Are there different types of general anesthesia?

Yes, there are different types.

When I had my cholecystectomy, they put my down with IV Propofol, and kept me out with something else.

Don’t know what all they did, but it was fantastic, and I wish I could ask for it twice a month, because that was the best damn sleep I’ve ever had.

I don’t rememebr a thing on Monday. I’m curious what they did. I don’t remember a gas mask and I don’t remember feeling darkness take over me. I think I was dreaming right before I woke up.

My lap chole was four years ago, but whatever they did I’m certain started with IV, and when I woke up I was hilarious for a couple of hours. So says my hubby.

I know of two. The good one and the bad one.

When they give the bad one (I don’t know the name but it is a colorless clear liquid), I wake up screaming and I know that I’m waking up and I’m safe in the hospital but I can’t stop screaming. Very embarrassing. Then I feel crappy all day. Perhaps I’m allergic to it.

When they give me the good one “Propofol” (it looks milky and so they call it the milk of anesthesia) I wake up feeling refreshed like I have a wonderful night’s sleep.

Good luck. Hope that they give you the good one.

There are many types of general anesthesia.

<3 you, @Rarebear

I hope your procedure turned out well.

^ Agreed.

I’ve only had 6 operations under general anesthesia and I swear I’ve had a different response to every single one. Sometimes I wake right up before I’m even off the operating table and I feel coherent and totally fine. Other times it feels like it takes ages to wake up and it takes me days to recover from the hell of nausea and depression and exhaustion. I had never considered that it might be due to different medications being used in the process, but I suppose it could be.

Were you actually intubated?

I always ask for Diprovin for my colonoscopies. I have had other types of drug combinations for procedures and been very unhappy.

Did the drug sting your vein a little bit before you passed out? That’s likely Diprovin. Or, did they give you a relaxing drug that you didn’t feel going in, but didn’t pass out right away? That could be Ativan or similar. If you liked the experience better why not find out the drugs so you can tell the doctor the next time you need something done.

I found out I’m allergic to morphine my last hospital stay, it was really bad, I stopped them mid syringe. I would bed I have had it given to me when I’ve been passed out and no one had any idea was having a very bad reaction. Or, they did and treated me and they have no idea why it happened and never told me anything.

I’m glad you got the procedure done! :)

There are two types of general anesthesia, intravenous and inhalation. Usually people go a combination of both. I’m not going to get into a list of the various drugs, nor am I going to get into a recommendation of what is better for what. Just know that there are many, many different options and combinations.

But the understanding of these drugs, the indications, contraindications, side effects, drug interactions, and knowing what to do with the complications is the reason why anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists get paid what they do.

I completely agree with what I interpret as @Rarebear saying patients can’t guess or really dictate what anesthesia is appropriate for a particular individual or particular procedure.

But, I will give these examples: I requested Diprovan going forward for colonoscopies, so that’s the same procedure over and over. I found out that Diprovan requires an anasthesiologist be present (at least in the state I was in) and is probably part of the reason it wasn’t given to me during an egg extraction for IVF. That extraction was a bad experience for me. My point with that is I didn’t even realize before that why my doctor might be choosing the anesthesia they were choosing. They really played up that they can keep me near consciousness so I’ll know how many eggs they retrieved. Yay! Who gives a fuck if I know then or 30 minutes later? It hurt for zero reason! Midway through I asked for more medication and didn’t know how many until afterwards anyway.

My dad told his doctor the last colonoscopy he had he had a very bad reaction to the medication. They used the same mess again and my dad wound up in the emergency room. Heart rate went down below 40.

When my sister had her nose job the doctor wanted to put her under, my mom insisted on local, or something different than what the doctor wanted to do, I don’t remember exactly. He did it her way.

My GYN once made the comment, “its better under general so the patient is still.” I also inferred and out from what he said. Meaning out, not talkative, not bothering him.

A friend of mine had a hysterectomy under general if some sort and afterwards woke up with a heart problem. They were able to fix it with surgery. They insisted it wasn’t from the surgery. Years later she had double knee surgery under general and woke up with a heart problem. They couldn’t fix it easily this time. I was so pissed they didn’t consider a block or some other option for her below the waist knee surgery. I once saw on TV a reporter did his knee surgery with a block and he filmed it and showed it in a report he did.

Then I have many many many friends who have had no troubles with procedures, so I don’t want it to sound like things are likely to go wrong, they aren’t.

I think discussing anesthesia options is valid. I’m not talking about insisting on anything, I’m talking about knowing your body, and knowing your options. Over time, after having several procedures, you get to know better what works well for you.