Re: Epidural verses general

[Guest guest]

I had an eppiduraldays ago and compaired to the general I had when

first hip was done, the eppi was a miricle. I woke up overjoyed

because there was no pain. This lasted for a day or two as they

gradually switched me from eppi to Rx by mouth --It was truly perfect

In surfacehippy , June Bonacich

wrote:

> I had general anesthesia in Belgium for my BHR. I had no nausea or

> grogginess but I did have a lot of pain. In fact, I woke up in

the recovery

> room in excruciating pain and had to ask for something to relieve

it. They

> gave me a shot of something in my other leg. I am thinking ahead

of my

> other hip and wondering if the epidural would be better since

people here

> are talking about how it wears off gradually, and how general

anesthesia is

> hard on the body, etc. People have mentioned their 2-3 hour

surgeries. My

> surgery lasted way less than an hour. Does anyone here have an

opinion

> about which is better for surgeries that don't last very long? I

was very

> surprised at how alert I was a few hours after surgery. I really

expected

> that I would be really out of it for a long while after general

anesthesia.

> My memories are all too clear how uncomfortable I was for a couple

of days

> on only tylenol. Maybe a little morphine would have made my

hospital stay a

> little more pleasant, or maybe a gradually fading epidural would

have been

> better for me. On the up side, I was crutching around Gent a week

after

> surgery. Maybe less drugs means one is up and around quicker.

The jury is

> still out for me. Hopefully my left hip will hold up for a while,

while I

> contemplate and process my experience...

>

> June, RBHR De Smet 27/03

[Guest guest]

Does anyone here have an

> opinion

> > about which is better for surgeries that don't last very long?

Well I just discussed this for my surgery next week and because I am

looking at a 2 to 3 hour op I was advised to take the general. That

was the only reason and I was told that if we were talking about a

one hour op the epi would be ideal. Lying in the same position for 3

hours while listening to drills and hammers didn't really appeal to

me!

[Guest guest]

,

I am so happy for you.

Virginia (right hip, 7 weeks today, also epidural)

> I had an eppiduraldays ago and compaired to the general I had when

> first hip was done, the eppi was a miricle. I woke up overjoyed

> because there was no pain. This lasted for a day or two as they

> gradually switched me from eppi to Rx by mouth --It was truly

perfect

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I am so happy for you.

Virginia (right hip, 7 weeks today, also epidural)

> I had an eppiduraldays ago and compaired to the general I had when

> first hip was done, the eppi was a miricle. I woke up overjoyed

> because there was no pain. This lasted for a day or two as they

> gradually switched me from eppi to Rx by mouth --It was truly

perfect

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> Does anyone here have an

> > opinion

> > > about which is better for surgeries that don't last very long?

>

> Well I just discussed this for my surgery next week and because I

am

> looking at a 2 to 3 hour op I was advised to take the general. That

> was the only reason and I was told that if we were talking about a

> one hour op the epi would be ideal. Lying in the same position for

3

> hours while listening to drills and hammers didn't really appeal to

> me!

For what it's worth, I had an epidural for my op. Surgery lasted

just under 2 hours (I think) and I didn't know a thing!!! They also

give you sedatives of some kind via IV, so you sleep through the

whole thing. They left the epidural tube in for 2 days after and

administered pain killers through that, and it was heavenly. I did

have a small amount of nausea after I woke up in recovery, but I kept

dozing back off, so nothing ever came of it. Didn't need any anti-

nausea drugs. I don't think any surgeon would expect you to have an

epidural without something else, unless you, as patient, request to

be awake. It's not to his advantage to have a nervous, anxious

patient laying there listening to all that noise. For me, it was the

way to go, and I would do it again in a flash!

Lois

Gross 8/6/03

[Guest guest]

> Does anyone here have an

> > opinion

> > > about which is better for surgeries that don't last very long?

>

> Well I just discussed this for my surgery next week and because I

am

> looking at a 2 to 3 hour op I was advised to take the general. That

> was the only reason and I was told that if we were talking about a

> one hour op the epi would be ideal. Lying in the same position for

3

> hours while listening to drills and hammers didn't really appeal to

> me!

For what it's worth, I had an epidural for my op. Surgery lasted

just under 2 hours (I think) and I didn't know a thing!!! They also

give you sedatives of some kind via IV, so you sleep through the

whole thing. They left the epidural tube in for 2 days after and

administered pain killers through that, and it was heavenly. I did

have a small amount of nausea after I woke up in recovery, but I kept

dozing back off, so nothing ever came of it. Didn't need any anti-

nausea drugs. I don't think any surgeon would expect you to have an

epidural without something else, unless you, as patient, request to

be awake. It's not to his advantage to have a nervous, anxious

patient laying there listening to all that noise. For me, it was the

way to go, and I would do it again in a flash!

Lois

Gross 8/6/03

[Guest guest]

Hi

I think you may have got epidurals wrong.

I know a guy who had one and was fully conscious throughout his THR but

generally you're sedated as well, which I was with my first BHR. Sedation means

a lighter anaesthetic as the epidural takes out the need for heavier dosage.

Rog

Re: Epidural verses general

Does anyone here have an

> opinion

> > about which is better for surgeries that don't last very long?

Well I just discussed this for my surgery next week and because I am

looking at a 2 to 3 hour op I was advised to take the general. That

was the only reason and I was told that if we were talking about a

one hour op the epi would be ideal. Lying in the same position for 3

hours while listening to drills and hammers didn't really appeal to

me!

[Guest guest]

However, one doesn't have to have the sedation if one doesnt' want

it, e.g. those of us who want to watch on a monitor. However, I

understand that most people who have epidurals for orthopaedic

surgery (not only hips) opt for the sedation. I declined the

sedation and didn't notice the noise level that is sometimes

mentioned. Perhaps the power tools are high-powered and quicker

these days? Also, the sheets hung up as screens probably muffled some

of the sound. Anyway, in my opinion there was very little noise - and

I was awake and alert, with no sedation.

Virginia (BHR on THR stem, 27/08/03)

> Hi

> I think you may have got epidurals wrong.

> I know a guy who had one and was fully conscious throughout his THR

but generally you're sedated as well, which I was with my first BHR.

Sedation means a lighter anaesthetic as the epidural takes out the

need for heavier dosage.

> Rog

>