Why does Propofol burn SO bad when injected?

I had my final propholatic breast surgery yesterday, This was my 4th surgery this year. When I was on the table, the anesthesialogist had to redo the tape around the needle, I have horrible veins from cemotherapy. He started to inject the Propofole, it burned so bad. I have never experienced this, it burnt so bad, I screamed for him to take it out, they told me to breath. I dropped the F bomb, that's how bad it hurt. I don't think he gave me ladocane. I reached my arm up to put over my face to start crying, then I was out. That was the most horrible burning pain. I felt like I was getting tortured. The Doctor saw me after surgery and he said sometimes people have different reactions. I said no way, I have had a dozen of surgeries and cempotharpy, I have never experienced this.
I am going to call the hospital UCLA Medical and complain. I'm still not over the the feeling I had. So terrible!
I'm glad I found this website and read other people experience.

I had a colonoscopy today and the same thing happened to me. It was the worst pain I can remember ever experiencing in my life, and I have a pretty high pain tolerance. Not only that, but when they woke me up, I started crying like a baby and couldn't stop. I think it's because I was in such trauma when I went to sleep, and that's the first thing I remembered when I woke up. I have had surgeries before, both outpatient and inpatient, and it has NEVER hurt like that. Something has changed with the anesthesia they use. Seriously, that part was even worse than drinking the nasty SUPREP, and believe me, that was some serious torture. Thanks for all your comments. Next time, I'll ask for lidocaine first.

Lidocaine does not do anything for the pain for me. I have the same reaction now and have tried twice to come up off the table it hurt so bad. I insist they have to give me a dose of versed, which is an amnesiac and relaxes you before the propofol. I know its going to hurt, but if I dont remember it, its not traumatic. I also have to say, as someone who has had many surgeries over the last 25 years (Im 43) due to genetic problems, this severe pain thing is very new and just started happening to me in the last 3 years. Either my veins have changed in reaction to many exposures, or the manufacturer has changed something in it or how they make it.

Hi Rixiesmom
I was looking on line to find a reason why the anaesthetic I had last Thursday 30th March burned so badly I started shouting. In fact I truly thought I was dying. Then I found your post talking about propofol and your experience was absolutely identical to mine. I will now look into this further. I didn't know which drug she used but now, thanks to you, I do. I didn't realise your question was posted 3 years ago. I am due for more surgery in a few weeks and I would rather cancel it than go through that again. I have had a lot of surgery on the years and NEVER experienced this before.
Please let me know if you ever got to the bottom of it and so will I.

As someone who's had many surgeries over the years, I can definitively say that the intensity of the burning is directly correlated to the rate of administration. If it it slowly administered the pain is much less.

I to had this horrible experience, the nurse told me it will be a lil stinging. Well some stinging it was. I screamed so loud. The burning sensation was horrific. I have never had that feeling in my life. I will nevrr let them administer this to me this again.

I have had 4 colonoscopies, 2 endoscopies, and about 8 cystoscopies with sedation. They all involved Propofol and lidocaine, although I didn't realize until reading this that the 2 were related. I have never experienced any pain with the injection. I usually do ask for the IV to be placed at my wristbone or higher, just because it is painful to get in the back of the hand, and usually leaves a bad bruise. I had a colonoscopy yesterday, and I did notice that the nurse-anesthetist pushed the Propofol quickly. I didn't feel any burning, but did feel a warm sensation at the back of my throat before passing out.

It is due to propofol pH as the alkalinity of the agent is higher than the blood 7.4 the resultant is tissue irritation & pain perception

As other folks have said, your doctor could inject some lidocaine first to reduce some of the pain. That being said, I had a colonoscopy yesterday. I am so thankful to you and to this group because I had the exact same experience. I was told that "it would burn." Some burning I can handle. Instead I was met with extreme pain that took me by surprise. My entire hand was in pain like I cannot describe. Before reading all the input that you and other wonderful folks here had given, I thought I was some sort of "wuss" or however one spells that. I didn't scream, I just grit my teeth and told the doc that it was waaaaay more than a burn. I do want to say that he HAD given me some lidocaine (sp?) first, but perhaps not enough. I am a chronic pain patient. I'm used to pain. But that pain was just plain awful. Thank you Rixiesmom and everyone else here who made me realize that I'm not some cry baby!

It happened to me when I had my colonoscopy done last year. Yeah, I screamed like a little girl too. I've never felt a burn like that, ever. I was not warned that it could possibly burn when they added the Propophol to my IV line.

I asked my PCP why that happened and he said that the propphol may have missed going into the vein, completely, and therefor could have caused the burning sensation 'till I passed out. Lol, "A Burning Sensation." It felt more like I was burning to death.

Next time you need a drug to put you out, you may want to demand they don't use Propophol. I said I did not want Propophol but they said that is all they use and was all they had. Not true. Don't have any procedure done if they want to use Propophol. Don't forget to ask ahead of time about the sedative they're going too use, in advance.

Every single surgery I have had the same problem. Recently during a colonoscopy I was talking to the doctor and before I knew it I was awake and so relaxed. It turns out that if they inject a little lidocaine first, you don't feel any burning at all! And if they don't ask you to count backwards it turns out to be a pleasant experience. If you ever have surgery again ask them before they put you out to inject some lidocaine into the iv.

I work in a GI clinic. I have been giving anesthesia for many years. There is no excuse for you anesthesia provider not to give lidocaine prior to propofol.
Propofol burns like fire.
They only reason I can think of, for lidocaine not being given, is the provider was to lazy to draw it up. This makes me very angry! I try to treat my patients, like I would want my family treated. I am so sorry for this bad experience. There is no excuse for it, and this pain could have been prevented!!