Anxiety Remission After General Anesthesia

Posted by kaseyjaynexo @kaseyjaynexo, Nov 12, 2018

4 weeks ago, I had a laprascopic appendectomy. I am healing normally physically, but I haven’t been taking my anxiety medication because I feel “normal”. I still have moments where I am anxious or my OCD kicks in, but nothing compared to before the surgery. Has anyone else noticed this? Or even heard of something like this? I keep waiting for the “other shoe to drop” but so far, I feel great anxiety/OCD wise, things that would have bothered/triggered me, no longer do. Any help would be appreciated!

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@benny987

Yes, but ect is a gamble.. it might work and it might not.. there are horror stories on the internet by ppl who say their lives were damaged by ect.. others say they were saved.. i am in a fix, but i cant go on living like this either 🙁

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@benny987 I would feel same in your shows have you research Ed what Lisa Lucier suggested maybe reading about it will help ease your mind

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@benny987

Yes, but ect is a gamble.. it might work and it might not.. there are horror stories on the internet by ppl who say their lives were damaged by ect.. others say they were saved.. i am in a fix, but i cant go on living like this either 🙁

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Good morning @benny987- How are you feeling this morning Benny? Did you call your dr or go to the ER? Benny- I feel that you have to take chances, otherwise what's the point of anything? Since you are very hesitant, and I'm with you on this one, about ECT, why not try the old fashion way?

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@merpreb

Good morning @benny987- How are you feeling this morning Benny? Did you call your dr or go to the ER? Benny- I feel that you have to take chances, otherwise what's the point of anything? Since you are very hesitant, and I'm with you on this one, about ECT, why not try the old fashion way?

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Good morning Merry... i love you all for being so caring and responding to me... i have been to the doctors so many times .. when i was having panic attacks initially i even got hospitalized but at that time i was being treated for my ulcer.. i had no idea why i was having those attacks and why all of a sudden my mind was preoccupied with death and sadness.. few weeks later after i got discharged it became even worse and turned into 24/7 anxiety and depression... at that time i thought i was dying as i never had such strange out of body feelings in my life.. as time passed by and medication after medication failed, i came to know i wasnt dying but i had developed this horrid mental disorder 🙁 i get so restless at times i prefer i was dead than alive.. other times my mind is wrapped in fear and worry and guilt.. i close my eyes and i imagine myself climbing walls, walking on the ceiling and going in circles like that.. awful stuff.. awful torturing thoughts.. i hardly move or get out of bed.. i used to be a beat freak.. now i hardly take a shower or function... you are right.. i have to take chances .. i read yesterday that the only thing to fear is fear itsel.. maybe my brain needs to reboot .. pls remember me in your prayers.. hugs

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@benny987 I'm later on post as I live in California but read all I'm glad to hear your going to check it out and try it we are all praying for you bless you Benny let us know how you are

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@lioness thank you so much.. its going to take time even if i decide to go for ect and if the psychiatrist agrees.. i am at my wit’s end... as i read about ect, there are mixed reviews.. more on the negative side about memory loss, loss of cognitive functions and others.. also they say positive effects dont last long.. i dont know what to do.. the pain is 24/7 and too much to bear.. sometimes i wonder how can God put me or others through so much and not let it be over ;(

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@benny987

@lioness thank you so much.. its going to take time even if i decide to go for ect and if the psychiatrist agrees.. i am at my wit’s end... as i read about ect, there are mixed reviews.. more on the negative side about memory loss, loss of cognitive functions and others.. also they say positive effects dont last long.. i dont know what to do.. the pain is 24/7 and too much to bear.. sometimes i wonder how can God put me or others through so much and not let it be over ;(

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@benny- I'm not religious at all, and far be it for me to tell anyone how to believe but blaming this on God won't help. Things happen, maybe not because you are being punished but because things become lopsided inside us and need to be readjusted. And it's up to you do everything that you can to readjust things. Life might not be what you were use to but it will be better than what you are feeling now.
When you say that you are in pain is it physical pain or mental pain? You are anguishing over something that you do not have to make a decision about yet. Please go see your psychiatrist and find out what his suggestions are. Do you live alone? Do you have a friend who can take you?

