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THR - general anaesthetic or spinal

Posted , 7 users are following.

mightymilo
mightymilo

Hi there lovely peeps,

.

It's been almost a year since I was originally scheduled to have my first (right-side) replaced and 2 failed pre-ops and coronavirus delay. I shall finally be having surgery on 11 November pending a negative coronavirus test. I am really frightened of the procedure and was hoping to get any views as to whether I should have a spinal injection or general anaesthetic. Please can you take just a minute to let me know which you might recommend or your experience?

.

Thank you for your time 😃

0 likes, 19 replies

19 Replies

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  • ptolemy
    ptolemy mightymilo

    Posted

    I would really recommend a spinal. I have had three, two for hip replacements. I think they are a wonderful idea. You can be sedated to different levels, some like to know nothing is happening, some like to listen to music and have a light sedation or you can have none at all like me, I wanted to know what was going on! You wake up afterwards and have a cup of tea and a sandwich, while with a General you really need a while to get over it.

    • mightymilo
      mightymilo ptolemy

      Posted

      If you were selling something Ptolemy, I'd buy it! It's nice getting that sort of reply from a patient rather than a professional. When I first heard that it may be done under a spinal, I nearly died. My blood pressure rose that high, which was the main reason for failing the initial pre-op. I feel much better now. Thank you!

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy mightymilo

      Posted

      I am sure you won't regret it. I am not sure how much of a salesman I am though!!

  • ruth39320
    ruth39320 mightymilo

    Posted

    hi mightymilo

    just like ptolemy i have had two hips ( 3 weeks post 2nd hip op) and a knee i agree go with spinal . its strange when you awake from sedation not feeling your legs but the feeling soon comes back, also it is safer than a general and i do like the way you are back on it straight away .. your not feeling sickly or away with the daisies and eating and drinking straight away.

    **********self isolate for 2 weeks then you will get negative covid , you will be fine, ok its uncomfortable at first but the original pain is gone straight away

    you must listen to your body and if it wants rest then allow it, the other day i got up had breakfast felt really tired so went back to bed for 2 hours.

    all in all i have no regrets .

    you will be fine and every day post op is a bonus! do your exercises and walk

    i wish you much luck it will enrich your life!

    • mightymilo
      mightymilo ruth39320

      Posted

      Thank you so much for the kind words Ruth! I'm sold on the idea and feel much better about having a spinal now that I've heard it from you too. I'm honestly grateful to be having the first one done in 3 weeks from now. Do you have any idea how soon they may do my other side after having the first side done?

      .

      Please stay in touch and I'll let you know how it went once I'm back home afterwards. I really cannot wait to be able to walk again without wobbling along and being totally reliant on my crutches.

      .

      Take care 😃

  • dale94413
    dale94413 mightymilo

    Edited

    It was the best sleep I've ever had. When I woke up I told the anaesthetist I loved him, it was so good to be pain free.

    • mightymilo
      mightymilo dale94413

      Posted

      I can't wait Dale! It's been almost 2 years of waiting. I will also love whoever takes my pain away that I love them - haha

  • HLMUK
    HLMUK mightymilo

    Edited

    Hi Milo, like all of the others, spinal is the way to go, they sedate you as much as you want, I went for the 'quadruple gin and tonic option' out for the count, goodnight Vienna, although I did wake up with the second hip but they obviously gave me something else. If you suffer low blood pressure after, like I did, they may keep you in bed longer, but they will have you up as soon as possible and kick you out next day if they can, which I found a good thing with the latest one, I was in for3 nights with my first, different surgeons, different hospitals I guess. keep us updated, you will be fine

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy HLMUK

      Edited

      I did not have sedation and I heard them a bit worried saying 49 and then slowly getting up to 60, when there was a sigh of relief all round. That must have been my blood pressure being low. I suffer from low blood pressure anyway. There was also a bit where there was a lot of banging and then the surgeon said "look at that solid as a rock." I assume that was good news.

    • mightymilo
      mightymilo HLMUK

      Posted

      Hi HLM,

      .

      Thanks for your recommendation. I honestly don't mind when they kick me out of bed. I do dread getting up my 2 flights of stairs when I get home, but I'm really happy that this is the start of getting my "old" self back. I hope my recovery is quick so that I don't have to wait too long to have the left side replaced. Please stay in touch.

    • HLMUK
      HLMUK mightymilo

      Posted

      hi Milo, quick words of advice, if you can try and get hold of a spare crutch if you don't already have one, it will be so helpful as you can leave one at the bottom of the stairs when you walk up and one at the top to get around upstairs. Also cut your toe nails as short as possible before the day of surgery as you won't be able to reach the boogers for a good 4 weeks or so 😀

    • mightymilo
      mightymilo HLMUK

      Posted

      Thanks for the tips HLMUK

      .

      I already have 2 sets of crutches for that reason. Not worried about the toe nails because that's a given. What I am worried about, is will I definitely be able to reach them at some point. I was to,d that after the surgery, that I would never be able to put my own socks on or reach that low. I was most put out by that as I'm sure you can well imagine!

    • HLMUK
      HLMUK mightymilo

      Posted

      Hiya! Can you cut your nails and tie your laces now, or could you before the hip deteriorated? Is so, you really should not have any problems. I found sitting a couple of stairs up to do both helped after 4 weeks or so, and I advised others to do the same once ok from consultant so really 6 weeks, but I got impatient second time round. It gets easier as you exercise, you also loosen up a little, so don't push it, wait until it feels OK

    • mightymilo
      mightymilo HLMUK

      Posted

      I can cut and tie now, so that's amazing news, thank you. I work from home at the moment because of COVID. Any estimate idea how soon I'll be able to do that again?

      .

      Really appreciate your help 😃

    • HLMUK
      HLMUK mightymilo

      Posted

      Hiya, I could tie laces around 4 to 5 weeks both times, although 1st one I waited for consultant 6 week check up before trying the nails, this time 4 ish weeks. I think when people first speak to their surgeon, they only hear so much and the fact that they tell you no this, that and the other, they take it as read but what you don't always hear is for 6 weeks, or in 12 weeks in some cases you will have restrictions. Cutting nails on the stairs winds my husband up no end as he walks around barefoot, and I always miss one 🤣, I think it may be akin to treading on lego, during the summer I cut them outside and he's happier then

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