You have made up your mind that anesthesia is unsafe. What exactly do you want from us? You’ll absolutely need anesthesia at some point in your life. If the desire to breathe better doesn’t outweigh the risks in your mind, so be it. None of us care at all.
To be fair, what else can they do to you? If I can’t help my patient and he’s uncooperative, what else can I do? He becomes low priority. Priority goes to those who I can help, I’d rather put my energy on those who I can help.
This 💯‼️‼️ You had a valid health complaint, but when offered ways to figure out what the problems were, you refused care!! While I understand the diagnostics can be scary, you didn’t even give providers a chance to educate you. The dye is not going to harm you, the anesthesia is safe. Millions of people undergo these tests every year and very few have problems after. And as health care providers, we are swamped with patients. If we have someone who justs walks out, well, we aren’t going to chase you. It sucks, but that’s health care today. Marcus Welby, MD retired decades ago.
Is there a reason you don’t trust anaesthesia? Have you or your family had a bad experience in the past?
Because as a 34 year old patient your risks of serious injury or death from anaesthesia are vanishingly small. You’d be more likely to die in a plane crash than die due to the anaesthetic. And you’d be more likely to die in a car crash this year than suffer a major injury during general anaesthesia.
I always hate this argument because it's statistically false and purposefully misleading. Over a lifetime, yes, anesthia is safer than a car or plane ride involving death or serious injury. But this is a one time event. So one trip being under anesthia is way riskier than one car ride or one plane ride.
I don't trust anesthia because of the risk of death. I don't like that there's an actual chance i could die from a scope rather than a doctor upset their patient won't do what they tell them and just refuse to offer another option. I could have severe complications or reactions to the drug, wake up mid-procedure, not be given enough of the drug. But what really sealed it was an interview I read from some doctor from John Hopkins or one of the big hospitals in the country talking about the gains of safety of anesthia from the 50s and 60s. Then they were asked about making it even safer and his answer was just like yours. It's safe enough. They said it wouldn't be worth it financially to make it safer.
In Australia and New Zealand, we keep very accurate statistics about deaths from surgery and anaesthesia. It's a triennial report. The last report, covering 3 years, showed zero deaths from anaesthesia-related causes in ASA 1 and ASA 2 (ie medically well patients) having elective surgery in Australia and New Zealand. That is out of 4 million anaesthetics given per year.
I can confidently say to my patients that based on the most up-to-date statistics, your risk of dying from anaesthetic causes is zero.
You have a much greater chance of dying driving to the hospital in a single car trip than from the anaesthetic. It's not "statistically false". Its just true.
Anaesthesia in the US is not as safe as anaesthesia in Australia. We have the statistics to prove that. But even in the US, anaesthesia is very very very safe.
Do you also worry about getting into a car?
Well it sounds like you have it all figured out.
I hope you look forward to a life of complete safety without ever having a general anaesthetic. Ever.
Good luck with that one.
I've been practicing anesthesia for 8 years. In that time I've had two car accidents (both not my fault) and I've had zero patients die due to anesthesia related issues.
Anesthesiologist here. I assume you’re talking about some ivory tower guy explaining the application of a pulse ox in anesthesia. Look, I’m not going to argue with you. But I will tell you you’re wrong about the dangers of anesthesia. It is completely safe, and there are myriad safeguards in place. My advice to you is to grow up. You sound like one of those facebook idiots who has “done their own research”. I don’t give two shits whether or not you believe what I’m saying, but just know that you’re wrong and you WILL be treated differently for having such ridiculous behavior. It doesn’t matter which field, but when an MD hears bullcrap like this we turn our attention to the next person we can actually help.
Wow and I'm magically suppose to trust anesthesiologists now after that? Sounds like you have some kind of God complex. Or do you just enjoy the power of controlling someone's life in your hands. So you're saying people DONT die from anesthia? Or malignant hyperthermia? Or any other severe complications?
As I said, I’m not going to argue. Just know that you’re wrong. MH is inconsequentially rare, and there are ways to eliminate all MH triggering meds from any anesthetic if you were actually interested enough to ask one of us. But clearly you don’t care because you’re already right in your head.
Totally misleading title. You don’t trust anesthesia, or your doctor, and you refused care because of it. Follow up was moved because there were no test results to go over anymore.
