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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 2 of 2. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by iamyuneek on May 12, 2003, at 6:13:55
Hi There! I have been reading for a while and suddenly realized how knowlegable you all are and maybe can guide me in the right direction. First of all let me say I have not taken any precription anti-depressant drugs since 1998...except for this last week and I will tell you what my problem is.
I am a recovering alcholic 6 years sober and loving it...however the last time I was in treatment (6 years ago) it was for suicidal depression..a culmination of figuring out I couldn't live with or without the stuff..and I was slowly killing myself...enlarged liver.. orange skin and tongue....I was in my car with the engine running. I had ECT treatments in the hospital and on an outpatient basis for a while.
I will fast forward.
I was on Wellbutrin for a year after that and seeing an addictionist and doing AA, (and still go to meetings regularly.)
But recently something put me in a tailspin. I had elective surgery and when I came out of the anesthetic I was right back there in that dark depression..it didn't lift for about 12 hours and only after I was able to get some sleep with the aid of a sleeping pill. After a few days I was back to my old self except for the memory of what happened, and scared to death that it would happen again. Well about a year later I had to have day surgery on my eye and they put me out..sure enough when I woke up I was in that awful downward tailspin..tried to sleep at home but the adrenalin surges to my stomach kept waking me up..no sleeping pill handy that time so just kept myself busy, not keeping still for to long. Again after about 12 hours my dark symptoms gradually disappeared.
But here's the kicker..I must have sugery (not elective this time) within the next 4 weeks, but I am scared to death...I have already cancelled the surgery once.
Is there anything I can do to prevent this reaction to the anesthesia? I was thinking that I would take an AD and maybe build up some kind of protection, so I started on Wellbutrin last week(now up to 150/3 times per day) before the surgery..will that help?. Any body have any experince with this sort of thing?? What IS going on with me?? Would a psychiatrist be able to guide me or give me a medicine that will counteract the effects. Please help.
Posted by Glinda Ofnorth on May 12, 2003, at 12:21:52
In reply to Acute deep depression after anesthesia, posted by iamyuneek on May 12, 2003, at 6:13:55
I had a similar experience three years ago when I had knee surgery. The reaction to the anesthesia really took me by surprise, as I hadn't been in treatment for depression for 15 years. It took me weeks to get over it.
I have done some reading and also been told that this is not considered to be an unusual reaction to anesthesia. However, I'm not an expert. I just know that when I have the surgery again (and I will), I am going to tell my primary physician, my surgeon, and my anesthesiologist about the reaction and ensuing deep depression I had the first time around. I know that not all anesthesia is created equal, so perhaps there's a different mix that won't have the same effects??
Your doctor needs to know!
This is the end of the thread.
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