Going to work after General Anaesthetic?

bfa1509 · 01-11-2018 10:27pm #1

Hi there,

I was notified that I will have to undergo an endoscopic exam next week, which would require "some light general anaesthetic sedation" for ~15mins. I was told it would be a day case where I should be let out at around lunch time. Unfortunately I only have a half day annual leave left for the year...

Doing some research online, it appears driving will be out of the question. However, if I got a colleague to pick me up, what are the chances I could fudge a half day of work at my desk after the GA?

The only drug I have ever been incapacitated with is alcohol so any anecdotal advice would be appreciated!

Tom Mann Centuria · 01-11-2018 10:31pm

Sedation and general anaesthetic aren't the same thing, so that part of your post is confusing.

MintyMagnum · 01-11-2018 10:34pm

Take a sick day Get the ward staff to issue you a cert Problem solved

bfa1509 · 01-11-2018 10:34pm

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

Sedation and general anaesthetic aren't the same thing, so that part of your post is confusing.

I took that straight from the leaflet they gave me so I'm none the wiser:

"You will then be taken to the pre-anaesthetic room of the theatre on a trolley. An Anaesthetist will administer some light general anaesthetic sedation and the procedure will be undertaken"

granturismo · 01-11-2018 10:36pm

MintyMagnum wrote: »

Take a sick day Get the ward staff to issue you a cert Problem solved

This, take a certified sick leave day.

bfa1509 · 01-11-2018 10:37pm

MintyMagnum wrote: »

Take a sick day Get the ward staff to issue you a cert Problem solved

granturismo wrote: »

This, take a certified sick leave day.

Ah so I can have a planned sick day as long as I provide the letter? I've never been off sick from work before so I'm not sure how it works.

helimachoptor · 01-11-2018 10:38pm

Having had the same procedure done a few times (sedation), you wont be capable of going to work and surely they wouldnt expect it. Never mind potential insurance issues.
Take the sick note

helimachoptor · 01-11-2018 10:39pm

bfa1509 wrote: »

Ah so I can have a planned sick day as long as I provide the letter? I've never been off sick from work before so I'm not sure how it works.

Tell them you are going in for a procedure and then provide sick not when youre back.

Tom Mann Centuria · 01-11-2018 10:43pm

bfa1509 wrote: »

I took that straight from the leaflet they gave me so I'm none the wiser:

"You will then be taken to the pre-anaesthetic room of the theatre on a trolley. An Anaesthetist will administer some light general anaesthetic sedation and the procedure will be undertaken"

Really odd way they've phrased it. In my mind I had sedation at one end of a line, and general anaesthetic at the other. Anyhoo, being honest, if it's sedation as I understand it, unless they reverse it, you're probably not going to be in the form for much work after it, and tbh it's probably best to ask the hospital/clinic who are doing the procedure themselves because you probably won't get a more definite answer here. No medical advice is allowed to be given on boards.

bfa1509 · 01-11-2018 10:48pm

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

Really odd way they've phrased it. In my mind I had sedation at one end of a line, and general anaesthetic at the other. Anyhoo, being honest, if it's sedation as I understand it, unless they reverse it, you're probably not going to be in the form for much work after it, and tbh it's probably best to ask the hospital/clinic who are doing the procedure themselves because you probably won't get a more definite answer here. No medical advice is allowed to be given on boards.

That's fair enough. The hospital just said that I would have to have someone pick me up. But from the above posts I get the impression that it is more than just a "Do not operate heavy machinery" type of warning. Just looking for some insight as I don't know what to expect!

MintyMagnum · 01-11-2018 10:52pm

Had same done earlier this year, they advise to have someone stay with you that night and that you don't drive for 24hrs after it, & no alcohol You can be unsteady on your feet after it and drowsy Good thing is you don't feel or remember a thing of the scope!

helimachoptor · 01-11-2018 10:54pm

MintyMagnum wrote: »

Had same done earlier this year, they advise to have someone stay with you that night and that you don't drive for 24hrs after it, & no alcohol You can be unsteady on your feet after it and drowsy Good thing is you don't feel or remember a thing of the scope!

not to scare the OP, but that last part isn't true for some people :eek:

Effects · 01-11-2018 10:58pm

No way you should go to work after a scope. You'll need to take the day.

