General anesthesia recovery tougher for diabetics?

Had some pretty significant surgery yesterday. A stapedotomy in my right ear. I was all but completely deaf in that ear, progressing over the last 20 years. Good news is, my hearing is fully restored -- but I gotta say it's very disorienting at first!

Any way, my surgery was at 9:30am, procedure took about an hour, normal expectation is to be in recovery for another hour or so, then discharged.

I wasn't out of there until almost 5pm. Nothing wrong, no complications or anything, just that it took that long for the nausea with dry heaving to subside, and for my head to clear.

Also, even though my D was well known and figured in to the whole procedure by the surgeon and the anethesiologist, part of the knock-out drug administered included a steroid for some reason, and that sent my BG soaring up to 250 after the surgery (started at a steady 110 with nothing in my stomach, nor eaten or drank, including water, 12 hours prior), and it refused to respond to insulin at all for several hours.

I'm thinking the high BG contributed to the nausea, potentiating the bad side-effects of the anesthesia meds. When I finally was able to get it down to around 160, slept for another two hours, and then when I awoke I was feeling much, much better.

The Point: If this is a common occurrence for us PWDs, wanted to share and hopefully help someone else with their expectations.

It was not a fun day. I was very well taken care of, and it was totally worth it. However, I wish it could have been an hour or two of nausea, rather than 5 dry heaving on and off. My other ear has the same problem, although mildly so. It was how I heard for the last decade or two. Now with the right one working full blast, my mental perception is that I'm deaf in my left ear now!

I always had nausea too after general. Then I thought to mention it to my brother, who is an anesthetist physician's assistant. He told me to make sure to tell the anesthesiologist that I get nausea and dry heaves if I ever have it again. I did several years ago, and bingo, no problems! they can change the drugs. I would ask them if they must use steroids too. of course, I'll bet stress was another factor.

glad it was a success and wishing you a speedy recovery.

First that is wonderful that you have your hearing restored!!! And I'm sure you will adjust to over time. Sorry you were so ill afterwards. I had propofol for a colonoscopy on Tuesday- my bg was 165 due to dp/stress reduced basal etc. probably, it went to 185 after the test. I was able to get it back down with a correction and a meal but if it had gone higher it would have taken longer probably. I don't think it had anything to do with the propofol but probably to do with stress etc. my bp was high for me too before everything. I had a detailed interview with the attending anesthesiologist ahead of time and the nurse anesthesiologist as well about everything.

I mentioned at some point that I didn't want an iv solution with any glucose in it and I was happy to hear that they only used plain saline.

I agree that I would definitely ask about all drugs you are being given ahead of time and ask if they can be changed to stop the problems of being sick after and of high bg. I'm not sure if you did but usually you have an interview with the anesthesiologist directly before any type of sedation/anesthesia/surgery so that is the time to tell them what they may not know.

I had surgery to remove a polyp. not with a general, several years ago and although I had gone through several pre surgery interviews, most on the morning of the surgery, the anesthesiologist still didn't know that I had asthma- he said he was glad I told him that and he changed the drugs. They also didn't know I had a latex allergy until pretty close to the surgery even though I had given that info to numerous people.

I have had five surgeries in the past ten months. My experience with anesthesia is similar to yours. After my heart surgery I was sick for two days, couldn't keep anything down at all. I was told this is a common side effect of anesthesia and morphine.

With the other four surgeries, which were eye surgeries, two of them lasted two hours or less and I had zero nausea. But the other two lasted around four hours and I was sick for a day or two after.

Until I saw your post I hadn't considered diabetes being a factor in the illness after anesthesia, I just thought I am sensitive to it. You might be on to something.

Is it surgery week? I had my gallbladder out under general on Wednesday and I had a harder time recovering from it than ever before. My last surgery under general was when I was a kid and I came out of it like I woke up from a nap. I came out of this one feeling like I couldn't breathe despite having 100% oxygen sat and apparently being able to breathe , I felt like a fish out of water. I wasn't too nauseated from the surgery itself though I think, more the fact that I just got my gallbladder out. I've had to be put on zofran due to nausea and constant dry heaves. Does not help that the hospital has screwed up my insulin and made me really screwed up as far as diabetes goes.

Oh gosh, I'm waiting for cochlear implants, hopefully if I tell them the last surgery I had resulted in nausea and dry heaves (was really bad) they can change the drugs for me.
Glad, so glad, you have your hearing back.

If the right ear stabilizes without any problems, I'll be having the left one done in about six months. I'll discuss all this in more detail with the anesthesiologist next time. Thanks for sharing your success at making this better... I was just miserable for six hours or so :-)

It is a kind of miracle to be living in an age where these sorts of techniques and technologies can do amazing things like restore hearing. The stapedectomy is replacing the stapes bone in the middle ear with a tiny prosthesis. The condition is called otosclerosis, and is not particularly rare.

For all of human history prior to this tech, people would simply go deaf.

Even if recovery is miserable for you like it was for me, it'll be worth it! Best of luck to you

Thanks.