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Local or General?

Posted , 10 users are following.

Mrspiggy
Mrspiggy

I'm lucky that I have the choice. Am thinking local with something to relax me, it's the noise that concerns me! Any experiences of a local?

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Poppet29
    Poppet29 Mrspiggy

    Posted

    I would say local but that's just because I hate the feeling of waking up after a general. I suppose you just have to remember that surgery may take quite a long time - I was in theatre much longer than expected.

    If you're concerned about noises, you could always ask in advance if you can use earphones to listen to music.

  • Charlotte_613
    Charlotte_613 Mrspiggy

    Posted

    I had general and was very happy. I woke up and the surgery was over. Did not see or feel anything
  • susan296170
    susan296170 Mrspiggy

    Posted

    Hi there,

    I had only local freezing on my foot but had taken a whole Ativan one hour prior to surgery..... Was awake the whole time!! Yes heard sounds but somehow they didn't bother me much, I know that seems hard to believe but it was okay!! They gave me a movie to watch on some crazy goggles but I kept peeking under to see what was going on!

    The Ativan did a good job of making me really relaxed and not too concerned about what they were doing to my foot!! TRULY!

    And much easier to recover from than a general. : ).

    First foot surgery was March 4/16... doing my second foot Sept 30th! Bracing myself again!

    But it gets better over time : )

    Susan

    Toronto Canada

  • susann1107
    susann1107 Mrspiggy

    Posted

    If you only have one foot done, have the local and make sure you take your music and earphones with you. If you have both done, than settle for the general, but ask them, normally it is called twilight, then settle for that as it is a sort of light sleep and you do not suffer after. They use propofol, otherwise known as the Michael Jackson drug.
  • jenny71055
    jenny71055 Mrspiggy

    Posted

    I had both local and general and it wasn't necessary. The surgery on my foot took 2 hours and just a local would have been fine. They give you drugs to make you very sleepy, so you're really not aware of what's going on. The local they gave me made my whole foot totally numb for over 24 hours, so you can't use the foot at all, until it wears off. I think the general anesthesia is just for the surgeon's convenience, but the patient is better off without it.

  • gilliansbunion
    gilliansbunion Mrspiggy

    Posted

    Hi.

    I had an ankle block and sedation. It was amazing. I'd only ever have a general if it was life or death or I HAD to!!

    The ankle block took about 30 minutes then off to theatre. Was administered the sedation. I slept thry the whole thing and woke up feeling great .

    The ankle block lasted nearly a whole 24 hours!!! 😀 even when it wore off I didn't have any pain.

    I'd definately recommend an ankle block with sedation. It's perfect 😉

  • doro
    doro Mrspiggy

    Posted

    I had nerve block and sedation.....did nt know a thing....waiting on trolly to go into theatre and next thing I knew was still on trolly an op had been done!! ...numb till next day so had to hop with crutches till feeling came back.
  • Mrspiggy
    Mrspiggy

    Posted

    Thank you for all your replies. I've decided to go for just a local and see if they can give me something very light to relax me if not I'll try it without anything. Have been fine in the past when I've had procedures that they usually do under sedation, only downside is that I am always last on the list!

    ?It's only 1 foot but have to wait until November, my choice though as I doubt I will be walking as normal after 3 weeks! Was hoping they could just shave it again but apparently I also have a bone longer than it should be which is affecting movement so that's being shortened as well. Pleased things have changed and no plaster this time.

  • sami2016
    sami2016 Mrspiggy

    Posted

    I had a bunionectomy and metarsal surgery on 2 toes..I had a nerve block..local and general..wasnt pleasant waking up and ended up staying in till the next day due to dizzyness and sickness. I dont think I would of like to of seen what they did though..was quite a nice sleep I had I expect :P
    • gilliansbunion
      gilliansbunion sami2016

      Posted

      Oh dear sorry to hear about your experience with general anesthetic. We're you not offered the sedation?

      The sedation worked perfectly. I slept thru the whole thing and woke up as I went to recovery where I was talking normally and didn't feel sleepy at all and went home half an hour after that.

      I'm unsure why general is used in so many operations these days when sedation works perfectly and the after effects are so different to a general.

      I even had local and sedation for breast augmentation. Worked perfectly. I'd have never got them done if it was only offered with general anesthetic!

    • Mrspiggy
      Mrspiggy gilliansbunion

      Posted

      Has it gone anything to do with money? Just woken up in a panic, realising could the local private hospital be forcing patients to have a general so they can quickly get on to the next patient (they do NHS patients as well)? I've always felt like i'm a slab of meat and cos I prefer just local I see how other patients are treated, slightly worse than me!

    • gilliansbunion
      gilliansbunion Mrspiggy

      Posted

      Hi

      To be honest I'd have thought the sedation with ankle block would be cheaper than a general anesthetic plus there's a lot more risk involved.

      I assume you're on the UK as you mentioned NHS. Honestly, the sedation side over general is so easy!! It's much quicker. I was only in recovery about 20 minutes but I easily could have just gone to the ward, got my stuff and gone as I felt fine.

      Seriously, I'd pick sedation over general ANY day of the week. I didn't feel or hear a thing while it was getting done. I don't feel nervous about going and getting my other foot done this way. I'm looking forward to it then I get 2 nice unpainful feet 😀.

      When are you getting it done? Have you had your consultation? Which hospital will you go to?

      Gillian

  • hannah10000
    hannah10000 Mrspiggy

    Posted

    My mum had local and said the actual op, despite her being concerned about the noise as well, was absolutely fine (she listened to music to cover the noise). She said the local anaesthetic injections were quite painful though. She is due to have her other foot done soon and said she would do it again the same way.

    I on the other hand also just had my bunion done and being a bit more of a woose than my mum (!) i went for a general. I felt absolutely fine when i woke up and didn't have to go through 45 mins ish laying in there during the op. I had a slight sore throat but nothing else and was really glad I had a general! I quite like the feeling of being knocked out as well and you wake up and it's all done!

    I have had very little pain at all - i was amazed. I am on day 12 and getting better at walking every day and it's been really quite easy so far. It's awkward getting around but that's all really. 

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