advice please

[pengi07]

hi all could anyone give me any advice i have had RA for a few years now and find it very awkward to sit or lie still my question is i am having ablation done on my heart i heard it takes a few hours and they only give you a local so your awake the whole time and you have to lie very still on your back while they go to your heart through your groin i was wondering if anyone knows if they would put me to sleep to do it as i said i cant lie still more than 5 mins for the pain i live in the uk thanks all.

[Babs_theOT]

Hi  I had an ablation done when I was 15 for Wolffe-Parkinsons Whyte syndrome and it certainly did take a few hours.  I was given locals and sedatives but was still able to move throughout.  I was originally told I may sleep throughout.  Try staying awake so the combination of tiredness and sedatives make you sleep throughout.  I was told I had to have only a local but I have forgot why exactly.  I would discuss with your surgeon and your rheumatologist your analgesia to see what they can do.  Also mention to your surgeon your discomfort when lying in one position to see if there is anything other than the operating table you can lie on.  also don't worry too much about staying too still.  I was 15 and a very restless teenager and managed it!

Good luck!

[carolanivey]

Oh, and Mom's doing great. Only six days since her surgery and she's almost off painkillers and I'm cracking the whip over her to do her therapy exercises three times a day. She's a good patient but sometimes she narrows those eyes at me. LOL

[carolanivey]

Ah, that makes sense. I hope they get it under control so you can have your surgery.

I've done extremely well with my hip replacements, thanks for asking! I had my first one at age 37 and had put it off way too long b/c I was scared of it. I shouldn't have waited! In fact I've done so well I wore the plastic socket liner of the left one out and had a new one popped in last year. True, there are a few things I'm not supposed to do, like run, high impact exercise, heavy lifting, but it's still a vast improvement in quality of life. Before the replacements, I couldn't sit, stand, lie down or even walk across a room without extreme pain. Now I can get out and hike a few miles with no problems, get through a normal day without thinking about my hips. It's been pretty nice. :)

Hip no. 2 was done 3 years later at age 40; I'm now 51 and like I said, just had the socket liner replaced in the first one. Xrays show the second hip implant is doing extremely well. But when and if it does wear out I'll have it fixed with no hesitation. They're coming out with new technology all the time - in fact I just saw a commercial this week showing a hip implant with the patient RUNNING. How awesome would that be? I don't know if I'd be a candidate for the implant, but it's amazing what they're developing for future patients!

[pengi07]

sorry i only just seen your reply oh do wish your mum well for me and i wish her a speedy recovery. i see on your reply you had hip replacements did everything go well for you thank goodness my hips are fine its more my knees shoulders and elbows. i think your really brave i would be so scared of hip replacement saying that im scared of my shoulders LOL but as i said they wont do it for me untill my heart abnormality is sorted out because of putting me to sleep. i take it your name is carol mine is carol and im 53 take care and look after yourself .

[carolanivey]

Oh wow, my Mom just had shoulder surgery this week - not a replacement, but they repaired her rotator cuff tear and smoothed out some damage from osteoarthritis. Whew, I'll take my hip replacements any day over shoulder surgery! :)

My father had a heart catheratization where they go in through the vein in the groin to inject dye near the heart to see which arteries are blocked. He was awake with a mild sedative. He said he remembers being awake and aware but basically didn't care. :)  I hope everything goes well for you!

[pengi07]

hi thank you for the advice i know it was an awkward question to ask i think i will have a talk with my rhumatoligist about it. i am allso waiting for a shoulder replacement but they wont put me to sleep untill my heart is sorted out its catch 22 i think. thanks again  and take care.

[carolanivey]

I think that at there very least, they give you a sedative so you'll relax. I've had joint surgeries done on locals with a sedative and if I do stay awake I rarely remember anything. :) If you have any concerns, call the doctor's office. I'm sure they're experienced at easing patients' worries about the procedure. Good luck!