5 Things You Must Tell Your Anesthesiologist Before Going To Sleep | Ask An Anesthesiologist

So I went in for glaucoma surgery...and of course went over all those questions...I loudly and specifically told him that I can NOT tolerate ANY kind of opioid...NONE....I will vomit for hours. Can't even take a vicodin. So just as I am coming to on the table, I hear my surgeon tell the anesthesiologist "well, I am almost finished here".....and I feel like I am going to get sick...they wheel me out and the nurse is looking at me shaking her head...and the vomiting started and I couldn't stop...he had given me FENTYANAL! I vomited that entire day....I was LIVID. AND.....on another occasion, getting ready for that procedure we all hate....the nurse says that the anesthesiologist wants the IV in my right arm....I told her she is not gonna get anything into that vein...she pokes and says she found a tiny vein and tapes it all up. Anesthesiologist comes in and I tell her the IV is extremely painful and I do not think it is in right....she shoot lidocaine into it, which of course numbs it from the pain.....in the middle of the procedure, I WAKE UP....the IV had failed. We know our bodies, why can't they listen to what we say? I am not stupid but that is how I perceived they felt. Hard to trust after some situations!

Before a second day surgery I was interviewed by the anesthesiologist. I happened to mention that after the previous surgery I had been knocked flat for days. He checked what I had been given, changed the formula, and on the second surgery I felt fiercely good afterwards. I then wrote to the hospital to ask for the "cocktail" used. They were happy to send the details to me and I have it on file should I ever need another, similar surgery.

I was prepped for back surgery, on the gurney and all pre-op stuff was done. However, the anesthesiologist cancelled it because of a cardiac issue of mine. I was very grateful that he did.

I have become 'aware' during two different procedures under anesthesia. I repeated back to both teams their conversations during the procedures...they were shocked. I felt the scalple cut into me, but was unable to cry out. The idea of going under anesthesia for tongue and throat cancer Terrifies(!) me, most especially if it will include cutting my neck open and cutting through my jaw! Can the Anesthesiologist guarantee me that I won't become aware during this surgery, and that I will be kept in deep enough to not be aware of such drastic cutting??? Terrified...

Thanks Dr. Bradley! I have TMJ dysfunction and can only open my mouth about half as far are others. I made an appointment with the anesthesiologist prior to surgery so they could assess for any difficulties. It made me feel much more safe.

Let’s talk! As an athlete! In good cardiac condition!! I was once given too much..and woke up to them compressing on my chest! That was in America 20 years ago.. I had to have a follow up for scar tissue removal.. I pushed it off for years until I finally had it done in Italy and I spent a good deal of time speaking with Anaesthesiologist 😂😂😂❤ I sent him a beautiful gift basket, the moment I got home!!😂❤

After cervical spine fusion (C4-5-6), I was told after awakening they had a difficult time waking me up! Talk about frightening! It took hours for me to be considered stable enough to transfer from Post Anesthesia to my room over the next 3 days. The Anesthesiologist visited me the following morning to evaluate how I was doing— possibly evaluating whether defending a lawsuit was in his future or other cause for concern filed against him. No such actions were taken on my part as I progressively continued to improve. Prayerfully, there will be no future need for surgery!🙏

Have had several surgeries since the 2nd half of my life. Feel blessed to have had no complications. Such a sweet feeling to drift off and believing the problem at hand will be resolved when I awaken. L5-S1 was the worse pain. Great results! L Knee was easier. Carpal tunnel. Rods fused in foot with another knee is in the future. Plus, other more minor ones. Every anesthesiologist has listened to my concerns. They put me under just enough that I don't struggle to wake up. That being said...I am a firm believer in the power of prayer. In the weeks ahead, once the date is set, I begin to pray for the surgeon and the whole operating room team.😊

I wish more doctors were aware of this. I've had PTSD my whole life and have had a bad experience with nearly every surgery, 7 major so far. Spinals never work, I have had to have fentonyl, I coded during my c-section. The physical reactions of PTSD are real!

