Epidural or to be put to sleep is the million dollar question!

Hi Ninette,
I am a nurse & had an epidural with my 2nd c-section pro's where had DH there for distraction as well as once baby was born had her to distract me but then they were both out of the room & there I was under the curtain with no more distractions and feeling very nervous and almost claustrophobic since both arms are tied down your body is unmoveable from the chest down and while they were working inside me I felt a lot of tugging and pulling which made me very nauseated. I got to hear everything around me and the DR/nurses talking so had to hear everytime they needed an instrument or something else.

Though I was gratefull I was awake for the birth I would have gladly been asleep after Since I don't have those great distractions & DH at my side for the hysterectomy I definetly prefer being completely out. Just give me my wonder drug and wake me in the morning

ps it's usually a 2-3 hour surgery bearing no complications so you also need to ask yourself if you can lay there that long without being able to move? I know I can't.

Hope this helps with your decision. Good luck to you

Hi there

I had both a general anesthetic and an epidural. I had a "twilight general", so I was totally asleep and unaware of anything going on. There is no way I wanted to see or hear anything. I had the epidural for 48 hours post op as pain management. Both worked wonderfully for me. I have other medical conditions and the doctor suggested the epidural as being the best option post op. I decided to trust him and I am so glad I did. I had the numbness from the epidural, but I could deal with that. I was totally lucid in recovery and had visitors for 2 hours after going to my room (although I was nodding off every 5 minutes).

The whole surgery and recovery was a very positive experience for me and I truly feel that it was because I got through the first 24 hours pain free totally. After the epidural was removed, the pain was totally "doable" with panadol (our equivalent of your tylenol I believe).

You really need to discuss all options with your doctor and go for what you are totally comfortable with and what you and your doctor agree on. I didn't get the spinal headache with the epidural, but some ladies do.

I hope this has helped somewhat.

All the very best wishes for your surgery and recovery.

Hugs and regards

Personal preference: I want to be COMPLETELY unaware of what is going on! KNOCK me out, PLEASE! LOL!

CJ

I have had 3 c sections all with spinal blocks and been awake for them. I have to say that especially with the last one, where I had a tubal performed after the birth and the one person that posted before talking about the tugging and stuff while they performed the section brought back horrible memories! lol. Its very nerve wracking to lay there and not be able to move with a screen about an inch from your face while you feel them tugging and pulling on you. Its not that you actually feel it feel it, but it rolls you a bit and moves you around on the table and you feel that.
They gave me the choice at my pre op and I said please knock me out! The anesthesia doc was very glad I chose that, as having you awake for the procedure can make things not only more uncomfortable for you, but for them as well. If you have a big aversion to being asleep for the procedure then that might be a different story. But if your at all claustrophobic have them put you out!

They do theirs under general anaesthesia. They usually only offer the epidural if there are problems with the patient tolerating anaesthesia, for example, if they have pulmonary or cardiac problems.

so for me, I decided that's fine. I want to be asleep!! Wake me up when it's over, ya know??

I'm not sure if I have a choice - I believe general is the way my doc does it. However, I am going to request an epidural for post-op pain control.

This wasn't my original post - but thank you to everyone who replied. I was making myself stressed out over ths. Since reading the replies I know that I want to be *out*. I am the biggest chicken to be put under. but when I wake up the surgery will be over and i will be on my way to recovery.
thanks again.

I was told that one of the benefits of having an epidural for surgery (whether you have sedation or light anesthesia like I did) is that it can be left in for pain control and if your body doesn't experience the 'big' pain for a couple of days then when they take the epidural out it may never kick in. Worked for me.

Joselle

Hi Ninette,
In my case I was afraid of general because I had a previous experience of for three days after and I wanted to be sure this time I wouldn't have as great as a chance for that with a belly full of stitches. I had planed to have an epidural but I ended up having both a spinal and epidural. (one stick only)

With general, they sedate you so you don't experience the sensations when they administer the drug that paralyzes you, which is why you need intubation (tube in throat). If that's not enough to make you sick, often times they need to administer other meds, post-op, to "re-start" the digestive track, antibiotics to combat infection or irritation from the intuabtion tube, and of course, the nausea, and vomiting.... Not what you want with an abdominal incision! Although if general is the only choice allowed such as in laporoscopic procedures due to the gas or dr's choice, there are meds to control that such as zofran. Here's a link about nausea. https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...ghlight=nausea

The sedation (no tube in throat) used with a regional is different from the sedation used for general. And with a regional, the level of sedation can be varied (light--just relaxed, medium-groggy, heavy--sleep through it all).
If you do opt for an epidural it can be left in for 24 hours post op pain. I wasn't sure if I could tolerate a PCA morophine pump. (nausea, fogginess, etc) I wasn't concerned about morphine in an epidural/spinal because it doesn't have the same circulation--effects are limited to nerve-endings in lower portion of body and drug does not cross brain/blood barrier. You can read my story at the www house link below.
Here are some additional links that can help.

https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...pidural+or+pca


https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...light=sedation
https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...ghlight=spinal

Hi Liatris52

NO they can not do anything other than what the surgical permit is for. The doc will explain what he's going to do. You will see it printed on the permit, and that is what they agree to do. Nothing more unless it's an emergency or written on the permit for example:

Total Abdominal Hysterectomy with possible BSO. That way they can do the hyste, and if things are bad with your overies, they can go ahead and remove one or both.

Be sure to discuss any questions regarding the permit with your doc or his/her nurse. The epi/anesthesia, is really the anesthelogists bag, not your surgeons. It's the choice made between you and your gas man.

Melissa