Help! I get dizzy during surgery

[JANPLME]

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Hi everyone,
I have a big problem. I'm a first year med student and I've found that I start to get dizzy when I'm watching surgery after about half an hour (it even happened during dog lab). If I'm sitting down, I'm fine though, and psychologically what I'm seeing doesn't bother me. I'd hoped after seeing numerous surgeries it would go away, but it hasn't. I generally have low blood pressure (90/50) and I'm chronically anemic (Hemoglobin of about 10.9). Does anyone have any tips for things I can do before or during surgery to stop this from happening? This could be really embarrassing once third year starts.
Thanks alot.

 

[kimberlicox]

Sounds vasovagal to me (assuming you aren't passing out/getting dizzy otherwise just walking around outside of the OR). And why chronically anemic - perhaps you need an evaluation and some Fe.

I've heard others who've suffered from this ailment in OR suggest the following:

make sure you've eaten and slept as recently as possible

move around; do NOT stand in one position. This doesn't mean dropping your retractor and moving around the table, but rather doing knee bends, flexing your toes, basically getting blood moving around.

keep as cool as possible, ie, don't wear anything under your scrubs (besides underwear); working up a sweat just makes things worse

and lastly, from me: RECOGNIZE the symptoms when they start and step away if you have to. It has happened to LOTS of students, even those who end up going into surgery.

It likely that the stress of the OR and dog lab makes things worse; for some this clears up with experience, for others it never goes away. Keep your mind focused on the task, ask questions (instead of just staring into the bloody abyss), keep active.

Try the above and see if it works. Best of luck.

 

[Jitterbug]

Along with the above suggestions, for some people, becoming dizzy in the O.R. can be related to the mask and CO2 rebreathing. You may want to check and see if you are mouth breathing. Try wearing a mask at home for a bit and see if that is the cause. If so, you may do better if you nose breathe. I hope things improve for you!

[This message has been edited by Jitterbug (edited 12-08-2000).]

 

[Homunculus]

something else-- don't "lock" your knees while standing-- keep em bent just a little-- ask anyone with prior military experience. Sometimes just standing like that can make you light headed...

take it easy

homonculus

 

[UHS03]

I just want to re-emphasize an earlier point: If you are chronically anemic and don't know why, see your doctor for a work up.

 

[Nurse2Doc]

DO NOT LOCK YOUR KNEES!!! Make a conscious effort to shift your weight and slightly bend your knees~kinda do a jig on your tip toes every few minutes~Your problem will be solved~you can take that to the bank~guaranteed or your money back! Good Luck!

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Some people look better with their clothes on!

 

[JANPLME]

Thanks for all of your help. I'm definitely going to try to unlock my knees and move my legs a little. I think the mask is part of the problem too. Is the cure for that to just make a conscious effort to breath through my nose or is there something more I can do?

 

[kwilson]

You might also try support hose-if you have orthostatic hypotension it might help shunt some of the blood from your legs to your head. The hypotension and anemia probably combine to reduce the O2 delivery to your brain tissue (my gosh have I learned something this year?

), which would make you dizzy. Definately try to treat the anemia, too.