SRS under general anesthitic or an epidural what would you choose?

[Steph]

Ok folks the question of the day, for those who are post op and those who are pre-op, what would you choose and why.

Also anyone who has had surgery using these proceedures can comment too.

Steph

[brina]

Hiee Steph,

 

http://www.nda.ox.ac.uk/wfsa/html/u13/u1311_01.htm

The above is a link about the epidural proceedure. On one hand I would just as soon be under a general, but in reading the info in the above I can understand why Dr. Sanguan likes and prefers the epidural. I suppose I can always use sleep blinders when my time arrives. Also while I have been operated on I don't think I have ever been under for more then about 1 1/2 hours, and I have never experienced any of the nausea etc that some have.

Byee,
  Brina

[Melissa]

I would definitely like general anesthetic.  I would rather go to sleep and then wake up and have the op already done.  I tend to be an impatient person and it would be difficult being conscious the entire time.  Plus I'm not the best around blood, especially my own.

Melissa

[Sheila]

I difinately wanted to be put out. I didn't want to look at a  sheet and feel anything at all. When I woke up, I was not in any pain what so ever. Nothing from the anesthitic.
Sheila

[Hazumu]

I have to ask the question -- what are the perceived pros and cons between the two anaesthesia methods, apart from one you're out cold and the other you're awake?

The thing about general is that you're about two steps from death, and your life is maintained by the anaesthesiologist who maintains just the right balance to keep you out cold.  The procedure is very routine -- the anaesthetic mortality is 1 in 100,000, but scheduled airline travel is still safer...  And the idea of being 'dead' for a period of time can result in anxiety for some surgical patients.

Epidural leaves you wide awake to hum or stare at the sheet or whatever.  Supposedly you're more likely to feel less post-op pain, but that seems to be anecdotal.  (Ever since I was a kid, I found I could endure medical procedures on me much better if I could watch -- maybe I could handle SRS with epidural if they provided closed-circuit TeeVee... )  But Epidurals also have their risks, according to the link provided by Brina.

So, I'm still in the dark about which one might be more desirable.

Anyway, this topic is interesting.  Thanks, Steph, for asking the question.

P.S., is the doc giving you a choice?

Karen

BTW, this topic marks the 3,000th post by Steph Craxton!!!  YAY!!!

[Steph]

Yep Karen, Dr Brassard offers both to his SRS patients, and I was looking for some info on personal experiences, and pros and cons.

Steph

[Julie Marie]

When I had a vasectomy the doctor gave me a shot of Valium.  While he was cauterizing 'down there' I saw smoke coming up from between my legs.  I was mildly fascinated.

The epidural would only be considered if I could have something like Valium to put me in la-la land.  Otherwise I'd be way too tense.  I've always felt general anesthesia was the only way to go but the epidural is probably safer.  And if you are in any pain you can tell the doctor.  I've seen stories on TV where people were put under but actually were only paralyzed and completely awake during the operation, able to feel everything.  Talk about a nightmare!

Julie

[tinkerbell]

From a different thread:

I chose general anesthesia, I wouldn't really like to see a bunch of doctors concentrated on one part of my body which I have ignored for soooooooooooo  long. 
tinkerbell

....on another note, I had an epidural for a different kind of surgery that was performed there when I was fourteen.  The experience was just
very scary (probably because I was also younger then), and it hurt.  Your legs get paralyzed and you can't move them at all; they feel extremely heavy and like they are not a part of you; sometimes you have the need to urinate, and you can't even do that.  It took me almost two days to walk and regain all feelings in my legs....but the worst part...I still have acute lower back pain because of the epidural injection.


tinkerbell
 

[Hazumu]

The experience was just very scary (probably because I was also younger then), and it hurt.  Your legs get paralyzed and you can't move them at all; they feel extremely heavy and like they are not a part of you; sometimes you have the need to urinate, and you can't even do that.  It took me almost two days to walk and regain all feelings in my legs....but the worst part...I still have acute lower back pain because of the epidural injection.

Thank you, Tink, for News we can Use!

Karen

[brina]

Thanx Tink that is my only concern really with the epidural, other then being awake, as like Melissa I don't do very well with blood esp. my own  . On the other side I would think that if one were experiencing any pain after the op they could use the epidural to releive it. What I did't care for was the situation with the second surgory and finding out that the tube is messed up and having another inserted or then being put under a general instead. I'm the type that can get tangle up just with an IV drip so it should be quite interesting to have both a catheter(sp) and the epidural tube stuck in me for a week and some day  .

Byee,
  Brina

[cindianna_jones]

I was out for my GRS.  But I've had several surgeries in the same general area for a different problem which I won't get into here other than to say that some of them were with a local.  I felt every cut, tug, and stitch they made.  It didn't hurt necessarily, but I knew that it should hurt and I was extremely uncomfortable about it. 

I'd go for the general. I know that there is a risk about not coming back out of it.  It does sometimes happen.  But it is fairly rare.

Cindi

[LostInTime]

I need to be knocked out.  Not I want to be.  I NEED to be.

If I were sitting there and could not move my legs and some of the other things Tink mentioned, I would have an anxiety attack and flip out.  Not a good thing at all.

[Melissa]

I felt every cut, tug, and stitch they made.  It didn't hurt necessarily, but I knew that it should hurt and I was extremely uncomfortable about it. 

Very eloquently put and another MAJOR reason I would want to be out.

Melissa

[Sandy]

I'm sure you've read "Myra Breckinridge" and remember the part where young Myron, having the surgery to become Myra, had a local.  He was singing at the time.  Were I the doctor I would have put him out right then and there!

God, what a stupid book!  And an even dumber movie!

Anyway, for me, I'd like a general.  Mostly for the feeling of waking up on Christmas morning to something new and wonderful.

-Sandy