DEAR DR. GOTT: I just had surgery on my right shoulder, and the day following, I began vomiting and having gas every time I ate. My doctor blames these events on the anesthesia during my four-hour surgery. Is there anything I can do?

DEAR READER: General anesthesia takes a person from a conscious to an unconscious state so an invasive surgical procedure can be performed. Anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists and other trained professionals determine the amount of anesthesia to be administered, depending on the procedure to be performed. Some people remain anesthetized for a short time during a relatively simple process and are released the same day. Others, such as yours, take substantially longer and require hospitalization for several days following. While you didn’t mention what surgery was performed, four hours is extensive and could certainly be responsible for the unwanted results.
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