General anesthesia for right heart / left heart cath?

[LL_beanie]

I haven't posted lately bc I've been sick. I am now seeing a pediatric cardiologist who works with adults (I was born with Tet. of Fallot and an absent pulmonary valve).

I'm going in tomorrow for a right heart/ left heart cath. I had one done in the summer 2009 and they gave me the "twilight" sedation, where you aren't completely out.

However, the pre-op nurse I talked to today said that at the hospital tomorrow they will be giving me general anesthesia, so I'll be conked all the way out.

Has anyone else had an experience similar? I don't know if I'm just making myself more worried, but I guess any medical procedure makes me nervous lately.

I've been having extreme fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath, and memory loss lately, and I almost feel worse now than I did before my surgery. I hope they are able to figure this out. Thanks in advance!

 

[Debbrn]

I had minimal sedation for my last cath. They would have given me more if I had needed it. For me less is more. The meds usually make me feel terrible afterwards. I did have deep sedation once with propofol and woke up feeling great, otherwise I wake up feeling like garbage. I have also had caths with general anesthesia.

Good luck to you.

Last year I thought you posted about seeing an adult congenital heart doc. What happened with that?

Debbie

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I've never heard of using General Anesthesia for a Heart Cath.
Our (EXCELLENT) Cath Lab uses VERSED which is classified as "Conscious Sedation" and can take you anywhere from "I don't care" to "I don't want to know or remember ANY of this" based on dose.

 

[Marcia58]

My right/left cath was done with Versed at the "My, isn't this interesting?" dosage.

 

[Bryan B]

I have had 4 "caths" and a catheter ablation and all have been performed with twilight medications. One reason is that during the procedure the doctor performing the cath has asked me to do something such as hold my breath. That would be hard to do if you're totally out.

 

[normofthenorth]

It's new to me, too -- a "veteran" of ONE Angiogram (heart cath), last Monday! They looked at both sides of my heart, going in the femoral artery and the adjacent vein, both from the groin. I said I wanted to watch to action on the big screen, and suggested half the normal dose of relaxation stuff, which is what I think he did. I didn't actually notice any sedation. For the first part, I was peppering the two Docs with questions, then I decided it would be smarter to let them concentrate on DOING the job, rather than TEACHING me about it.

You could probably ask a nurse or a Doc WHY they'll be giving you a general, if it's really true. . .

 

[Bina]

My cath nurse offered me a mild tranq. It was .5 mg of Ativan which just put me in an "I don't care" fog.

 

[buncle]

I had versed for mine and the 1st dose wasnt enough for my likeing so I asked for another dose and that was much better.I would have preferred to "be out" if it had been up to me.I want to know about the procedures but dont want to participate if given the choice.

 

[bluefields409]

As this is up and coming for me too..I think I would prefer enough meds to know what is going on but enough meds to not really care about what is happening...

 

[ALCapshaw2]

As this is up and coming for me too..I think I would prefer enough meds to know what is going on but enough meds to not really care about what is happening...

That is the definition of VERSED and with enough, you won't even remember.

 

[bigsidster]

I had my cath on Oct 18 in Windsor Ontario and they gave me nothing.Never asked either.All I got was a shot near the groin area and then they started to insert the wires.I saw it all and felt it all.