Propofol for cataract surgery, really? etc.

Shorty2U · ‎03-09-2010

I just had my last pre-op visit before cataract surgery. I thought I was getting maybe a valium to relax me during surgery, as my papers said I wouldn't be put "out" just a low sedative. And my mother in law (who lives elsewhere not near here) said she was hooked to an IV but never needed the drugs for her cataract surgery. Also someone on here said they didn't have drugs for their cataract surgery.

Well they announce oh you will be getting a sedative. I said like valium. They said NO like Propofol. I said WHAT? And told them MIL had no sedatives and it was simple. They said well that's ridiculous that she had no sedative.

Then I said can I take my pain med with a sip of water before I come. She said no. I said youre kidding. I have chronic pain and cant move in the morning but said OK then.

She left and called anesthesia at surgery center and they said if I must I can take 1 pain med a sip of water and my B Pressure med. (I will try to skip the pain med due to mixing drugs)

I got so upset because I hate being put to sleep more than surgeries and because I have been through so much with my back and cancer and now this. I feel like Im 80 in my 50s. I kept feeling sicker and sicker I finally told DH to stop the car and I threw up on the side of the back road.

I am so sick of Doctors and it just got to me today. Now I will worry till next wk when I get my surgery.

Oh and PS I thought you get pretesting before surgery if theyre using Propofol? All I had was a 100 eye tests!

My DH thinks Im over reacting because I have anxiety from everything Ive been through the past years. Maybe I am but the word Propofol got to me today and Im confused and dont understand why other people did NOT get put to sleep for cataracts and I am.

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make~ The Beatles

Melania · ‎06-12-2013

For anesthesia you should have pre-testing if it's been awhile since you had blood work, ekg etc.

If you are not happy with what they are doing why are you doing it? Can you go to another eye specialist?

I agree about needing anesthesia with that surgery...my parents have had both done and never had that or even valium.

ETA: Maybe in your case with your pain issues etc. they felt it was a better approach.

gidgetgh · ‎03-09-2010

My husband had an IV and they put some anesthesia that made him just a little.... whatever... but he wasn't put to sleep. They came and got me in the waiting room about 20 feet away about 2 minutes after they finished the surgery. He was pretty much fully awake- just a little loopy. He put on his own shirt and buttoned it and everything. By the time we got down to the car, he was fully "with it".

He has Parkinson's and they let him take his tremor medication with a sip of water before we left the house. His surgery was very early, like 7:15 or 7:30 for the first eye and 8:00 for the second. When he was finished both time, we left the surgery center, stopped at the McDonald's down the street and got him a biscuit so he could eat it and take his second daily medication, which has to be taken with food.

I think you'll be fine. You won't be totally knocked out. My husband said he was aware of everything during the surgery, but just a little out of it.

Why is it, when I have a 50/50 guess at something, I'm always 100% wrong?

garmer · ‎03-16-2010

Maybe it's because you are so anxious about it. Perhaps they know lying on the table will aggravate your back pain and they don't want you in pain during the procedure.

I never had testing before surgery, just an appt. with the anesthesiologist before hand. They just checked bp, heart rate, stuff like that.

abbeythe 8th · ‎04-17-2010

Google it and you will see some clinics use propofol while some do not. If you do not want it to be used on you, say so. You are your own best advocate.

LaterGator · ‎03-09-2010

You are going to get a shot directly into your eye. For that, you will be put to sleep for about 1 minute and then you will be wide awake. I don't think you want that shot without being put under because it would really hurt. Ask you doctor about this. They don't like to tell you a bout the shot in the eye because it sounds so awful. I had versed which I guess is the same thing. If I hadn't known about it ahead of time, I would never have known that I was sleeping for a short time.

I just had both eyes done in Feb. and it was a piece of cake. You'll be fine.

LaterGator · ‎03-09-2010

Oh, I was aware of everything during my surgeries too.

scotttie · ‎03-09-2010

My friend's doctor uses propofol for her colonoscopies so I don't think this is a big deal.

brii · ‎06-20-2010

Propofol is a short-acting anesthetic.

Do you not want any anesthesia or is it because that's what MJ used as a sleep-aid?

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

Never heard of this one. My eye doctor didn't need an Anesthesiologist on staff for a few minutes procedure. Unless I've got it all wrong, the only one to be able to legally administer Propofol are Anesthesiologists and/or their assistant.

Something sounds strange here to me. I am my now 89 year old mother-in-law both had both of our cataract surgeries done by the same doctor and I can assure you that Propofol was nowhere to be seen in the room they did this surgery.

Now I have had many procedures that required full sedation and Propofol was easily detectable to me in every single one of them.

E.T.A. I just read this is a growing practice for some physicians, and according to studies done, this is a very dangerous practice. The company AstraZeneca the manufacturer of Diprivan states it should be administered only by persons trained in the administration of general anesthesia.

hckynut(john)