24 hour melt down over the spinal

I talked it over with my mom and she says when I talk about surgery with a general she can tell that I am calm about it, but she can hear the fear in my voice with the spinal and she doesn't think it is the right choice for me. I don't think so either. If everything goes right, it sounds wonderful, but I am too stressed out and just need to know I will be asleep and wake up. I won't have to wonder if I will be fading in and out and wondering when it will be over. Thank you for helping me make my decision firmer.

I've increased my anxiety medication and after hearing the spinal suggestion, I am shaking. This isn't the frame of mind that I should be going under surgery. I've come to terms with the general, and even though I am afraid of that, I am able to calm myself. To the ladies who have had a spinal, I applaud you, the recovery sounds great. I've been under a lot of stress with my dad needing to be put on a respirator and in and out of the hospital, and my mom has breast cancer, had surgery and is now undergoing radiation. I think the added stress over the spinal would put me over the edge. I feel like I will disappoint the doctor's advise, but at this time, I can't see me being the perfect patient when the procedure starts! Panic attack for sure. Thank you for listening to me, I treaure all of you.

Kathleen

I can understand your anxiety as I have been struggling with making that decision myself. I had my pre-op visit with my dr last week and we discussed it. She basically told me the pros & cons of each and told me that the decision was mine and I just needed to convey my decision to the anesthesiologist at the time of surgery.

It is your decision. You need to do what makes you comfortable. If your dr didn't want you to have the general, he wouldn't have given you the option. You make the choice that works for you, not for anyone else. They aren't the ones that have to go through it.

Hang in there!!!

I'm not sure I know what's going on, but if you're having a general why are you also having a spinal? I only had general. If my doc had even mentioned spinal I would have refused. Most docs just use general anesthesia. Some people swear by spinals and epidurals but I'm not one of them.

just for reference, i had the spinal, with a cocktail in the iv that put you to sleep before the spinal, and there was no waking up during surgery, I woke up when it was all over ,like waking up from a nap, no drousiness or anything like that. There was no pain during or after from the spinal.
If you feel most comforted by the general than go with that. Good luck

You do it whichever way isn't going to keep you up at night worrying about it. It *is* your decision, after all!

Hugs,
Jo

Thank you so much for replying. I am overly stressed with the new "spinal" news. Mind over matter but my back has been hurting all day. The spinal's recovery sounds great, but I know I will have a panic attack the day of surgery, and the anesthesiologist will probably refuse to do the spinal because I will be a basket case. I am also upset with general, and upset that I have to go through this. I've had general twice before without any complications...counted back to about 94 from a hundred and woke up, never sick to my stomach took a lot of little naps but felt fine other than that. I think because I am having such a hard time dealing with the hysterectomy, I just need to have a sedative in my IV, count back, and wake up..... Thanks for all of your advise, I treasure all of you!

Kathleen

I took the spinal and the general and i advise you do too.
24 hrs of pain relief... yet you are hooked up to a machine for morphine anyway.. ( i switched to demerol injectons, because the morphine made me puke!

my 2 hr sergery turned into 5 hrs, so from experience i do not advise being awake.

pm me if you would like more info, and good luck to you!