I had the misfortune of undergoing my first endoscope without the sedative. My mother wanted me to go to school afterwards.
I started panicking halfway through and tried to pull the tube out myself! Can't remember if she still made me go to school afterwards.

MintyMagnum · 01-11-2018 11:02pm

helimachoptor wrote: »

not to scare the OP, but that last part isn't true for some people :eek:

I told the consultant to give me plenty It was fentanyl & something else I don't remember! Nearly didn't get anything tho as the line was not right, eagle eyed nurse called a halt til they put a new line in, phew. Then it was lights out

bfa1509 · 01-11-2018 11:08pm

helimachoptor wrote: »

not to scare the OP, but that last part isn't true for some people :eek:

So I've heard! And I have coppery coloured hair too, which apparently is worse for that kind of thing if I remember correctly :O

Effects wrote: »

No way you should go to work after a scope. You'll need to take the day.

I had the misfortune of undergoing my first endoscope without the sedative. My mother wanted me to go to school afterwards.
I started panicking halfway through and tried to pull the tube out myself! Can't remember if she still made me go to school afterwards.

The consultant suggested the sedation based on the look of horror on my face when he described the procedure :O

How anyone could witness such a thing without getting PTSD is beyond me!

souter · 08-11-2018 9:58pm

Had an endoscopy where due to my own incompetence was on standby and so hungry by the time it came I declined the sedatives.

It was not particularly painful, but very very weird (and depending on which end the probe is going, embarrassing - but one has to assume this was not a unique event to the medical staff).

Other time, being sedated, yeah its a bit of a buzz - get the sick note and enjoy a day off work mildly stoned.

Did I really just write all that on a public forum?

bfa1509 · 08-11-2018 11:46pm

souter wrote: »

Had an endoscopy where due to my own incompetence was on standby and so hungry by the time it came I declined the sedatives.

It was not particularly painful, but very very weird (and depending on which end the probe is going, embarrassing - but one has to assume this was not a unique event to the medical staff).

Other time, being sedated, yeah its a bit of a buzz - get the sick note and enjoy a day off work mildly stoned.

Did I really just write all that on a public forum?

Front end + "pencil-sized probe" = Horrification

Alun · 09-11-2018 10:19am

I've had two colonoscopies and in both cases was sedated, and don't remember a thing about either one until I woke up in a room much later, so depending on dosage and how your react it's pretty much like an anaesthetic from an end-user perspective.

However, in a previous life, I've been an observer at a few endoscopies, in either or both 'ends', and in many cases although the patient is sedated, they do an awful lot of wriggling and writhing about, even to the extent of trying to pull the endoscope out by themselves. Clearly this isn't a good idea, so some force needs to be used to restrain the patients in this case, but in pretty much all cases, the patients had no recollection of what they'd been doing after the event.

bfa1509 · 09-11-2018 10:57am

Alun wrote: »

I've had two colonoscopies and in both cases was sedated, and don't remember a thing about either one until I woke up in a room much later, so depending on dosage and how your react it's pretty much like an anaesthetic from an end-user perspective.

However, in a previous life, I've been an observer at a few endoscopies, in either or both 'ends', and in many cases although the patient is sedated, they do an awful lot of wriggling and writhing about, even to the extent of trying to pull the endoscope out by themselves. Clearly this isn't a good idea, so some force needs to be used to restrain the patients in this case, but in pretty much all cases, the patients had no recollection of what they'd been doing after the event.

This is the kind info I was looking for, although it's not helping my nerves! The procedure is on Monday.

I've been to a few stroke treatment procedures where the clot is removed mechanically from the brain via the femoral artery - all while the patient is fully awake with a light sedative to keep them calm. In one case the patient was screaming in pain during the procedure, in another case the doctor was repeatedly shouting at the patient "Stop moving your head" as they were blurring the live x-ray! A lot of the doctors say that they don't care how traumatic the procedure is or worry about PTSD as the patient never remembers! :O

Going to work after General Anaesthetic?

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