Anaesthetic questions...

[sweetheart0517]

Everyone is so right DEFINATELY ask for something post op for nausea. That was one of my big concerns with having general but when I told the anestesiologist my fear he said he would take care of it and he did I did not throw up or even feel nauseas at all. The only time I felt a little sick was when I had to eat and drink something for the first time but that was barely anything and I got right out of that. So definately make sure u ask for something it really does help!

~Laura~

[blackbeltgirl]

Not that you need any more feedback -

Part of your decision should be based on if you are planning on in-patient or out-patient treatment.  If your surgery is planned as out-patient, you should not be allowed to leave until you can walk with your crutches, or whatever (as appropriate), go to the bathroom without help, and drink.  I had an epidural with my first knee surgery, and found it very frustrating to wait around for hours until it wore off enough to meet these requirements.  I was sedated for the surgery (at 17, I told them that if they didn't sedate me I would crawl off the table, with oir without feeling in my legs) and woke up briefly at the end while they were bandaging the knee.  I remember looking at my leg in the air (a nurse was holding it while the doctor wrapped it), looking at the nurse, telling her in a very drugged up voice that "that's my knee" and woke up again about 15 minutes later in recovery.

When I had my last surgery in December, I planned on an epidural and wanted to stay awake.  I was told I wouldn't be able to see the screen based on what they were doing, and would be stuck at the surgical center anywhere from 2-4 hours longer with the epidural than with the general.  I have also had bad reactions to general, so they gave me an anti-nausea medication in the IV before administering the GA.  I was home, on my couch, about an hour - 90 minutes after they finished with me in the OR.  Half an hour in recovery, 10 minutes to figure out how to get dressed when I was still a bit groggy, paperwork, and the drive.

If you've never had GA, and have bad reactions to different pain killers, tell the anesthesiologist.  They are rarely opposed to giving patients the anti-nausea medication.  If you don't normally have problems with drugs, you may not need it.  Lots of people are fine.  The best decision will be made the day of surgery - you will get to talk to YOUR anesthesiologist, who will know what procedure is planned, and will be able to discuss the options and preferences of your surgical center.

Jess

[cat]

OOPS! I was wrong. When I had my TTT both legs were numb. Guess I was so out of it I didn't realize it! I was also given something to make me sleep. So, FYI, you dont' have to be awake with a spinal. Now, with my screw removal, I had a general with something for nausea. Worked great.
cat

[Shoomers]

Jen,
Was wondering what you finally decided to use for anesthesia?  How was it?  I am having LR/TTT on August 2, and am getting scared.  My big fear, which I always have, is not waking up, OR, waking up during the surgery.  Do you think this is normal, or am I weird?  Also, I always get very sick with generals, but am very afraid of an epidural, becasue of the whole something in the spine/paralyzed thing.  What to do?
Anyway,  I hope your recovery is coming along very well and you are glad of your surgery! 
Happy day,
Lisa C.

[shadehawk]

Lisa C,

I have had some surgeries also and have some really weird dreams.  Think it is just anxiety before surgery....NORMAL!!

About general anesthesia - I remember Heather M. mentioning Zofran (anti-nausea) medication to work with a general and it takes that nausea feeling away.  Maybe ask the doctor for one of the anti-nausea medications next time - I sure plan on asking...I hate that nausea feeling.....

Popsicles right when you wake up also help you alot - I love the lime flavoured ones.

Good luck to you,

Shade[/color]

[Shoomers]

Shade,
I will definitely remember that, and ask for something.  I get terrible motion sickness too, and have read it has something to do with it? 
Popsickles are the best after surgery!  (except when I start puking-red for me as I like cherry! Yuck!!)
Good luck to you, too!  You are in surgery right before me, I think?  BTW, how do you write all that stuff down there, below your post, about your knees/surgeries?
Thanks and have a great day!
Lisa C.