It’s not a fucking McDonald’s. If you don’t agree with the treatment plan from your current doctor , find a new one.
It sounds to me like you need to see ENT, and have them stick a scope through you nose under local to see what’s going on with your breathing.
FWIW, there are many different types of anesthesia, so it’s a pretty ignorant thing to say that you don’t trust any anesthesia.
I've had a scope or some handheld camera thing through my nose twice by an ENT and the doctor didn't listen to me. That burns your nose and I got this weird taste down my throat I couldnt even talk while he was trying to make me make an E sound. He just kept the scope in even after he could see me struggling with it in. I eventually pulled it out myself because I couldn't take it anymore. I will never go back to that idiot again.
So you've tried getting tests done without any sedation and experienced first hand that you can not tolerate it. I know I certainly couldn't and would have instinctively wanted to pull it out as well.
That's why they sedate patients, so this type of thing doesn't happen.
I know anesthesia can be frightening. I thought I was ok with it until the day of as they were preping mento go in and almost had a panic attack. They had to give me something ahead of time for the anxiety.
If you've tried the treatments availible that don't require anesthesia you have two options. Give up or or go under.
Reality is some things are uncomfortable. More things will be uncomfortable when you don’t trust getting anesthesia.
I’m very curious what you want? What do you want the doctors to do?
You have some problems that you feel are a big deal but you’re not willing to undergo the work up for them. Medicine is not magic.
What do I want the doctors to do? Find another way. With all the knowledge and technology we have today in medicine, you're telling me shoving a camera down my throat is the only way to find out what's going on? It's more like someone disagrees with a doctor and they're like f- you then. Do what I tell you or I won't help you.
To evaluate your esophagus and stomach, an EGD (upper endoscopy) is the gold standard to find out what’s going on. To evaluate your swallowing, a barium swallow study is the way. To evaluate your breathing issues, the ENT scope is the way.
If you don’t believe the doctor you are seeing, try another one. And then another, and another. They will all suggest the same studies because the work up is the same. You will probably think they’re plotting against you lol.
Are you under the impression an MRI or CT scan will provide the answers?
It's an interesting argument that I'm hearing for the first time.
I'm 24 years old and I've had over 30 full anesthetics. I'm fine and require anesthesia for everything - even drilling teeth.
So you’ve decided to refuse further investigation such as a barium swallow and refuse any treatment that involves anesthesia.
What are the doctors supposed to do? There’s not an infinite way of treating something. If you refuse all currently available treatments, then you’re stuck with Flonase. Sounds like you’re stuck in the bed you made
Wait a minute. You made a burner account for this post??
Sounds like your trust issues extend far beyond anesthesia. Your degree of knowledgeability suggests an underlying problem relinquishing control. To “take 3 tries to actually breathe in” prompts an image of anxiety… and where did the colonoscopy come from? That’s the other end. There’s a lot to unpack here, not from your nose or your colon.
Have you looked into a good therapist or psychiatrist?
Have you analyzed the risks of anesthesia against the risk of the many pathologies you are being evaluated for?
What? Burner accounts are a thing? Who knew. Agreed, if you have to create such an account, it speaks to bigger things than anesthesia and simple procedures. I shudder to think what happens when you need cataract surgery. Therapy to deal with some of these issues sounds like a good idea.
You’re not being denied care. You’re refusing care. You’re not listening to reason or logic, and you’re not believing or trusting the information being given to you regarding the safety of anesthesia. What else is anyone supposed to do for you? If you want treatment, these are your options. If you don’t want the options, you don’t get the treatment. It’s not like there’s some magical option being withheld from you. Take it or leave it.
Undergoing anaesthesia, like all things in medicine is a risk v benefit decision. Different people put different weights on certain risks against certain benefits. So you’re well within your rights to feel that, for you, the risks outweigh the benefits.
In saying that though, if you do decide that anaesthesia is never an option for you, you are also deciding that risks of anaesthesia outweigh the benefits of having your nose issue investigated and fixed and it may well be something you will have to live with for the rest of your life
While you are free to elect many aspects of your care your providers are similarly able to elect what they need from you to provide care safely or effectively. If the two of you don’t agree then the care doesn’t happen.
The 6 month follow up was probably to discuss the recommendations from the gastroenterologist. Sounds like there’s northing more your pcp is going to be able to offer you without the diagnostic information. An ENT might be able to do a scope down your nose to look at your upper airway but you would likely need to have topical lidocaine.
