Succinylcholine and Pain: What Users Say

• bwi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 14, 2020

For Anesthesia "I've had several surgeries in the past, so I'm sure this isn't my first experience with succinylcholine, but this time around it was miserable. I went in for a CKC, so I expected some minor discomfort from that. I took a nap when I got home from the procedure, and upon waking, I was in immense pain. My entire upper body and thighs felt as if I had worked out hard or been hit by a truck. It was difficult to get in and out of bed, shower, or make almost any movement. It was confirmed with the surgery center that succinylcholine was used, so unfortunately, I was told I would just have to ride it out. Pain lasted for approximately four days, but when it finally went away, it went away quickly. I woke up one morning and knew instantly that I had gotten the effects out of my system."

• Kri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 22, 2021

For Anesthesia "I had liposuction around my midsection on Friday and felt well until the following afternoon. As the afternoon progressed, my thighs and calves started to tighten, and by the evening, I could no longer lift my legs to take a step or even get into bed on my own. The pain was substantial when walking or using my legs, and it was like I was virtually paralyzed below the waist. My doctor prescribed a muscle relaxant, and after 24 hours, I'm functional again. I confirmed that sux was used. Never again, I've had a lot of sports surgeries and have a high pain tolerance, but 24-30 hours of the weekend were about the worst in my entire life. Just know that a doctor can prescribe a muscle relaxant to help if you encounter this reaction to sux."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 4, 2020

For Anesthesia "This stupid drug is more painful than the kidney stones that I had tried to pass and got stuck in my ureter. I’d rather pass a kidney stone than feel like how this drug makes me feel. My back is so painful, my neck is so painful, and my legs are so painful. I scream every time I try to move. This is absolutely ridiculous, and I wouldn’t wish this drug on my worst enemy."

• SCa...
• August 5, 2020

For Anesthesia "I will never allow anyone to give me this succinylcholine again. I had arthroscopic knee surgery that lasted 1 hour. The next day, the pain all over my body knocked the wind out of me just to move. I’m on day 2 of recovery and am very concerned. This is the most pain I have ever been in after any procedure."

• Osb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 21, 2020

For Anesthesia "I had a chemo port inserted yesterday. The anesthesiologist told me ahead of time that he couldn’t use his normal medication, propofol, because of it being saved for use with COVID-19 patients. I seriously feel like I have been hit by a truck. I am in severe pain from my neck to my calves. I can barely lift my arms. I can barely walk because of my hips and legs being so sore. Actually, I can barely move at all. I hurt worse now than I did after a double mastectomy and DIEP reconstruction 3 weeks ago. At least then I could walk! Now I can’t even do the arm exercises they had me doing the day after the mastectomy because I can’t bear to move my arms. I barely took any of my pain meds after my big surgery, but am using them now. This is crazy. Never again. This stuff should not be used."

• LPa...
• June 23, 2016

For Anesthesia "Had this before surgery. True, it knocked me out, and I wasn't aware of the procedure. However, the aftereffects have made me feel totally helpless, in so much pain. This will be added to my list of never use this drug on me again! This feels like I have been body slammed over and over. Every part of my body hurts."

• 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."

• Ver...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 3, 2018

For Anesthesia "I had bladder surgery as an outpatient. When I got home, I started hurting in my shoulders, then my calves, then the front of my legs, then my back, side, and neck. I was hurting all over! Every muscle I have was hurting so badly. I felt like they had taken me and slammed me to the floor in the operating room and jumped up and down on me! I have never been in so much pain in my life, this is the second day for me. I hope this pain ends soon. They should have to give each one of us that has been through this horrible pain $50,000 each for all our suffering! They know this medicine can cause this kind of pain, and still they use it! They need to STOP! IT."

• Pai...
• September 12, 2016

For Anesthesia "I'm two days after gallbladder removal and was given this during anesthesia. Pain prior to surgery was excruciating, but the all-over pain from this is debilitating. Every leg, arm, and stomach muscle is hurting to the point it's difficult to move anything. Even my jaws hurt. I will never use this drug again; I will deem myself allergic. I've recently had both hips replaced and was given a different muscle relaxant during those surgeries that did not cause any postoperative pain. I'd never thought to ask about anesthesia drugs prior to surgeries. Due to the horrible pain I've experienced with succinylcholine, I will be certain to ensure it's never used on me again. Other sufferers say it lasts about 4 days. I hope that's the outcome."

• A n...
• September 19, 2018

For Anesthesia "I had a procedure that should’ve only required the use of propofol, but my anesthesiologist had to give me succinylcholine. It wasn’t until the next day that I suffered extreme muscle pain from my jaw down to my calves. My calves were the worst. I couldn’t even turn in bed by myself because my back muscles hurt so much! It took a week to feel back to normal, except my calves. A month out and my calves still hurt if I try to run, jump, or sprint up the stairs. Sometimes I’ll hear a pop in one or both calves, which leaves me limping for the next week. I will never allow an anesthesiologist to give me this again! Save yourself the risk and ask for a different paralytic, there are others, but a reversal will need to be given because they last longer than succinylcholine, as the drug in mention is known. The reversal drug for the other paralytics may cause one to have post-op nausea, but I’d welcome that over the awfulness that I've been through and continue to deal with."

• 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."