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@benny987

@lioness thank you so much.. its going to take time even if i decide to go for ect and if the psychiatrist agrees.. i am at my wit’s end... as i read about ect, there are mixed reviews.. more on the negative side about memory loss, loss of cognitive functions and others.. also they say positive effects dont last long.. i dont know what to do.. the pain is 24/7 and too much to bear.. sometimes i wonder how can God put me or others through so much and not let it be over ;(

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Hi @benny987, I am sorry to hear that you are in this situation. I read some of your past posts, and you said that you medicines don't help, and that doctors are useless. I wonder if maybe the medications and/or dosages were not right for you. You are correct that medications and treatments do have positives and negatives, however it is always the primary hope that the positives are far better than the negatives, and in your current state of stress and pain, you might benefit to reconsider this thought. Finding the right medication, the right treatment is a process and it can take some time and effort.
Benny, how old are you? You say that you stopped taking all medicines except for the sleeping medicines. Did you make this drastic change recently? Any drastic change in medications can have a drastic effect on ones body, emotionally and physically. Benny, you sound like a very caring and sensitive individual. I hope you will discover an inner strength that will guide you through this. @merprep has already shared her experience with you, and I think that you would do well by following her suggestion to seek from tyour doctor or psychiatrist.

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Hello @benny987

I just noticed this discussion on anxiety/depression after a medical procedure and anesthesia. Because of a recurrence of cancer in the upper digestive tract, I've had multiple endoscopies and understand the "spacey" feeling that can accompany the wearing-off of anesthesia, for even something as mild as they give for an outpatient procedure such as an endoscopy.

It sounds like several things were going on, a bleeding ulcer, blood transfusions as well as the endoscopy and the anesthesia.

Do you have a copy of the anesthesia report? If not, it might serve you well to ask for it so that you can look at all of the medications that were administered during this procedure. Also listed on the anesthesia report will be your blood pressure, heart rate, etc. that occurred during the time you were anesthetized.

Were you hospitalized afterward for the blood transfusions or was this done as an outpatient?

If you care to share more, did you have a tendency towards anxiety/depression before this procedure? Any family history of problems with anesthesia? Have you had any other physical or emotional symptoms since that procedure? Any history of drug abuse?

These are all important questions to think about. I would seek a consult with an anesthesia specialist to inquire about allergies to the medications used and see if you can get a handle on exactly what caused these symptoms.

I would like to hear how you are doing. Will you post again?

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@benny987

@lioness thank you so much.. its going to take time even if i decide to go for ect and if the psychiatrist agrees.. i am at my wit’s end... as i read about ect, there are mixed reviews.. more on the negative side about memory loss, loss of cognitive functions and others.. also they say positive effects dont last long.. i dont know what to do.. the pain is 24/7 and too much to bear.. sometimes i wonder how can God put me or others through so much and not let it be over ;(

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@benny987 I hope you take the advice of @merpreb , rosemary,@hopeful suggested your medical history is important to figure out what is the issue ,can you tell us a little more of meds you,ve stopped anesthesia till it is out of your body can make you feel different and if you where allergic to something in the anesthesia could have an effect on your mind yes ask for and talk to your Dr and anesthesiologist if you can as all suggested here we are trying to help you but it's up to you to find out let us know

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@benny987

That is encouraging.. i keep having second thoughts about ect, passing electricity through brain sounds very scary...did your friend who recovered with ect relapse? I hope not.. is she on maintenance ect or meds or is she is full remission, how long has it been since she had ect?

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@benny 987- Benny I do not have the answers you ask for as we moved away and I lost touch with her. While I knew her she was doing well. Her mental health was substantially improved and her memory was pretty much fully recovered.
Best wishes
Ainsleigh

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