Awake Surgery PTSD? Prevent it

Anesthesia awareness or intraoperative awareness can be serious, even if rare. Fortunately, most cases don't result is significant trauma, but PTSD, depression, and hyperarousal can occur after, and it can be difficult to diagnose in many patients.

Check out the full length video on anesthesia awareness and waking up in surgery to learn how you prevent it with natural strategies!

And check out www.MedicalSecretsMD.com for more information!

[tamaraschmidt]

Yes during oral surgery.
They said I was dreaming.
The pain and the memory said otherwise.
I did hear someone say "Oh shit she's awake"

[raylupa]

I don't think I've ever had an anesthesiologist call me before a surgery. That would definitely put me more at ease if they did. It's usually a quick in and out meet right before surgery while I wait with some panic.

[kimaranda]

Youre awesome. I didnt know who my anesthiologist was until the day of 30 minutes before surgery.

[sadmimikyu]

Hey glad you speak about this. Maybe you could tell us how you would notice your patient is indeed awake. I think most people's nightmare is being paralyzed and in pain.

[royce]

Wow, i already have medical ptsd and i found this video by searching for medical ptsd videos. Im so glad to know that there are good medical staff like you out there!

[rebekahrobinson]

I love that you call your patience the night before that would definately help me feel better, also I can't wait for the next live stream♥️

[stringbeanii]

if only all doctors were as decent and a credit to their profession as you. thank you for the respect you show your pts.

[rosepainting]

This is so true!
Even before all of this was recognized after 12 hours of labor I had to have an emergency c section. I woke up in the middle to hear my baby born and crying. I was so grateful she was alive I wasn’t traumatized at all. This was 1982.

[lisazappala]

It happened to me during a total knee replacement and still is aPTSD issue for me that I’ve been working on for 14 years. I could hear them hammering the replacement into my bone and I haven’t been able to shake that sound and visual in my mind yet. I’ve had a few surgeries minor and one big one since but it’s been a very difficult thing to get rid of. I’m thankful for the anesthesiologist as I don’t blame them. It was just a thing that happened and I felt no pain. It’s just the thought and picture I see in my mind off what it looked like🤢

[juliejanesmith]

I wish more doctors thought about trust and healing the way you do. Seems like most have lost the idea of “healing” all together. Yet it’s the few doctors who have been truly caring and compassionate towards me that have truly helped my quality of life. That 1 extra gesture to show you actually care can have a huge impact on a patient’s emotional state and really boost their resilience and put them in a positive headspace, and that can be everything when there isn’t anything positive in someone’s life.

[queenwein]

I think all drs should be like you and call their patients the night before. That is really nice. Oh yes. During one of my back surgeries, I woke up prematurely in the OR. I wear glasses and it was really scary waking up with the breathing tube shoved down my throat, couldn't see and I couldn't tell anyone I was awake. I remember everything and I know I wasn't supposed to.

[Jessmab]

I have never had a bad experience with an anesthesiologist. They are always super kind and calm, and make me feel safe❤ I woke up during my wisdom tooth extraction, and I didn't even register pain before they put me back out. I remember hearing "we have eyes"and that's it😂

[kanjacat]

Post medical trauma PTSD is horrible. It took years to recover. All the mistakes happened before and after the first emergency surgery. I did not trust the surgeon or his team. I did not feel safe. On his watch, horrible complications happened, requiring 2 more major life-saving emergency surgeries. After visual hallucinations, delirium, etc, I just remember a feeling of absolute terror, for four weeks. I had a good therapist after. I'm ok now.

[BlueRoseFaery]

I’ve been under 3 times, twice for scopes (upper & lower GI) & once for wisdom teeth removal. I woke up both times I was scoped. I was 12 for the upper GI. Waking up with burning pain & a giant scope down your throat is pretty traumatic, ngl, especially since I was 12, I cried a bit when they wheeled me back before the procedure but the nurse was kind & reassuring. I didn’t really talk to anyone about it, they wouldn’t believe me. Now I’m 32 & I wonder if I should tell my anesthesiologist if I have any procedures in the future, I guess I should.

[edgameslouks]

you seem like a great doctor but the sad truth is there are some really terrible ones out there! I had a terrible experience at the Cincinnati Va so now I have really high levels of anxiety no matter what is going on. I only use private practices now and they seem so much more understanding.

[kittykat]

Happened to me! Couldn't wake enough to tell them but couldn't go back under. Felt the rod going into my thigh

[graynano]

I've had numerous surgeries and an anesthesiologist is a freaking hero!! I had one bad experience once when I was giving birth to my son though. It was an emergency C section because I was literally bleeding to death and they didn't give me the night night drug before the paralysis drug. The scariest thing I've ever experienced in my life. I couldn't move to tell them and I couldn't catch a breath. I wouldn't say I have PTSD from it, but I do think about it every time I am to go under.

[penni]

I woke up during my colonoscopy. I could feel everything but couldn't talk, I only screamed in pain. I remember my Dr saying "STOP SCREAMING!" I had PTSD for a month and couldn't sleep on my left side for a while.

[pamsmith]

I woke up in the middle of my knee replacement & saw my dr hammering on my knee. I had a block so I didn’t feel anything but I was awake & knew what was going on. It didn’t really bother at all but I do remember it. They gave me more anesthesia when they realized it & I was out again. No trauma.

[michellepiszczor]

Woke up from back surgery too early. No pain meds on board. It took 5 attendants and a service dog to take away that searing, raw pain. That and a pain pump! #MEDICAL PTSD.