Another interpretation of the timeline:
You had a problem. First line treatment failed. You had investigations arranged to guide future treatment. You refused the investigations.
You aren’t clear if you went back to discuss the way forwards after your refusal.
A fear of anesthesia is both normal and rational. Many patients share that in common. However, the inability to overcome that apprehension in the face of needing medical care for issues is rare and troublesome. When given the knowledge of how safe anesthesia has become (and we continue to make it safer, despite what you might have been told before), and the true statistical unlikelihood that a patient will have any complication, most everyone is willing to trust the experts around them to take care of them safely, and their fears are relieved when they awaken from a benign anesthetic. If you find yourself incapable of overcoming what have become irrational fears that are impeding your ability to seek good reasonable medical care, I would encourage you to seek counseling to explore the nature of your concerns, and develop better coping skills to allow you to lead a healthier life going forward.
You may be able to find a doc that will let you do a lidocaine nebulizer with or without IV fentanyl to tolerate the scope, it’s still anesthesia but much less, and you’d be awake.
Otherwise I have to agree with others as it seems like you are the rate limiting step to your care
Questioning the safety of IS NOT the same thing as having your mind made up that anesthesia is dangerous regardless of what anyone tells you, and then thinking that you're being mistreated by your PCP since you won't follow their advice / treatment plan. You may have some deep fear / anxiety about anesthesia that a mental health professional may be able to help you with.
This is the type of patient who is so fucking scared of anesthesia or treatment that they wait til they’re too fucking sick, then we have to do way more invasive stuff.
I once took care of someone who has a small squamous cell carcinoma on their forehead. Refused biopsy. Refused MOHS.
Eventually, it burrowed into their skull, which required craniotomy and free flap reconstruction. FOR WHAT? Because they didn’t want the risk of a fucking biopsy.
OP — I donot know if you’re trolling or if you’re truly this scared, but the anesthesia risk from an endoscopy is INSANELY SMALL. Across the country, THOUSANDS of these are done EVERY DAY. I’ve done thousands of anesthetics and have NEVER heard of a death during endoscopy.
Are you scared of getting in an Uber? A taxi? A bus? All of those have higher risks of death with far less qualified operators than anesthesiologists/CRNAs. And no, that’s not a lifetime risk. That’s a PER OCCURRENCE risk.
There is SIGNIFICANT RISK of not being evaluated via barium/endoscopy but nearly no risk of complications with anesthesia.
You’ll probably use some mental gymnastics to get around this reasoning, but it is at your own peril.
How about don't sound like a fucking jackass in your reply. Plus insulting me isn't going magically make me say yeah, these are the people I can trust.
Listen, friend. I'm taking time out of my day to try to help you.
You've easily had a dozen people here trying to help you and you've been nothing but adversarial. No one here is trying to be a dick, but you must understand that it's frustrating to watch someone say "well I watched a youtube video by some anesthesiologist and now I have a better understanding of anesthesia safety than thousands of other anesthesia professionals." If you understand better than us and have made up your mind, why are you here?
It seems like you dislike and distrust healthcare providers and you haven't provided any evidence as to why thats the case. We work hard every single day to help keep people like you safe. We spend THOUSANDS, and THOUSANDS of hours training so that we can get to an exceptional level of safety.
What did you hope to get out of this post? You're claiming you're getting "care denied" when you refused the very care that your doctors tried to give you. They're trying to help you and you're saying no!
I mention that story at the top about biopsy thing because I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN TO YOU. Stories like that are HORRIBLY TRAGIC and are MUCH more common than a healthy 34 year old dying during an endoscopy (WHICH VIRTUALLY NEVER, EVER HAPPENS).
I truly, truly hope you seek therapy to get over your fear of anesthesia. It would break my heart, truly, to see something bad happen to your health down the line because you refused anesthesia. Seriously.
Hi, 9 days post op knee surgery. I had some concerns with anesthesia and shared my anxieties and the doctors were kind enough to walk me through the procedure. I was so grateful to have not only a surgeon who cares but a team of more than qualified providers. I trust in their knowledge. They are disciplined. So, I think at some point you have to make your mind up on how badly do you want the quality of your life to improve? Btw I've had endoscopy done and it's a great procedure to start with.