[JenSinclair]

Lisa:
I ended up opting for an IV general with a bunch of anti-nausea stuff in the "cocktail" and femoral/scitic nerve blocks.  They did the lumbar-plexus approach for the blocks (as opposed to -- ew! -- through the groin).  Evidently, that lasts longer...and mine were complete for more than 24 hours post-op.  When I woke up, I was somewhat nauseated, but the anaesthesiologist gave me more IV anti-nausea stuff in recovery and I was fine.  No puking at all.

Good luck!
Jen

[shadehawk]

Lisa,

Yes, my surgery is on the 28th July.  The day that you have surgery, I have my post-op visit & am hoping we'll be cleared to come back home.  My surgery is a 12-hr drive away....which is a good thing.  So, I should be leaving for home during your surgery.....[/color]

To put stuff at the bottom you click on the Profile button on the top of the KNEEguru page - where the chat, calendar logout etc are.....A screen will come up and you go to the left hand column and look for Modify Profile - click on Forum Profile Info & when screen comes up look for Signature:  Add your stuff and click 'change profile' at the bottom of the page.  Next time you check you should have the stuff added to the bottom of your posts.

I like this idea of the anti-nausea IV stuff that Jen talks about - maybe we'll be lucky enough to get this also.  I certainly will be asking for it.  Makes me wonder why my hospital has never offered something like this to me before......

Good luck,

Shade

[stgiles16]

Hey Shade, the anth., dr also put a little patch behind my right ear that contained anti nauseous medicine. It looks like a small round bandaid and works for a couple of days. That tiny bandaid is miraculous. I am sorry that I dont remember the name of the med but I do know that they use it for cancer patients.
good luck to both of you.

missy

[shadehawk]

Missy,  

Hi, that is very interesting.  I looked for anti-inflammatory patches and kept getting the name Scopolamine Patch – anti-nausea medication - it is also used for cancer patients - maybe this is what you had....

It is just so amazing all the info you can get off this site.

Thanks,

Shade

[mhsflute07]

Hey,

Well...I had a nerve block and sedation, so I didn't have to worry about the nausea from general. However, I was on Vicodin, and that did make me nauseous, so I was prescribed Phenergan as an anti-nausea med. It worked great, but made me very drowsy. I'm with you, though, Shade.....I absolutely can't stand being nauseous. I would much rather have any sinus or respiratory illness over nausea any day.

Oh, it's interesting you should mention anti-inflammatory patches. I have an ulcer and can't take any anti-inflammatories by mouth....just trade knee pain/swelling for stomach pain.....so I always wondered if there was a patch. Did you find anything?

~Erin~

[shadehawk]

~Erin~

Apparently, there are some that are being tested, buit do not have FDA approval yet.  You can get the Scopolamine Patch for nausea - it goes behind the ear.  The anti-inflammatories seem to be still in the pipeline though...It sure would be a good idea.  Think I read that Meloxicam is being used in some European countries in a patch form.....Fentanyl Patches are being used for 3-day pain relief from surgeries.

http://www.medicomm.net/Consumer%20Site/dh/dh_f3.htm

Shade

[mhsflute07]

Thanks Shade! Gosh, you'd think with all the patches they have for smoking, birth cotrol, nausea....they would certainly have and Advil or Motrin or Aleve....or something like that.....patch!!

Hmm...I could invent it, patent it, and get rich simply by marketing it to people on this site....hehe.

I did find this article about NSAID patches....it talks about their use in rheumatic patients, but thought it might be of interest.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9132322&dopt=Abstract

~Erin~

[shadehawk]

~Erin~

Hmm...I could invent it, patent it, and get rich simply by marketing it to people on this site....hehe.

- Hey, that would be a great idea, but I bet it is already in the pipeline somewhere.

I did not find any, but that does not mean they are not out there.  Sometimes the simple things are very hard to find.....Maybe someone else has seen anti-inflammatory patches.....

Shade