Additional Worry

Hi piping

My husband has recently had his hip replaced having a spinal anaesthetic.

It took over two hours and he said he never felt a thing.

I was with him immediately after surgery, and he had none of the nasty side effects you get from a conventional anaesthetic.

He was eating and drinking 30 minutes later.

He has to have the other hip replaced soon and will be having the same spinal anaesthetic, as he says it's great.

Good luck.

Velvet xx

Velvet thank you so much for taking the time to reply .I am scared stiff and can't thank you enough for helping allay those fears.

I forgot to say they did give him a sedative to keep him calm, he said it was as if he had a couple of glasses of wine !!

And the surgeon told him he could wear headphones to listen to his favourite music if he wanted to...

He couldn't have had better treatment if he had been a millionaire... Well done our brilliant NHS.

Xx

Once again thank you...maybe if I have two glasses of wine before hand and ask for two tranquillisers I will be fine !

Yes I have had an epidural and I would have one again. Didn't really like the thought of a needle in my back though. On the day, they ask me to sit on the bed sideways, gave me a pillow to hug, this was for support, as I had to bend over slightly. They then inset the needle, which was just a scratch, like you get with the flu jab. It wasn't long before I was numb. My legs were like, when you wake up with a dead leg. They must give you something to relax you, one minute I'd be talking to them then I'd drift off. It was over in a flash, back on the ward I was so angry that they wouldn't let me eat, this was in case they needed to take me back down. I found it far better than having an anaesthetic, no sickness or feeling groggy. Mine was for a hysterectomy. I'd say go for it.

Thank you so much for your taking the time to reply.I am scared stiff at the thought of everything let alone this and you have certainly helped allay my fears.

Tee that is very kind of you...many thanks.

Yes. Like the others I have had a hip replacement with a spinal. No problems. Afterwards I asked the nurses what the sedative was. They looked at each other and said "You don't want to know."

"Oh yes I do." I said.

"Well," came the answer, "It's like Rohipnal, the date rape drug."

"Ah... That explains it." I said. "I could have been anyone's. No wonder I was flirting outrageously with the anaesthetist."

So beware....

Kate xx

You are funny Katinka x

well there might be a positive side after all.

Naughty!

Hi, I had one of these to have a baby by cesarean many years ago, when it was first introduced. I didn't feel a thing and was able to hold my son straight away, marvelous!

Please try not to worry about it, I'm sure you'll be ok.

Best wishes.

Christine. X

Thank you for taking the time to reply Did you have an epidural or spinal anaesthetic?They are different.

As you say, a spinal block is different, stronger effect than epidural. I've had two spinals and they rock! I'd choose one over a general anaesthetic every time. They put some local anaesthetic in with the spinal so it really is just a scratch. Also a sedative called midazolam in the back of your hand, which takes effect within a few minutes. It's a benzodiazepine (same group as valium, tempazepam etc) so it makes you lovely & relaxed, you don't really care what's happening! It also has a slightly amnesiac effect, so although I vaguely remember chatting to the nurses & anaesthetist, I haven't a clue what we said.

Two points: afterwards, don't try sitting up too soon or you can get a headache. When you do sit up, take it slowly, a bit at a time. Also, if you get some backache, don't worry, it's not the spinal block causing it, it's the slightly awkward position you may have been in for the op.

Don't worry, you won't feel a THING, just a pleasant wooziness

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ENCOURAGING WORDS!

You're welcome. Oh, I forgot to say, they put a screen up at waist level, so you can't see anything either. You're completely unaware of what's going on down there Trust me, you'll be fine.

My wife did by choice. She was given the option and when she had to have surgery again she asked for it and said she much preferred it to a general anesthetic which she has also had in the past.

Thank you for the reassurance.

What lovely people on here - and all positive about the spinal. I am sure all will go well for you and I hope you will soon be back on form.

All best wishes to you.

Yes A1..all giving me confidence

Hello

I have had two knee replacements both times I had spinal anaesthetic and was absolutely fine! I was apprehensive beforehand but honestly it was not a problem at all. In fact better than conventional anaesthetic as there was no 'coming round' good luck

Sheila

Thank you Sheila for taking the time to reply.Thanks to you all my confidence is lifting.

I just read a post on here about someone having hip replacement surgery via spinal block and light sedation. I think that would be considered to be very major surgery.

Best of luck to you piping and I hope the surgery goes well for you.

thank you Brondana for your kind words of encouragement.

I should have read all the replies before I left mine.

It was velvet's husband who had a hip replacement surgery.

Great information from velvet.

Hello, re your query on spinal anaesthetic,, if it helps, I had a fractured femur last March following a fall. I had an operation under spinal jobbie, and it was fine, they also gave me a mild sedative (I asked for this as I was scared stiff) Honestly I was fine. my scar goes from him to knee and I have a metal rod inserted. Please be brave, it will help. I couldn't believe how brave I was. I do hope op goes well (don't forget sedative).

Keep in touch

Sylvia x

Sylvia I have no qualms about seditives and believe me will be asking for maximu8m dose...am such a woose.

nan..I will have no hesitation in asking for a major sedative!thank you for your warm response.

Hi Piping,

I read all the replies to your question! My reply is the same...Don't worry about it...I had my uterus and ovaries removed under spinal anaesthesia, and it was great! The surgeon even let me see them (at my request) after they had been removed. I was up and walking the ward after a nights rest, and met the other ladies, who had the same op, dragging themselves around because of their general anaesthetic.

Here's wishing you a good experience. Please don't worry more than you would for any regular op. All the best! Lolly. x

Lolly thank you so much for taking the time to reply.Annoying thing is that with this it stops me from becoming a possible donor receiver..trials of life I guess.

Yes it does, but that is less important in the great scheme of things.

Having a General Anaesthetic (G.A.) with COPD is a big 'no no,' if it can be avoided. I was a smoker in those days and I requested a spinal so that I did not have the coughing and problems associated with a G.A.

Of course I should have stopped smoking many years ago, and I might not be on 24/7 oxygen now. I did not, then had a cancer which was burned away with radiotherapy along with part of my 'smokey' lung. I now have one compromised lung left, which is a problem.

Guess we just all need to be greatful.

thank you for your repl...may I ask at what Fev % they put you on 24/7 oxygen?

I sort of started using an eclipse concentrator more often while on holiday a year ago. I felt so much better and told my consultant. He said to use oxygen as I wished, and that it would do me no harm to use it 24/7.

The last test I had was Fev 25 %

thank you for the reply...was curious as my Fev is 27%