D&C Local anesthesia or general?? HELP!

[CheriWasHere]

I am afraid the local won't be enough for me.  I know they sedate you, but how good?  Remember, I don't even like pap smears!   However, the general, being put totally out scares me to death and I heard you have to swallow a breathing tube???   Which one is better?  Give me some input on your experiences.  Thanks much!

[wanting4#1]

hi!

i had a blighted ovum with my first pregnancy (almost 3 years ago) and I was an emotional wreck!  They sent me home with  medication to help induce the m/c (I was given the option of waiting naturally, but couldn't mentally go through that....I had enough ultrasounds done to know that there was nothing there)...the medication didn't work and I still had to do the D&C.

I'm not going to lie to you....emotionally, it was the worst thing that I have ever experienced.  It was; however, a 'real' surgery and only receiving a local was never an option, nor would I want it to be!  I needed the drugs for anxiety beforehand, but I wouldn't have wanted to have any knowledge of what was happening!  That's my personal thoughts about it!

I am sorry that you are having to go through this, but I strongly encourage you to do whatever you need to do to deal with your emotional side (the physical aspect is really not a huge factor....I recovered in a day or two)!

Good luck and I'll keep you in my prayers!

[Suzie0224]

I have had 5 d&c's and all were done with a general and no breathing tube.  My  understanding was that letting nature take its  course could be tricky because there was no gaurantee that all the tissue would be removed which could cause further issues.  The hardest for me was the emotional issue.  The rest was fine.  

[CheriWasHere]

Hi girls :)
Thanks for all your great comments! :)  Yvette I do agree with you that I'd have to be put under! 100% true!!!  
OK I JUST called the OB office to get the results of my HCG.  And they dropped from 49,861 to 29,180!!    You know what? I MADE them take this blood test and went in at night to have it done.  I had 3 blood tests done 4 counting this one.  The SECOND one they took was the 49,861.  And when I called to get the results of the THIRD test..they gave me the same exact number again!  I told them a couple times that no, that was my second reading, but they said that is all they have written on my charts!!!  AND this is WHY they THOUGHT my hcg levels were soo high..when actually they were NOT!!  And what irritates me is that the OB didn't even want me to check them again!!??  What is up with that?   Anyhow, the nurse said the doctor wasn't in right now, but she will definately show him the new results when he gets in.  She was also surprised!  She said he MIGHT let me try to pass it naturally or take the methotrexate pill to hurry it along!  Either way it gives me some TIME.    I Just hope if I do decide to try to pass it myself..that I am not in much pain.. because then I will be yelling at myself for not getting the D&C. LOL  I told my hubby that and he said, "yeh, that sounds like you"! hee hee!  Anyhow..now I have to wait for the doctor to call me back and I need to grab a bite to eat!!  You guys really helped ease my mind a little about getting a D&C and I thank you for that.  For now I just keep praying that it will out work out and that I will be okay.   This whole situation has made me want to start going to church again..funny,cuz they do say, things happen for a reason.  :)  Your all great, thanks much!  I will keep you updated of course.  

[YvetteY]

By the way, not sure where you got the term local anesthesia or if you are 100% sure of what it is....it's not quite the same as a twiglight sleep (although with that you're pretty much out too)..  

Local anethesia is a way to make an area to the body free from pain without affecting consciousness

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_anesthesia


General anesthesia....is a another way, but you are unconscious.  

[YvetteY]

By the way ...did you look into having methotrexate instead of D&C????   Is that a possibility with you???   With methotrexate they give you a shot in the arm.   It hurts for a little while and at most you might need a second shot.   After you get this your hcg levels will be monitored until they get to zero.   It's done in the doctors office and you don't even have to drop your drawers.


Also if you let it happen naturally , it may take a while, but it will happen.  I'm not sure how gung ho you are about TTC immediately again.   You will eventually miscarry, though it may take some time.

[YvetteY]

Cheri...I told you yesterday in my last post, let them knock you out all the way.   You wouldn't want a local anesthetic.....you can't handle a pap smear...You certainly won't want to be looking at your self in stirrups and they put a speculum which is probably bigger than the one for pap smears.  Then you get the local anesthetic in the form of shots in your cervix...and you get to watch this the whole time.   I dont' know you but I do know you can't handle the local method.

For general they will put in a little IV in your vein, it hurts for a split second.  Then they will wheel you into the OR.   Then they will say bye bye Cherie and before you have a chance to check out your surrounding you will be out and won't remember ANYTHING until you wake up.    

You are out for about 15 to 20 minutes maxium during this procedure and you won't have any idea what's going on with your coochie, becaue they will position you and do what not when you're under.  

Based on your anxiety and what not you'd have to go under and with that I mean general.   You will be out really good.  

