Aa
Surgery yesterday!
So yesterday I had my permanent occipital nerve stimulator implanted! yay!! and ouch!
The surgery went well… there were a few unpleasant surprises but I made it through all right.
Fist person I met was the anesthesiologist and he was very arrogant and rude! I was told that my battery back was going to be put under my collar bone and that was what I had prepared myself for (I don’t do so well with change) and he was trying to convince me and my doctor to put it in my back… just because it would be easier from his stand point because they wouldn’t have to flip me. The PA was in there at this time and after he left she told me I could talk it over with my doctor and that if I wanted it under my collar bone that is where they would put it… she was awesome she made sure I got what I wanted. When I walked into the OR and the anesthesiologist found out that we were putting it in the front he got mad.
I knew the first part of my surgery was supposed to be like my last one and I would be awake so I could tell them where I was feeling the stimulation but the last thing I remember was laying down on the table helping them arrange all my tubes and lines and then the next thing I know they are trying to wake me up so I can tell them where I was feeling the stimulation…. which it was nice cause then I wasn’t in pain, but isn’t it just common curtsey for them to tell you they are slipping you some drugs especially if the are basically going to knock you out completely?? I was so shocked and confused!!
Then after I got to recovery as soon as I started to wake up I realized I had to pee… and bad! So I told the nurse and she brought me a bed pan…. but no matter how hard I tried I could not pee! I’m sure it was all psychological because I was laying down, having to use a bed pan and there were a lot of people in the room… but I just couldn’t. So I asked if I could get up to go to the bathroom and the nurse was like after your stimulator is programmed… well that takes a lot of time… and it was a different rep cause mine couldn’t be there. Grrr…. finally I convinced him to just put in one program and then we could work on it more on Thursday. Then two nurses came in and I was like can you please take me to the bathroom?? and one was like well you can’t have to go that bad if you wouldn’t go in the bed pan…. hey I tried!!! It was so frustrating! The other nurse was nice and she was like, honey it’s ok I wouldn’t have been able to go either!
Then apparently they gave me too much lidocaine during surgery and were worried about overdose or something so they came in and did and EKG and then they were like uhh-oo and left the room all quick with my print out… uhhh hello!!!! it’s scary for me when you do that!!! Everything turned out ok and they told me if I had a metallic taste in my mouth or ringing in my ears to go straight to the ER.
Then they other thing they did that really bugged me was I told them right in the beginning that I didn’t want anyone talking to my mom, I didn’t want her back before or after the surgery and that we would pick her up from the waiting room on our way out…. they didn’t listen my dr went and talked to her… isn’t that a violation of HIPPA?? My mom is super anxious and is not used to medical stuff and takes everything they tell her to the worst place…. I then had to deal with her anxiety afterwards which only made me really mad.
But otherwise recovery is going well…. I’m very sore and my incision where the battery pack is they did something weird… they sutured the inner tissues and muscles but not the skin… it’s just held by steri-strips… I guess to help reduce the appearance of a scar? I’m not sure. I have sutures in my head that will have to come out and I have a neck brace that I have to wear… hopefully not for long!!
But so far pain management has been good I have an alarm set on my phone for every 4 hours to take my meds... and the pain is not too bad.
The surgery went well… there were a few unpleasant surprises but I made it through all right.
Fist person I met was the anesthesiologist and he was very arrogant and rude! I was told that my battery back was going to be put under my collar bone and that was what I had prepared myself for (I don’t do so well with change) and he was trying to convince me and my doctor to put it in my back… just because it would be easier from his stand point because they wouldn’t have to flip me. The PA was in there at this time and after he left she told me I could talk it over with my doctor and that if I wanted it under my collar bone that is where they would put it… she was awesome she made sure I got what I wanted. When I walked into the OR and the anesthesiologist found out that we were putting it in the front he got mad.
I knew the first part of my surgery was supposed to be like my last one and I would be awake so I could tell them where I was feeling the stimulation but the last thing I remember was laying down on the table helping them arrange all my tubes and lines and then the next thing I know they are trying to wake me up so I can tell them where I was feeling the stimulation…. which it was nice cause then I wasn’t in pain, but isn’t it just common curtsey for them to tell you they are slipping you some drugs especially if the are basically going to knock you out completely?? I was so shocked and confused!!
