Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 7/8/2009

Question
I RECENTLY HAD A GENERAL ANESTHETIC AND HAD A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE.THE NURSE HAD PROBLEMS GETTING THE IV NEEDLE INTO A VEIN.WHEN HE DID THERE WAS A LOT OF PAIN SO THE ANESTHETIST TOLD THE NURSE TO FLUSH WITH SALINE WHICH HE DID THEY THEN TRIED TO INJECT WHATEVER IT WAS THEY HAD TO PUT IN BUT WERE STILL HAVING TROUBLE,I HAD THE BREATHING MASK ON AT THIS TIME AND WAS BREATHING NORMALLY,THE NURSE THEN TOLD ME I SHOULD BE FEELING DROWSY BUT I WASN'T,AT THIS TIME I TRIED TO TELL THE NURSE THAT I COULDN'T BREATH BUT FOUND THAT I COULD NOT SPEAK,THEN I STARTED TO PANIC AND WAS TRYING TO GET THE MASK OFF MY FACE,THE ANESTHETIST TOLD THE NURSE TO PUT THE IV NEEDLE INTO MY ARM TO WHICH THE NURSE REPLIED,I CAN'T HE IS MOVING TO MUCH AND HE IS TRYING TO TAKE HIS MASK OFF.I DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING AFTER THAT.
MY WIFE WAS WORRIED BECAUSE THE LAST PROCEDURE FROM THE TIME I WENT IN TO SURGERY TO THE TIME I CAME OUT WAS 30 MINUTES THIS TIME IT WAS 2 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES.
WHEN SHE CAME INTO THE ROOM I WAS IN SHE WAS SURPRISED TO SEE ME WITH AND OXYGEN MASK ON AND A SALINE DRIP.
WHEN I SPOKE TO THE ANESTHETIST ABOUT ME PANICKING BECAUSE I COULDN'T BREATH OR SPEAK SHE SEEMED SURPRISED THAT I HAD HEARD WHAT WAS GOING ON,BUT SHE DID TELL BE THAT I WAS STRUGGLING FOR BREATH WHEN I CAME OUT OF THE ANESTHETIC AND THAT MY BLOOD PRESSURE WAS VERY LOW AND THAT I COULD NOT GO HOME UNTIL IT HAD GONE BACK TO NORMAL(I TAKE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION BUT HAD NOT THAT DAY AS SURGERY WAS AT 7.30 A.M.)
THEY ALSO HAD TO HAVE THREE GOES TO GET A GOOD VEIN,THE BACK OF MY HAND THE BACK OF MY WRIST AND THEN THE ONE THAT WORKED IN MY UPPER ARM.
DO YOU THINK I AM SOMEHOW ALLERGIC TO ANESTHETIC?
I AM ENGLISH LIVING IN THE UK  

Answer
There is no such thing as allergic to anesthesia. It's hard to say exactly happened other than you were not completely anesthetized when they put the breathing tube down. On the one hand I would say you intubated before you were asleep (you said you couldn't speak) because the IV infiltrated so the medicine went in intramuscularly instead of IV. As for the length of surgery, it depends on the procedure. As for waking up with an IV and oxygen, that is perfectly normal and expected. With respect to the IVs, somepeople are difficult IV sticks and it may take 2 or 3 attempt. I am sorry for your discomfort but I am sure it is an isolated event and should you need further procedures, this won't happen again.


Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMb-Galveston