[usuk]

I promise you'll be fine either way. I do not remember having a tube. I think they called it twilight. But with twilight you do not need a tube. Anyway i was out cold. Just make sure everyone knows that you are nervous. It is better for them to know and keep an eye on you and treat you well then for you to pretend you are cool with all this. HUGS.

[oceanv]

Hi,
Well, I had brown spotting / discharge for about 4 days which prompted my first u/s.
I have to say I never had my hcg levels taken cause for some reason none of my Doctors do that???  In regards to symptoms or lack of: I also (to this day - 22 weeks on Thursday) have not exactly been inundated with pregnancy symptoms. I never really did have morning sickness - heaches - fatigue (still don't) - dry heaved once -  the only thing I had was boobs/nipple probs from hell.  My sister also never really had m/s or anything.... its prob in our genes.

Your Doctor seems a bit extreme, but really you have to go with what you can handle. If it were me and I'd decided i was not going to try again I would give this pregnancy the longest time possible for it to sort itself out.  Of course if you start feeling off - feverish - then you probably should get yourself to the hosptial for a d & c. I know most b/o's ARE b/o's  but some aren't. When I was speaking to my elective gender u/s tech and told her about my disaster u/s she just shook her head and said i wonder how many women go ahead with a fast d & c and it was just too early.... luckily I live in Canada and my medical system doesn't seem to be in rush to spend money they don't have to so there really wasn't a big push for me to have a d & c but it seems in the usa the doctors are very quick to recommend d & c's (just my opinion from reading posts).

Anyway, only you can decide what you want to do. I can tell you I didn't feel any dif before my b/o diagnosis or after. Symptoms were the same just a dif. outlook on my pregnancy, fortunately for me I only had to wait 10 days for the 2nd u/s that reversed the b/o diag. Good Luck,
Joanne

[adgal]

Well, if your HCG levels are that high it can take quite some time for things to happen naturally. One of my losses was a missed at 8 weeks and I was still not showing any signs of miscarrying naturally.  My levels had started to drop, and still nothing on ultrasound, so I opted for D&C as I did not want to wait it out. Now, it turning to cancer is something new for me.  I have never ever heard that before.  I know that can be the case with a molar pregnancy, but that's not the case here is it?  That just doesn't sound right to me at all.  However, I am certainly no Dr.  Also, just because your HCG levels are high doesn't mean you are necessarily going to be sick...everyone is different.  I find his comments a bit odd.  Anyway, please let us know how you are doing, and as always, your in my thoughts.  XO  Amanda

[CheriWasHere]

I was told my hcg levels were high and that is why they want me to get the D&C.  I don't exactly know the reasoning behind it, but the ob did say that if I tried to pass it  naturally it could take up to 50 days???  I was also told it could develop into cancer if I let it take that long.   A part of me wants to get another ultrasound just because of the rising hcg levels.     I have had on and off brown/sometimes light pink spotting for a week now, so I know that isn't good.  The ob also said that I should be feeling really sick because of the hcg levels..however I do NOT feel sick and I told him this, and he just said, Oh, your lucky then!  I went last night to get my hcg levels checked AGAIN cuz I wanted to see if they've gone down.  If they did, that would ease my mind.   I won't get the results until after 10am today.  Some say to wait a week or two, and to get another ultrasound, and some say just to get the procedure done.   I guess I will know a little bit more once these numbers come back.  Thanks for your support :)

[CheriWasHere]

Thanks u guys..I'm trying to be strong.  I have never had any surgeries and I am just so scared. :(    I need all the positive feedback I can get!  (((((((Thank You)))))))!!!!!

[oceanv]

Is waiting for nature to takes it course totally out of the question? I know mentally that being told you have a BO and all the waiting can make a person crazy, but I was never that crazy about the medical intervention myself.  Could you give it a couple of weeks?
Good Luck whatever you decide,
Joanne
ps. i was told i had a b.o. and that i'd miscarry so i do understand the need to get it over with, fortunately on my next u/s there was a baby with a h/b so i never did miscarry (knock on wood)

[adgal]

My experience has been the same as Dainseys.  I don't even remember getting to count, it was so quick.  I had a breathing tube, but it was inserted after I was out.  I don't have any recollection of it, I just know I had it because my throat was a bit scratchy, and when I asked why, they told me.  I have never had any complications or anything, and I know I wasn't out very long.   You will be fine, I promise.  XOXO

[dainsey]

I've had 3 D&C's and seriously, they were nothing....All you will remember is starting to count to 10 but I never get past 1 or 2 :0)  I don't think they always use a breathing tube, from what I thought, it was for longer surgeries.  My OB told me the actual surgery is a few minutes and it takes way longer to prep you than to do the procedure.  It's so incredibly safe, you'll be ok!!