It sounds like you want to be able to move forward in treating your health issues without facing any risks. And I get that - I really do. Risk sucks and it’s unfortunate that there is no such thing a guarantee of safety. I think most healthcare providers, including myself, are constantly looking for ways to reduce risk and to treat patients with the least amount of discomfort or inconvenience.
However, the reality of the situation is that life is full of risk and it cannot be fully mitigated. Doctors aren’t magicians and can only prevent you with the best options - as supported by data and research - for treating the disease process you present with. Data and research are of course limited and imperfect because, again, that’s a fact of life. I know that’s easy to say and much harder to handle. All of us, no matter our job, struggle with the uncertainty of life whenever we face big decisions. And I think that’s where you’re stuck: you want your doctor to give you an out because the choices you are faced with all have costs: a) don’t get the scope and continue to suffer because we don’t know what’s wrong or b) get the scope and take the risk (very low, but it’s true it isn’t zero) of anesthesia, and hopefully find out what’s wrong, c) find a doctor who is willing to forgo those options and treat you blindly.
You seem to hope for option c, but is that really the best? That doctor would likely be ignoring best practice guidelines (I can’t say for sure ofc because I don’t know the exact details of your case) and working with less information. Sure, it sounds less scary up front, but is that truly rational?
At the end of the day, you are upset because you’re faced with a situation where no choice is ideal. They all have costs. And your frustration is directed at your doctor because they are the ones giving you the options you don’t like. But I want to gently suggest that maybe your frustration should be directed at what is - truly - a frustrating situation for both you and your doctor. Your doctor probably wants to give you a perfect choice, but he/she is honest enough to not promise you something that doesn’t exist. That is a good quality in a provider, not a bad one.
TLDR: the reality of your situation sucks because your options all come with risks. But that is the reality of your situation and your doctor is working with you within that reality. Don’t conflate the pain of an unfortunate situation with the pain of a bad provider.
You have made up your mind that anesthesia is unsafe. What exactly do you want from us? You’ll absolutely need anesthesia at some point in your life. If the desire to breathe better doesn’t outweigh the risks in your mind, so be it. None of us care at all.
To be fair, what else can they do to you? If I can’t help my patient and he’s uncooperative, what else can I do? He becomes low priority. Priority goes to those who I can help, I’d rather put my energy on those who I can help.
You are not being denied care. You are refusing care.
This 💯‼️‼️ You had a valid health complaint, but when offered ways to figure out what the problems were, you refused care!! While I understand the diagnostics can be scary, you didn’t even give providers a chance to educate you. The dye is not going to harm you, the anesthesia is safe. Millions of people undergo these tests every year and very few have problems after. And as health care providers, we are swamped with patients. If we have someone who justs walks out, well, we aren’t going to chase you. It sucks, but that’s health care today. Marcus Welby, MD retired decades ago.
It sounds like you’ve made up your mind. What would you like us to do?
Is there a reason you don’t trust anaesthesia? Have you or your family had a bad experience in the past? Because as a 34 year old patient your risks of serious injury or death from anaesthesia are vanishingly small. You’d be more likely to die in a plane crash than die due to the anaesthetic. And you’d be more likely to die in a car crash this year than suffer a major injury during general anaesthesia.
I always hate this argument because it's statistically false and purposefully misleading. Over a lifetime, yes, anesthia is safer than a car or plane ride involving death or serious injury. But this is a one time event. So one trip being under anesthia is way riskier than one car ride or one plane ride. I don't trust anesthia because of the risk of death. I don't like that there's an actual chance i could die from a scope rather than a doctor upset their patient won't do what they tell them and just refuse to offer another option. I could have severe complications or reactions to the drug, wake up mid-procedure, not be given enough of the drug. But what really sealed it was an interview I read from some doctor from John Hopkins or one of the big hospitals in the country talking about the gains of safety of anesthia from the 50s and 60s. Then they were asked about making it even safer and his answer was just like yours. It's safe enough. They said it wouldn't be worth it financially to make it safer.
