Recovery from anesthesia - worse after chemo, or am I just getting old(er)?

TraciInLA
TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
Wondering if anyone else has experience with this?

For several years well before cancer, I had to have quite a few oral surgery procedures, all under IV sedation. I always bounced back easily from the anesthesia -- by late afternoon, I was always awake and feeling fine. The last time was 3 years ago, just before I started chemo, and I had no problems.

Yesterday, for the first time since finishing treatment 2 1/2 years ago, I had another procedure -- same oral surgeon, same IV sedation as always, and the procedure itself went just fine -- but I had a much harder time recovering from the anesthesia. I was dizzy and lightheaded and weak all day and evening, and so anxious during the night that I couldn't sleep at all.

I'm feeling fine today, and I hate to be someone who blames chemo for everything....is it just that I'm older now, and a person in her 40s has a harder time recovering from anesthesia than a person in her 30s? Does anyone else have any experience with this?

Traci

Comments

  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #2
    I am thinking
    it is all of the above, however, I hate to admit it is because I am now in my 50's, but it started in my 40's after chemo, but before 50! lol

    Glad you are feeling better today.
    Carol
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #3
    Traci I am still dizzy 24 hours later
    I had an interventional biopsy yesterday. I am still dizzy, decided not to drive myself and took another sick day.
    I think it is both
    Hugs
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #4
    Traci I am still dizzy 24 hours later
    Double post
    Hugs
  • NancyJac
    NancyJac Member Posts: 91
    #5
    Are you sure it was the same anesthesia?
    If the last time you had anesthesia was 3 years ago, it could well have changed. Different altogether or just some minor formulation change to the same one. Might be worth asking you oral surgeon about that.

    Having said that, I don't deal well with any kind of anesthesia, but I've always been that way, even before cancer and chemo. The minute I wake up I start throwing up and can't keep anything down, not even water, for several hours.
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #6
    NancyJac said:

    Are you sure it was the same anesthesia?
    If the last time you had anesthesia was 3 years ago, it could well have changed. Different altogether or just some minor formulation change to the same one. Might be worth asking you oral surgeon about that.

    Having said that, I don't deal well with any kind of anesthesia, but I've always been that way, even before cancer and chemo. The minute I wake up I start throwing up and can't keep anything down, not even water, for several hours.

    It may..
    As Nancy Jac said it may well have been a different anesthesia...depending on the length and type of the procedure...Usually it's conscious sedation..don't know what types of drugs are used though...I don't think it has any thing to do with your advancing age.... lol you're just a young thing!

    Hugs, Nancy
  • StaceyPMD1121
    StaceyPMD1121 Member Posts: 65
    #7
    I am taking my 2nd chemo today & need to go to the dentist .


    Hi TracilnLA;

    Please pink sisters send so prayers & positive thoughts my way. I have had a toothache in the front of my mouth on the bottom. I can actually see a miniature hold starting at my gum line. I did have a lot of tartar build up on upper & lower teeth. I think this is why they say go to the dentist at least to get you teeth cleaned and to see if you need any additional work done. I was told to schedule the dentist appointment right before I have my 3rd chemo session. I will probably schedule it for the Monday or Tuesday the week of my 3rd chemo and after I have had my routine bloodwork done between chemos to check my white blood cell count. Glad to hear that you are doing better now. Maybe you should have your dentist consult with your cancer doctors to see what is the best type of sedation for you. The last time I scheduled a dentist appt. I had to have an immediate tooth extraction I had an exposed root tip only the tip of the tooth coming out of upper gum. i went to the dentist on a Friday, which was the same day as a huge dentist conference in town, so I had to wait until Monday to get an appointment with my oral surgeon, and since I forgot to say on the phone that I wanted IV sedation / put to sleep like I normally do. I had my first ever dental surgery with only the local numbing injections with laughing gas. I must say the experience went well, whenever I started to experience a little pain I got more numbing medicine an increase of laughing gas. I hope this helps. I will be sure to post about my future dentist & oral surgeon appts.


    Peace, Blessings,Love, & Hugs,
    Stacey
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #8
    We are all different
    I've had very few surgeries in my life. Tonsils out at 1 1/2 (don't remember it), 2 C-sections (1977 & 1978) woke up in surgery and went straight to room. Oral surgery 1991 woke up on them twice during surgery (I remember and told them exactly what they were talking about). Port implant - I saw surgeon walk out the door and was taken straight to discharge (surgeon had talked to Hubby and told him to come back in an hour or 2 and I'd be ready to go - well I went straight to discharge and they called him to come get me - he was still in the parking lot). Mast. (post neo-adjuvant A/C) Hubby and Son told go get something to eat and come back later but I went straight to room and they were called before breakfast was ordered that ehy could come see me. So I'm hard to keep knocked out and come out of it quick. The colonoscopy was nasty though BUT it was because they had problems doing it and finally stopped because they were afraid to give me more anethesia. I did go to post op/recovery then and got quite sick on them. When I had my cataract surgeries this past winter it was on 'conscience sedation' - they had to give me more than expected based on what BP/P/R was doing but no after effects and was relased before they expected.

    We are all so different.

    Winyan - The Power Within

    Susan
  • mamolady
    mamolady Member Posts: 796 Member
    #9
    Traci,
    Why not blame it on
    Traci,
    Why not blame it on the chemo? My oncologist made a comment last weekend that was interesting.

