..............did you have the vertical sleeve surgery?

terri

[mp8btpc 32]

Sorry this is so long! Just had to share my bad experience with a paralydic drug, but it was AFTER surgery.

I had 2 herniated discs repaired. The surgery lasted a little over 1/2 an hour. I woke up in the recovery room and saw the lady who was in the pre-op area with me and a nurse. I was going in and out of consciousness, and I believe what was waking me was the fact that my breathing would stop.

I would then wake up enough to gasp out the words "I can't breathe" to the nurse. She kept asking if I was in pain. I would say, "no, I can't breath". She then put a cold wash cloth on my forehead and asked if I was in pain. I continued to gasp out the words, "I can't breathe".

I heard her tell someone after what seemed to be an eternity to go get the anestheologist (who by the way was Russian and didn't speak English very well). I remember him asking me "are you in pain?". I told him AGAIN, "I can't breathe".

The next thing I remember is waking up and vomiting. (I got the recovery room notes and they put me under with Morphine) I kept vomiting, even when I was being wheeled to my room. (I have NEVER remembered the trip to my room after surgery before) and I remember apologizing to the guy transporting me when I would vomit.

I NEVER had nausea after surgery before, ever or since that time. Finally after vomiting for an hour or so after waking up, the nurse gave me something for nausea. It was the type of Morphine they gave me after surgery that caused the nausea.

That night (or the next?) the anesthologist came into my room and explained to me what happened. He misunderstood the doctor when he was told how long the surgery would last and he gave me to much of the paralylic meds. He tried to counteract it with another drug, but that drug obviously woke me up before I was able to breathe well enough on my own.

I say all that to say that, before my next 4 surgeries (except the 1st one that was an emergency surgery) I was able to talk with the anesthologist and explained what happened to me. I never ask for something to calm my nerves, I guess cause I know once I hit the table I'm in lala land in about 2 to 3 minutes. :thumbup1:

Presurgery is a scary, scary time and I'm no braver than anyone else. Maybe being a Christian and knowing where I'll be if something goes wrong helps.

God bless and I hope only the best for you!

Wow Jeanie it sucks not being able to breath it is such a scary feeling. I remember the point where I was getting a tiny bit of air when they stopped bagging me and I thought damn I am going to pass out again!

I also do not handle morphine very well. I learned that from a surgery I had a couple years ago. I have to have half the normal dose and they have to give it to me with some anti nausea meds.

I am so glad your ok and wish you the best on your sleeve surgery.

[mp8btpc 32]

UPDATE!:::

I just received a copy of my anesthesia report from UCLA when I had surgery a couple years ago and low-and-behold. I was given Midazolam for nerves before that surgery. Actually i was given the exact same dosage that the anesthesiologist on this incident states she gave me...I tolerated it beautifully, I knew I had something for nerves before they wheeled me down the hall for surgery and it had made me feel really lose and floaty. I had no idea what they had given me and now I know. So I am 99% certain now that it was in fact a paralytic I was given by mistake ..just like quite a few medically trained folks here pointed out.

I wish I had some recourse, the PTSD sucks. Though I do feel better now about having surgery again in August. I am taking this report so the doc can use it as a guideline if it is compatible.

time to move forward!

[Maddie 9]

I bet it is very comforting to have those facts though. Good for you, for taking the initiative to find out for yourself.

[ElaineB 207]

I was scheduled to be sleeved Oct 8 in Mexico and have cancelled at least temporarily because of a bad reaction to a paralytic. I unexpectedly had to have surgery here in the states. I was told I would be intubated but would never know it bc I would be intubated in the OR after I was out and extubated in the OR before I woke up. Well, I woke up in recovery 2 hours later than than they expected. The last half hour of that I was completely lucid, aware and could hear everything that was going on, but I could not move a muscle. I was intubated, felt like I was choking, felt that I couldnt breathe on my own and was praying that. Ent kept working. I found out later that I got 1/3 of a dose of a non depolaryzing paralytic rocuronium(sp?). I can only imagine if I had gone to Mexico and gotten a fl dose! Divine intervention. I have received a letter from the anesthesiologist stating I am never to have a paralytic of any kind again. He did state that it's possible to do surgeries of all kinds without them. I have to get my courage up to try surgery again so I feel for you. I've been obsessing about the feeling of not being able to breathe on my own or. communicate that I was in there. It's scary. Anyone who says this surgery is the easy way out should be slapped. We are willing to put our lives on the line to try to change our lives for the better. Anyway. Good luck. Hopefully we will both be sleeved, alive and healthier than ever some day.