tell me about your experience of spinal anasthetic

Know how you feel I am worried about that too have spoke to a few people that have had it and have all said it was fine met a couple on Valentine's day and he had the op 4 weeks previous he wa walking unaided and had driven from Somerset he said he went back to work after 2 weeks don't know what he did but he must have been one of the lucky few x

I have never had any operation before so was petrified of anything....I decided I had to be brave and get on with it and to be honest the worst bit was the cold spray...Unfortunately the leg needing to be numb only went numb to the knee so had to have general so when I woke up had dead legs for a good 6 hours as it had worked by then. luckily no sickness etc from any of it and I just felt tired...you will be fine if I can give it a go anyone can x

First the anaesthetist will probably tell you to sit and to lean forward so that your spine is as curved as possible. . this, I think is to make the space between vertebra as big as possible.  then he will insert a very thin needle into the space between two vertebra.    You may then feel some heat in your legs before feeling begins to disappear.  Does it hurt?  A bit . . unpleasant more than hurt I would say . . He took two attempts to get mine in.  Ten years ago I had an epidural and it hurt a lot more than the modern ones, which they now seem to call intradural (at least over here in spain)  the needle is now much finer than it was . . Then your legs will be totally dead to the world, and they'll put a screen up so you don;t see what is going on (thank heavens) but you do hear it all!  No, it is not awful.  The after effects vary from person to person. be careful not to sit up too soon after as it can lead to headaches . . Don't worry about this aspect of the op!

 

I cannot even remember having mine done! I was given a sedative first, in the hand - the next thing I remember is being woken up in the recovery area! That night I felt my back, & there was the tell-tale plaster, but how/when they did it, is all a mystery to me!

I had an epidural, and the only thing that made me jump was the freezing spray to steralise the area, rather like the ice water bucket challenge.  Once they have given the injection they move fast to swing you round into a flat position as your legs stop working, then the cathyter (which you don't feel).

  Up to you if you stay awake or not, I chose not to as I think it makes it more relaxing for the surgical team not to be on their guard all the time.  I occasionally came to and My Anasthetist said, 'hello' and then, 'goodbye' and I was gone again!  No side effects at all and gives the general pain medication time to kick in before the numbness wears off.  It really really doesn't hurt at all, it is by far the best way to go and it has now been proven to aid in general recovery, so please don't worry.