Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 7/24/2008

Question
Do you ever get tired of getting thanked by grateful people? I'm the one who has been asking a bunch of qustions, basically being a control freak and scared to death to have several elective surgeries because of bad previous anesthesia experiences; you suggested numerous ways to mitigate any problems, but I just had to do the first procedure without sedation and, you were right, it was brutal.  When I came back for the second surgery, obviouslt shaking like a leaf, the anesthesia doc pulled me aside and really listened to my concerns and agreed to do the surgery again with just a block, but asked me to at least let her try to make me comfortable...she gave me small "test doses" beforehand and asked if I felt better; and she was right.    Good grief, what an idiot I have been!  Fentanyl is your friend and propofol isn't bad is small doses either.  Now I have both arms working and just scheduled the colonoscopy and shoulder surgery that I have been avoiding for years; now that I know that I won't be in agony, who cares?  That stoic stuff is for the birds.......Thanks for helping me!!!!!!!!!

Answer
Sometimes people have to touch a hot stove before they realize to check if it's on first. I'm glad you had a more pleasurable anesthetic experience and that you will proceed with your other surgeries. I can't tell you how many people write here asking about doing these procedures without anesthesia and I tell them the same thing I told you. Hopefully they got the message also.

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anethesiology
UTMB-Galveston