Stupid, Stupid Question....

I know that this will probably sound like a really stupid question...

I have a vaginal hysterectomy scheduled for Sept 2, so I've been doing some reasearch on the internet. One article that I just read said that some people are given a spinal for anesthesia rather than being put to sleep.

Is this true???? I want to be out cold. I don't want to have a clue what is going on!!!! I hate to call my doctor and ask him a crazy questions like this.

I wasn't scared...now I'm scared.

I had my TVH under general anesthesia. I wanted to be out for it, too. Many ladies choose the spinal with sedation and are happy with it. Talk to your doctor and the "A" man for your options and choosing the best option for you!

It's true -- some people have spinals. Others have a combination of a spinal and general, I think. Some women opt for a spinal because they have very bad reactions from general.

It all depends on your doctor and hospital, and your wishes. I asked what I was going to have, and they said it would be general. I am with you -- I don't want to be awake and hear, "My GOD, that's HUGE!!!" or anything like that. (No, I don't really think they say that kind of thing. But I still don't want to be awake for it.)

I'm sure if you ask for general, that's what you'll get. Good luck to you!

I had a TVH and I chose to have a spinal with what they call a "twilight sleep". The spinal of course deadened everything from the waist down and the "twilight sleep" will knock you out so you won't know what's going on around you. From what my anesthesiologist told me, the benefits of going this way is that it's not quite as hard on your body. You don't have to have the breathing tube (which causes an awful sore throat afterwards) and often times you won't have the nausea that so often accompanies a general. It was good for me! I'm glad I chose to go that way. I never knew that I had even gotten the spinal. They had me asleep before I was given the injection. About the only thing that was awkward about it was the fact that your legs are "dead" for a couple of hours after the surgery and that is a weird feeling!!! Also, sometimes you can get "itchy" after a spinal, which I did by the way, however, they gave me benedryl to relieve that.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Susan

Susan - I'm having a LAVH in a few weeks and am going to ask for the spinal as well. Had that with both deliveries of my DD's and didn't have any problems.

My question to you - did you have any issues with back pain afterwards??

Also, how soon were you up and walking?

Thanks, connie

I was out completely...........But when I had my c-section i had a spinal and got a very bad headache from it and the site where they went in stayed sore for months..Don't know if that was just me or if its common but, I didn't want to see anything, plus they were video tapeing the surgery for educational purposes since it was a university affiliated hospital and my surgeon was a professor.....

I had the chance to meet with one of the students before hand at my pre op and he was very nice and funny...Cutting up and kidding around with me so before I went in I wrote "DO A GOOD JOB DOCTOR CUNNINGHAM" on my upper stomache with body crayon.......They doctor said they all laughed for the longest about it and had him crying he laughed so hard..........He was actually a 3rd year resident but it all worked out well

I had both - they put me to sleep first with an injection and then gave me the spinal.
Never knew/felt them giving me the spinal; I was asleep for that.
No ill after affects from either - just very, very, very thirsty and numb legs for a little while.

Personally I wouldn't want just the spinal......... - but like the other ladies said - talk to your Doctor and the hospital. As far as I understood you are always asleep for these kind of surgeries........, but I could be wrong about that!

Oh and remember - no question is every too stupid to ask!

Loekie

My doctor told me I could pick but he really didn't want me yelling during the procedure since that is what I did at the last biopsy. Plus it wil be easier for my panic attacks for me to be knocked out. So I'm going the sleep route

Good Luck and I hope you do well
Kassie

That is another thing I am so glad I don't have to make a decision about, my surgeon said he will only do it under a general anesthesia unless there were circumstances which prevented him from doing so. Those circumstances would only be a health concern that a patient could not be put that deeply under. I am not sure I could handle a spinal even if I were drugged and in a twilight sleep before. Bless you women that can, there are certain things I am a big baby about and that is one of them. KNOCK ME OUT completely, please. I was told that the anesthesiologist talks to you the morning of the surgery and I am sure if you tell him you want general that is what they will do, unless there are reasons they can't. Good luck to you.

s

Riana

Connie,

Sorry so long to get back to you. I didn't have any back pain after the procedure and no pain where the injection was given. I couldn't even see a spot anywhere to indicate that I was given the spinal. They put me in my "twilight sleep" before administering so I didn't even have discomfort from that. I don't even remember waking up in the recovery room. My first memory is of being in my room and I had no feeling in my legs. It wasn't particularly uncomfortable, just weird that I couldn't feel anything. It lasted only a couple of hours before the feeling came back. They didn't get me up out of bed until the next morning. I didn't have a headache at all. The only side effect that I received from it was some itching all over, which was relieved from a dose of benedryl. Everyone is different in how they respond to the different type of anesthesias. I was given a choice of what type I wanted and I chose this route as I've always had a rather difficult time with nausea after a general and since having the spinal with my hyst and I can truly say that in my case I felt I recovery from the anesthesia was much quicker!

Hope this helps! And best wishes to you.

Susan