The build up to surgery day is excruciating. Even if you're going in for a minor procedure you typically worry about whether or not it will be successful, if something will go wrong or if there is a chance you may not even wake up. Being placed under anesthesia is necessary to keep a patient comfortable and still in order for the surgery to take place but many people don't realize there are long term effects from being under anesthesia. Long term symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, poor memory, anxiety, depression and pain can all become debilitating and plague people for months after their surgery has been over with.
Anesthesia medication is typically injected into the body through a catheter that was placed in a vein prior to the beginning of the surgery. The most common medications used are Versed and Propofol. The goal of these medications is to relieve anxiety, cause drowsiness and to induce an unconscious state. They are fast acting, taking about 40 seconds to work and they wear off quickly after their use has been ceased. The effects on the body however, can last longer and women tend to be more affected than men because women require more anesthesia during a procedure. Older adults also tend to suffer most commonly from forgetfulness and other memory issues.
In 2009 I had to go through a cardiac procedure. I was incredibly scared seeing as how I had never been put under anesthesia before, I was never sedated before and I had no idea what to expect. The surgery was successful and I went about my life. I was moving around after a few days and felt reasonably good aside from feeling run down or more tired than normal. I expected all of this. What I didn't expect however, was the problems I was about to develop and experience for the next 9 months or so. I developed severe intestinal pain and discomfort as well as intestinal and stomach issues. I started having trouble breathing. My anxiety was through the roof as well and depression set in after nothing seemed to help and nobody was offering much assistance or information. I attributed these problems to the fact that we moved after my surgery and I thought my body might be adjusting to a new location and the stress of the move. I got very fed up with the depression and anxiety and at the 9 month mark I joined a gym and began working out mildly but very frequently. I adjusted the way I ate to eat more fruits, veggies and protein and I made sure I was drinking enough water. The symptoms started to improve slowly. After about a full year I was feeling ok again. Absolutely not myself, but I was getting there.
In 2011 my heart condition came back and I had to sign myself up for another procedure. My greatest fears were that there would be complications, it wouldn't be successful and I was also deathly afraid of the after effects. For a few weeks I felt good. I got back into our activities, took it easy and rested when needed. At almost the exact same point as last time, my body turned on me again. Luckily I was able to breathe normally and my intestinal issues were very minimal and subsided quickly. However, this time anxiety and depression hit with a vengeance. I experienced waves of anxiety that would cloud my thinking. Issues I normally could work through easily became unbearable and broke me down. This was extremely odd considering the type of person I am- usually very reasonable, happy to be living life, appreciating every day. I found myself breaking down far more often than normal. After speaking to my cardiologist about it, I was told that it can be very common for depression and anxiety to strike after a cardiac procedure. Not only does it have to do with the rise and fall of emotions related to the procedure but the body can also experience anxious feelings that weren't there before. I was told it would likely subside after a few months. With each day feeling unbearable that sounded like heck of a long time.
Today my heart is recovering nicely but my mind frankly doesn't want to be friends right now. I have heard from a number of sources that a bodily imbalance is completely common after surgery and the more I read, the more I become aware of all the people that are suffering from this long term effect of anesthesia. What is a shame is that the medical community shows very little concern about the long-term effects they are placing on their patients. Waiting it out is the advice they are giving their patients. This can be a devastating diagnosis for a patient and there have been documented suicides that were caused by post-surgery depression and anxiety.
A number of forums can help you feel like you're not completely alone in how you're feeling including: http://isitnormal.com/story/general-anesthesia-side-effects-38/.
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