New Surgical Pain Control: ON-Q

Dear Hyster Sisters:

I've been reading another thread in the Pre-Op section about waking from general anesthesia https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...0&pagenumber=1 and a contribution was made to that thread about a new surgical pain control system: ON-Q. I thought it was important enough to start this new thread with a new subject line in the Pre-Op section since this is a separate subject from waking up from general anesthesia.

Has anyone used this new pain relief system? How was it? Where did you learn about it?

More information may be obtained at the link:
http://www.askyoursurgeon.com/onqsolution.php

The December 2003, issue of Reader's Digest has an article on "Life Without Pain," and also briefly mentions the ON-Q pain relief system.

You may wish to discuss this with your surgeon. Many hospitals around the nation are already using the ON-Q system.

May you have an uneventful (and painless) surgery and recovery.


Aloha

Here are some additonal articles about the ON-Q pain relief system:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/...-05-pain_x.htm

http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/painrelbalaf.html

http://www.ahsmidwest.org/todaysNews.asp?ID=677


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald...th/4949910.htm

I used the ON-Q and would recommend it to everyone!! I found out about it by searching the web. I was also fortunate enough to have an open-minded doctor who was willing to do some research herself and to give me a chance to try something new.
It never hurts to ask your doctor. Although I have a medically savvy doctor, there are a lot of ol' fuddy-duddys who won't travel off the beaten path to try something new.
It is our body and we do have a say as to what goes into it!!
The only person who won't be excited about it is the anesthesiologist because he won't make any money off attaching it. They get paid to connect the PCA pumps and because the surgeon attaches the ON-Q, the Anesthesiologist doesn't get paid for it. I had a rather nasty Anesthesiologist who laughed at me and told me that I would be begging him for post-op drugs but I got the last laugh- I never had any and to this day haven't needed any.
The benefits far outweigh the negatives and because the medication (marcaine) in the ON-Q is a local anesthetic and not systemic like the opioids, you don't have any of the bad side effects.
I know of only one other person here who has used the ON-Q. Valpal has also said she used it too.

Here's a link to valpal's thread about ON-Q:

https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...hreadid=103168

Sounds like a great option for those who are able to use it.

-Linda

OH this is so cool. I just checked out the second link in the first post and was looking through the site. And found the section where you can check which hospitals use it. And my hospital is listed I can't wait to ask my doc about this. I really really hope he lets me used this method. I swear I'm allergic to pain.

Thank you so much for posting about this. Reading about this option makes me feel so much better. Waking up in pain is one of my biggest concerns, 2nd only to not waking up at all.

's to ALL

Hi Ladies, Valpal here, it was so funny to see my name mentioned!!!!!

I have been trying to get the word out on this since my surgery in May. It is such a cool thing. If, after you have read all those posts and researched all those sites , you still have questions about this device (not that I am an expert) please feel free to contact me personally......or here. I think everyone who is having an abdominal surgery should have the opportunity to have this type of pain management. I just can't say enough about it.

Val

(((Linda, aka Suferbabe))):

Is there anyway this subject matter can be posted in the PRE-OP ARTICLES section so that LIW can at least be informed about the ON-Q pain relief as an option? Otherwise, finding it is a hit or miss mission while searching through the discussions.

I did not find Hyster Sisters until after my hysterectomy and while I did not have any pain after the surgery, I would have liked to have known about the option.


Aloha