Then after I got to recovery as soon as I started to wake up I realized I had to pee… and bad! So I told the nurse and she brought me a bed pan…. but no matter how hard I tried I could not pee! I’m sure it was all psychological because I was laying down, having to use a bed pan and there were a lot of people in the room… but I just couldn’t. So I asked if I could get up to go to the bathroom and the nurse was like after your stimulator is programmed… well that takes a lot of time… and it was a different rep cause mine couldn’t be there. Grrr…. finally I convinced him to just put in one program and then we could work on it more on Thursday. Then two nurses came in and I was like can you please take me to the bathroom?? and one was like well you can’t have to go that bad if you wouldn’t go in the bed pan…. hey I tried!!! It was so frustrating! The other nurse was nice and she was like, honey it’s ok I wouldn’t have been able to go either!
Then apparently they gave me too much lidocaine during surgery and were worried about overdose or something so they came in and did and EKG and then they were like uhh-oo and left the room all quick with my print out… uhhh hello!!!! it’s scary for me when you do that!!! Everything turned out ok and they told me if I had a metallic taste in my mouth or ringing in my ears to go straight to the ER.
Then they other thing they did that really bugged me was I told them right in the beginning that I didn’t want anyone talking to my mom, I didn’t want her back before or after the surgery and that we would pick her up from the waiting room on our way out…. they didn’t listen my dr went and talked to her… isn’t that a violation of HIPPA?? My mom is super anxious and is not used to medical stuff and takes everything they tell her to the worst place…. I then had to deal with her anxiety afterwards which only made me really mad.
But otherwise recovery is going well…. I’m very sore and my incision where the battery pack is they did something weird… they sutured the inner tissues and muscles but not the skin… it’s just held by steri-strips… I guess to help reduce the appearance of a scar? I’m not sure. I have sutures in my head that will have to come out and I have a neck brace that I have to wear… hopefully not for long!!
But so far pain management has been good I have an alarm set on my phone for every 4 hours to take my meds... and the pain is not too bad.
My PM doctor wants me to get this done. Just a few questions:
How long is recovery. I have a desk job. How long do you think I would be out of work.
Can you leave the unit on all the time?
How long did surgery take and was it outpatient?
Thanks for your help
Brenda
How long is recovery. I have a desk job. How long do you think I would be out of work.
Can you leave the unit on all the time?
How long did surgery take and was it outpatient?
Thanks for your help
Brenda
Hi Jeric,
First of all, thank you for the update. I am so glad that the procedure is over for you and pain control has begun.
It is common place for a physician to go to a family member following a surgical procedure and inform them that everything went well. If he told just told your Mom that it was over, you were in recovery (or recovering) and everything went well that is common practice and a courtesy. If he provided her with details or even the nature of the procedure than in my opinion your physician may have violated HIPPA laws, especially if you gave him specific instruction to the contrary. In my state you must sign a form to release or not release any information. The form even covers to whom this information may be relayed and how much may be released.
I am happy to hear that you have such a great PA; one that places the patients needs and desires above convenience for the medical staff. I am sorry that the anesthesiologist appeared more concerned with himself than his patient. As a member of the medical community I hope you know that he is the exception rather than the norm.
I hope you will continue to keep us updated. And I also hope that this procedure will prove to beneficial and effective in controlling your pain. Get some rest and when you are feeling up to it please let us know how you are doing.
Take care, Tuck
First of all, thank you for the update. I am so glad that the procedure is over for you and pain control has begun.
It is common place for a physician to go to a family member following a surgical procedure and inform them that everything went well. If he told just told your Mom that it was over, you were in recovery (or recovering) and everything went well that is common practice and a courtesy. If he provided her with details or even the nature of the procedure than in my opinion your physician may have violated HIPPA laws, especially if you gave him specific instruction to the contrary. In my state you must sign a form to release or not release any information. The form even covers to whom this information may be relayed and how much may be released.
I am happy to hear that you have such a great PA; one that places the patients needs and desires above convenience for the medical staff. I am sorry that the anesthesiologist appeared more concerned with himself than his patient. As a member of the medical community I hope you know that he is the exception rather than the norm.
