As most of you know i am due to have surgery on my hip , well its all systems go nxt tues.
After going to see the anaethitist he has decided that i am to have a general. Prior to today i was told i had to have a spinal, but this bloke said that most drugs they use have a bronchodilating effect so shouldnt be a problem. They have opterd for this over a spinal as i need to anti coag meds as sooon as possible post surgery as have problems with clots.
Im now rather scared as my sister died last under anaesthetic, and also as my asthm,a is so stroppy at the mo.
Sorry doubt this would be much help but when I had the emergency surgery last yr (TWICE) both anaesthatists were brill with me!
But as emergency I guess the fact my chest was being extremely naughty wasnt a top priority over what they needed to do!
But I know they made sure I was on regular IV steroids BEFORE the ops and after them too as well as IV amino as I was obviously nill by mouth!
Im sure your anaestists wouldnt have siggested general IF they didnt think it was a safe option for you!
(((((((((Hugs))))))))))))))
Its a worrying time for you what with the memories it will bring back but hun if it sorts your hip out the easiest way then try to trust them (easier said than done I know)
Am thinking of you Kirsten!
Sorry if I no help but can only relate my own experiences!
Wheezer
Hey Kirsten huni,
Sorry I can't be of much help with the anaesthetics the last time I had one was when I had a lung biopsy I was fine with the anaesthetic I had also just gone through a nasty pnuemonia so that was pretty good, if the surgeon hadn't of messed up my lung while I was in there it would of been even better. But anyway I just wanted to wish you good luck (not that you'll need it) you'll do fine sweetie and to say I'll be thinking of you.
tks xxxxxxxx
Kirsten,
I know you are worried babe and fully understand why. I work with anaesthetics every day at work and one of the drugs we use to keep folk asleep as part of the anaesthetic is a drug called Propofol. It is white in colour and goes out of your system fairly fast in comparision to other sedative drugs. It is used for short term General Anaesthetics for that reason but is very effective at keeping you asleep. It is possible to use only this drug and it DOES have a bronchodilation effect too.
Sometimes Spinal Anaesthetics can impede your breathing too Kirsten and the anaesthetist may feel it is much more effective in dealing with you in your current condition chestwise in this manner as opposed to Spinal. You will also have a complete rest and relax more believe it or not.
Ask them for more details the next time you see him which will be either the day before or on the day of your op. Explain how you feel about your sister honey and he will understand.
Unfortuneately there are risks no matter what the choice is and your fears are fair comment because of what happened to your sister.
My thought however would be that if the anaesthetist didnt think it was safer to do things this way and better for you in the long run he wouldnt have suggested this method.
Do talk to him more babe. Hope this helps a little.
Thinking of you lots.
Jan xx
I am sorry to hear about your sister's death. It is only natural that you have reservations about going under general anasthetic. From my limited knowledge asthma does not seem to be a contradiction for general anasthetic and some of the drugs given have bronchodilating effects. If need be you can always be given additional medication. You will be mechanicaly ventilated anyway (I would imagine) so even if there is some degree of obstructions it can be overcome.
Now my story with an happy ending (my asthma is well conroled and quite mild so it is not that relevent but I will share anyway).
I had an operation couple of weeks ago to put my tibia together (I got myself a scary compund fracture trampolining, I am telling you people sport is not as healthy for you as you think lol). It was an emergency surgery so they didn't have much time for any preparation. When anaethitist came to talk with me and I told him that I have asthma he wasn't very happy initialy but as my PEAK flow was brilinat and I had just mild symptoms (try not to hyperventilate when you can see bone sticking out of your leg) he just said that ""we will go with it and worry about trouble shooting if somethings actualy happens"". Needles to say it all went well as I had survived to tell the story. I was a bit worried about being intubated and imagined terrible pain in my throat after but nothing like that happened. I didn't get any side effects from the anasthetics either. My sats were on a low side some time after the operation (they were waking me up periodicaly in the recovery room and later on the ward encouraging me to sit up and breeth deeply ) but it was mainly due to all the morphine I was getting and not the anasthetics themselves.
I had an operation late last year and i found the anaethitist was fantastic, listened carefully to what i said (i was concerned because I had been given an anti inflammatory a couple of years ago and it upset asthma big time so wanted them to be aware). Anyway, all was okay, i was left on O2 for about 8 or 9 hrs but that was just a precaution.
I know it's scary, especially with what happened to your sister. Tell the anaethitist all your concerns and worries and i'm sure you'll be fine.
Good luck
Christine
Hi Kirsten,
Sorry to hear about your sister. I've had good experiences - had 3 general anastetics over past 4 years (1 emergency so no real choice, but other 2 not), and have been fine after all of them, if you talk to them about yuor concerns 1st my experience is that they really look after you. Make sure you've got all your questions answered 1st so that you're as relaxed as is possible (bearing in mind it's a v stressful situation). I was kept on O2 longer than usual on all 3 occasions, just to be on the safe side, but as I say - I was fine.
Fingers crossed for you, hope it all goes well
Thanks for all yr replies, i have spoken to the anaethitist so he knows all , so i guess brain just in overdrive at mo with it now being so close plus nearly at the 1st anniversery of vickis death, and with my asthma being so stroppy.I did have 2 GAs last yr and was fine but asthma was stablish and both were prior to vickis death.The guy said i will be in recovery alot longer than normal and ITU will be on standby as well! I think i will just just have to switch my brain off!!
Thanks for all yr replies, i have spoken to the anaethitist so he knows all , so i guess brain just in overdrive at mo with it now being so close plus nearly at the 1st anniversery of vickis death, and with my asthma being so stroppy.I did have 2 GAs last yr and was fine but asthma was stablish and both were prior to vickis death.The guy said i will be in recovery alot longer than normal and ITU will be on standby as well! I think i will just just have to switch my brain off!!
Kirsten,
This must be difficult for you, and your fears are all justified. I am so sorry about your sister's death.
It sounds like the anaesthetist is doing a great job and he is very well prepared for whatever may arise. As you said, try to switch your brain to off, and relax. I will be thinking of you on Tues.
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