• ANu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 25, 2020

For Anesthesia "I had no idea of the aftereffects from succinylcholine until after having my appendix removed. Post-surgical myalgia is real and so very painful! I thought the operating room team must’ve used me as a life-sized marionette or possibly signed me up for an operating room Jazzercise/Boot Camp workout without my permission. My jaw, neck, arms, shoulders, upper back, ribs, and upper legs feel like I’ve put in some serious gym time. The pain and weakness are almost debilitating. Lifting them without assistance is next to impossible. I am 48 hours post-surgery and the discomfort has yet to wane. Of note, my incision sites are nearly pain-free. I will absolutely put this on a do-not-use list in my medical records. Just wow!"

• Swe...
• February 25, 2018

For Anesthesia "I had a very simple procedure done on my bladder. It was done in the morning, and by late afternoon, I was home. Hours later, I woke in severe pain all over my body. I had been diagnosed years before with fibromyalgia, and this was much, much worse. It felt like I had gone crazy in the gym, and every single muscle was screaming in pain. I contacted my doctor and let him know I could not handle this level of pain... I could not sleep... just getting up to use the bathroom was agony. My doctors hospitalized me for about 4 days and put me on a morphine drip... it was the only thing to do. Succinylcholine that was used in my simple procedure was found to be the culprit. I would never allow this medicine in my body again."

• pam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 3, 2017

For Anesthesia "I had a supposedly simple female procedure done in 2007 that was supposed to leave me with a little cramping for two days. The next morning, I was in so much pain all over my body. I called the gynecologist, who didn't understand why I would be in so much pain and basically left me to just handle it. I called the hospital to talk to an anesthesiologist; he got my chart, listened, and then put me on hold to look into it more. When he came back, he asked, 'Does it feel like you have been hit with a baseball bat all over your body?' YES!!! He told me it was a side effect of the medication succinylcholine. Six months later, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia! I don't know if it caused the fibromyalgia, but now I feel like I did for that week all the time."

• Jen...
• November 22, 2020

For Anesthesia "I felt okay after surgery, but woke up in excruciating pain, wondering if I should call 911 because all of my muscles were spasming. I couldn’t get out of bed. I was alone, and I have epilepsy. I can still hardly walk or even breathe deeply due to pain. I will threaten all future anesthesiologists. Why is this drug even used at all when there are options?! I have a hip surgery coming up in three weeks, and now I am terrified."

• 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."

• Nev...
• August 24, 2021

For Anesthesia "This medicine should never be used on anyone or anything. There are other drugs that can be used that don't have the horrible side effects of this poison. If I EVER have another surgery of any kind, if they don't sign papers saying they won't use this stuff, I'll walk out. It's pure sadism from doctors and anesthesiologists to use this on anyone. It should be made illegal immediately. The pain it causes is excruciating and lasts for days. There is no legal or moral justification for putting trusting patients through this nightmare. There should be a -10 rating. There are only negatives with this stuff."

• Fra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2022

For Anesthesia "I had to have a throat cyst treated surgically. Succinylcholine was one of the anesthetics. All went well the day of the surgery, but the next day my calves started aching. The day after that, I could not even walk because my entire body hurt so badly. To stand, I had to elbow my body out of the recliner, stand perfectly still, and then grab my right leg with my hand to pick my foot up to shuffle to the bathroom or bedroom. I passed a kidney stone once, which was excruciating, but NOTHING like the side effects of this stuff."

• Myr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 30, 2021

For Anesthesia "In May of 2020, I had emergency surgery to remove my right ovary due to ovarian torsion that was cutting off the blood supply. No one was able to explain why afterwards I felt WAY WORSE than after my c-sections, for like a week. Like I got hit by a truck! Fast forward, I had to have an endoscopy with a biopsy on Thursday. Starting Thursday evening, my muscles started to cramp and I'm feeling the same pain as I was from surgery! I called my doctor, and they had no answer to why I was in so much pain! So, I researched and discovered sux was the culprit. Verified it was used during my last 2 procedures. Never again! It's going in my allergies list!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 24, 2021

For Anesthesia "I had an outpatient procedure similar to upper GI but not as invasive. I was not given any info whatsoever about the medication being used. The day after my procedure, I could not walk. For 4 days I could hardly walk. I had to have assistance the entire time. I have never felt such pain in my life. It was like my body was in a constant charley horse. Every single muscle in my body. I have a small child at home. Had there been a fire, we would have died because I could barely walk, let alone get my child and get out in time. I called the surgery center the day after the procedure, and the nurse told me it was probably a reaction to succinylcholine and checked my chart to see if it was used. Sure enough, it was. I raised all kinds of drama because I have had several procedures in my life and none that resulted in such pain. I told her I was furious I was not told about the medication and side effects before and given the opportunity to have the other medication. She apologized. Seriously!"

• Ter...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 17, 2023

For Anesthesia "I was given this drug for two D&Cs. The first time, I had a severe stiff neck and pain in my shoulders for 24 hours post-op. Several years later, I had this drug again, again, 24 hours post-op, I had severe pain and muscle spasms down my back and left leg. I actually went to the ER because I thought I might have a blood clot or something. They could find no reason for it and did not connect it to the anesthesia drug. The pain lasted about a week. Later, I tracked down the anesthesiologist and told him what happened. I had told him about my first adverse effect from succinylcholine, but it seems he ignored me and used it anyway. However, he did own up to the fact and told me what I experienced was fasciculations. This is not a good drug for me, and when I try to tell anesthesia about not using it, they pat my hand and say they will take care of it."