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Hoarse Voice / Dry or Sore Throat

Most patients have either a rubber or plastic airway tube inserted in their throat during an operation. This is inserted to ensure easy breathing and/or to protect the lungs from the stomach fluids and acid during the anaesthetic and operation. Although these tubes are soft and lubricated, they do tend to rub the throat. The effect on your voice or your throat may last a few hours - the longer the operation, the longer the effect. You may become aware of this airway tube just as you are waking up. It will be removed as soon as it is safe to do so – usually a matter of moments.

Cold Shivers & Shakes

The feeling of being cold and getting the shakes in the Recovery room is quite common. Despite things like blankets, warm air blowers and intravenous fluid warmers being used during the operation, some patients develop these feelings for a short while. They may be related to an actual drop in body temperature or to the gases used to keep you asleep. They are easily managed and settle quickly. Of course these effects are more common with the longer and more major operations.

Nausea & Vomiting

Despite the common inclusion of anti-nauseant medication in the drugs used during your anaesthetic, you may feel like vomiting after the operation. This feeling, if present, usually lasts only a short while and settles quickly. Rarely a patient may react to an operation and anaesthetic for a much longer period of time –even up to 24 hours. Fortunately, with the modern drugs used to prevent/treat this problem, this prolonged effect is quite rare. It is important, however, to tell your anaesthetist before the operation if you know from experience that you are one of these worse-affected people as he or she can take special steps to prevent or at least minimize the problem. Nausea and vomiting may be more common with certain operations such as hysterectomy and laparoscopy.

Dizziness or Drowsiness

If these occur while you are waking up, they may be related to the length of your operation, the different drugs used for your anaesthetic and/or how sensitive you are to the drugs used. Your anaesthetist uses his training and experience to “tailor” the drugs and doses for your operation to minimize these effects. Sometimes, however, e.g. after major operations, he will make you a bit drowsy on purpose by using strong pain-killers to make you more comfortable.

Headache

This is an occasional complaint and may occur while either waiting for your operation or after the event. It may be related to worry or fasting (low blood sugar or lack of fluids). It can be easily managed with simple pain-killers, an intravenous drip of a sugar-containing solution or, after the operation, something to eat and drink.

Miscellaneous

Occasionally minor problems arise such as bruising or sore vein at the site of the injections or intravenous drip; skin rashes from the sticky tape used to secure the drip or the airway tube or the operation wound site; itchiness from the pain-killer drugs used; dry, split lips (despite lubrication by the anaesthetic staff); muscle aches and pains, which may be related to positioning on the operating table or be a side-effect of a drug that is sometimes required. Minor problems like these usually don’t require treatment and settle by themselves.


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