I have a question for an anesthesiologist. have a question regarding general anesthesia.?

Question

I have a question regarding general anesthesia. I had Laproscopic Lap Band surgery on March 17. It was my first surgery, and the thing I was most scared of was being put under. I have a history of panic attacks ranging from about 3 yrs prior to this surgery, but they have been relieved for the most part with the medication Lexapro. In the OR when they put the Oxygen mask on, then told me to take deep breaths, all of a sudden, I was gasping, but no air was coming in. I immediately starting waving my hands and screaming that I could not breathe. By the time I said this 2 times, I was asleep. My question is: Do you think this was a panic attack, or is this something that normally happens when going under anesthesia? Will I have this to look forward to any time that I may have to have surgery? Thank you for taking the time to read my question.

Answer 1

I can't say for certain what happened with you, without looking at your anesthesia record, but it could have been any of several things.

A panic attack is possible, especially if you're prone to them.

It's also likely that you got a drug that paralyzes your muscles, and it started to work before you were asleep.  Some anesthesiologists give a small dose of a long acting paralytic to reduce the chances of muscle aches from a short acting paralytic that we give to get the breathing tube in (succinylcholine).  The initial dose wouldn't be enough to totally paralyze you, but might have made breathing a bit difficult.  (It's referred to as "pre-curarization" because we used to use curare.)

Since you had lap band surgery, I can make a reasonable assumption that you're on the heavy side.  That adds a level of complexity to the going to sleep process, so we cannot do things the way we might for a non-obese patient.

In the future, tell our anesthesiologist about this experience, and discuss what might be done differently.  If the mask freaks you out, we can take it off the tubing and let you breathe oxygen by putting the tube right in your mouth, keeping your face clear.  Sometimes we raise the head of he bed up so you're not lying flat, and that can ease anxiety a bit, too.  Giving sedation ahead of time can work wonders.

What you experienced in not normal, and shouldn't have to happen again.  If you need further surgery, talk to your anesthesiologist, and things should go better.

Good luck with the weight loss!

Answer 2

At first, I would say it is most likely you have had a panic attack.  Surgery can cause great anxiety.  There are still always risks involved, however, with today's technology, it is minimal at best, with a well-trained team of nurses and physicians in the OR.  Most likely you were put under with a mixture of Iso- and Sevofluorane, which is the most typical general anesthesia.  If you have no prior medical conditions or ailments, this would be the most likely choice in anesthetics.  It is typically a very simple and calm procedure, so your experience would most likely have been the result of your fear of surgery.  I would have brought this issue up with the physician so he/she can give you their insight on it.

But don't worry, the anesthesiologist is typically the most highly trained physician in any Operating Room.  Everyone must know what they are doing, but the anesthesiologist is responsible for bringing you under and back again.

EDIT: Though I am a civilian, my extensive (though non-professional) knowledge of, and experience in, the field will more than suggest that Pangolin is correct.  Her information concurs with that which I have encountered.