scared to death

[Jaycey]

i am still really really scared not about the spinal block or the after pain but oddly enough the going to sleep part as i seem to wake up gasping as if i have breathed in my own spit if i am laid on my back and am worried that if under sedation i will choke.

The anaesthetist will be watching you the whole time. You will be laying on your side facing him/her. Believe me, they will not let anything happen to you.

If you have been treated for anemia I doubt it will impact your surgery date. You will discuss with staff during your pre-assessment. Start making a list of questions for that meeting. And feel free to write down the answers while you are there.

Here's a thread about THR approaches or incisions. They do indeed use posterior approach - I had it with my LTHR. I had lateral with my recent RTHR. Ask you surgeon what he/she will use.

 

[Poppet]

You will be continually monitored during your surgery and blood tests will be conducted frequently post surgery, and if there is a sign of anemia you may get a blood transfusion to give you that little boost. I had five transfusions and felt so much better for them when eventually I was allowed up and about.

I had a spinal for the first time and will definitely go for it again when I have my second hip replaced. You will be in good hands

 

[mydog]

Hi Pink! It is OK to be scared...I am personally terrified! I have to set a date in Feb and I am surprising myself just what a chicken I am. I too will be getting a spinal with sedation, which makes me very nervous. I do need to do a bit more research on this, but this forum has been wonderful in calming my fears. The good/bad news is: I simply have to get this done. I can barely walk some days and commuting to work is a nightmare. So, if I don't get this done, I won't be able to support myself. The choice has been made for me. And, I am sure, when it is all over, I will say..."why didn't I get this done sooner"....everyone seems to say that!

I know the day of the surgery I will cry. But I think I will be crying because I am scared...but also happy to get rid of this awful pain....

 

[Poppet]

Once you take those first few steps without the bone on bone pain your focus will be totally on recovery and I found the anxiety just drops away.

 

[xtina16405]

@pink24 I had posterior RTHR. My OS only does posterior approaches. Like everyone has said ask your OS which approach he uses. All work and are successful because the BS family has all had different approaches and we are all here.

I did lots of research before my surgery. I wanted to be prepared. Sometimes too much research can increase the anxiety. As Poppet said the moment you take your first step and realize the bone on bone pain is gone. You will be so happy and relieved.

 

[xtina16405]

Oh one more thing. I am anemic and had no issues with the surgery. The only issue I had was when I went to give my own blood in case of transfusion. My iron count was almost too low to donate. But I was able too. So being anemic shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Josephine]

but oddly enough the going to sleep part as i seem to wake up gasping as if i have breathed in my own spit if i am laid on my back and am worried that if under sedation i will choke

@pink24 It sounds to me like you might have sleep apnoea. You should speak with your doctor about this and get yourself checked out, both for your own safety and for the surgery as this is something they need to know about. However, assuming you don't have SA, when you are under sedation that goes along with a spinal, you still retain your cough and swallowing reflexes just as when you are asleep. But I would agree with the others, if this is something that is a particular concern to you, talk to them about it. They will be happy to reassure you you and take extra care with you.

I have unexplained anemia being treated for it as after 3 weeks of iron then stopped for 6 weeks hb was normal but reserve was only 9 so on 3 months course of iron. Pre op assessment Jan 9th what are the chances this might affect my surgery .

Part of the pre-op assessment includes some blood tests, one of which is for haemoglobin. So don't worry about that.

But at week 4, while the pain was no longer much of a factor, I was just gassed by the afternoon, feeling physically weak, etc. So I started taking iron (you should check with your do before you do), and I started feeling better after a week.

@marcsgirl102 This fatigue is all part of the natural recovery process and does not imply that you were anaemic. We call it the Energy drain. It's also quite likely that at week 5, your energy drain was already diminishing and your feeling better was nothing to do with the iron you took. To the best of my knowledge, treating anaemia with oral iron takes a lot longer than one week to be effective!

