nightmares and general anasethesia

[talon]

Just wondering if anyone has experienced this...

My son had to have a minor procedure done under a general anasethic about 3 weeks ago and since then has been sleeping really badly. he sometimes wakes up crying and takes about 20 minutes to calm down before he will go back to sleep. Then he is quite restless for the rest of the night and wakes up for his dummy a lot more then he used to.

I was talking to a friend who's son had to have a grass seed removed from his eye in June under a general and apparently the nurse told him that his son would probably sleep really badly for a while afterwards. The nurse said it was due to some chemical in the general that gave them bad dreams.

I asked my GP on Friday if it was true and he said that it wasn't due to a chemical in the anasethic (sp?) but that when they administer it to a baby they only knock them out to a certain level of consciousness because there is a greater risk of the baby not waking up after then with adults (who can be knocked out completely). He said sometimes babies can remember things from the operation as a result (they can't feel pain or anything though) and therefore have nightmares afterwards. He did say that this would go away as he forgot though. Was a bit upset about that - quite distressing to hear your baby cry like that.

Has anyone experienced anything similar and how long did it take for the sleeping to return to normal?

Thanks... from one who is severely sleep-deprived. :(

[wattle]

My ds has now had two general anaesthetics (a harrowing experience). The first operation was quite a complicated one and took several hours, and he suffered from 'night terrors' on and off for a couple of weeks.

Needless to say when I was informed that he would have to have a second operation I was really upset, however it was much less serious than the first and he didn't have any sleeping problems afterwards.

It was a difficult time for all of us, but hubby and I just gave ds lots and lots of cuddles and love and peaceful music to listen to before sleep and he is now fine.

I hope the nightmares end soon for you, I know how horrible it is.

[BigW]

Maybe the night horrors are more of a chemical reaction after having the anaesthetic rather than a 'memory' of the operation or proceedure. Who's to say what their little reactions are due to.... hard when you can't ask them isn't it, it would make things so much easier at times :o
No one wants to see their little people in pain, I guess that's why it's harder to deal with these things. I'd take a needle for my little guy any day! :p