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Anesthesia awareness during surgery

Posted , 11 users are following.

BusterBeans
BusterBeans

Despite receiving both Propofol and Midazolam/Versed to provide amnesia during my general anesthesia, I was awake for probably 5-10 minutes near the end of my hip replacement. I didn't feel any pain and I had watched at least a dozen surgery videos so if anything I was intrigued by my experience. Probably wouldn't have been if I had still been awake for extubation, but my anesthesiologist must have noticed something and I was suddenly out again. I know it wasn't a dream because I heard my surgeon say "Hold on. Wait a minute. We've got to get an X-ray of the hip."  Several days after my surgery my hospital sent me an electronic copy of my hip X-ray with same date and time.

So my flashback hadn't occurred yet while I was in the hospital and I had already filed a complaint against the anesthesiologist for giving me the Versed against my wishes (which he did to give me amnesia in the event of awareness) as well as other unprofessional behavior. My surgeon only operates in that hospital and he is aware of my complaint. 

So do I let this go so it doesn't get on my medical record? Do I talk to the anesthesiology department despite my previous complaint? Do I talk to my surgeon to verify his comment during surgery if he remembers it 8 weeks later? I contacted the national awareness registry run by a university med school and national anesthesiology association to learn if they thought I truly had awareness or just a dream. It seems they think awareness but now they want all kinds of medical records and I worry about guarantees of the privacy of my data.  Especially when my hospital is contacted. Anyone have any experience with this?

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • michelle48397
    michelle48397 BusterBeans

    Posted

    Oh my!  That was my biggest fear - waking up during.  Regardless of whether I felt anything or not, I would have convinced myself that I had.  I guess what you do will depend on whether you were adversely affected or not.  If I wasn't I would probably let it go.  If I was, I would raise heck.  

  • m0rningangel1
    m0rningangel1 BusterBeans

    Posted

    Oh wow I have never had anything like that happen. I would hate to wake up and be aware of them messing with my body. I would rather just sleep through it and not remember any of it..scary. 

     I do hope you are having a good recovery!

  • dorothy04749
    dorothy04749 BusterBeans

    Posted

    I too had a similar experience over in Spain luckily I had been given an epidural and remember thinking how hilarious it was, the funny mess had obviously worn off and all I could hear was this terrific banging in the background.  Never watched videos but remember someone telling me the best thing u could hope for was a strong surgeon that used few hammer blows to get the hip in!!  I was facing the wall at, it seemed, a sloping angle downwards, lateral THR, and I had like towels wrapped round my head in such a way that I was looking through a small tunnel to the wall.  I must have croaked Ola, cos nothing happened, so I shouted Ola and suddenly bent down facing me was the last face I had seen before the op, giving me three vials of the funny drugs in my hand.  His eyes got so big behind his Billy Bunter glasses I wanted to laugh, but then bang out again!!  I have dined out on this for the last for months plus as with no pain I just thought it was weird and funny.  If you were aware of pain that is something totally different however......
  • kevin24066
    kevin24066 BusterBeans

    Posted

    I woke up twice even spoke to the surgeon as he was hammering in the impiant he commented on how my Bone was strong like Rock and said im going to be extra sore in the morning ha. Didn't feel any pain and it was surreal but didn't realise this was something you could complain about ?

  • bobbie102
    bobbie102 BusterBeans

    Posted

    I was wide awake through out my whole surgery. That how I wanted it though, I'm very nosey 😂. I was talking to my surgeon through out the operation and once he'd finished sawing off my bone brought it round the curtain to show me . 😍

    I think it's better to have some sort of meeting to discuss your issues, as you say you weren't in pain and the problem was rectified quickly.

  • susan_106
    susan_106 BusterBeans

    Posted

    That was my fear, waking up during the surgery. My anesthetist reassured me that if I woke up I would only see her and would forget about it so not to worry. Thankfully I never did so probably I had some kind of amnesia drug too.

  • hazel14263
    hazel14263 BusterBeans

    Posted

    Well I am

    Afraid it is the anaesthesiologist fault as I made it crystal clear that I did not want to be awake .. I stressed it very strongly and all I knew was I awoke in recovery . No memories at all . So yes he boo booed on the drugs. I guess your in the USA? Which means I assume you have to pay for your procedure. Here in UK it is free of course but we would not as a rule file a complaint . Maybe the British way but I suppose most surgeries are not fool proof and a small margin of error must be expected . Anyway just saying ....

  • Rocketman_SG6UK
    Rocketman_SG6UK BusterBeans

    Posted

    No experience of it, but then I elected to be awake for my surgery, and for the revision eek.

    I am however pursuing the negligence avenue due to the hospital missing a very obvious misplaced ceramic acetabular insert (the socket bit).

    Best wishes

    Graham - 🚀💃

    • m0rningangel1
      m0rningangel1 Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      I can't even imagine being awake for any of it..yuck!!!  

      So where is the socket bit???  Please say it isn't in your body surely not!eek

       

    • hazel14263
      hazel14263 Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      Oooo

      Graham ... Where is the socket ? Do you rattle ? We are all intrigued ...😳😳😳

    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK hazel14263

      Posted

      I started writing a reply to this, but have decided many of you might not want that level of honesty about what you get with a THR.  I will send private posts to Hazel and M0rningAngel1.

      Graham - 🚀💃

    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      Anyone wanting to know the details, let me know.
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