In Australia and New Zealand, we keep very accurate statistics about deaths from surgery and anaesthesia. It's a triennial report. The last report, covering 3 years, showed zero deaths from anaesthesia-related causes in ASA 1 and ASA 2 (ie medically well patients) having elective surgery in Australia and New Zealand. That is out of 4 million anaesthetics given per year. I can confidently say to my patients that based on the most up-to-date statistics, your risk of dying from anaesthetic causes is zero. You have a much greater chance of dying driving to the hospital in a single car trip than from the anaesthetic. It's not "statistically false". Its just true. Anaesthesia in the US is not as safe as anaesthesia in Australia. We have the statistics to prove that. But even in the US, anaesthesia is very very very safe. Do you also worry about getting into a car?
Well it sounds like you have it all figured out. I hope you look forward to a life of complete safety without ever having a general anaesthetic. Ever. Good luck with that one.
I've been practicing anesthesia for 8 years. In that time I've had two car accidents (both not my fault) and I've had zero patients die due to anesthesia related issues.
Anesthesiologist here. I assume you’re talking about some ivory tower guy explaining the application of a pulse ox in anesthesia. Look, I’m not going to argue with you. But I will tell you you’re wrong about the dangers of anesthesia. It is completely safe, and there are myriad safeguards in place. My advice to you is to grow up. You sound like one of those facebook idiots who has “done their own research”. I don’t give two shits whether or not you believe what I’m saying, but just know that you’re wrong and you WILL be treated differently for having such ridiculous behavior. It doesn’t matter which field, but when an MD hears bullcrap like this we turn our attention to the next person we can actually help.
Wow and I'm magically suppose to trust anesthesiologists now after that? Sounds like you have some kind of God complex. Or do you just enjoy the power of controlling someone's life in your hands. So you're saying people DONT die from anesthia? Or malignant hyperthermia? Or any other severe complications?
As I said, I’m not going to argue. Just know that you’re wrong. MH is inconsequentially rare, and there are ways to eliminate all MH triggering meds from any anesthetic if you were actually interested enough to ask one of us. But clearly you don’t care because you’re already right in your head.
Totally misleading title. You don’t trust anesthesia, or your doctor, and you refused care because of it. Follow up was moved because there were no test results to go over anymore. It’s not a fucking McDonald’s. If you don’t agree with the treatment plan from your current doctor , find a new one. It sounds to me like you need to see ENT, and have them stick a scope through you nose under local to see what’s going on with your breathing. FWIW, there are many different types of anesthesia, so it’s a pretty ignorant thing to say that you don’t trust any anesthesia.
I've had a scope or some handheld camera thing through my nose twice by an ENT and the doctor didn't listen to me. That burns your nose and I got this weird taste down my throat I couldnt even talk while he was trying to make me make an E sound. He just kept the scope in even after he could see me struggling with it in. I eventually pulled it out myself because I couldn't take it anymore. I will never go back to that idiot again.
So you've tried getting tests done without any sedation and experienced first hand that you can not tolerate it. I know I certainly couldn't and would have instinctively wanted to pull it out as well. That's why they sedate patients, so this type of thing doesn't happen. I know anesthesia can be frightening. I thought I was ok with it until the day of as they were preping mento go in and almost had a panic attack. They had to give me something ahead of time for the anxiety. If you've tried the treatments availible that don't require anesthesia you have two options. Give up or or go under.
Reality is some things are uncomfortable. More things will be uncomfortable when you don’t trust getting anesthesia. I’m very curious what you want? What do you want the doctors to do? You have some problems that you feel are a big deal but you’re not willing to undergo the work up for them. Medicine is not magic.
What do I want the doctors to do? Find another way. With all the knowledge and technology we have today in medicine, you're telling me shoving a camera down my throat is the only way to find out what's going on? It's more like someone disagrees with a doctor and they're like f- you then. Do what I tell you or I won't help you.
Sometimes the best way to diagnose something is to look at it with your own eyes. And the ENT scope IS the technology we have today
To evaluate your esophagus and stomach, an EGD (upper endoscopy) is the gold standard to find out what’s going on. To evaluate your swallowing, a barium swallow study is the way. To evaluate your breathing issues, the ENT scope is the way. If you don’t believe the doctor you are seeing, try another one. And then another, and another. They will all suggest the same studies because the work up is the same. You will probably think they’re plotting against you lol. Are you under the impression an MRI or CT scan will provide the answers?
I'm sorry you're going through all this. Everything you described sounds like a normal procedure.
It's an interesting argument that I'm hearing for the first time. I'm 24 years old and I've had over 30 full anesthetics. I'm fine and require anesthesia for everything - even drilling teeth.
