I had a derma-morph spinal shot along with general. They did the spinal after I was asleep. I've had 4 epidurals when I had my 4 children. Spinals and epidurals are different. A spinal is just one shot and nothing stays in. The full-effect (total numbness) can last for 2-4-6 hours depending on what they use. And pain control after that can last 24+ hrs. An epidural is when there is a thread size catheter left in for continuous pain control, like for the duration of labor, and can be left in for a couple days if need be. My spinal was a lot stronger than my epidurals. When I woke up from surgery I couldn't feel my legs at all. I tried and tried to wiggle my toes and couldn't. I thought it was the weirdest thing, lol. With all of my epi's I could still feel my legs and move them, although they felt heavy, it was more my skin was numb, but with my spinal for surgery they were totally numb. But that wore off quickly and I had my toes back.
I have to say I was a little nervous getting the spinal vs a morphine pump. But they said if I had pain after they would take care of it. I had the pump with my surgery in '06 and it did good for the pain until they took me off of it. Then there were problems. But with the spinal I was up the first day, and walking around, in the halls and all, the very next day. I was given toridol in my IV for pain also. Its an pain/anti-inflammatory. I switched to percoset and motrin800 the morning after, and went home the next day. I told the drs that the derma-morph spinal worked a lot better than the morph pump for me. There was still morphine involved, it was in the spinal, so I still felt groggy and dozy, but not as bad as I felt w/ the pump.
I would find out if they are giving you a spinal shot or an epidural so you know more about what to expect. With all my epi's I had to lay on my side and not on the catheter in my back, even though it was tiny and taped over, and you can't get up. With my spinal it didn't matter because theres nothing left in your back.
As for having any trouble peeing because of the spinal or epi, I don't see why that would happen from that. With a catheter "down there" I know there can be a problem with peeing after surgery, but not from the epi or spinal, at least not that I know of. I've had urine cath's when I had my epi's and my surgeries and all was just fine with peeing after they took it out, if its any consolation.
But I say go for it! I personally wouldn't ever want to be awake while I was having an operation, but different strokes, you know?
They are always coming up with new and better ways to do things in the medical field.
Gotta love living in the new mill, lol.
Good luck with your op!
Oh yeah, and I had the headache after I had my epi with my dd. It was a bad one, but they were giving me percoset/motrin and that helped. But that was the only time out of 5 procedures.
Questions about Spinal Epidural for post-op pain management
