Wow. My dad (who was not Venezuelan, but did have Italian genes) had trouble coming out of anesthesia when he had heart surgery in 2004 and was never the same person afterwards. He died in 2007. I have always wondered if something happened genetically. I have gone under anesthesia a few times and have been told that there isn’t a link but I’m suspicious and nervous that something will happen to me down the road.
My dad’s childhood best friend never woke up after anesthesia during a routine tonsillectomy. The surgery went fine, but they never understood what happened.
My father, a retired anesthesiologist, avoids anesthesia for procedures if he can because sometimes, even when everything goes right, the patient just won't wake up.
Plastic surgeons are doing more and more "awake" procedures instead of general anesthesia for safety purposes. You can get an entire facelift under IV sedation. That's kinda wild lol
I thankfully didn’t die, but I had a reaction of sorts the last time I was put under. I’d been put under many times prior and never had an issue. I woke up in the recovery room and was told my blood pressure was really low. They had me stay for a while before sending me home, where my blood pressure continued to be low for several days. I spent about 3 days eating salty foods and laying on the couch because I felt like I was going to black out if I stood or sat upright.
It was weird. Haven’t been put under again since to know whether it was a fluke or not. But yeah, an example of anesthesia being perfectly fine and then suddenly I had a reaction.
This is not the same, but it reminds me of the beginnings of Alpha gal, the tickborn disease that makes you allergic to mammal products. At first, when patients were reporting symptoms, the doctors were just like, "No one's allergic to meat. That's not a thing."
One of those doctors at the university then came down with the same symptoms in an area of the USA where alpha gal is very prevelant. And then he was like, "Huh, am I allergic to meat? I'm going to study this." And turns out, it was a thing.
Maybe this mutation is worldwide already, but because it's highly prevelant in Venezuelan ancestry, that's where it's being paid attention to first. Hard to say I guess, but as someone who has had 13 surgeries and no problems with anesthesia, it seems like a worthy topic to study more!
Superb article. What a fight they've had to discover the reason for their issue. I hope it's some comfort that going forward this will help others with this mutation.
Significant-Iron-241 | 15 hours ago
Wow. So sad, but also incredibly fascinating. Thanks for sharing.
storemans | 8 hours ago
Ultra rare genetic abnormalities are THE worst thing about having kids. Nothing you can do but roll the dice
cobrarexay | 6 hours ago
Wow. My dad (who was not Venezuelan, but did have Italian genes) had trouble coming out of anesthesia when he had heart surgery in 2004 and was never the same person afterwards. He died in 2007. I have always wondered if something happened genetically. I have gone under anesthesia a few times and have been told that there isn’t a link but I’m suspicious and nervous that something will happen to me down the road.
liand22 | 5 hours ago
My dad’s childhood best friend never woke up after anesthesia during a routine tonsillectomy. The surgery went fine, but they never understood what happened.
Teanut | 4 hours ago
My father, a retired anesthesiologist, avoids anesthesia for procedures if he can because sometimes, even when everything goes right, the patient just won't wake up.
ManateeNipples | 3 hours ago
Plastic surgeons are doing more and more "awake" procedures instead of general anesthesia for safety purposes. You can get an entire facelift under IV sedation. That's kinda wild lol
cakeit-tilyoumakeit | 12 minutes ago
I thankfully didn’t die, but I had a reaction of sorts the last time I was put under. I’d been put under many times prior and never had an issue. I woke up in the recovery room and was told my blood pressure was really low. They had me stay for a while before sending me home, where my blood pressure continued to be low for several days. I spent about 3 days eating salty foods and laying on the couch because I felt like I was going to black out if I stood or sat upright.
It was weird. Haven’t been put under again since to know whether it was a fluke or not. But yeah, an example of anesthesia being perfectly fine and then suddenly I had a reaction.
Librarian-Voter | 3 hours ago
This is not the same, but it reminds me of the beginnings of Alpha gal, the tickborn disease that makes you allergic to mammal products. At first, when patients were reporting symptoms, the doctors were just like, "No one's allergic to meat. That's not a thing."
One of those doctors at the university then came down with the same symptoms in an area of the USA where alpha gal is very prevelant. And then he was like, "Huh, am I allergic to meat? I'm going to study this." And turns out, it was a thing.
Maybe this mutation is worldwide already, but because it's highly prevelant in Venezuelan ancestry, that's where it's being paid attention to first. Hard to say I guess, but as someone who has had 13 surgeries and no problems with anesthesia, it seems like a worthy topic to study more!
cakeit-tilyoumakeit | 7 hours ago
Excellent article
Stopthatcat | 3 hours ago
Superb article. What a fight they've had to discover the reason for their issue. I hope it's some comfort that going forward this will help others with this mutation.