Feeling anxious about spinal epidural for knee operation.

[BattleOfWoundedKnee]

I'm having a knee operation in a few days time and will have a spinal epidural plus a sedative to put me to sleep.

My wife had an epidural for a C section 20 years ago and I remember how difficult it was to find the right spot in her spine to give the injection.
It also took a long time and a few top ups for her to be satisfied that the anaesthetic was working.

I have this fear that the epidural will go in the wrong place and it won't work and I will feel pain during the operation but can't move due to the sedation.

Can anyone reassure me?

Completely normal to feel anxious (would be a bit weird not to be). Instead of remembering the difficulty of your one experience with the procedure, think about the fact that it DID work. Talk to the anaestheologist (sp) about your fears.

I've had two c-sections under spinal, one was 11 years ago and one was 8 years ago, and both times the spinal went fine.

My FIL had a hip replacement done under spinal about 9 years ago and he said he was so calm and relaxed during the procedure that he actually fell asleep despite all the banging, sawing and drilling noises 😂

It's normal to be anxious, that's just human nature, but I'm sure it will be absolutely fine.

I had an epidural and sedative for a foot operation. It all went very smoothly.

Is it definitely a combined spinal-epidural? That’s much less common than just doing a plain old spinal injection (spinals and epidurals are completely different techniques). Either way, both are usually much easier when you’re not heavily pregnant and having contractions.

I’ve had an epidural and it was fine. That was for a difficult birth. My stepmum had a full knee replacement under epidural as she reacts badly to GA and again, it was absolutely fine. It’s really common to feel anxious. I recently had a surgery under GA and was in a right state in the run up to it but it all went smoothly. Good luck!

I had a spinal a few weeks ago for a knee replacement. I was apprehensive. It was absolutely fine. Sedation meant I didn't feel, see or hear anything.

I've had spinal for both hip replacement and total knee replacement, they work really well.

The difference with a epidural for a section is that there's a massive lump of baby at the front stopping you from making the space between the vertebrae wide enough. And there's you know, often giant contractions going on at the same time.

You're having spinal anaesthesia in a calm environment, there won't be any trouble getting into the best position, chances are you won't be carrying extra weight in fat stores or fluid and they're even giving you a sedative to make you feel all warm and fuzzy, rather than just trying to get you to curl up like a croissant whilst your uterus is trying to pull itself up and open to expel an awfully big thing through a terribly small passage as they try to get the cannula in the spaces through a few extra mm/inches of fat or fluid retention.

You'll be fine.

The sedation isn’t usually started until the spinal/epidural is in (for knee surgery sedation quite often isn’t needed at all once the block’s working).

Thank you all. I feel less anxious than before.

What did take me by surprise was how quickly it took affect! As soon as the needle was withdrawn from my spine my medical team started lying me down immediately, and within second I felt this lovely warm feeling spreading down my thighs as the anaesthesia took effect. It was a very surreal but also very comforting feeling....the heat sensation in my legs was like I was slipping into a really warm bath..... it was lovely 😂