5 Steps You Can Take if You’re Afraid of General Anesthesia
We’ve met many patients in our New York plastic surgery consulting room who have an intense fear of general anesthesia (GA). Whether the concerns relate to worry about not waking up, fear of being aware of pain but paralyzed, or concern about side effects—or all three—sometimes patients put off having a procedure because of it.
In our view, it’s unfortunate when prospective patients allow this fear to be a reason to delay or opt out of plastic surgery. In our New York practice, we’ve treated thousands of patients over three decades, so we know GA is safe. But we understand that for some people, “going under” is not easy.
If you’re one of these hesitant patients, here are some suggestions.
1) Choose IV sedation.
We have chosen to use IV sedation, also called “twilight sedation,” for the majority of our New York plastic surgery patients. We made this decision for patient comfort, as IV sedation eliminates general anesthesia side effects patients can suffer: nausea, headache, chills, confusion and more. It’s easier for fearful patients to tolerate as well, as drugs are administered gradually and gently through an IV rather than a mask.
IV sedation requires extremely close coordination in the operating room by a doctor-anesthesiologist duo who knows each other well. Most practices don’t have this. Our team has worked hand in hand for 30 years, and we are proud to offer the benefits of safe IV sedation to almost all our patients.
2) Get information.
Perhaps you can’t come work with us or find another practice that offers IV sedation. Or maybe you are one of our patients but you need an extensive procedure that will require GA instead of twilight sedation. Research can help calm any anxiety you may have. You can visit sites from the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic and similar health authorities for reassurance about the safety of GA. You’ll discover that risks of plastic surgery relate to the procedure itself and to your overall health much more than they do to anesthesia.
3) Talk to others.
Chances are you know someone who has had GA—ask them about the experience. You may find they had a headache or grogginess afterward, or another side effect, but they should be short-lived. You will at least be reassured about the process when you learn they went to sleep quickly and woke up seemingly a short time later, having been unaware of any discomfort during the procedure.
4) Learn from your surgeon.
Tell your surgeon about any reservations you might have about GA. You doctor should be happy to tell you about what to expect from the anesthesia process, which drugs and techniques they use and their history with patients. He or she should also listen to you and take your concerns seriously, and help you put some worries to rest. For instance, if you’ve experienced nausea after surgery in the past, for example, your team can administer medication that will help.
5) Find out about the anesthesiologist.
Not all professionals who administer anesthesia have the same training. In some cosmetic surgery practices, GA is given by a nurse anesthetist or an anesthesiologist assistant. In our plastic surgery practice in New York, IV sedation is administered by our M.D. anesthesiologist. He meets with each patient prior to surgery and stays with them the entire time, monitoring them very closely. As a fully trained and accredited medical doctor, he is a critical partner in everything we do and ready for any eventuality.
Our exceptional surgical team is one reason patients are at ease in working with us, and IV sedation is a key part of the experience. When you realize you’ll drift off to sleep peacefully, have your vital signs and anesthesia levels watched very carefully and wake up quickly with no memory at all of surgery, it makes choosing to move forward easier. You may be surprised to find out that many of our patients say that “going to sleep” was the best part of their experience!
Want to find out more about IV sedation for plastic surgery in New York? Fill out our short contact form and we’ll be in touch.
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