Succinylcholine and Muscle Pain: What Users Say

• Ste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 14, 2020

For Anesthesia "Please save yourself some of the worst muscle pain you will ever experience from a common drug used by anesthesiologists, called succinylcholine. I woke up the morning after surgery in such severe muscle pain I could not turn over in bed. For about three days, the pain did not subside. It was in my arms, back, and hips. So weak and painful, I could not lift my arms or legs. I also had extreme shakiness, so typing emails was impossible. Be certain to ask your anesthesiologist not to use this drug!"

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 30, 2020

For Anesthesia "As with the other comments, I too had severe muscle pain all over. I was for outpatient lithotripsy. I had this before, and the day after, I remarked to a friend that I didn't remember being in this much pain last time. I finally called the doctor, and he said it was probably a reaction to the anesthesia, and I should drink a lot of water, which I did. The pain lasted 2-1/2 days but was very severe. Getting up and down and rolling over in bed was almost impossible. I plan on never having this anesthesia again."

• lul...
• October 25, 2015

For Anesthesia "Succinylcholine was used as a pre-tubation muscle relaxer on my D&C outpatient surgery. Approximately 12 hours after surgery, I began to have severe muscle aches and stiffness. I could barely move. All my muscles were affected. I couldn't cough as my abdominal muscles were very sore. Standing, sitting, and walking were met with intense pain. Sleep was painful as I couldn't adjust myself. I was given pain meds that only helped slightly. Pain lasted 4 days."

• Tro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 18, 2018

For Anesthesia "I had somewhat what I thought was relatively minor surgery yesterday that required general anesthesia. Sadly, it's the third time in 2 weeks, and I've probably got 2 more to go... Started roughly 12 hours after surgery: INTENSE muscle pain and stiffness. This feels like overuse pain in my upper arms, thighs, legs, muscles in my rib area like I've done crunches all night. My jaw and back are the worst. I had to sneeze earlier and thought I was gonna pass out. The area where the surgery was done -- not a twinge, well, that I can feel in comparison. I'm so stiff and sore I can barely move. I swear the O/R threw me on the floor and took turns beating the crap out of me. Why would areas of my body that had nothing to do during surgery feel like they've been through a freaking marathon race followed up with being hit by a truck? If I can handle bilateral kidney stones pushing three 7MM stones with stents in, anesthesia should be easy. I wouldn't give this to my worst enemy!!"

• Lei...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 4, 2021

For Anesthesia "I have the same symptoms as Tommy James mentioned. I had a hemorrhoid removed. The problems with breathing and muscle pain are indescribable. I know that propofol was used. I am not sure what else was used with it for sedation. I just want the pain to go away. This is day 2."

• SCl...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 15, 2018

For Anesthesia "I was given succinylcholine during my thyroidectomy surgery. Hours after surgery, I started experiencing intense muscle pain. All I could tell my doctors was that it felt like I’d done multiple workouts, that pain after a few days later, but 10 times worse. My doctors could not figure out what was happening. Finally, after consulting with the head of anesthesia, he linked it to the succinylcholine. He asked, did she say she felt like she was hit by a Mack truck? It was about four days before the pain subsided. Avoid if at all possible!"

• Gre...
• June 16, 2020

For Anesthesia "This succinylcholine anesthesia may be great for some people, but not for all. My Dr. says I am what is considered to be in the 1-3% of people who will be seriously affected by medications, she’s not joking, I truly am. In 2003, I was given succinylcholine for gallbladder removal surgery and a liver biopsy. I did not regain consciousness for over 12 hours after surgery, which worried everyone. Apparently, I only have a partial enzyme of pseudocholinesterase, which is what breaks down the succinylcholine and allows you to regain consciousness. As for muscle pains, I ended up bleeding out internally for over a week and a half from the liver biopsy, which was extremely painful in itself, so I’m not sure if muscle pain accompanied the succinylcholine. And the crappy part of all of this, NO ONE, not even ME, knew that I had this enzyme deficiency."

• Cap...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 27, 2017

For Anesthesia "12 hrs after receiving succinylcholine for endoscopy had severe muscle pain, 12 hours later. It feels like I have been hit by a Mack truck. I could hardly move for 18 hrs, pain finally went away without any additional treatment."

• rac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 20, 2022

For Anesthesia "Was given this for a small outpatient surgical procedure, and when I woke up from anesthesia, my neck and arms were sore, but nothing horrible. The next morning, I woke up and was unable to even roll over in bed. My husband had to pry me off the bed and get me to the bathroom. The worst pain I’ve ever had in my life, and I’ve had two c-sections, gallstones, and my gallbladder removed, and an open splenectomy. Like every muscle in my body was punched repeatedly by an MMA fighter. For two and a half days, I was barely able to move and worried the pain would never go away. My doctor spoke to the anesthesiologist, and they told me it was 'postoperative myalgia,' which is a possible complication from the succinylcholine used during general anesthesia. If you’re having general anesthesia, ask what they are using, and if it is this, ask for something else! It’s now day three, and it was the first day I was able to get out of bed on my own, and pain has gone from a 10 to a 5."

• Inh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 29, 2021

For Anesthesia "I had 3 dental extractions and was given this awful med yesterday during general anesthesia. My nose bled all day and night, and when I woke up, I could barely breathe from the fluid built up in my lungs because my stomach muscles hurt so bad, I wasn’t able to cough. I literally fell out of the bed and crawled to the restroom to urinate and almost decided to stay on the floor and go because I couldn’t stand up from the muscle pain in my entire body. Due to having 5 broken lumbar vertebrae, I had access to some Percocet, which I have been using simply to get back and forth from the couch to the restroom. Including falling and breaking my back and being 55 years old, I’ve never experienced this much pain throughout my body. Without the Percocet, I would most likely die of suffocation from the liquid gathering in my lungs. After using enough of this opioid painkiller, I am able to constantly clear my throat enough to open my airway. EVERY muscle in my body is in excruciating pain."

• Jou...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 7, 2022

For Anesthesia "I will never, never, ever use this drug again. I've taken hundreds of drugs and never had one cause this much muscle pain. I had a small part of my kidney removed for cancer, I had no pain prior to the procedure. After the procedure, I was in the hospital for a few days, and the nurses and doctors were shocked I felt so bad after the procedure. They would say they were surprised at the discomfort I had because I needed pain meds a lot. It lasted about four days. When I got home, I Googled, 'drug makes me feel like I got run over by a truck,' and succinylcholine was the first thing that popped up. I sent a request to my doctor and asked what drugs were used before my procedure. This was one of the three they gave me. Well, never again. Thank God I found out what I believe it was. As I was going to sleep, I heard one of the nurses make a comment, 'never seen anybody give THAT drug before.'"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 10, 2021

For Anesthesia "I have had 5 procedures that required anesthesia. I have had gallbladder, kidney stones, and appendix removed and never had a problem with anesthesia. Yesterday I had a 6th procedure that required anesthesia, and today I’m having the worst muscle pain I’ve ever had. My legs/calve are so sore I can barely move or walk without extreme pain. Not sure what they gave me, but reading all these other comments makes me believe it was succinylcholine. I will make sure I never get that again. I was given hydrocodone for pain for the procedure I had, and it does nothing to relieve the muscle pain."