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Original poster

Spinal block experiences?

65 replies

WhoisitnowRalph · 02/01/2020 20:28

I'm having a fairly small op at the back of my leg in a couple of weeks (gastrocnemius release). I'm not fond of anaesthetics due to fear of nausea/vomiting, and although I had a GA a couple of years ago and didn't vomit, I felt pretty hideous - although that may have been due to fentanyl (sp?).

It seems I could have a spinal block instead of a GA, with sedation (although I don't mind being awake at all).

I gather that a drop in blood pressure can make you feel faint and sick when the injection takes place - and as a chronic migraine sufferer, the potential post-spinal block headache doesn't sound much fun. Sad

Has anyone had a spinal block for a small op, how was it? Any sickness or murderous headache?

OP posts:
Avonandice · 02/01/2020 20:55

I had a spinal for a c-section and I didnt get any headache or nausea. I remember having a fun half hour playing with my leg as it didnt feel like it belonged to me altough that could have been other drugs they gave me as well.

HoldMyLobster · 02/01/2020 20:57

I had a spinal for surgery - I did feel a bit sick at one point but the anaesthetist noticed straight away and gave me something that made me feel better. No headache.

BriefDisaster · 02/01/2020 20:59

I've had two, both for c-sections and had no adverse effects at all.

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CormoranStrike · 02/01/2020 21:00

I had a spinal and it didn’t take - don’t panic, it’s obvious, so they reverted to GA.

Of course when I woke up from the GA my spinal had kicked in Grin

No I’ll effects from the spinal at all.

BayandBlonde · 02/01/2020 21:06

I've had a number of spinal blocks with conscious sedation - I love them Grin that controlled state of drowsy relaxation

I haven't experienced any nausea or vomiting.

NoWordForFluffy · 02/01/2020 21:09

I've had two spinals (c sections). I got pukey with the first, and VERY pukey with the second (it took 2 shots of antiemetic to stop me). I am quite easily turned to sickness though, it has to be said (travel sickness, morning sickness, post-op sickness, too-much-alcohol sickness BlushGrin).

Lionsleepstonight · 02/01/2020 21:09

I've had several during one labour, didn't feel a thing, and I also had migraines at the time but cant say I experienced a headache.

happycamper11 · 02/01/2020 21:28

I had spinal blocks for my c sections. I didn't get headaches but was told to lie flat for several hours after to prevent, but I did feel nauseous and threw up afterwards the second time. I also had the drop in blood pressure and felt very cold and shakey

PawPatrolMakesMeDrink · 02/01/2020 21:32

I had a spinal for my c section. Very effective and no lasting issues.
I did have a huge drop in BP when I was laid down, I started sweating profusely and got tunnel vision, the anaesthetist put something in my cannula and I felt totally fine after about 5 seconds.

secretsciurusvulgaris · 02/01/2020 21:40

I had a spinal for a forceps delivery. I started to shake immediately - so hard that I couldn’t speak. I don’t recall them giving me anything to stop it either. Very odd given the epidural they gave me didn’t work.

LittleBearPad · 02/01/2020 21:42

I had a spinal when I had DC1 - if the ventouse wasn’t successful they were going to have to do an emergency c section.

It was wonderful!

But that was likely because I’d been in so much pain before. Very odd seeing my legs a feeling they weren’t mine!

getyourbollocksoutofmyface · 02/01/2020 21:45

I’ve had them twice for gynae surgery and whilst I felt quite scared the first time - I’m very anxious anyway - so was doped up with sedatives . I don’t remember much of that op other than brief flashes !

The second time was a breeze , less anxiety, no sedatives, no nausea or giddiness .

They gave me lots of IV fluids first both times and anti sickness meds, stuff to keep my blood pressure up etc .

It’s good for pain management as well as you don’t get proper feeling back for a few hours, by which time you should be on good painkillers and less sore !

With a GA I was given a lot of fentanyl and I was off my face for the rest of the day - couldn’t move my legs or arms after, felt I couldn’t get a proper breath and was sore for days from hyperventilating in recovery .

Given the choice I’d far, far prefer a spinal !!

Low pressure headaches are generally very obvious by symptoms and quite well treated too, either by blood patch injection - or we used to say to patients to drink lots of coke too !! (Ex neuro HCA, every week had someone with low pressure headaches of various causes)

Fraggling · 02/01/2020 21:45

Only for a emergency c section when they couldn't get the epidural in.

The relief from pain at the time overwhelmed any negative things!

Fwiw I've had maybe 8 GA and you're never going to feel good, with this or anything... Any drug having that massive effect won't be without after effects. They are short lived IME though.

I'm not sure if prefer to be awake if given the choice, personal preference though.

