Are there any anaesthetists around please?

[Chefpig]

I had surgery two days ago. Although I didnt want it, they tried to do a spinal anaesthetic, but after two excruciating electric shock-like pains ripping through my leg and with some persuation from the theatre nurse, they agreed to do a general. As soon as I came round from the general, I had severe pain in my lower leg and foot. This got better yesterday morning, but the pain is extreme again. Is this normal? Will it subside? I can barely walk on my foot and the pain is throbbing. It kept me awake last night and I'm shattered but can't get comfortable. Everytime anything touches my lower leg or foot, it hurts like mad. I need some sleep desperately but can't because of the pain.

Where are you now? Are you still in hospital

I'm back home now. My foot and leg feel as if they're getting stabbed or electrocuted. I brought it up with the nurse and doctor before I left hospital and neither were concerned. I'm really pissed off now because despite my requests to have a general because spinal terrify me (and with good reason I've found out), I was refused and asked why I was crying whilst the spinal was being administered, and now the recovery from my actual surgery is hindered by this awful, awful pain.

Not an anaesthetist but I had this after my c - section (epidural which fell out, followed by a spinal block). I had horrific shooting pain in my leg when I came round, was told that it can be quite common for the needle in a spinal block to trigger sciatic pain. I’m so sorry you’re going through this it’s horrific. It took about 3 months for me to stop limping (the pain was constantly there, just awful) and then probably another 6 before it went completely. I went to chiropractors/ osteopaths/physios and honestly they didn’t do much :( I ended up taking ibuprofen and codeine at bedtime to get some relief. I really hope you feel better soon x

Never heard of spinal being forced-I'd follow this up, sorry I'm not an anaesthesiologist but as none have answered yet, just wanted to say there's no harm asking why this happened.. i needed an emergency CS for my second, and I was asked which I'd choose, even then. I wanted to be awake, but that was my choice-never heard of it being forced, unless there was some reason GA or sedation wouldn't be suitable.

Literally no way for any of us to tell from here whether it’s related to the spinal or serious - you need to talk to a real life HCP so they can examine you. Could also be to do with positioning intraoperatively/the operation if it’s not spinal related… no way for us to know.