Epidural?

FIY- I just spoke to my SIL ( she is the RN.) She told me that it would be a Spinal. which is one shot that totally deadens you from the belly button down and then they just let you sleep. No general. Just something to knock you out, no tube down your thought. She said " you basically have the best nap of your live" and the Spinal lasts for 18 hours of NO pain. I am so doing that. HTH Best to talk to your doc about your options . But for me I think it is going to be the Spinal.

I had a spinal for my SAH. The anesthesiologist explained they have a great sucess using spinals for hysterectomies. In turn, I was sedated to sleep. No breathing tube. They also gave me a pelvic block which did not wear off for 24 hours. This was the easier of my two surgeries to wake up from. I was more alert sooner. The pain management was also much easier.

Wow! I would love not to be intubated (I'm a singer and would like to avoid shoving crap down my throat, lol). I will definitely be talking to her about that! That was one of the things that had me the most freaked out!

I wasn't aware of the difference it would make either till my SIL called me tonight. One jab compared to a needle in your back, big difference. I'm so glad she called, the tube in the throat thing freaked me out as well. And if the only thing I remember is a nap, I'm so for it.

I have to say the anesthesiologist did a great job explaining the whole thing to me. The initial injection was a bit stingy, burny, but that was only for a second. The sedation was kinda fun. Then, next thing I new, I was waking up. My mom noticed the difference post-op right away. She said my color was better than after my first surgery which was done under general. The CNA that gave me my happy meds happened to be a member at the Y where I work, so that was great too.

Sometimes it depends on what you are having done. I needed to have an epidural with sedation so at a certain point during the surgery I could follow the surgeons instructions. I was in a happy place without a care in the world, no pain, and when instructed they were able to bring me into a more concious state so I could follow the instructions...again with no pain.

I had the epidural. I had already been given the Valium cocktail shot before the epidural, so I don't remember getting it. I've had 6 other abdominal surgeries before my hysterectomy, and I always hurt so bad and struggled with waking up. With the epidural, I felt great and woke up easily. I was back in my room quickly and talking up a storm. My family couldn't believe it. All my other surgeries I wanted everyone quiet. My fatherwas trying to watch a movie on his phone and kept telling me I should rest (his subtle way of trying to get me to shut up). I never felt it while it was in, and hardly noticed when they took it out the next day. By the following evening, I was asking for it back! If you don't want the epidural, but have the option of a spinal, I say go for it!

I had my Hysterectomy over a year ago, and yes, I had an Epidural. It didn't work, though, all it did was make my legs tingle. Of course, I also had General Anesthesia as well. I didn't have any problems with my back at all, but I sure didn't like the feeling of the needle going into my back. Looking back on my whole experience, I don't think an Epidural is necessary at all. I mean, why be numb from the waist down when you're going to be put under and won't feel anything anyway? I would talk to your Dr. about it. Good luck, it's not going to be nearly as bad as you may think!!
Deb

I had one. It was fine, no pain, during or after. It does provide pain relief for about 24 hours. My only difficultly with it was that it made me throw up - not good when you are laying down and can't move very well and have a room full of visitors. They gave me medicine for nausea but it didn't really work.

Nausea can be a problem with general anesthesia and combined with my intolerance for opiates/narcotics, the anesthesiologist made sure I had anti-nausea in my IV, so it wasn't a problem when I woke up. If you get it before you're nauseous it works better.