Epidural for surgery???

I have understood it, an epi lets them give you a much lighter general, it just gets you to sleep only because the epi takes care of deadening the nerves. An amnesiac (forgetful drug) is also administered at the same time so if you rouse a little during surgery you won't remember anyway, and you couldn't feel anything because of the epi. It's a light snooze instead of a heavy one. Apparently it's much easier to get over, less chance of throwing up. Ever had your wisdom teeth out under general? It's the same thing. With teeth they use a local to block the nerves and a light sleep to put you out. I had my teeth done and don't remember a thing after I saw the plunger go down on the light general. EASY!

Best of luck! 5 more days for me!

When I had my pre-op with the anesthesia's staff the other day I said I wanted an edipural, (have had 3 before and they work well for me) they told me about a 24 hour epidural. Now that sounds divine to me.

They also said it was up to my doctor and what he was comfortable with, LOL, I thought it was the other way around. Anyhoo, I will discuss it this evening with my Pre-op with my operating GYN. My fear is waking up in pain and no one in sight to hit me up with something. But you know I want the pump too.

I had my TVH with an epidural and no intrathecal narcotics at all (I react badly to narcotics). They did give me a twilight drug and like you, I was nervous about remembering things. Let me tell ya, the last thing I remember was seeing a pair of feet up in the stirrups and having a vague notion they were my feet only because I recognized the socks on them. I remember absolutely nothing until I woke up in recovery and I was not groggy, nauseated or in any way sick in recovery. Was FABULOUS! They tried to give me small doses of narcotics afterwards for pain but I threw them all up immediately so we wound up with just IV NSAIDS and tylenol. By the morning after surgery I felt so good I was begging to get up and walk around. Had some pain, but nothing unmanageable and never did take any more narcotics.

I'd do the epidural with the twilight drug again in a heartbeat!

Best of luck in whatever is right for you and hope your surgery goes smoothly.

angandyloosen,

Most surgeons these days prefer to use the epi's. However, it's your choice. The anethesioligist will come in and talk to you and you can ask that person about doing the general.

My surgeon really wanted to do the epi with me, and to be honest.....I have always been scared to death about needles going in my back(why I ended up giving natural childbirth to 3 kids lol)and I didn't do the epi lol.

It truly is your choice whether you want an epi, or general. good luck. ~Anju

i had an epi because i didn't want the tube down my throat. (i'm a singer and it screws up my vocal cords.) i remember scraps of conversation. i remember seeing a tent covering over my head. i remember rousing myself from sleep with my snoring! i don't remember being the least bit concerned or apprehensive about what was going on around me.

the epi stayed in overnight. after the surgery, the only real discomfort i felt was where the epi line was taped to my back. wow, did it ever itch! they gave me benadryl through the IV for it and besides knocking out the itch, it knocked me out like a light!