Need advise. Spinal over a general anaesthetic.

Hi Charlotte,

I haven't been through this type of procedure but have had other procedures that were not pleasant. If it is allowed, I would suggest you take an ipod with you that has two earbuds and turn up the volume to something you like to listen to. Even if you are groggy a little music in the background can be soothing.

I wish you the best with your procedure & I'm sure you will do great. Chin up!!

 

hi

have had 2 hip ops the first was a straight forwad the second a revisons done both by epidural belive me you are better taking this option plus you do not have to be awake to hear anything you have the option now choose what and how much sedation you have i wouldnt take any ipod or ear plugs as you will still hear the things in the background

i also had the same when i had my cancer cut out i never heard anything its better all way round you wont here nothing if the aneathetist see's you waking up he will give you some more aneasetic so do not be scared i no its easy for me to say dont worry every one dose choose how big or small but you wont come round till you are in recovery and that only takes about 5mins but you are not groggy or feeling sick this is down to my own experience they also pick up on when you are very anxious so before you go into theatre will give you a bit more to keep you calm the dont give you too much like a genral but enough to make you drowsey so you dont hear but belive me ear plugs will not kill the background noise out nor will an i pod

also if you opt for that then you wont have the sedation as much i know ppl that as tryed this and heard everything then wished they had opted to be sedated and would nevr go for it again that way the epidural is not as bad as you may think they squirt something on your back to numb it first you thing about it one of my hip revision's was really complicated i was sedated for 7/12 hrs but i preffered that as you can imagine i was terrifed all i heard was before they started the op for the first 1/2 hr that was while they were getting things into place  i never heard a thing till i came round in recovery i still was only there for about 15 mins but i had to go into ICU because of the complicated op but you won't its more common now to have ops done this way then genral also this was only done in may of this yr i would deffinatly recommened this and foget the ipod they will still give you a bit any way also not every theatre now you can take them into dont forget you are taking germs in .

you say you are worried of been put to sleep its nothing like you are unconious whith genaral with the sedation its entirely different you are only sedated so you dont here anything not heavely to the point of been knocked out like i said this is up to you how you want the sedation my first hip op was much different  one i was driffting in and out its like you can hear things but you drop back to sleep its better that way but obviously my second was much worse i was glad on both occations to have that done that way but you are moniterd so your blood pressure dosent drop too low if it did they would stop the op to get it back up were genral they cant. 

hope this helps you and good luck   

Hi Charlotte

I had an accident 5 years ago....a car backed into me, knocked me down, reversed over my ankle then drove over it and away.

The upshot of that was that I eventuallly had an operation and like you had a plate, pins and screws put in. It was under genereal anaesthetic....like you I wasnt give a choice. I was so ill afterwards!!!!!!!! I've still got them in...they aren't bothering me so I wont bother them

As far as anaesthetic is concerned....I've had 2 hip replacements and both were done under spinal with a slight sedation. I didnt hear a thing but I came round a lot quicker than I would have if it had been GA. They had me out of bed and walking the day of the op. So I would go for a spinal anytime. Think about it.....replacing a hip......there must be a lot of noise doing that as well and I didnt hear a thing

Love

Eileen

I assume you've already had the surgery but if you haven't i had plates and pins removed from my arm in June with a peripheral nerve block which sounds similar.

A strange thing having a conversation while the doctor used a hammer and chisel but something i would recomend. The recovery is much better.(had the same opp previously and suffered after general anaesthetic) It is an odd experience because while you lay there it seems as if its happening to someone else. The vibration was a strange experience though.