Nerve block question?
 

Hello everyone :)
So I've heard alot of you guys talking about a nerve block and I thought I got one with my first surgery but, im not sure. I know I didn't with my second. So my question is can you have both a nerve block and general anesthesia? Do you ask for the nerve block or do they decide if you need it? And lastly is it done before you under the anesthesia or after?
Thanks!

Re: Nerve block question?
 

Hi,
I had both block and general. When I did pre-op visit with my OS, he told me I'd have the block for pain management. I had some reservations about the block because I had one several years ago with a different surgery, and it was VERY painful going in. OS said I didn't have to have the block, but that he strongly recommended I have block because I'd be in extreme pain post-op and the block would keep me pain free for about 24 hrs. When I met anesthesiaologist pre-op, I told him of my previous block experience and he gave me meds through my IV (verset and fentenyl) which helped tremendously with pain when the block was done. I'd definitely recommend the block, as I was fairly comfortable till the block wore off. Good luck with your upcoming surgery! Jeanne

Re: Nerve block question?
 

Thanks!
How is the block done? When i wasgetting prep for surgery i wasawake all the way to the room where they will do my surgery. I've been lucky and had some fun people to wheel me back and make me less nervous then it takes about 5 mins and i'm out like a light. I'm going to have to ask about it at my pre op visit on feb 20th...I have a huge feel of needles though..so if its a big needle I might have a major freak out. I had a bad experience with getting blood drawn when I was little.

Re: Nerve block question?
 

I highly recommend getting one. For my first surgery I didn't get one, but my second and this last one I did. Mine lasted for 2 days. The first time I had one they did it before surgery. They gave me something to relax me and I barely felt it. This time they did it after. It was my choice but my Dr recommended it. I was glad I did since I have a problem with pain meds. They insert it in your thigh and you are facing in the opposite direction so you don't see the needle at all. It was a poke and you can feel the nerve get stimulated but it is minor discomfort. Way worth the pain relief it provides. I left the hospital pain free.

Re: Nerve block question?
 

My block went into the inside of my leg, right below the knee. With the meds in my IV, I barely felt it. I had novacaine into the ankle after surgery while still in OR and still out. My surgery was outpatient and I went home pain free.

Re: Nerve block question?
 

Thanks guys :) I looked at the papers from my first surgery and I guess I did have a nerve block. They must have did it while I was sleeping. They didn't for the second though. So I will be sure to ask. I would still rather have them do it when I'm not awake but if they can't then I will do it before.

Re: Nerve block question?
 

They can do the block when you're out, however, since they have to run electrical current to ensure they have the correct nerve position, my anesthesiologist said it was more effective to do the block while still awake. I can assure you, with meds in the IV, pain was negligible. If I was gonma have a block, I wanted to have the most effective possible.

Re: Nerve block question?
 

I just get too worried about the needle snice I will be wide away I think I will freak out about it more. But all the advice I've gotten is great. I'm leaning towards getting one...I will have to discuss it at my preop and then on the surgery date. Cause last time it wasn't even talked about

Re: Nerve block question?
 

OMG I'm getting so nervous for my upcoming surgery. I am glad to be reading about exactly what happens, but at the same time, I'm starting to really get nervous. I spend almost my entire day thinking about it and wondering how I'm going to cope for the first few days after surgery. I'm getting butterflies in my tummy. Butterflies seems to be too delicate a word for what I feel...maybe it's bats in my tummy. Uggh

Re: Nerve block question?
 

Lauralei, you're gonna be fine. Stay on top of your pain and it's manageable. It 's important to follow your dr's instructions to a "T". Ask anything that you want to know....everyone here is great about sharing info. When is your surgery?

Re: Nerve block question?
 

I had a nerve block done once I was under. Lasted for about 12hrs before it started to wear off. I stayed 2 nights in hospital so the nurses kept checking so they knew when to start the oral pain killers to keep ahead of the pain.

Re: Nerve block question?
 

I had a popliteal block, behind the knee and general anes. I was given slight sedation right before and I didn't feel more than a slight pinch. It lasted 16 hrs. There was pain when it wore off but manageable with Norco and Atarax which help me sleep. I would recommend the block or your fighting pain as soon as you wake up. There is a limit on the amount they can give you.

Re: Nerve block question?
 

My surgery date is Feb. 6th. I'm also having a nerve block plus anesthesia. I have a question about pain meds. I usually take Vicodin for pain control after a surgery. I am narcotic sensitive so there are a couple of pain meds I cannot take at all. Vicodin isn't a perfect solution but better than nothing. The only problem I ha with it is that it keeps awake. I cannot sleep when I'm taking it so in the past, I've taken Benedryl with it at bedtime. Benedryl knocks me out. I wonder if I might be able to take Tylenol PM with the Vicodin? I've never taken Tylenol PM before and I'm not sure if Tylenol is ok with Vicodin. I need my sleep! It sucks to be in pain but to be in pain and not be able to sleep is intolerable.

Re: Nerve block question?
 

Laura, NO NO Unless you want liver damage.. VICODIN has Tylenol in it.325-750 mg per tab depending on the strength. The daily 24 hr limit for (acetaminophin) TYLENOL for an adult is 3000 mg. AND at that level it is high.Tylenol is very damaging to the Liver. Most cold medicine also has Tylenol in it. Ask for Atarax. That is what I took. it made me sleep so it was calming and helps with itching.

