What is the difference between anesthesia and the twilight drug?

Question

I have to undergo a procedure, and I need to know what the difference is. Which is better, what each does, risks, EVERYTHING.
Thank you so much.

Answer 1

Anesthesia is a continuum. A little bit makes you a little bit sedated, and a lot will knock you completely out. We have a whole drawer full of drugs we can use - lots of choices.

What is right for YOU depends on your personal medical condition, the procedure you're having, and you and your surgeon's preferences.

"Twilight" (I hate that term) is sedation. You usually get midazolam, which makes you forget, plus an opiate, and possibly a hypnotic, propofol. You might remember stuff, you might not. You might get squirmy and have the surgeon yell at you, you might not. You may just close your eyes and rest peacefully - that's what we aim for!

General anesthesia can be done with the same drugs, but we usually add a bit of anesthetic gas. The gas is easy to turn up and down to accommodate changes in surgical stimulation. Depending on the procedure, you might breathe on your own, or we might breathe for you.

Each has risks. I can't tell you what YOU are at increased risk for, because I don't have enough information about you, your procedure or your surgeon. General is not necessarily riskier than sedation, because sedation can make you quit breathing just like general can.

The important thing is to have a trained anesthesia provider (anesthesiologist and/or CRNA) who will be there with you the whole time. Our whole job is to keep you safe, and we're good at it.

Answer 2

A little info I think should be considered about this drug Versed ( Midazolam ) that is used for Sedation for many medical procedures..Sedation and General Anesthesia are not the same and quite a few people being given Sedation
think they are being given General Anesthesia!

There is simply no good or valid reason to ever purposely induce amnesia during a medical procedure. It is only a recent development in medical thinking that amnesia is somehow a "benefit" to the patient. On occasion some
some patients will remember a bad experience. Forgetting does not mean it did not happen!!
I feel that if people were aware of the effects of this drug they would Opt For Another Drug!
Erasing someones memory of what was done to them is wrong!!
In fact, many people who use Versed for " IV Sedation,Conscious Sedation" Twilight Sedation, during a procedure are Awake For The Entire Procedure but remember nothing, often Believing They Were "Out" the whole time.

Versed (Midazolam) is an amnestic. It is also commonly used for minor procedures like setting broken bones,colonoscopies,endoscopies, dental procedures like extractions,conscious sedation,twilight sleep, so that patients won't remember pain and discomfort.HOWEVER THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THOSE SENSATIONS WILL NOT BE EXPERIENCED!!!!


Here is a note from a Dentist Who uses Versed
I've used Versed 1000+ times during oral surgery procedures and I've never had a complaint. It's a miracle drug because it is safe and it causes you to not remember an unpleasant experience. My answer to him is isn't it better to have not experienced the pain than to have forgot it. No wonder you have had no complaints they have no memory of the procedure.....

I feel that giving a drug for amnesia is cruel I would not want it done to me!

A strange development in medical thinking that it's okay for a patient to have
pain as long as they don't remember it and think they slept thru the procedure..


Here is a link for some info

http://www.freehelpforcancer.com/manages...

Answer 3

Twilight drug is an anesthetic, but just not strong enough to put you completely to sleep. Some people want to be able to remember a little about their procedure--control issue. Others just don't want to be put out all the way.

General anesthesia is where you go to sleep breathing some gas and when they turn it off and you start breathing oxygen instead, you wake up. You feel absolutely nothing between falling asleep and waking up.

TX Mom
not an expert

Answer 4

Twilight drug puts you in a state of not knowing. You are awake but don't feel any pain you may feel pressure but not pain. Sometimes the docs. need you to be awake for some types of surgery. Or if it's not too invasive they'll use the twilight drug (for a colonoscopy or things like that). For anesthesia, it renders you unconscious and you generally get a breathing tube because it paralyzes you for your surgery. You don't feel or remember anything. Would help to know what type of surgery you are having. What did the doc. recommend? You may not have the option to choose.