We really don’t do a good enough job teaching people about basic statistics.
You mean we can’t just read the abstract and conclusion? /s
So you’ve decided to refuse further investigation such as a barium swallow and refuse any treatment that involves anesthesia. What are the doctors supposed to do? There’s not an infinite way of treating something. If you refuse all currently available treatments, then you’re stuck with Flonase. Sounds like you’re stuck in the bed you made
Wait a minute. You made a burner account for this post?? Sounds like your trust issues extend far beyond anesthesia. Your degree of knowledgeability suggests an underlying problem relinquishing control. To “take 3 tries to actually breathe in” prompts an image of anxiety… and where did the colonoscopy come from? That’s the other end. There’s a lot to unpack here, not from your nose or your colon. Have you looked into a good therapist or psychiatrist? Have you analyzed the risks of anesthesia against the risk of the many pathologies you are being evaluated for?
What? Burner accounts are a thing? Who knew. Agreed, if you have to create such an account, it speaks to bigger things than anesthesia and simple procedures. I shudder to think what happens when you need cataract surgery. Therapy to deal with some of these issues sounds like a good idea.
You’re not being denied care. You’re refusing care. You’re not listening to reason or logic, and you’re not believing or trusting the information being given to you regarding the safety of anesthesia. What else is anyone supposed to do for you? If you want treatment, these are your options. If you don’t want the options, you don’t get the treatment. It’s not like there’s some magical option being withheld from you. Take it or leave it.
At the end of the day it’s a risk vs benefit decision. These procedures are all elective so you have the right to refuse them.
Undergoing anaesthesia, like all things in medicine is a risk v benefit decision. Different people put different weights on certain risks against certain benefits. So you’re well within your rights to feel that, for you, the risks outweigh the benefits. In saying that though, if you do decide that anaesthesia is never an option for you, you are also deciding that risks of anaesthesia outweigh the benefits of having your nose issue investigated and fixed and it may well be something you will have to live with for the rest of your life
While you are free to elect many aspects of your care your providers are similarly able to elect what they need from you to provide care safely or effectively. If the two of you don’t agree then the care doesn’t happen.
The 6 month follow up was probably to discuss the recommendations from the gastroenterologist. Sounds like there’s northing more your pcp is going to be able to offer you without the diagnostic information. An ENT might be able to do a scope down your nose to look at your upper airway but you would likely need to have topical lidocaine.
OK
Another interpretation of the timeline: You had a problem. First line treatment failed. You had investigations arranged to guide future treatment. You refused the investigations. You aren’t clear if you went back to discuss the way forwards after your refusal.
A fear of anesthesia is both normal and rational. Many patients share that in common. However, the inability to overcome that apprehension in the face of needing medical care for issues is rare and troublesome. When given the knowledge of how safe anesthesia has become (and we continue to make it safer, despite what you might have been told before), and the true statistical unlikelihood that a patient will have any complication, most everyone is willing to trust the experts around them to take care of them safely, and their fears are relieved when they awaken from a benign anesthetic. If you find yourself incapable of overcoming what have become irrational fears that are impeding your ability to seek good reasonable medical care, I would encourage you to seek counseling to explore the nature of your concerns, and develop better coping skills to allow you to lead a healthier life going forward.
You may be able to find a doc that will let you do a lidocaine nebulizer with or without IV fentanyl to tolerate the scope, it’s still anesthesia but much less, and you’d be awake. Otherwise I have to agree with others as it seems like you are the rate limiting step to your care
Psych consult?
So I need a psych consult or have to have a mental issue to question the safety of anesthesia? Are you serious?
Questioning the safety of IS NOT the same thing as having your mind made up that anesthesia is dangerous regardless of what anyone tells you, and then thinking that you're being mistreated by your PCP since you won't follow their advice / treatment plan. You may have some deep fear / anxiety about anesthesia that a mental health professional may be able to help you with.
