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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:
FREEM · 02/01/2020 22:52

fear of vomiting here.
3 spinal

vomited dreadfully with 2 so for thurs I begged the aneasthetist for as much anti sickness as humanly possible
he was great and checked throughout I was ok

Thunderclearstheair · 02/01/2020 22:52

I had a spinal block for a c-section. They put the injection on a nerve which paralysed one side of my face and arm for 48 hours. Not great.

Beadstar · 02/01/2020 22:53

I was fine after my first but very sick after my second. Also sick after GA. No headaches though.

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General health
blindmansbluff · 02/01/2020 22:58

I had one during labour when they were trying to get DD out fast using ventouse.

No side effects whatsoever, wore off reasonably quickly, only thing I remember is having super itchy toes when it first started to wear off, they said this was really common! It wore off my feet first then up my legs.

CointreauVersial · 02/01/2020 23:00

I had one for a post-birth repair job. It was absolutely fine. Don't remember any headache.

mumxthr33 · 02/01/2020 23:03

I'v had spinal blocks, they've been fine. They can counter any drops in blood pressure. The only thing I got was minor shakes, not sure whether it was because I was cold though.

JudgyEyes · 02/01/2020 23:14

I had a spinal block with sedation for an operation on my hip recently and I was amazed how quickly I came round after surgery with no side effects. The only weird thing was watching my legs being moved around and having no feeling. Best of luck OP

Original poster
WhoisitnowRalph · 02/01/2020 23:15

Appreciate all these replies. Waiting for an anaesthetist to pitch up! But FFS, there was me thinking brilliant no GA = no sickness risk but it seems they're pretty similar really. Gutted.

OP posts:
raspberrycordial · 02/01/2020 23:20

Had 2 for 2 post birth retained placentas. Had a huge fear of needles but these were no problem, you will feel an electric shock and the worse bit for me was the pins and needles as they wore off but no headache and no sickness-fingers crossed you get the same

Greybeardy · 02/01/2020 23:27

There’s quite a bit of misunderstanding about spinals upstream. I would keep an open mind and wait to speak to your anaesthetist about the pros & cons. They may have feelings about how realistic a spinal is for your operation based on what position the surgeon will want you in/any other medical issues you have/predicted duration of the operation. (DOI: anaesthetist).

JudgyEyes · 02/01/2020 23:31

@WhoisitnowRalph I can only speak from my experience, but I was on a ward with three other women who had a GA and were very sick and dizzy for a few days. I was wide awake and fine after the spinal block and sedation. I was terrified before hand but it was all ok and personally I would pick it over again GA if possible. Good luck!

NightsOfCabiria · 02/01/2020 23:54

Ive had a spinal with sedation for gyne surgery and it was fine, no lovely ‘drifting’ feeling like you get with a general though. Took several hours before I could get up and about again though. My legs were like jelly. No sickness.

NightsOfCabiria · 02/01/2020 23:58

Just tell them you get very sick and they’ll give you anti-sickness meds. I do that all the time now after my first GA where I woke up on the ward and promptly projectile vomited over the nurse and the woman beside me. Shock

Pipandmum · 02/01/2020 23:58

I had one for my c sections and did feel nauseous both times for a brief period but it passed.

WingingItSince1973 · 03/01/2020 00:27

I had a spinal for 2 of my c sections. The first was great but the second made me feel sick but they gave me something to help and also tilted the bed slightly. They keep good eye on blood pressure so try not to worry. As someone else said seeing my legs being lifted up but not feel anything was amusing. It wore off with no side effects x

RachelEllenR · 03/01/2020 00:28

I had one for surgery - I was sick and lightheaded afterwards but it wasn't too bad.

Original poster
WhoisitnowRalph · 03/01/2020 06:39

When I had my last GA I begged for aaalllllll the anti emetics whilst under and another lot when I opened my eyes. I felt just sort of woozy and sicky for hours, could barely even face water, but the dead feeling in my whole body which I think was from fentanyl was the worst.

Not sure which way to go now. There's a difference between spinal block and epidural isn't there?

OP posts:
Original poster
WhoisitnowRalph · 03/01/2020 10:06

Bump...panicking! I know I'm being a drip but it's a big deal to me. I believe the op itself probably only takes a few minutes, they go in at the back of the knee and cut the muscle sheath, that's it.

OP posts:
NightsOfCabiria · 03/01/2020 10:10

Go with the spinal - you’ll be fine! Good luck & enjoy the rest! Ask for anti sickness meds and drink water.

Basecamp65 · 03/01/2020 10:15

I was one of those unlucky people who had a spinal block for a minor operation and did get a spinal headache - it was excruciating - and nothing like a migraine.

I was supposed to be home that evening but I had to stay in for a couple of days, lying flat on my back - it was complete agony and no pain medication touches it - I was given another 2 hrs and if no better then I was going to have to have surgery for a spinal patch.

But being totally honest - once it started to heal it all went away within 1/2 hr and I was absolutely fine - no long term effects. It is also very rare nowadays and few of the staff on the gynae ward had seen it before.

Like most rare side effects whilst unpleasant at the time there are no long term implications and you get through it!

Original poster
WhoisitnowRalph · 03/01/2020 10:35

I think methods and medications and controls "these days" are very much better than, say, 20 years ago. I have faith in the experts but I'm inclined to over think when it comes to feeling nauseous - I think what if they don't care that much, as it isn't dangerous! And what if they think I'm a tool...

OP posts:
Greybeardy · 03/01/2020 10:44

Seriously, talk to your own anaesthetist rather than taking advice here. For a quick operation for which you’ll probably be positioned either on your front or in a ‘floppy’ lateral position, most anaesthetists probably wouldn’t do a spinal (and even fewer would provide sedation with that spinal). However, no one on here can advise you without knowing much more about you.

Post-dural puncture headache has nothing to do with migraines (the stress of the periop experience can trigger migraines for some people though).

Epidurals and spinals are very different techniques.

Spinal for c-section (which seems to be where most people here have had their experience) is subtly different to that for orthopaedics (the BP changes are less pronounced usually).

Having had nausea before with GA doesn’t necessarily mean it would be a problem again (the surgery itself is probably as important as the type of anaesthetic and minor orthopaedic surgery is low risk for causing nausea).

The overwhelming majority of GAs involve opioids as part of a balanced technique, aiming to provide anaesthesia with analgesia whilst minimising the side-effects of both.

No one on here can tell you which technique is right for you. Your anaesthetist on the day will be able to explain the specific pros & cons for you in more detail.

TheHauntedFishtank · 03/01/2020 11:11

I had one for a c section and despite being a migraine sufferer had no bad effects whatsoever. Good luck Flowers

Perid0t · 03/01/2020 11:16

I’ve had a spinal and yes your BP can fall through the floor (mine did) but they give you meds to counteract it and you feel better very quickly. Anaesthetist is with you the entire time.

ShinyGiratina · 03/01/2020 11:24

Both my spinals were at the pushing stage of labour for an EMCS and forceps (high chance of EMCS). Anything that made me pain-free after hours of labour and months of continuous burning SPD pain were going to rank highly on the list of Best Things Ever. Obviously not quite the same as OP's situation!