I hope you will continue to keep us updated. And I also hope that this procedure will prove to beneficial and effective in controlling your pain. Get some rest and when you are feeling up to it please let us know how you are doing.
Take care, Tuck
Hello Jeric:
I'm glad that the surgery went well. I would guess that the Anesthesiologist was giving you suggestions as to where the stimulator would be most comfortable. I would think that the back would be the spot. I have had two friends that have had the implant and they were placed in the back. This is the most common place for placement so I am surprised that you chose the collar.
In regards to the Surgeon talking to your Mom after the surgery was normal practice. Many Surgeons don't have the time to wait around until your ready to leave the recovery room to talk with family members. They are very busy ppl who most likely have another surgery waiting for them. I wouldn't be angry with them at all.
It's hard to tell if the medication they give you is going to knock you out or not. Some ppl require more medication and others less. There is a standard dose given according to your weight and the medical professionals cannot tell if it is going to "knock" you out or not. I suppose they try not to knock you out but sometimes it happens. Be thankful that they gave you enough instead of not giving you enough and letting it hurt like H***.
Over all, it sounds like they did a nice job and I hope the implant works well for you. I have heard good and bad things about the stimulator. Hopefully you are one of the success stories. Take care and good luck in the future.
Molly
I'm glad that the surgery went well. I would guess that the Anesthesiologist was giving you suggestions as to where the stimulator would be most comfortable. I would think that the back would be the spot. I have had two friends that have had the implant and they were placed in the back. This is the most common place for placement so I am surprised that you chose the collar.
In regards to the Surgeon talking to your Mom after the surgery was normal practice. Many Surgeons don't have the time to wait around until your ready to leave the recovery room to talk with family members. They are very busy ppl who most likely have another surgery waiting for them. I wouldn't be angry with them at all.
It's hard to tell if the medication they give you is going to knock you out or not. Some ppl require more medication and others less. There is a standard dose given according to your weight and the medical professionals cannot tell if it is going to "knock" you out or not. I suppose they try not to knock you out but sometimes it happens. Be thankful that they gave you enough instead of not giving you enough and letting it hurt like H***.
Over all, it sounds like they did a nice job and I hope the implant works well for you. I have heard good and bad things about the stimulator. Hopefully you are one of the success stories. Take care and good luck in the future.
Molly
Hi all thanks!
Yeah I realize it's standard practice for them to talk to whomever is with you but I thought since I specifically asked them not to that they would listen... because I had to deal with a VERY anxious mother.... it's fustrating because I needed to be ok, I couldn't be in pain or wobble for just want to lay down because them she would have never left, and I needed her to leave I was stating with a close friend but she was still freaking out and whatever they old her and how they told her really freaked her out... apparently the nurse came out and got her and told her that my doctor wanted to talk to her and then brought her to a small room w/ no windows there was a tabe with a box of kleenex in the middle of the table and then they left her there.... not even telling her that I was ok.... she freaked out because she knows going into this stuff that she will not be coming back nor talking to anyone. And actually my surgery was at 1.... and it was the last one of the day.... so my doctor could have waited to talk to me because now I have no idea what she told my mom because my mom was to freaked out to remember anything other than the fact that I was out of surgery and ok.
Vasue65:
Recovery is 6-8 weeks... but I am attending classes today all ready... the 6-8 weeks is the restrictions like no driving, no lifiting more than 5 pounds) I can't go to work because I work with a little girl with a disability and have to lift and transfer her. But I would think a desk job is ok.. not really any different than me going to class.
Yes, I can have the unit on all the time... currently it is on but VERY low because I'm still too tender to have it on it just causes more pain.
The surgery took 3 hours and was out patient but I arrived at the surgery center at 12pm and left at 6pm.
Molly-
The reason why my doctor wanted to do under the collar bone was because that was what she had seen done with the occipital nerve stimulators because in order to do it in my back she would have to do a lot of tunneling of the wires and would even require more incisions and increase my chance of infection.
