TKR The Knees and Me - staged

[rubyyarn]

@gertie, It could be worse. I could be a spider! As it is, this should take care of the problem

 

[KarriB]

I worked right up to the day before my RTKR. It helped to keep the doom and fear at bay. I think having time to think about it will be different.

 

[rubyyarn]

Yes, @KarriB, at this point distraction is a good thing. I think threading my loom will keep me out of mischief for a few days.

On Wednesday I will learn what time the surgery is. Early, I hope

 

[sistersinhim]

When I agreed to do my replacement, I asked the PA to put me as early as possible! My surgery was at 7:30am and I loved it!

 

[rubyyarn]

My first knee was done at 7:30 AM and all went well. Hopefully I can get the same time.

 

[Fire wolf]

That would be fantastic! Mine was like 2:30 in the afternoon which was not so much a fun day!

 

[JJ65]

Mine was early in the morning, like 7:30 or 8am, I like early surgeries if a person has to have a surgery.

 

[kmak81230]

I was originally scheduled for 2 pm and then the day before they moved me up to the morning - no time to panic and less time to be hungry. Good luck - you've got this!

 

[rubyyarn]

I'm toying with the idea of doing the spinal anesthesia this time rather than the general. It seems like I could avoid a lot of the nausea that way. But that needle...brrr!

Could someone tell me...do they start the sedation before sticking the needle in or after? Does it hurt much? I know the orthopedic staff at this hospital are amazing with other needle sticks so I am assuming they will do well with this. I'm just such a wuss when it comes to needles

 

[sistersinhim]

I had sedation and didn't feel a thing! I highly recommend the sedation. I threw up for days after GA. Not a problem with sedation! I think you'll find the vast majority would vote for sedation.

 

[jboles]

I had the spinal with sedation. They give you something before the spinal, I do remember sitting up, but I don't remember the spinal needle at all. I was very alert in the recovery and even woke up to some degree in the OR. I remember looking around and hearing someone say oh she's awake, and then I was out! No pain though

 

[OJ2]

I had the spinal. They had me sit up and told me to lean forward against this big man who held a pillow in front of him. I leaned forward and that's the last I remember. I am sure they added some happy juice to my iv before this. I think they even added a little bit when they were taking me to the surgery room cuz I don't remember that either. I woke up as they were wrapping my leg. I could just barely feel some movement but was very comfortable. The next thing I knew I was in recovery. I would do the spinal again in a heartbeat.

 

[Celle]

Because I have a bleeding disorder, I am not allowed to have a spinal. I've had a GA for all my knee replacements.
I know that anaesthetics and pain medications make me nauseated and sick, so my surgeon and anaesthetist arranged for me to be given anti-nausea drugs routinely. Consequently, I didn't experience any nausea after my GAs.

 

[rubyyarn]

Thank you everyone! @jboles, your experience made me laugh I'd be tempted to say something smart-alec, I think.

Sounds like there's little to fear and much to gain.

 

[Fire wolf]

My anesthesiologist wanted to give me a spinal with sedation, but I chose general anesthesia with nerve block because in the past I woke up during a surgery under sedation, but wasn't able to move or tell anyone, so I did not want that experience again. I did inform anesthesiologist that I did get nauseas in the past after GA, but that it seemed to be more from the fact that I would end up with a migraine due to not eating all day, so they, including this one, hook me up with anti-nausea stuff before, during and after, and try to reduce chances of migraine, and they have been very successful.

 

[jboles]

@Fire wolf I too woke up , but they noticed it and luckily I wasn't awake long. I guess each of the types of anesthesia has good and bad sides.

 

[rubyyarn]

@Fire wolf, I did that once during foot surgery. I could feel pressure like they were sewing. I wiggled my toes, they told me to stop it and then I was out again.

Someone in here said he woke up during his knee surgery and it sounded like a woodworking shop

As long as I don't feel anything...

 

[Canada35]

I had the spinal with sedation. I don't remember anything about the insertion of the needle so I must have had the sedation first in my IV. My OS told me that when he was pinching my legs I was reacting in the first 5 minutes so he froze my knee as well. I remember absolutely none of it. The funny thing that did happen in the OR though was the head nurse in the OR was male and he just happened to have been my grandson's baseball coach for the previous three years LOL. The good thing was he was an excellent nurse and did not make me feel awkward at all! @jboles I can't imagine waking up like you and @Fire wolf!

 

[Fire wolf]

@jboles and @rubyyarn I woke up during a foot surgery but was face down, so just felt the scraping, heard the surgeons music, etc. Nobody was aware of the fact that I was aware!

 

[Polkadot]

I had sedation and then the spinal; as others have said, I leaned forward, felt nothing, and that was all she wrote! I guess I moved my legs around too much during the early part of the surgery, because they ended up giving me the general, which I had wanted all along, but which they talked me out of! Anti-nausea drugs worked very well for me afterward.