Anyone had open surgery with a spinal? Tell me ALL about it!!!

I have my surgery scheduled for next Friday - OMG I'm getting SCAAAARED!!!!

Anyway, they're doing an open incision because the dermoid is big. I talked to my doctor and told her I did NOT want general anesthesia. She said that's just fine, she'll give me a spinal and sedate me with something in the valium family.

So, I have some questions. Do they do the spinal before sedating you? She also said they'll put morphine in the spinal for pain control afterwards. Is that normal?

About being sedated; will I just be really groggy and fall asleep leisurely or is it that feeling of 10..9..8...asleep? I know that's a weird question but I hate that feeling of my body just being forced to go to sleep. I had that when my wisdom teeth were removed and it was scary.:( I tried to stay awake, but I just went BOOM, to sleep with no warning!

Anything else you know about surgery with a spinal and sedation I wanna know!!!!!:-)

Thanks,
Becky

[momtocole]

Thank you! So, the IV meds don't just completely knock you out, they just make you groggy and out of it????? Is it a happy feeling? That's what I'm hoping for! *lol*

Becky

[LitDoc]

The IV meds made you groggy first, then you are 'out' in the sense that you're unaware of what's going on around you. You may have some vague memory later of being asked if you're doing OK in the operating room, but nothing further. You'll be good.

[momtocole]

One more question; will they give me pills to sedate me or is it an IV or a shot???

Becky

[RavenLady]

Hi Becky, I had laparotomy in November and had the seditive with the epidural.  I don't recall the actual epdural part at all.  The sleep part was gradual, not 3.2.1, your out so worry not!  I actually had it two days in a row as I sprung a leak, so to speak, in the shower just hours before I could have gone home.  Had to stay an extra couple of days but so glad I had the seditive/epidural rather than the general.  The only thing I recall from the OR was the second surgery when the Surgery team sat me up to try to find the source of the bleeding and only vaguely recall that.  The seditive/epidural is way superior to the general anesthetic!  I have had that and all I can say is, "don't go there unless there is some prevailing reason you must"!  Having to heave after open abdoinal surgery is the worst!  Been there done that!  Never again!  There is an alternative and glad you are a candidate for it!  I will never have general again given a choice!  You are so lucky!  I was~!  MV

[LitDoc]

PS: Yes, the morphine in the spinal is what keeps you pain free afterwards. There is a natural barrier which prevents it from going into your brain; all the morphine does is take away lower body pain.

[LitDoc]

Absolutely for the spinal! I think there's some confusion about what type of spinal anesthesia is given for a vertical incision.

Actually, it's not an epidural like the one given for childbirth or a C-section. Instead, your spinal anesthesia will keep your lower body pain free for up to 48 hours. At the same time the anesthesiologist ALSO will keep you sedated with IV meds, so you are completely unaware of anything going on in the OR. In other words, you are NOT awake!

When you are in the pre-op area, the nurse will start an IV in the back of your hand, and then the anesthesiologist will come in to talk to you. Something in the IV will make you very fuzzy and drowsy; when the anesthesiologist pricks you lightly in the back, you'll hardly be aware of it. Then you're rolled into the OR -- but you're already off in la-la land and don't know what's going on.

This is the type of anesthesia I had, and I would recommend it for several reasons:

-- As mentioned above, it avoids the need for pain meds for the first 48 hours after surgery. By the time the spinal wears off, you have already started to heal and the pain is less intense. In my case it was beautifully controlld with a few Darvocet over a period of three days. By the way, your lower body is NOT numb, and you can move about in your bed normally.

-- You do not have to be intubated with the anesthesia thinggy. This means no sore throat upon awakening.

-- The painful shoulders so many women speak about on this site are apparently associated with a certain type of general anesthesia. If you choose the spinal, you won't have thos post-op shoulder pains adding to your general misery.

-- Since you have not had what is commonly known as a general anesthesia, you won't be nauseated when you wake up, and can have juice, soda, whatever you want just about immediately. The first thing I did when I emerged from sedation was to ask for a Sprite, and they brought it to me directly. Another woman in the recovery area saw this and also asked for something to drink; they told her she had to wait because she'd had a different type of anesthesia.

My experience with the spinal was so overwhelmingly positive, that I hope everyone having a vertical incision will consider it. Again, the patients does NOT know what goes on in the operating room, and has no memory of it afterwards. The spinal does NOT hurt!

Best of luck!
Annette

[momtocole]

Thank you! I feel alot better now!

Becky