Re: Nerve block question?
 

[QUOTE=Troly59;5123646]Laura, NO NO Unless you want liver damage.. VICODIN has Tylenol in it.325-750 mg per tab depending on the strength. The daily 24 hr limit for (acetaminophin) TYLENOL for an adult is 3000 mg. AND at that level it is high.Tylenol is very damaging to the Liver. Most cold medicine also has Tylenol in it. Ask for Atarax. That is what I took. it made me sleep so it was calming and helps with itching.[/QUOTE]

Thanks Troly, I completely forgot about the Tylenol in Vicodin! Thanks for the info on Atarax. I will ask about it and see if it's ok to take with my other daily meds.

Re: Nerve block question?
 

Yeah when I've had surgery when i wake up they ask my pain level, give me some morphine then move me to my recory room. About 30 mins later they give me a pain pill. So always ahead of the pain. I have a low pain tolerence anyway..so I have to stay ahead of it.

Laura I did take tylenol when I was weaning off my pain peds. It was the 325 mg but they said I have to be really careful with it snice I was on tylenol t3s as well. If you want to mix pain pills with tylenol I would ask ahead of time but they most likey will say no till your weaning off the meds. I had a chart that I kept track of the times and what I took. Its very useful so I don't take too much. My liver isn't badly damaged but I do have to get it tested yearly..so I'm super careful. What are you having done?

Re: Nerve block question?
 

I had general anesthesia and 3 nerve blocks. They started the blocks before I was under, still in the pre-op area. They had already given me the sedative in my IV and I actually fell asleep right as they started them, when I woke up, they were done, so I don't remember any of it. One block was supposed to last 8-12 hours, the other two were the cathether type that they said would last about 3 days.

My surgery was outpatient, I went home about 2 hours after my surgery. I was completely numb aside from a slight throbbing in my ankle. The nurse said I was about 95% pain free. She said when the first block wore off, I'd be about 50% pain free. The first block lasted about 8 hours. I still was not in a lot of pain, I could just tell I wasn't quite as numb as I had been. I started the oxycodone then, afraid for when the real pain set in. I only took 1 every 6 hours, since I wasn't in a lot of pain, but wanted to be ahead of it when it did kick in. The other two blocks they said would last 72 hours, and we had to take them out when they ran out, but I would stay numb for up to a day after that. I had surgery on a Tuesday, we took them out on Friday morning. The wore off by Friday night.

I knew I would have the block that lasted 8-12 hours, but did not know about the other until the anesthiologist told me about it. I wasn't about to turn anything down that was going to help with pain, and I was so thankful for those blocks. I think it got me through the worst of the pain. Once the last of the blocks wore off, i continued taking oxycodone through that night, sure that the pain was going to come in force, but it was never too bad.

I will say it was an odd sensation to be so compltely numb for 3 full days. And I was terrified of my toes freezing when I was icing because I couldn't feel them to know if they were okay or not. I made my husband check them obsessively.

Re: Nerve block question?
 

Courtney, I'm having my flat foot corrected and my accessory navicular bone removed. If I can remember right, I'm having the calcaneal neck lengthening, cuneiform something or other(removing bone and replacing it with bone graft on lateral side of foot), lengthening some ligaments, repairing one torn ligament and checking to see if my peroneal tendon is torn and needs to be repaired. Brostrom something or other. And gastroc. recession on my calf. Uggh. I sounds like so damn much and I know it all is connected and is what will make my foot function properly again (supposedly). I have no idea how long all this takes in surgery. Mine will be outpatient. Kinda wish it wasn't, just for the first night.

Re: Nerve block question?
 

[QUOTE=lauralei51;5123769]Courtney, I'm having my flat foot corrected and my accessory navicular bone removed. If I can remember right, I'm having the calcaneal neck lengthening, cuneiform something or other(removing bone and replacing it with bone graft on lateral side of foot), lengthening some ligaments, repairing one torn ligament and checking to see if my peroneal tendon is torn and needs to be repaired. Brostrom something or other. And gastroc. recession on my calf. Uggh. I sounds like so damn much and I know it all is connected and is what will make my foot function properly again (supposedly). I have no idea how long all this takes in surgery. Mine will be outpatient. Kinda wish it wasn't, just for the first night.[/QUOTE]

I had my accessory bone removed and that worked. I have a screw in my foot from that. The thing that didn't work from that was that we found out my PTT had too much scar tissue and keep streching back out. I haven't had any of the other stuff your getting done but I'm sure other people on this board. All mine have been outpatient. Its not all that bad. I mean the drive home(I'm about 40 mins away from UMH) wasn't all that fun but the pain managment has always been okay. How far are you from where your getting the surgery done at? If you have any question, ask away. This board is a good place to ask everything and see what has happened with other people surgerys.

Re: Nerve block question?
 

I had surgery about 3 yrs ago on my wrist to remove a tumor. They gave me a nerve block in my whole arm. I had no idea I was going to have one, just woke up with a numb arm. It was the weirdest sensation to not feel a thing. I couldn't control that arm since I couldn't feel it. I remember it fell off it's perch on a pillow and just kind of flopped around. LOL I had to ask my hubby to move it back to the pillow cuz I couldn't do it myself. Feels like it's not a part of your body. Very odd. But thank goodness for it!