Community Chat

[Mj12]

On 5/22/2014 hckynut said:

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.

And I'm pretty sure it always is.

[ShowMe]

On 5/22/2014 gidgetgoeshawaiian said:

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.

This is exactly what they did to me......for each eye. But I was asleep during each..... In fact, the eye doctor said I was snoring just before I woke up after the first one. And just before they were finished with the 2nd one, I woke up and the doctor said he was rinsing my eye, and then he would be finished. Went out to pick up breakfast after each one, but took it home to eat it. Was kind of groggy the rest of the day after each one, but felt perfectly fine. Had a friend come to stay with me during the first day because they said they didn't want me to be alone.....just in case something went wrong. But, really I was fine. And had to be driven to the eye doctor the following morning after each eye was done.

It has even improved since I had mine done...... So Shorty, you will be fine.

[abbeythe 8th]

On 5/22/2014 hckynut said:

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.

Because you and your MIL didn't have it does not mean it isn't used legally elsewhere.

[JaneMarple]

I just spoke to my sister about this, she was given assistive in her I V but not put to sleep. She had her surgery done at a eye institute and they had her watch a video explaining everything concerning the surgery. They emphasized not being put to sleep, the surgery didn't take barely fifteen minutes both times. She was told to take Tylenol if she had any discomfort, she didn't either time.

[hckynut]

On 5/22/2014 abbeythe8th said:

Because you and your MIL didn't have it does not mean it isn't used legally elsewhere.

You didn't mention the part below of my post. That is called selective/objective commentary. I pay about as much attention to as?

"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."

[pistolino]

My mother was put to sleep for each eye--unfortunately she had very early dementia and the anesthetic made it worse, then she had a colonoscopy a month after the 2nd eye and she was DONE. Couldn't even work anymore.

You really have to be judicious about how often and how long any anesthesia is administered.

That said, if you aren't comfortable with the procedures as explained, you don't have to have it done by that doctor. Go somewhere else.

*********************

Inhaled Anesthetics Bring Alzheimer's Risk

By JANE COLLINGWOOD

Anesthetics have been thought to cause cognitive dysfunction for a long time — the link was first highlighted in the 1950s. But it was never clear whether “postoperative cognitive dysfunction” was the result of the anesthetics or a side effect of the surgery. Further study has implicated the anesthetics themselves.

New research suggests that inhaled anesthetics bring a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease than those given intravenously. This is because inhaled anesthetics are linked more closely with the formation of Alzheimer’s-related plaques in the brain.

http://psychcentral.com/lib/inhaled-anesthetics-bring-alzheimers-risk/000898

[scotttie]

I'm not a doctor and I haven't studied the literature so what I'm about to say is my own speculation.

I would guess that the amount of propofol given would be very small enough to put you in just a "twilight sleep" as it is called when given fentanyl and versed. Quickly reversible if necessary. Similar to the type of sedation they give you for things like colonoscopy and bone marrow aspiration/biopsy. You are not really completely "under."

ETA: bottom line is,as others have suggested, if you are not comfortable feel free to get a second opinion.

[sophiamarie]

Propofol is given to patients at pain management clinics when they give epidurals. It's not a bad thing.

[MickD]

....Interesting I had cataract/lens replacement it was only a 30 min. procedure. I was given an IV with a mild sedative, but was fully awake...with eye propped open.....I guess diff docs, diff facilities, etc......

[Shelbelle]

That is commonly used when having a colonoscopy too. Short lasting. You are only given as much as needed to keep you sedated enough to complete the procedure.