 

[craftdee]

Hi @pink24 I am probably adding a different "voice" to this thread... I was absolutely terrified by the thought of spinal and sedation because I was so worried that I would hear the operation going on, which probably wouldn't worry a lot of people but REALLY bothered me. I was in such a state by the day of the op I was going to cancel, I had already bailed once. The anesthetist came and spoke to me, and assured me that nothing is "compulsory", at his suggestion I had a GA, the options had been discussed at the pre op visit two weeks prior, with a different anesthetist - he wouldn't guarantee I couldn't hear anything (I knew I wouldn't feel anything, and would be screened from seeing anything, but I had watched a YouTube video WITH SOUND of Posterior Approach, which I had ... bit of a mistake! Like @xtina16405 says; sometimes you can OVER research) the anethetist on the day made me feel very comfortable, that I had a choice and that I was part of the decision making process. His advice was for me to HAVE the GA as I was so wound up he didn't think I would relax enough for a comfortable start to my recovery. For me the GA worked a treat; I had pain when I woke that was VERY quickly addressed, never went above a 2 or 3 the whole time in hospital. I was up and walking on two crutches about 3 hours after surgery (as I didn't have to wait for feeling to return to my legs) and I had no fogginess that had been a problem with GA in the past... they've come a long way
So I suppose what I'm saying is, don't feel that you're "supposed" to have a Spinal so you will, if you aren't completely confident in that choice, discuss it with your OS or Anethetist or pre op clinic. So many people here have had good results with Spinal, I just thought I'd add the voice of one who had a good result with GA

All the best, whatever your decision

 

[pink24]

thanks guys pre op assessment jan 9th then if all is ok op Jan 19th will mention the sleep thing to doctors i am sure i will be fine i am defiantly going for spinal not sure on sedation yet cant wait to be on the other side talking about recovery and reassuring other per op people xx

 

[Jaycey]

i am defiantly going for spinal not sure on sedation yet

Spinal is usually done with sedation to keep you nice and relaxed so the surgeon can perform their magic. Don't worry, you will have no groggy feeling from the minute you come out of the theatre.

 

[pink24]

well getting closer to my date 3 weeks on Monday nerves are ok at the moment thanks to your support stay with me guys so i don't have a melt down again.. I think Christmas has helped take my mind off things a little xx

 

[NuMe2014]

@pink24 the waiting is one of the hardest parts of this whole journey. This is my second hip to have replaced and I am also starting to feel those "nerves", even though I know what is going to happen regarding the process! Stay strong and just think that after the surgery all that horrible pain will be gone. You will get through these next 3 weeks, trust me!


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum

 

[pink24]

15 days to go dear oh dear i have the jitters bad xx

 

[NuMe2014]

Just keep yourself busy! Get all the things you will need for after surgery all lined up.

 

[Legin]

It will be here in the blink of an.eye. Poss a tortoise eye. The opp is so regularly done now and the expertise and care of the staff gives confidance.

Legin THR Sep 14

 

[craftdee]

The waiting really IS the pits! Just think that 15 days ago was the weekend before Christmas... how quick has THAT 15 days gone? The wait for your op is only the same amount of time This first week will drag, just do what you can to fill the time... the next week will go faster as you realize all the "last minute" bits that "need" doing.

 

[pink24]

any suggestions or tips on things to get sorted for my return home as i have not had anything done like this before got butterflies the nearer its getting xx

 

[zauberflöte]

Hi! fill your freezer with dishes you can zap in the microwave; do alllll the laundry, change your bed just before hospital day (I had an antiseptic scrub for my last shower and was to put on all clean pjs and get into a set of fresh sheets!); lay in some mindless reading material; if you don't have a movie streaming service and would like one, now is definitely the time to give that a try; clean as much of the house as pain will allow; find out if you will need higher seats on anything and get cushions etc; figure out something extremely comfy to wear during the day; spend lots of time making friends on here, both pre- and post-op sides; read the whole library here (!); get a chef's apron with big pockets, and a couple of tote bags and drape them over your walker/frame... Get your hair done-- cut, color, whatever you do; pay all your bills, especially the ones that come due a week or two after surgery, mortgage, rent, things like that; whew I have run out! I am rooting for you!!


My phone sent this using BoneSmart Forum, clever phone!

 

[Legin]

If you need a good streaming site pm me and I can.tell.the best its totaly.legal as many big companies advertise on but not sure if.mods.want it openly put. It has thousands of movies and tv full.series.

Legin THR Sep 14

 

[Legin]

See I.forgot to.do.my hair before surgery

Legin THR Sep 14