General Anaesthetic query

[Pearly1]

Hi, I’ve just had an appointment with the Anaesthetist about my upcoming nasal polyps op. He says I am in the high risk bracket for having general anaesthetic and have a 1 in 6 chance of a heart attack, lung scarring, life support, mini stroke, with it.

In January I suffered a respiratory arrest and had a anaphylactic shock. I’m waiting for an appointment with the immunologist dept and he said he would’ve really liked those results before I had the op.

What I’m wondering is, is it worth having the op with all the high risks involved. They can shrink the polyps with predisolone but don’t like to give them long term.

Any thoughts, experiences would be very grateful for. Pearly 😘

[Yatzy]

Hi, Pearly. I would be very cautious having a general anaesthetic before test results. I tend to be sensitive to various drugs, especially antibiotics, though am fine with oxytetracycline.

But I had a GA a while ago while taking erythromycin and developed very weak muscles a day later, needing help to do the smallest things, like push my bed covers off my face. Frightening! I recovered gradually over a couple of weeks, thankfully, but subsequent nerve tests proved I’d recovered fully but not what caused the episode....the GA or the erythromycin.

I now carry a hospital letter, warning of need for caution with future GAs and saying don’t use erythromycin again. Recovery certainly started as I stopped the erythromycin, but also the anaesthetic was working it’s way out of my system.

I spoke to an anaesthetist turned GP soon after, and she said her money was on the erythromycin....but I had been taking it for three days before the op. Sorry to confuse, but I would be wary of an anaesthetic if not strictly necessary. Though I know well the side effects of prednisolone. Good luck!

[Pearly1 in reply to Yatzy]

Thanks for your reply Breathezee, I’m very cautious and unfortunately the doc says it will be a while before I even go for the tests! I love the NHS and the work they do but I’m very sry to. X

[Abc64 in reply to Yatzy]

Good luck with your surgery.

[M-D-F]

Have some faith in the NHS!

[Pearly1 in reply to M-D-F]

Thanks M-D-F I really do have faith in NHS really I do but it doesn’t stop me being wary too. I think I need to talk to my GP x

[Clanmacbeath]

Morning Pearly. I would go with whatever the doctors advise. I have chronic asthma and nasal polyps. I have been on steroids for about 10 years and they help with my breathing but the polyps continued to grow. They have shrank a few times when I'm on high doses of pred but grow once I taper back to my maintainance dose. I have had surgery twice to have the polyps removed and it wasn't pleasant. But being able to breath and smell is amazing! You have to weigh up how much they affect your life day to day against the risks of surgery. I'm sure if the doctors felt those risks were too great then they wouldn't carry out the op. But in the end you need to do what you feel happy with. Good luck and I hope you come to a decision that you feel happy with. X

[Pearly1 in reply to Clanmacbeath]

Hi Clanmacbeath. Thank you for your reply. Mine shrink when I’m on predisolone (and the only time I can breathe through my nose) and the anaesthetist said I will need to take them 3 days before surgery. Thanks for sharing your experiences with the surgery. X

[Matman]

My ENT Adviser says Surgery is always a last resort, and to avoid if possible. No idea how old you are but I’ve also come across a reference to increased risks of surgery for over 60’s. Particularly the nearer to the head the surgery is due to occur. Apparently it seems quite well known to the aneithatist community that surgery for seniors can be a trigger for dementia. Have you been offered Mepolizumab, as I heard that can have a positive impact on nasal issues? If not, maybe ask your ENT Consultant about it in that context.

[Pearly1 in reply to Matman]

Hi Matman. Sorry about the delay in answering. Thanks for your message. I am trying a new nasal steroid spray ... Mometasone. It seems to be breaking down the polyps and s lot of nose bleeds. But I’m now on predisolone again so stopped using the nasal spray until preds finished. I’m hoping the spray will eventually work and it could take 4 months. Worth the try though.. Pearly