    Hurricane Katrina lasted 3 days and we are still dealing with the effects of that, how long did chemo last?

    You are getting older.... but you can blame that later! Maybe you weren't at the top of your game prior to the procedure too? Are allergies a problem? That would effect things also.


    Cindy
  • aisling8
    aisling8 Member Posts: 1,627 Member
    #10
    mamolady said:

    Traci,
    Why not blame it on
    Traci,
    Why not blame it on the chemo? My oncologist made a comment last weekend that was interesting.

    Hurricane Katrina lasted 3 days and we are still dealing with the effects of that, how long did chemo last?

    You are getting older.... but you can blame that later! Maybe you weren't at the top of your game prior to the procedure too? Are allergies a problem? That would effect things also.


    Cindy

    I say
    blame it on the "er" part of old.
    But you knew I'd say that, didn't you:)

    Hope you're doing well.

    xoxo
    Victoria
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #11
    aisling8 said:

    I say
    blame it on the "er" part of old.
    But you knew I'd say that, didn't you:)

    Hope you're doing well.

    xoxo
    Victoria

    I...
    I just blame EVERYTHING on bc and previous chemo and present chemo... 3 different rads....I figure I have an excuse for everything!!! Forever...

    After all, who's going to challenge me? lol ...I dare 'em! I never use my age.....they don't need to know I'm 61 and grandma to 4..I heard an RN speak, she's a 17 bc survivor, that's she's using it for all these years...works for me!

    Hugs, Nancy
  • jendrey
    jendrey Member Posts: 377
    #12
    MAJW said:

    I...
    I just blame EVERYTHING on bc and previous chemo and present chemo... 3 different rads....I figure I have an excuse for everything!!! Forever...

    After all, who's going to challenge me? lol ...I dare 'em! I never use my age.....they don't need to know I'm 61 and grandma to 4..I heard an RN speak, she's a 17 bc survivor, that's she's using it for all these years...works for me!

    Hugs, Nancy

    ...
    Yeah, Traci I've noticed that too - this latest surgery I had a terrible time with recovery. Threw up quite a few times and was just not with it so to speak. Seems recovery time has been taking longer and longer with each surgery. I didn't have any problems with recovery time before chemo or rads. This last time my throat was so dry I actually got a french fry stuck in my throat and had just a really dry throat for about three days or so. First time for the dry throat feature.

    (((Hugs)))
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #13
    Probably both.
    As we age we
    Probably both.

    As we age we are much more prone to overdosages. This can be due to normal physical changes such as decreased kidney function and also decreased albumin (protein) in our blood. Albumin binds with the drug and makes it less active, so, as we age, we have more active drug circulating. My physician sister says she always starts low and goes slow with the elderly. Also, because we are usually on more meds as we age, we are much more likely to have drug interactions. One drug may potentiate (strengthen) another drug.

    However, I am not calling you old ;-) as I can tell by your photo that I probably have you beat by a decade. And I know that I'm not old...lol.

    Chemo does lower our blood counts and have an effect on our liver and kidneys. It takes time to bounce back.

    Be sure and let the surgeon know if you return. He or she may want to lower your dose.
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #14
    CypressCynthia said:

    Probably both.
    As we age we
    Probably both.

    As we age we are much more prone to overdosages. This can be due to normal physical changes such as decreased kidney function and also decreased albumin (protein) in our blood. Albumin binds with the drug and makes it less active, so, as we age, we have more active drug circulating. My physician sister says she always starts low and goes slow with the elderly. Also, because we are usually on more meds as we age, we are much more likely to have drug interactions. One drug may potentiate (strengthen) another drug.

    However, I am not calling you old ;-) as I can tell by your photo that I probably have you beat by a decade. And I know that I'm not old...lol.

    Chemo does lower our blood counts and have an effect on our liver and kidneys. It takes time to bounce back.

    Be sure and let the surgeon know if you return. He or she may want to lower your dose.

    Update (I think you called it, CC)
    Just an update that I had my follow-up procedure today, and asked the oral surgeon about my recovery from the procedure a few weeks ago (he's unfortunately been out of the country since right after that appointment -- I'm trying not to take that personally :-).

    I've been on blood pressure medication for a little over a year now (nothing to do with cancer -- I'm overweight, and my blood pressure has been creeping up for years), and it works very well for me -- too well in this case, unfortunately. The surgeon was very aware that I'm on this medication, but told me that my blood pressure still dropped so low during the last procedure that he had to give me medicine to bring it back up again, and feels all that's why I had such a hard time getting my mojo back afterwards.

    So he used a lower dose of the anesthesia this time and -- while I'm still a little more lightheaded than I used to be -- I'm in much better shape than last time and am up playing on the computer and watering my garden instead of flat on my back.

    When I told the surgeon I had expected him to start his answer to my question with "As we get older, Traci...", he laughed, patted me on the shoulder, and said "No, we'll blame it on the medication this time -- we'll save that explanation for a later time."

    (Great...something to look forward to.)

    :-) Traci
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #15
    Same surgeon? same medicine?
    Same surgeon? same medicine? perhaps they changed annisthiea?


    I used to get very very ill from being knocked out..but for about the past 8 yr I do not get sick. ONLY time I vomited was after hysterctomy but they have me narcotic pain killer at same time.


    Thinking of you


    Denise

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