But thanks for explaing the anesthesia part to me... perhaps that is what happened since they were so worried about me after.... and my surgery was supposed to be 3 hours long and I didn't wake up til 5.... and I didn't even have general... so maybe I just really reacted to the sedation meds. Which would explain the EKG and them all freaking out... maybe?? I wish they would have told me this! lol
Yeah I realize it's standard practice for them to talk to whomever is with you but I thought since I specifically asked them not to that they would listen... because I had to deal with a VERY anxious mother.... it's fustrating because I needed to be ok, I couldn't be in pain or wobble for just want to lay down because them she would have never left, and I needed her to leave I was stating with a close friend but she was still freaking out and whatever they old her and how they told her really freaked her out... apparently the nurse came out and got her and told her that my doctor wanted to talk to her and then brought her to a small room w/ no windows there was a tabe with a box of kleenex in the middle of the table and then they left her there.... not even telling her that I was ok.... she freaked out because she knows going into this stuff that she will not be coming back nor talking to anyone. And actually my surgery was at 1.... and it was the last one of the day.... so my doctor could have waited to talk to me because now I have no idea what she told my mom because my mom was to freaked out to remember anything other than the fact that I was out of surgery and ok.
Vasue65:
Recovery is 6-8 weeks... but I am attending classes today all ready... the 6-8 weeks is the restrictions like no driving, no lifiting more than 5 pounds) I can't go to work because I work with a little girl with a disability and have to lift and transfer her. But I would think a desk job is ok.. not really any different than me going to class.
Yes, I can have the unit on all the time... currently it is on but VERY low because I'm still too tender to have it on it just causes more pain.
The surgery took 3 hours and was out patient but I arrived at the surgery center at 12pm and left at 6pm.
Molly-
The reason why my doctor wanted to do under the collar bone was because that was what she had seen done with the occipital nerve stimulators because in order to do it in my back she would have to do a lot of tunneling of the wires and would even require more incisions and increase my chance of infection.
But thanks for explaing the anesthesia part to me... perhaps that is what happened since they were so worried about me after.... and my surgery was supposed to be 3 hours long and I didn't wake up til 5.... and I didn't even have general... so maybe I just really reacted to the sedation meds. Which would explain the EKG and them all freaking out... maybe?? I wish they would have told me this! lol
Well I went into day to to have my bandages checked.
She ended up adding one bandage over an old one because it was coming off and changing the one where my battery back is completly... and of course since it my my doctor and not the PA I ended up with huge bandages... oh well they will come off next week. :)
I asked her how long I should be taking the pain meds... I'm been taking 1 pill every 4 hours (I could take 2 but I'm barely staying awake on 1 and the pain is tolerable) Anyways I asked because I was going to be out by Saturday morning... she said I should probably keep taking them for another week. She also said that it was good that I was taking them on a schedule of every 4 hours because then it is easier to control the pain than if I just waited for the pain to start to really bother me... she suggested this weekend that I move to every 5 hours and 6 and 8.... and then from there see how it's going. So she gave me a new prescription and I went to fill it but then I ran into all sorts of problems with insurance because I had the same script filled only a few days ago and they were refusing to pay... but my pharmacist worked it all out and had a discount card I could use... so I only ended up paying 4 dollars more. :)
And the news I was most waiting for.... the collar.... I need to wear it for...... 4 weeks! :S This will be fun! :S
She ended up adding one bandage over an old one because it was coming off and changing the one where my battery back is completly... and of course since it my my doctor and not the PA I ended up with huge bandages... oh well they will come off next week. :)
I asked her how long I should be taking the pain meds... I'm been taking 1 pill every 4 hours (I could take 2 but I'm barely staying awake on 1 and the pain is tolerable) Anyways I asked because I was going to be out by Saturday morning... she said I should probably keep taking them for another week. She also said that it was good that I was taking them on a schedule of every 4 hours because then it is easier to control the pain than if I just waited for the pain to start to really bother me... she suggested this weekend that I move to every 5 hours and 6 and 8.... and then from there see how it's going. So she gave me a new prescription and I went to fill it but then I ran into all sorts of problems with insurance because I had the same script filled only a few days ago and they were refusing to pay... but my pharmacist worked it all out and had a discount card I could use... so I only ended up paying 4 dollars more. :)
And the news I was most waiting for.... the collar.... I need to wear it for...... 4 weeks! :S This will be fun! :S
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