Succinylcholine and Stiffness: What Users Say

• 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!!"

• Red...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 30, 2017

For Anesthesia "Had a bronchoscopy where succinylcholine was used in the anesthesia and felt fine when I left the hospital. In the early evening, I began to experience stiffness that started in my neck, but by 10:00 it had spread to all of my muscles. My arms, thighs, calves, glutes, stomach, back, and ribs all were extremely sore to the point that I could barely move. Never had such extreme soreness, and it actually wakes me up at night. This has nothing to do with how you were positioned on the table but is a reaction, or side effect, of the succinylcholine. Strongly urge you to use something else."

• 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."