I fear I'll wake up during op

Dec 14 2008 Dr Gareth Smith

Q I AM going for surgery in the new year but I am terrified I will be awake and paralysed for the whole thing after watching a film in which that happened.

Should I cancel the procedure?

A NO. Years ago there were cases where the patient was awake due to anaesthetic mistakes but this should not happen now because anaesthetists measure the level of unconsciousness and constantly monitor blood pressure, heart rate etc during surgery. Rest assured you will be completely unconscious for the operation.

Q MY husband has been a heavy drinker all of his life. Recently he was violently sick and threw up blood. He was rushed to the hospital and they said he has swollen veins in his gullet and will have to stop drinking. But he refuses and I am worried.

A HE has a condition called oesophageal varices. This can be caused by shrinkage of the liver due to heavy alcohol abuse.

The veins that line the gullet become engorged with blood, a bit like varicose veins in the leg.

They can rupture, causing a massive bleed. Your husband needs to stop drinking to give his liver time to heal or next time he may not be lucky enough to get to hospital on time.

Q MY sister is pregnant and has been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. We are all worried about her as it is her first baby and she was rushed to hospital. Can you tell me what it is?

A THIS is a condition that only occurs in the second half of a pregnancy. It causes high blood pressure, protein in the urine and swelling of the ankles or fingers.

It can be dangerous as the blood pressure can become very high.

The hospital will monitor your sister and the baby carefully.

Q I HAVE been really thirsty and going to the toilet a lot. I have been diagnosed with diabetes insipidus. Is this the same as other types of diabetes?

A NO. Diabetes insipidus is caused by the body becoming resistant to the ADH hormone.

This stops the kidney being able to produce concentrated urine so the patient pees more, becomes dehydrated and drinks more.

Make sure you don't become dehydrated. There are medications to limit the amount of urine you produce for those with more severe symptoms.

Q I AM in my 60s and have developed an excruciating pain on the left side of my face. It seems to come in waves and is much worse in cold weather. What could be causing it as I don't want to bother the doctor?

AIT could be a sign of trigeminal neuralgia, nerve pain along the course of the trigeminal nerve in the face. It is often described as the "world's worst pain" and can be triggered by a cold draught or something lightly touching the skin. You need to see your GP as there are other causes of facial pain that need to be excluded. He can also give you tablets to help stabilise the condition.