My reactions to the drugs used to put me under are so bad that twice doctors told me I had such a severe asthma attack that they brought in a respiratory therapist to save me during the op. Then when I wake up at first all may seem normal but it sure is not. The first time was day op. sent home with my mother driving right after having wisdom teeth out. My muscles became so tight and I had so much energy that I had to make her stop the car on the side of a big highway so I could do push ups and jumping jacks. The other time I was so bad after being sent home that I went back to the hosp for help . The doctor in the ER said I was drug seeking which I was not. Then I went back again and they sent a psychiatrist to see me who admitted me claiming I was crazy . He gave me a med. combo that I later found out was never ever to be given . The result of those meds made me much worse I finally told a nurse the meds were making me worse and one nurse took me to another doctor who it turns out was there in that hosp. because the horrible doctor I had was so bad that he had to be watched . That doctor told me flat out I never should have been given that med. combo and I was suffering ill affects from the drugs used during the op. So bad was all of this that my living will forbids the use of a general under any circumstance. Doctors told me they never heard of such a reaction but my sister in law who is a nurse knew about it and it turns out her adult son has had the same reaction . My mother that was a nurse knew all about from her training way back in about 1940 . She said patients often were normal before ops. then ended up in the psychiatry hosp or ward for the rest of their lives. So clearly either the doctors now lie about it or know about it . The other case is just as bad because if they do not know about it then they should as nurses do know .

Unique case: family member has chronic pain and though many treatments have been tried, they wind up taking pain killers. So they went in for foot surgery for some related chronic issues. And the anesthesiologist on the day of surgery swore up and down a “team” of people would monitor their pain and would give them what they needed (including very specifically a morphine drip they could administer themselves when the pain was intolerable.) Anesthesiologist promised the pain wouldn’t be bad after surgery. I sat and listened with my family member and we felt pretty good about it. However, after surgery, that person vanished and there was no pain management team. And in fact, no medications to help pain. There was tylenol and like 15mg of morphine 2x day. FAR less than this chronic pain patient has on a regular normal day for their nerve damage and spinal trauma. So what’s the deal? This is the Q: do anesthesiologists simply tell patients whatever they need to hear to be calm for surgery? Or are they just saying whatever to get through the number of patients they have, then not caring to follow up? This was a major (MAJOR) Los Angeles surgery center.

Patients should be able to watch videos from each doctor involved with his or her upcoming surgery before they undergo surgery. Being aware of the surgical process and post-surgery procedures are very helpful. The patient needs to know what to expect before and after. so they will be better prepared for what to expect. Thank you so much for this video.

I had no problem what so ever telling my anesthesiologist about what narcotics I use. This man has chosen to professionalize in narcotics so we have a bond 😂

1. When did you last eat/drink 2. Do you have any allergies 3. Any history of problems with anesthesia 4. What is your functional status 5. Any medical problems

The one surgery i had done my blood pressure went very low. And they gave me a medication for my BP meds because of my blood pressure of my heart and the one who made a real honest person.

Several family members, including me, have problems with anesthesia taking in our systems. I and a few other family members have gone through surgery and felt what was happening without being able to alert the medical team. It's terrifying to be trapped in your body, consciously aware, and not able to communicate that to doctors. "Twilight" sedation is a big NO for us. It makes us incoherent while trapped in it or (like me) we've woken up mid procedure while still on the table. How would someone convey this info in a way that communicates how painful and scary this is? Is there a fix for it? I've told doctors many times. Some listen, others don't. The ones who didn't have left horrible memories.

You have a very relaxed and easy going approach towards getting your patients to let their guards down and allow for an honest conversation between two (+) people. 👍🏼👍🏼OR RN (Ret.) CNOR (E)

Hello Dr Bradley, I have a very difficult time with Anesthesia. A few years back I needed knee replacement. I explained this to my surgeon and the Anesthesiologist. Long story short, I threw up daily for 28 days nonstop. I was being given injection every 4 hours to stop the vomiting. Nothing worked I finally could hold down Ginger ale then some mild chicken soup or broth. I could feel every organ in my chest, was extremely weak and reeked of chemicals that stained my sheets so bad I had to throw them out. My surgeons office would not tell me the Anesthesia that was used, nothing on my record showed any problems with surgery or recovery. I just pray I will never need surgery again I have completely lost trust in the medical system.

Thank you! Good info.

thanks Dr. Bradley.