posted
Am posting this for a friend who recently had anesthesia when she had a new port put in. She wonders why she feels so awful ever since and seems to think it has something to do with the anesthesia.
Anyone else experience this? If so...have you any advice for her?
Thanks....nan
-------------------- nan Posts: 2135 | From Tick Country | Registered: Oct 2000
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Kara Tyson
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 939
posted
My mother is still recovering from back surgery and is having memory problems from the anesthesia.
I have had well over 20 surgeries in my lifetime and never had a problem with after effects (although I cant be put under general any longer).
But I have heard much has to do with your age and gender.
Here is a British Medical Journal article you might find helpful:
-------------------- Kara Tyson Lyme Disease Support Group Of Alabama--MobileChapter Posts: 6022 | From Mobile, AL | Registered: Apr 2001
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timaca
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posted
After my knee surgery I had a huge flare up of nerve pain. I did not know I had lyme at the time. I was given Vancomycin IV (an antibiotic) during the surgery.
Before I had a uterine ablation, I had a long talk with the anesthesiologist about what happened to me after my knee surgery. He didn't think any of the drugs given to me could have caused the flare up in pain (he did not give me the vancomycin---my orthopedic doc did).
I had no flare ups after my uterine ablation.
Once I figured out that I had lyme disease....it all made sense. I had a herx from the vancomycin that was given during the knee surgery. And no problems (or herx) after the uterine ablation.
Could she be experiencing a herx? Was any antibiotic given?
Posts: 2872 | From above 7,000 ft in a pine forest | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
Thanks for your responses. She has been on IV abx for a long time...so does not think it is a herx.
I think she feels like whatever they gave her for anesthesia has not left her system and is making her feel terrible. She is wondering how long it will take? It has been over two weeks now!
Thanks for the article, Kara! nan:)
-------------------- nan Posts: 2135 | From Tick Country | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
Nan, I've had a few surgeries since being dx'd with lyme and a few before. I also have had this same problem - odd thing is i went thru a period of no matter what I was 'injected' with caused those symptoms.
for example gadolinium for a mri, or glutathione, but after the last glutathione it hasn't happened again (knock wood), so I wonder if its a toxicity - since we lymies are so toxic and it could have pushed her over the edge?
I wish her luck.
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trails
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posted
Could be the anasthesia for sure. Even doctors say that it takes a FULL YEAR for your body to recover from any surgery and lots of that has to do with anasthesia.
I just had major abdominal surgery in august and felt pretty awful for an entire MONTH. I have lyme and co's and had to stop treatment during the time of surgery b/c of possible infection/ resistant bugs.
What exactly ARE her symptoms that are worse or new?
What is she taking for pain---that could also be a culprit. The pain meds were AWFUL for me.
Has she talked with the LLMD? Trails:)
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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timaca
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posted
Patti~
Here's what had happened to me before surgery (as a reference): I had a steroid injection to my knee. This most likely set off latent lyme in my body. 3 weeks after that I had some dizzy spells, 45 minute rapid heart rate and 30 hours of extreme fatigue. A month later, my left medial calf went numb to the touch, and my left foot started to burn. A week or so after that, my lower back started to really hurt. This was muscle pain...which turned into nerve pain. 2 days before my knee surgery, the nerve pain had traveled up to my bra strap level.
I mentioned this all to my orthopedic doctor, and he examined my back, and said it wouldn't stop him from doing my knee surgery.
About 12 days after my knee surgery (it may have been before, but 12 days was Christmas Eve and I was truly miserable on that day); the nerve pain (and this was just under my skin....and just burning pain) started traveling up my back, up my neck, to the top of my head and down my arms.
When I went to see my orthopedic doc on the 29th for my 2 week check (slightly after 2 weeks because of the holidays) I was in horrible, horrible nerve pain. If I could have unzipped my skin and stepped out of it I would have. I was very dizzy and tired too.
The doctor had no idea what had happened to me.
I now believe that it was a herxheimer reaction from the vancomycin given during surgery.
I had a uterine ablation 9 months later...no antibiotic was given...I was fine.
Whenever I'm given strong antibiotics now...I have a bad day 10-12 days after starting the antibiotic.
What's your story?
Posts: 2872 | From above 7,000 ft in a pine forest | Registered: Feb 2005
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I had a spinal fusion(I made a post of my whole story in medical on I think 10/14 if you feel like reading it) I received Vancomycin 1 gram IV on the way to surgery. I had severe pain in my neck and arms starting 1 day after surgery. It was so bad I was shaking. I saw the surgeon on post-op day 3. He started me on steroids. The next morning I started with numbness, tingling all over my body with muscle twitching all over my body. It's been over 8 weeks and still have bad leg weakness, tingling all over, down my spine, down to my toes. Dr's can't seem to find an answer. Patti
Posts: 340 | From Ohio | Registered: Oct 2005
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trails
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posted
Oh gawd TIMICA! Another steroid buddy!
Patti- It's a long story but a good one and I'll give you the shortest version: I had a steroid shot (by the same doc that did timica's, but in a different state than hers!!) and I had 6 full months of hell afterwords. Absolute hell of tingling and numbness and pain pain pain in the right shoulder all the way down to my finger tips.
No tests showed anything. MRI, x-ray, EMG did show nerve root damage but from WHAT---no one knew--no injury or accident. (lyme does destroy nerves I found out later) This was all this past winter and I had lyme diagnosed and treated in 2001 and was treated for 9 months and thought cured.
my PT finally sat me down and said---look hon, you got something else going on here that I have never seen in all my 30 years of practice. You are gonna end up with RSD if you don't get treated for that lyme or whatever it is.
It was the steroid shot that really got it going. I am so thankful that I do not have those sensations any longer. I hope you can get some relief for yours! And please dont allow any other steroids ever ever ever.
And back to nan's question about anasthesia. Sorry got off the topic there---couldnt help but chime in. Trails Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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timaca
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posted
Yes, Trails, we've got another steroid buddy here. Looks like the steroids weren't given by the same doctor though, as she lives in Ohio.
I seriously want to try to get ahold of SOMEONE in the orthopedic community who will do some kind of article in one of their journals, or give a seminar at one of their conferences about lyme disease, so the docs will recognize it. AND about the use of steriods (read: don't use them) with lyme patients!
These docs need a knock on the head! Or something to get them to learn about this!
I am headed to Philly to the lyme conference tomorrow, where I hope to speak to some doctors about the possibility of this happening....
Maybe Trails and Patti and I can share our stories at the beginning of some kind of lecture for these docs!! Wouldn't that be a riot! They need to know about this!!
Patti~ I'll try to read your post...are you still on steroids?
Timaca
Posts: 2872 | From above 7,000 ft in a pine forest | Registered: Feb 2005
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trails
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Be careful you lucky lyme conference gal---Philly is my home town and where I first got lyme and co's in 1991! Stay off the grass! Trails Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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timaca
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6911
posted
UGH!! NOOOO!! I'll make sure to stay out of the grass!!
If I see a tick on me, I'll have one of the lyme docs that is speaking at the conference pull it off!!
Posts: 2872 | From above 7,000 ft in a pine forest | Registered: Feb 2005
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