Anaesthetic choices

[vinny]

for my bilateral I had a spinal with sedation using Propophol the milk of amnesia..woke up refreshed and no pain(morphine pump)never heard a thing or felt a thing.....no wonder Michael Jackson loved propophol. Best wishes for a pain free surgery and great recovery

Vinny

 

[Aussie Jill]

for my bilateral I had a spinal with sedation using Propophol the milk of amnesia..woke up refreshed and no pain(morphine pump)never heard a thing or felt a thing.....no wonder Michael Jackson loved propophol. Best wishes for a pain free surgery and great recovery

Vinny

Thanks Vinny. I really need to hear this - it helps me so much. If not for a few fab folks who have helped with this inprobably would have taken the GA route. how are things going for you?

 

[vinny]

@Aussie Jill ..I read a great deal before the procedure as I did not find this site until after...studies have shown that a spinal with sedation has a better overall result than General the studies were done by the Hospital for Special Surgery and others ....my recovery has been off the charts positive and if you want to catch up I am on Vinny's bilateral.....other Aussie women on the site @Sudibar and @Maggie94 can also be a big help to you...although they would probably say eat more Vegemite it's good for your knees.

Vinny​

 

[mydog]

Hi Jill - Vinny is correct....I had my surgery last week at the hospital of special surgery with spinal. Initially was very scared but didn't really have a choice as this is their protocol. My sis, who is a doctor, told me they will never "promise" you that you won't hear anything...but if you tell them your concerns (and I was very blunt) they will make sure you have a heavy sedation. I made the anesthesiologist promise me that he would constantly watch me to make sure I wouldn't wake up. It sounds funny to me now but I was deadly serious. He told me he had no place else to go during the surgery and that both eyes would be glued on me. Also, I didn't want to see the operating room - so he gave me a "cocktail" before wheeling me in. I don't remember a thing until waking up in the recovery room....

 

[vinny]

after the spinal was inserted and I was numbed they wheeled me into OR and I said "wow how many people are in here"....someone said 9 can you count us and I said 1 .....and then I woke up in recovery..

Vinny

 

[Poppet]

Welcome @Aussie Jill from one Aussie to another

I had a spinal for the first time with my RTHR - hubby thought I was absolutely nuts. He had the impression I would be awake. I told my anesthetist that I didn't want to 'hear, smell or see anything'. Happy to say I didn't

 

[Aussie Jill]

Welcome @Aussie Jill from one Aussie to another

I had a spinal for the first time with my RTHR - hubby thought I was absolutely nuts. He had the impression I would be awake. I told my anesthetist that I didn't want to 'hear, smell or see anything'. Happy to say I didn't

I love this story & have told many people who have asked why I'm considering this approach. I'm also borrowing your line when I spoke with my anesthetist on Thursday. Thanks Poppet

 

[Aussie Jill]

Hi Jill - Vinny is correct....I had my surgery last week at the hospital of special surgery with spinal. Initially was very scared but didn't really have a choice as this is their protocol. My sis, who is a doctor, told me they will never "promise" you that you won't hear anything...but if you tell them your concerns (and I was very blunt) they will make sure you have a heavy sedation. I made the anesthesiologist promise me that he would constantly watch me to make sure I wouldn't wake up. It sounds funny to me now but I was deadly serious. He told me he had no place else to go during the surgery and that both eyes would be glued on me. Also, I didn't want to see the operating room - so he gave me a "cocktail" before wheeling me in. I don't remember a thing until waking up in the recovery room....

Thanks mydog.The cocktail will be ordered

 

[vinny]

have it straight up though it is much better than on the rocks.make it a double just to be sure..

Vinny(hic)

 

[Aussie Jill]

Well I'm on the other side. So so glad I had the spinal block plus light GA. Block did not hurt. I remember going in to theatre, going to sleep, then waking in Recovery with NO pain!!! A short time later I was back in my room having a sandwich & cup of tea. Yes the block wore off after a few hours & I had some pain which I managed quite well with a PCA device. Thanks for all the replies I received via this forum. For me the spinal was totally worth it.

 

[vinny]

Good on you Aussie Jill....that's the way to do it...onward and upward.

Vinny

 

[torment]

During my pre-op appointment the PA told me they would likely do a block and just enough anesthesia to barely put me under. He said I'd be out, but just barely. I'm hoping the block lets me wake up in relative comfort. I can handle pain as it wears off, but waking up into a confused blurry painful mess isn't a very appealing idea to me.

 

[vinny]

@torment by block I assume you are referring to a spinal block and not a femoral.....for my bilateral I had a spinal with propophol as a light sedative and after a 3 surgery woke up alert and comfortable...never heard or felt a thing....I did not want a general but fortunately my OS prefers spinal and sedation as its makes post surgery recovery easier during the first few days without nausea.....good luck with your surgery..

Vinny