Question Why are some people more susceptible to anesthetic than others?

[russell]

Hi Guys,

I always have to have my dentist injections ages before my appointment so that they can kick in.

I usually get given double the dose to speed things up and then when they do kick in my whole face is numb!!
Why is this?

The dentist mumbled something about 'bone density' (unless I miss heard her) I am no skinny, but I am not obese either???

I ended up with 8 'strong' injections and my face was numb for hours after!!!

The only time I have ever had surgery was a spinal, for a c-section -again it took ages for me to numb and so they kept pumping it in, eventually when it worked I was numb from the neck down -instead of the waist down, which I found quite traumatic.

Are any of you similar?- and what do you think causes this? -is it something I need to make the health care professionals aware of, if I need to be put under ever again.

Cheers Ears

 

[dysfunction]

Everybody has different body chemistry....and your body deals with things differently to other people.

Perhaps your body has a tolerance towards it.

I would compare it to some people who don't get drunk very easily while others are pissed just smelling the stuff...and also some people never get hangovers (bastds!)

I wouldnt worry to much about it. As long as they dont go slicing you up before the stuff kicks in!

 

[ford prefect]

There are dozens of factors for calculating general anesthetic dose and many apply to local anesthetic too. One of the more common factors is ionized calcium contained within plasma, which can also have a bearing on dosages of sedatives too.

It's not a matter of being less susceptible, just that the anesthetic takes a little longer to work properly, so dosages are increased slightly. That isn't something that is done lightly though; obviously, you increase the dosage, you increase the risks attached.

 

[Scouse]

The dentist mumbled something about 'bone density' (unless I miss heard her) I am no skinny, but I am not obese either???

Lol! Trust a woman to confuse bone density with weight!

Don't worry Russ. You're fine. Look on the bright side - if you're ever in a situation being hunted down by evil men with tranquilizer guns you'll be able to take a couple of slugs before succumbing

 

[TdC]

and don't forget aliens! you'll be fully conscious through all the probing!

 

[mycenae]

Its just like asking why some people are allergic to things and others aren't. There are various answers bandied around but no one really knows why. And as others have said, bone density has nothing to do with weight, so the dentist was not calling you tubby, don't worry! It takes shit loads of morphine for me to even be drowsy, never mind have a pain relief efect from it, but a small dose of codeine sends me completely cuckoo!

 

[nath]

Don't worry Russ. You're fine. Look on the bright side - if you're ever in a situation being hunted down by evil men with tranquilizer guns you'll be able to take a couple of slugs before succumbing

Well now Fuggz knows to bring twice as many roofies .

 

[Raven]

I had a local about a year ago at the dentists and ended up feeling it a bit still. Before that I had a general when I had my wisdom teeth out (4 in one go) I was out like a light but recovered from it very fast.

 

[mycenae]

the reason you would have recovered from it quickly is partly due to the fact that they tailor anaesthetics to the procedure being done. Dental extractions are what is termed a light anaesthesia, you don't need to be paralysed for it and they inject you with a shed load of local while you're under, so you don't need any long term sedative or heavy pain relieving effects. With something like an orthopaedic op, you're likely to be dopey for longer afterwards, as they have to give you a heavier anaesthetic to ensure that your deep muscles are very relaxed.
I only did 6 months in recovery as a nurse, but found the whole subject of anaesthesia absolutely fascinating. Did you know that the 2 most common anaesthetic agents, Isoflurane and Propofol, are used for every single species in the world as anaesthesia....except for birds!

 

[Fuggz]

wibble

 

[TdC]

give it a rest Fuggz, or feel the wrath of mod.

 

[Fuggz]

I feel it!

 

[mycenae]

was the wibble addressed to my medical jargon? Sorry

 

[TdC]

no the wibble was me saving Fuggz from himself.

 

[SilverHood]

I had an ear operation ages ago and they gave me the standard dose.

On a normal young person, they expected a someone of good health to be out for 90 to 180 minutes.

I was out cold within 10 seconds and I was out for 6 hours, to the point where they were considering giving me stuff to wake me up because they were getting worried about me slipping into a coma. Spent the next 6 hours drifting in and our of sleep, just couldn't stay awake.

Slept like a baby that night and it had worn off by the morning.

 

[DaGaffer]

Are any of you similar?- and what do you think causes this? -is it something I need to make the health care professionals aware of, if I need to be put under ever again.

Cheers Ears

Yes, locals are incredibly slow-acting on me, always have been. Broke my arm in a motorbike accident when I was 17, they gave me three locals (in my armpit - ouch) and it still wasn't working so they had to give me a general. And when I had appendicitis I was groggy for ages because they said it "took longer than expected" for me to go under (also felt like the anaesthetist tried to remove a lung via my oesophagus when he pulled the tube out). Doesn't seem to have anything to do with body mass; I was under 10 stone soaking wet when I was 17, and about 13-14 stone and rather more muscular when I had my appendix out at 32. If I had to guess I'd think it has something to do with your metabolic rate; low resting heartrate, low absorption of the anaesthetic.

 

[MYstIC G]

no the wibble was me saving Fuggz from himself.

So don't.

 

[TdC]

don't worry, be happy!

 

[Yoni]

I had a dental proceedure done last year where they could not numb the pain at all for any length of time and spent the whole time drilling a bit, till i went ow, then injecting a bit so on and so forth. My father has the same issues with anesthetics.

 

[Thugz]

Apologies for my dreadful post. Mate called around with a bottle of whisky - which is my total undoing - cos I helped his missus out with computer probs. Me and whisky and feeling frisky is a bad combo. Tdc must be a psychologist I think. So understanding it is eh ... odd! Destroyed Fuggz as a result - can't access my account. I dunno you have to take me as I am. I try hard but I will fall by the wayside at times. Anyways I think Tagged.com should take care of my physical needs - cam wise - whilst I sort out the rest of my life.

Hell my posts are so godamn deep and confusing eh. Yeah well my life is like it and always has been. I damn well trying though - are you?

Regards
Worn out Thugz - formally Fuggz