Good luck :)

SpockPaperScissorsLizardRock · 02/01/2020 21:49

I had one to stitch up a tear after labour. No sickness or headache but I was very panicky. Luckily I had a fab anaesthetist who calmed me down and distracted me. I do have severe anxiety and panic attacked though so i'm sure you'll be fine.

Poetryinaction · 02/01/2020 21:55

Only my experience but I have to be honest. I had a spinal after a birth injury. I found it really scary. Intense pins and needles like daggers, constantly, during the op.
A sense of doom after. Legs so heavy like lead. Feeling that I needed to move them but couldn't. I was so scared and needed my husband in recovery with me until feeling came back (3 or 4 hours I think). I hated it.
I have also had GA and it was like the best sleep ever, I woke up very chatty and euphoric.

june2007 · 02/01/2020 22:02

I had one for A D&C of the afterbirth. Hated it literally worse then child birth and no I am not exagerting but I had easy births.

Sistedtwister · 02/01/2020 22:02

I had a spinal block for a hip replacement. Any opiates make me violently sick but I told the anesthetist before hand and he controlled it brilliantly.
No headache. The only lasting effect has been a rather impressive psoriasis patch on the injection sites

Camomila · 02/01/2020 22:11

I had one to stitch up my tear after birth...no headaches but I did go a bit loopy (shock?) they put me in a warm hairdryer type thing and gave me 2 bags of fluids. Then I had a lovely nap in the recovery room (my diastolic? blood pressure was 38 Shock )

Couldn't feel my legs till late the next morning.

FrauleinF · 02/01/2020 22:16

Had one when they repaired my third degree tear. Was absolute bliss - the stuff they spray on the injection site in your back is incredibly cold though! Felt pins and needles for a minute, and then nothing. So odd... (but I like that sort of thing)

As others have said, being numb for several hours after the surgery does really help pain management - I was certainly grateful for the lack of feeling down below after pushing out a 9 and a half pounder...

LashesZ · 02/01/2020 22:17

I had a spinal for a forceps delivery. No side effects at all but it was a bugger to get in because I have a curvy back (? Lordosis) After 3 different people having a go they had to pull the main fella out of another Theatre.

Walnutwhipster · 02/01/2020 22:23

I had one in for a week last year. The op was under GA but the SB was used for pain relief because it was major surgery. I'm nauseous a lot and suffer from migraines but found it fine, much better than when I've had morphine and fentanyl on a driver post op.

Nat6999 · 02/01/2020 22:35

I had an epidural for induced Labour & emcs with ds which is more or less the same procedure as a spinal. The pain went in an instant once the epidural was sited, I did suffer bad shakes every time I topped it up through a button to press but I am very sensitive to any local anaesthetic that contains adrenaline, even happened at the dentist until my dentist swapped me to a different adrenaline free one. The dead legs bit was weird, I had to get either my mum or husband to pick my legs up if I needed to change position, I was numb from under boobs downwards. They had to keep on emptying my bladder as I couldn't wee on my own. As I was very ill afterwards with Hellp syndrome & pre eclampsia they left my epidural in for 12 hours after to keep my blood pressure down, it was great for pain relief, much better than the peg they put in my stomach to give me morphine once the epidural was stopped. It looks like I may need to have surgery of both my feet later on this year, i will be opting for a general anaesthetic, I find it easier to manage, recover much quicker, within 20 minutes of coming out of theatre I am hyper, can't sit still.

LittleCandle · 02/01/2020 22:48

I had a spinal for an ankle operation last year. I do vomit copiously from anaesthetic, so this was bliss. Because of my age, I was told I was much less likely to get a headache, and I didn't. I was also able to watch the screen as the surgeon did the op, which was brilliant. It didn't take that long, comparatively, to wear off, but my bladder was the last thing to come back and I wasn't allowed to leave until I had peed.

SometimesSquircles · 02/01/2020 22:50

I had it for my c- section. I came over feeling a bit sick and faint but I told the aneasthetist straight away and he put something extra through my cannula and I felt better almost immediately. No head aches and felt totally fine after. I did have a very cute baby in my arms though so that might have helped Smile

Original poster
WhoisitnowRalph · 02/01/2020 22:50

Interesting anecdotes, thanks. Oh shit yes, I get an adrenalin reaction at the dentist too - have to have the other type. Does that matter?

I am not prone to sickness just very sensitive to the feeling of nausea - I panic in fear. I do get travel sick and have fainted 3 times in my life, but I'm not typically a puker ( even as a heavy drinking teen and a chronic migraine sufferer). Was pregnant once for a short time and felt constantly green and nauseated, yuck.

Maybe I should have put this in AIBU to get votes - GA or spinal for lowest risk of nausea! I'm not anxious about pain, I'm pretty stoic.

Interesting what a PP said about fentanyl, I couldn't move my arms or legs either. Took 9 hours to wear off and I felt horrible the whole time. Maybe I should ask for GA and no opiates/fentanyl?

OP posts: