To say that local anesthetic is complete garbage?

[goodbooks]

I've had a few procedures in various parts of my body under local and every time I can still feel everything and it's painful.

Today I had a minor operation again under local and I'm feeling completely traumatised about how painful it was even though I complained twice during the procedure (and was given more doses). Even after 3 it was still incredibly painful. No one actually checked at the beginning either that it was numb, they just assumed and made a start.

I feel like a lot of the time doctors don't actually wait enough time for it to kick in. Usually they start pretty much straight away or give it a minute tops. Anyone else had bad experiences with local? Today's op has completely put me off from having anything under local again if I can help it.

And no I don't have Ehlers Danlos syndromes (I know LA doesn't work for people who do).

After childbirth and a pretty deep 2nd degree tear I was stitched up - they gave me a local anaesthetic that definitely worked. And they didn't wait long either, apparently it doesn't last very long.

I'd mention it next time if I were you OP, some people need much higher doses. My DP woke up during an operation as a 10yo (he does have very flexible joints incidentally).

Local anaesthetics don't work well on some people - DH had to have loads last time he went to the dentist, he came out hyper because they contain adrenaline. He also seems to be immune to 'premed' ... the whatever it is they give people before an op.

Locals work fine on me.

It works, but as you say it takes between 3-5 minutes to work (longer than you think it is), and yes some people need a lot more than others.

I was stitched after my second degree tear and felt every fucking stitch. Second the pp who says you need to talk to them about it if you need another.

It doesn't work on everyone. I needed absolutely heaps of anaesthetic for my emergency c section and they were starting to panic and suggest it needed to be under general. Makes sense in retrospect as none of the other pain relief I was offered was any good either
It's a shame really! Can't be that common though as doctors were in disbelief. It's a problem at the dentist too - I let them know in advance as even with very strong doses it seems to wear off quicker than they expect.
Hope you are ok, pretty traumatic going through all that ❤️

I definitely felt pain in the latter half of my c section - could feel them pulling baby out and stitching me back up - they threatened to put me under but I refused as I knew baby was going straight to nicu so there was no way I wasn't going to see him before he went. I pushed through on lots of gas and air!
Part of the trauma of local which they don't explain to you is the pain of the actual injections and then trauma of being awake through the procedure, I had an op where they must have jabbed me with about 30 needles - the pain was awful. The op then was quite traumatic in the cutting and pulling which whilst I felt no pain I could certainly visualise what they were doing, if I ever had to have something similar I would definitely fight for a general - it felt pretty barbaric

Did you tell them to stop? I complained once, then put my hand over the area and said 'I'm sorry but you're going to have to stop, the anaesthetic hasn't kicked in yet'.

Are you dark haired by any chance? My dad was a doctor and he noted that many dark haired people have a tendency to a lower pain threshold. I'm one of them. It isnt your fault, just one of those things, but if you are anything like me you hate being made to feel wimpish because your body works differently to others.

A local anaesthetic isn’t a sedative, which is what you’re given under a general anaesthetic.

I once elected to have a filling in a tooth without local anaesthetic because I didn’t like the after effects.

Never again! It made me appreciate the film Marathon Man all the more.

Some hypermobile people are resistant to local anesthetic.

Gosh yes, had a filling once and the dentist didn't give enough time for the LA to kick in. Hence me being in agony during the procedure and the numb for hours after it.

@goodbooks, they should have stopped and made sure you couldn't feel anything after you spoke up.

What they did was barbaric. You should complain.

@Heartstopper interesting! I’m dark haired, and dentists have always said I need extra local to numb the area - I confess to biting one dentist, as he refused to acknowledge I was in pain. I do like to share..
The stuff given before major operations also seems to take longer to work - the counting backwards bit. Although I now tend to vomit profusely when coming round.
Had always thought I was a wimp!

Local anaesthetics affect different people so differently!
I have to warn them in advance because even though the numbing works I have an extreme reaction to the adrenaline. I tremor really badly for about 10 minutes and am then fine, but the first time it happened they thought I was having a convulsion and called the ambulance.
My exDH and my DS both need very high doses before they go numb.
OP you shouldn't have to be in pain. If the local doesn't do the job they should offer either sedation so you don't mind so much or general so you feel nothing.

Slightly different but my epidural for my last c section didn’t work 😬

I seem to need extra local anaesthetic most times at the dentist but I always tell her the minute I can feel any pain, no way would I let her carry on, I'm too much of a wimp!

I don't think they wait long enough either. They do work, eventually. I could feel warmth when they did my cesarean but it stopped shortly.

Interesting. I’m hypermobile and anaesthetic takes ages to wear on. Pre meds do nothing. Absolutely diddly squat. Like I don’t actually understand what they’re supposed to do.
whatever ‘sedation’ they used before my colonoscopy didn’t do anything either. They told me I might be asleep and would
definitely be drowsy. I was wide awake sitting up. Thanks goodness they had some gas and air - I find that works.

@mathanxiety they did stop to give me a second dose but only gave it another 30 secs before they started again. Didn't check with me to see if it was actually numb so I had to pipe up again. You're right, it was barbaric!

My dentist gives me a local without adrenaline as I have an unpleasant reaction to it (pounding heart, lightheaded etc). I also need at least a few injections - and lots of time - for it to work.

@Heartstopper I am dark haired as it happens. How interesting! Although I feel like my pain threshold is generally quite high, just not when it comes to LA.

YABU to say local anaesthetic is complete garbage.

I've never had an issue with one.
Of course, if the dose you have been given hasn't worked for you then that is a different question. One I would have mentioned before they even started today if it is a recurring thing. I'm not medical (am dark haired though) but I thought different people need different dosage.

Ouch, @etulosba! I've had no real after effects with LA. It was the during that was traumatic!

I have always needed the maximum amount of anaesthetic at the dentists.
Topical numbing creams also do fuck all for me too. I get fed up of people recommending them for my needle phobia.