Question about anesthesia/surgery

[Bridget]

I have only had anesthesia once when I got my wisdoms out. I did ok with it, but I know different anesthesiologists use different drugs to put you out, and different drugs come with different side effects...

I had two children at a really young age (18 and 21) and breast feeding changed my body quite a bit. I would like to get breast augmentation just to put back what I used to have so I can successfully go shopping for clothes and not be bummed out about things I like not fitting right. I am ok with the idea of the surgery, but am terrified of the after effects, because I know lots of ppl get sick after anesthesia. When my sister got hers, she had to take hard core antibiotics before hand, anesthesia, and pain killers - all of which could cause n* and I am afraid to take.

I know most ppl would just tell me not to get them, but I am tired of this phobia preventing me to do things I would like to do or try in life. I have heard about twilight anesthesia causing less n*... does anyone have any experience with that? How common is it to v* after surgery? Would there be anything I can do other than n* medication to prevent that? Is it possible to get through the process without scrip pain killers and heavy antibiotics? Just curious...

[olschesky]

i've had a few different surgeries.....dental....which they barely put you under......and a thyroidectomy and gall bladder surgery where i was asleep for quite some time......i never got sick from any of them. they usually put an antiemetic in with those meds. the pain meds are where i have issues......i can't take them....i've tried after surgery and they really made me n.........so i stuck to advil and learned to bear the pain for a couple days.......

i did take antibiotics with the thyroid surgery and didn't get sick.......but also at that time my emet was pretty low......gallbladder was more recent and the antibiotics scared me........so i just took half the dose for a few days.....which did not make me n.....i'm not saying to do this....when i think back i know it was stupid for me to do that....but it's where my mind was at at that time......most people i know who take antibiotics dont v or even get n.....it's more just stomach pain......if they don't keep food in their stomach.

good luck with your choice.......that surgery has become so routine and you will be just fine.......

[wargerbil]

I've had one surgery under general anesthesia, two under sedation, one awake with locals, and two procedures with conscious sedation. I had anti-emetics for all except one of the sedation ones and the one with locals. I felt REALLY sick after the sedation procedure, and sort of sick after the one with locals (really woozy... I still had a lot of meds shot into my body!), but didn't v* either time. I was kept pretty comfortable on anti-emetics for everything else. The last one was 3 wks ago and they gave me a scopalomine patch and a whole bunch of IV stuff, some I hadn't even heard of. I did fine.

[barbiegirl]

If you ask for preventative antiemetics to block all known v* pathways and have doctors use the least emetogenic drugs and techniques I think you should be totally fine. The key I think is talking to all of your doctors and nurses beforehand and letting them know about your phobia.

I had a breast augmentation in 2003 with general anaesthetic. My plastic surgeon actually won't do them under twilight and local because she finds patients have more pain, anxiety and n* that way that would be otherwise preventable. I actually felt pretty good for the first day until the local anaesthetic wore off and then I had a lot of pain and some n* (but no v-ing) from the pain meds/low blood sugar. Depending on how big you go, your size now and whether or not you go subglandular or subpectoral will make a huge difference in your recovery. Personally I got 400cc high profile smooth round saline implants overfilled to 450cc placed submuscularly using an inframammary incision (so many decisions to make lol). Recovery was really tough because I went so big from such a small size (32AA to a 32DD) and had them placed under the muscle, so I was pretty useless for a month and was stuck in a recliner for at least a couple of weeks barely able to lift a juice box. But it will probably be different for you because you have had kids and may not need to go under the muscle; these patients tend to have a pretty easy recovery pain wise. Despite all of this getting implants was one of the best things I have ever done for myself and would go through it all again in a heart beat. If you have any questions, let me know.

[Bridget]

Thank you guys for giving me some hope!
Barbiegirl- it's nice to know someone here has had the same procedure I'm looking into. I used to be a 32 C before I had my kids (when I was 17) and when I was pregnant with my son I grew to a D, then shrank to a B after breast feeding. With my daughter I went back to a D, and now am somewhere between an A and small B. So I have the extra skin from what used to be there, it makes me uncomfortable, and I have broad shoulders, so it's difficult to find shirts and dresses that look good. I am 29 now and I am ready to feel good again! I think I'm just going to try to go back to my usual size, maybe a small C? It will take some time before I can afford the procedure, but as you all know, as an emet, it's just anxiety for me until I actually am able to go through with it.
I'm so glad it worked out for you all with the surgeries! I think I will try to have a consult soon and I also think if it's elective surgery maybe the surgeons will be more accomodating to making me comfortable? I just worry that doctors have a hard time understanding my phobia. My grandfather is a retired doctor and thinks I am absolutely ridiculous with this fear. He saw v* on a regular basis and understands that it is just a part of life/normal bodily function, but has a hard time understanding that I don't see it that way because I have this fear. Anyways, thanks again for your words of advice... I actually feel excited about getting them done now!

[barbiegirl]

Barbiegirl- it's nice to know someone here has had the same procedure I'm looking into. I used to be a 32 C before I had my kids (when I was 17) and when I was pregnant with my son I grew to a D, then shrank to a B after breast feeding. With my daughter I went back to a D, and now am somewhere between an A and small B. So I have the extra skin from what used to be there, it makes me uncomfortable, and I have broad shoulders, so it's difficult to find shirts and dresses that look good. I am 29 now and I am ready to feel good again! I think I'm just going to try to go back to my usual size, maybe a small C? It will take some time before I can afford the procedure, but as you all know, as an emet, it's just anxiety for me until I actually am able to go through with it.
I'm so glad it worked out for you all with the surgeries! I think I will try to have a consult soon and I also think if it's elective surgery maybe the surgeons will be more accomodating to making me comfortable? I just worry that doctors have a hard time understanding my phobia. My grandfather is a retired doctor and thinks I am absolutely ridiculous with this fear. He saw v* on a regular basis and understands that it is just a part of life/normal bodily function, but has a hard time understanding that I don't see it that way because I have this fear. Anyways, thanks again for your words of advice... I actually feel excited about getting them done now!

It sounds like your body has been through a lot- I can't blame you at all for wanting to feel like your body is your own again. I used the Victoria's Secret Sensual Shapers for the last couple of years before I got mine done, so maybe that would help in the meantime? They do get cold though, especially if you throw them on the floor! >.<

Depending on how much tissue you have to cover the implant you probably could get away with subglandular placement and save yourself a lot of pain. With submuscular they basically scrape all the soft tissue off your ribcage, cut the pectoralis major muscle 70% off the sternum and then place the implant underneath. Sizing is tricky, but there are different tests that you can do at home (the rice test was the most accurate for me) and free virtual simulators online that you can play around with (wasn't accurate at all for me, but everyone is different so try them all.) It is a good idea to start consulting with potential plastic surgeons and researching now so that you are as informed as possible and make the best choices for you.

For me I have found that anaesthesiologists find me a little neurotic but over all sympathetic and willing to work with me. Just be extra nice to them so they like you and don't hold back on your antiemetics lol. It's too bad that your grandfather is unable to understand what you are going through. Most doctors now are at least willing to work with you, regardless of whether or not your fears are ridiculous