Can I expect nausea and vomiting after the anesthesia?
May 1, 2024 | 45,00 EUR | answered by Babette Köhler
Dear team,
my name is Luisa Hagedorn and I have a surgery under general anesthesia coming up soon. I am somewhat concerned because I have heard from other patients that they experienced nausea and vomiting after the anesthesia. I wonder if I can expect similar symptoms after my surgery and if there are ways to avoid these side effects.
I have never had general anesthesia before and I am therefore very unsure about what to expect after the procedure. I have heard that nausea and vomiting can occur relatively frequently after anesthesia, and that would naturally add to my worries about the surgery. I would like to know if there are medications or other measures that can reduce the risk of nausea and vomiting after the anesthesia. Are there specific things I should consider before or after the surgery to avoid these unpleasant side effects?
I would greatly appreciate your assessment and any advice you may have to help me better prepare for the upcoming surgery. It is important to me to be as informed as possible and to do everything to make the healing process after the surgery as comfortable as possible.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Sincerely,
Luisa Hagedorn
Dear Luisa Hagedorn,
Thank you for your message and your trust in my expertise as an anesthesiologist. It is understandable that you are concerned about possible side effects such as nausea and vomiting after general anesthesia, especially since you have not yet experienced such anesthesia.
Indeed, nausea and vomiting are common side effects after general anesthesia, which can be triggered by various factors. These factors include the components of the anesthetic drugs, the duration of the anesthesia, individual sensitivities of the patient, and the type of surgery. However, there are various measures that can be taken to reduce or even prevent the risk of nausea and vomiting.
Preventive measures include the use of antiemetics, medications that can prevent nausea and vomiting. These medications can be administered before, during, or after surgery, depending on the need and individual tolerance. In addition, providing fluids during anesthesia can help reduce the risk of nausea.
There are also some things you can do before and after surgery to minimize the occurrence of nausea and vomiting. This includes avoiding heavy meals before surgery, drinking enough fluids, avoiding alcohol and nicotine, and following the recommended post-operative care and recovery measures.
It is important that you discuss your concerns and any previous experiences with nausea and vomiting with your anesthesiologist so that individual prevention measures can be taken. Every patient reacts differently to general anesthesia, so it is important that your anesthesiologist considers your individual situation.
I hope this information helps you and provides you with some more confidence for the upcoming surgery. If you have any further questions or need more advice, I am happy to assist.
Best wishes for your surgery and a speedy recovery.
Sincerely,
Babette Köhler
