I chose the spinal because general anesthesia makes me sooo ill. The sedation wore off at least 30 min before they were done...my neck was killing me it was folded below my head so i asked the anethesiologist to flatten it. I could hear hammering and grinding and I told them the soud of the tools was starting to make me nautious ... they kept commenting "just a little more"....also felt the tugging sensation when being sewed up....
Unfortunately, I was still really sick from the sedation after.....and spent a sleepless night in a lot of pain while they couldn't "up" my meds until they got the ok from the DR - which wasn't until after 9 the next morning. I was truly at my witts end with the pain "in the butt". Very exhausting!
Jo37353 - I having had spinal three times, once for hysterectomy, for pain relief afterwards they told me. They seemed to have probelms getting it in, and knocked me out before, they did it as I woke up with spinal, 2nd time with THR, grinding feeling as it was put in, but no pain, 3rd time for THR, a little more nervous, but had met young chinese heritage Dr when he put in needle in back of hand, very gentle, and very kindly, and very re-assuring, telling me he would hold my hand when they did the spinal, but time came, and he was the one doing it, I said something about holding my hand, he laughed, and said this will have to do, and gave me a rub on my back, he got the spinal in sooo easy, and then told me all done. I think it comes to the skill of the Dr, some have the skills on paper, but no ability and others have the ability but are lacking the paperwork. My sister who is a director of nursing told me there are certain Dr's out there who she would not let them touch her with a 40 foot barge pole, good people to ask are the nurses, they will tell you who are the good Dr's even if not in quite so many words, scary, but I assume that goes across all trades, I know it does in the building trades, a neighbour of ours, even though he knows my husband has heart failure, has come recently, and got him to supervise his builder, after half and hour my husband said get rid of him, hopeless, but he has the paperwork saying he is qualified, what to put up shelves??????, but structural building, we just don't know, my husband 50 years a builder said he doesn't have a clue.
Hi Mel, sounds like your experience was similar to mine. I believed I'd be numb for a few hours after the op but wide awake. Didn't plan for the horrendous pain immediately after the op. I'll just have to pray hip no.2 will be better!