I know I'm a little late getting to this so I don't expect a response but I figure it doesn't hurt to ask.
I struggle with a lot of mental illness (depression, GAD, OCD, phobic anxiey, CPTSD) in addition to development disabilities (autism & adhd). I am terrified of anesthesia, though I suspect it's not for the standard reason. Those videos of people acting high or loopy after anesthesia. I am phobic of anything that would make me "not myself" or "high". I don't drink or use any kind of mind altering drugs for this reason.
I was anesthetized once for an endoscopy and had told them this beforehand and they told me there were multiple options for anesthesia and they couldn't guarantee anything but that they could use something that doesn't usually do that. Thankfully, they chose correctly and I was only a little nauseous when I woke up with no psychological side effects.
My question is two parts.
1 - Is it true that there are different options that have different chances of causing that effect and is there any way for me to know what they used that time?
2 - I worry that I won't be taken seriously enough when I tell a doctor or anesthesiologist of that need. I don't want to be blown off because it's "not that big of a deal" or because most people see it as funny. How can I most effectively communicate my need? When do I bring it up first? What words best describe that "loopiness" or high or whatever (clearly I don't know what to call it lol) in a way that is clear and concise and I won't be misunderstood about what im actually afraid of?
Thank you in advance for if you even take the time to read this. I'm sure you are very busy and have much better questions to answer. I hope I made myself clear enough, as mentioned earlier, I do have a communication- related disability :)
junniper6102 karma
I know I'm a little late getting to this so I don't expect a response but I figure it doesn't hurt to ask.
I struggle with a lot of mental illness (depression, GAD, OCD, phobic anxiey, CPTSD) in addition to development disabilities (autism & adhd). I am terrified of anesthesia, though I suspect it's not for the standard reason. Those videos of people acting high or loopy after anesthesia. I am phobic of anything that would make me "not myself" or "high". I don't drink or use any kind of mind altering drugs for this reason.
I was anesthetized once for an endoscopy and had told them this beforehand and they told me there were multiple options for anesthesia and they couldn't guarantee anything but that they could use something that doesn't usually do that. Thankfully, they chose correctly and I was only a little nauseous when I woke up with no psychological side effects.
My question is two parts. 1 - Is it true that there are different options that have different chances of causing that effect and is there any way for me to know what they used that time?
2 - I worry that I won't be taken seriously enough when I tell a doctor or anesthesiologist of that need. I don't want to be blown off because it's "not that big of a deal" or because most people see it as funny. How can I most effectively communicate my need? When do I bring it up first? What words best describe that "loopiness" or high or whatever (clearly I don't know what to call it lol) in a way that is clear and concise and I won't be misunderstood about what im actually afraid of?
Thank you in advance for if you even take the time to read this. I'm sure you are very busy and have much better questions to answer. I hope I made myself clear enough, as mentioned earlier, I do have a communication- related disability :)
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