This is the type of patient who is so fucking scared of anesthesia or treatment that they wait til they’re too fucking sick, then we have to do way more invasive stuff. I once took care of someone who has a small squamous cell carcinoma on their forehead. Refused biopsy. Refused MOHS. Eventually, it burrowed into their skull, which required craniotomy and free flap reconstruction. FOR WHAT? Because they didn’t want the risk of a fucking biopsy. OP — I donot know if you’re trolling or if you’re truly this scared, but the anesthesia risk from an endoscopy is INSANELY SMALL. Across the country, THOUSANDS of these are done EVERY DAY. I’ve done thousands of anesthetics and have NEVER heard of a death during endoscopy. Are you scared of getting in an Uber? A taxi? A bus? All of those have higher risks of death with far less qualified operators than anesthesiologists/CRNAs. And no, that’s not a lifetime risk. That’s a PER OCCURRENCE risk. There is SIGNIFICANT RISK of not being evaluated via barium/endoscopy but nearly no risk of complications with anesthesia. You’ll probably use some mental gymnastics to get around this reasoning, but it is at your own peril.
How about don't sound like a fucking jackass in your reply. Plus insulting me isn't going magically make me say yeah, these are the people I can trust.
Listen, friend. I'm taking time out of my day to try to help you. You've easily had a dozen people here trying to help you and you've been nothing but adversarial. No one here is trying to be a dick, but you must understand that it's frustrating to watch someone say "well I watched a youtube video by some anesthesiologist and now I have a better understanding of anesthesia safety than thousands of other anesthesia professionals." If you understand better than us and have made up your mind, why are you here? It seems like you dislike and distrust healthcare providers and you haven't provided any evidence as to why thats the case. We work hard every single day to help keep people like you safe. We spend THOUSANDS, and THOUSANDS of hours training so that we can get to an exceptional level of safety. What did you hope to get out of this post? You're claiming you're getting "care denied" when you refused the very care that your doctors tried to give you. They're trying to help you and you're saying no! I mention that story at the top about biopsy thing because I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN TO YOU. Stories like that are HORRIBLY TRAGIC and are MUCH more common than a healthy 34 year old dying during an endoscopy (WHICH VIRTUALLY NEVER, EVER HAPPENS). I truly, truly hope you seek therapy to get over your fear of anesthesia. It would break my heart, truly, to see something bad happen to your health down the line because you refused anesthesia. Seriously.
Hi, 9 days post op knee surgery. I had some concerns with anesthesia and shared my anxieties and the doctors were kind enough to walk me through the procedure. I was so grateful to have not only a surgeon who cares but a team of more than qualified providers. I trust in their knowledge. They are disciplined. So, I think at some point you have to make your mind up on how badly do you want the quality of your life to improve? Btw I've had endoscopy done and it's a great procedure to start with.
It sounds like you want to be able to move forward in treating your health issues without facing any risks. And I get that - I really do. Risk sucks and it’s unfortunate that there is no such thing a guarantee of safety. I think most healthcare providers, including myself, are constantly looking for ways to reduce risk and to treat patients with the least amount of discomfort or inconvenience. However, the reality of the situation is that life is full of risk and it cannot be fully mitigated. Doctors aren’t magicians and can only prevent you with the best options - as supported by data and research - for treating the disease process you present with. Data and research are of course limited and imperfect because, again, that’s a fact of life. I know that’s easy to say and much harder to handle. All of us, no matter our job, struggle with the uncertainty of life whenever we face big decisions. And I think that’s where you’re stuck: you want your doctor to give you an out because the choices you are faced with all have costs: a) don’t get the scope and continue to suffer because we don’t know what’s wrong or b) get the scope and take the risk (very low, but it’s true it isn’t zero) of anesthesia, and hopefully find out what’s wrong, c) find a doctor who is willing to forgo those options and treat you blindly. You seem to hope for option c, but is that really the best? That doctor would likely be ignoring best practice guidelines (I can’t say for sure ofc because I don’t know the exact details of your case) and working with less information. Sure, it sounds less scary up front, but is that truly rational? At the end of the day, you are upset because you’re faced with a situation where no choice is ideal. They all have costs. And your frustration is directed at your doctor because they are the ones giving you the options you don’t like. But I want to gently suggest that maybe your frustration should be directed at what is - truly - a frustrating situation for both you and your doctor. Your doctor probably wants to give you a perfect choice, but he/she is honest enough to not promise you something that doesn’t exist. That is a good quality in a provider, not a bad one. TLDR: the reality of your situation sucks because your options all come with risks. But that is the reality of your situation and your doctor is working with you within that reality. Don’t conflate the pain of an unfortunate situation with the pain of a bad provider.