Can't sleep..

[wolfstraum]

I was in a near fatal car wreck on March 30, 2012.....My right leg, hard on brake as I saw car coming on top of me, was shattered, the ankle and leg separated, with bones hanging out a big hole at the ankle joint - no skin or tissue there....my face was degloved at the eyebrows...

I had no pain. I was in surgery for ????? hours....the accident was at 8am ish.....I woke maybe 12 hours later??? I continued to have more plastics surgeries every 8 to 10 days to clean and debride the ankle....no pain...only on pain meds for 5 or 6 days....they made me sleepy and too out of it....I have seen debridement surgery on many horses, I know what it is - and still I had no pain....

You will not feel anything of the surgery...meds will help with the initial recovery....if anything, pain might come later....I am now having pain at scar lines, sometimes where the bones are reconnected in the tibia, and weight bearing pain in ankle...the soft tissue surgery parts do not hurt....

The worst thing about surgery is the dryness in mouth and throat because of lack of water....I was able to manage myself to have water available to swish and spit which helped tremendously....there was a machine like a dentists for suction that I kept in my room - I first used it for brushing teeth when I could not move out of the bed for 2 or 3 weeks....

Hope it goes well and you are ok!

Lee

[Gretchen]

As a nurse intern I watched several surgeries. Here is what typically happens:

First, it is important to follow your pre-op instructions about what medications to take or not to take and what to eat or not to eat. Arriving at the hospital, the nurse will ask if you took medications or ate, then change into hospital clothes, may get some really tight stockings to put on to prevent blood clots. Make a trip to the bathroom before they hook up the IV. You will probably get a short acting medication like Versed to help you relax. The anesthesiologist will come to see you. You will probably get a really warm, comfy hot air blanket to keep you comfortable. If not, insist on keeping warm. In the surgery room, everything is kept very sterile. Yes, everyone really does scrub up well like on TV. The anesthesiologist I witnessed were the best doctors. They were interested in teaching the students, they were vigilant about checking all the medications they give for accuracy which is typically 3x, they often joked they did not want to be sued. They will monitor your blood pressure, respiration, temp, pulse. They surgeon and surgical tech will count out in advance all the parts, rags, tools they will be using. Everything is accounted for at the end of surgery. One time a rag was missing, the room was torn apart and it was found in the instestine (abdominal surgery). Very meticulous. While you are asleep, a foley will be inserted to collect urine, and foam or cushioning will be placed under all your boney parts to prevent pressure sores or ulcers. And just like on TV, your surgeon will probably have his/her iPod going.

The surgeries I watched did not have any emergencies or irregularities, of course there is always a tiny risk though.

After surgery, you will be monitored every 5 minutes for 15 minutes, then every 15 minutes after that until you are doing well and your vital signs are stable. You may feel cold and dried out. The nurse may ask you about pain on a scale of 0-10 (none to extreme) be honest, don't be stoic. Pain management is taken very seriously.

Jocoyn's advice about having a support person with you is great. If you can try to have someone with pre-op, post-op and if you are admitted to stay the night, in the hospital with you as much as possible to be your advocate while you are not feeling well, plus when you get sent home they will probably remember your home care info better than you since you may be groggy.

Many surgeries now are minimally invasive, less pain and less risk for infection. I would call your doctor and see if he/she or a nurse can give you any other informationor prescription to help with your anxiety and sleep. If you do stay for an overnight, you might feel more comfortable bringing something from home, like a favorite pillow, blanket or a picture of your GSD! I hope this is somewhat helpful, and knowing what will happen may ease some fears.

[Jo_in_TX]

Ok, Katie, I just spent the most nightmarish three weeks in the hospital due to complications from surgery for cancer. (No one was at fault. In my situation, it was something that just sometimes happens.) No, it's not all a rosie picture, and no point in not being completely honest about it.

But...guess what? It was more of a nightmare for my dear hubby who sat at my side the whole time than it was for me. Pain management is very good these days, and don't be afraid to ask for it. I DO NOT do pain well. I am not stoic and I am not brave. However, I was either asleep and feeling nothing or awake with my pain under good control.

Don't be brave. Be a chicken like me and take lots of drugs. Yeah, I hurt, sometimes, like when I had to get up to go to the bathroom, but truly, it is manageable.

The food was lousy, though.

[gsdlover91]

Thanks everyone. It's not too major of a surgery, I have severely impacted wisdom teeth that are being taken out, but my jaw is going to be shaved to get them out, and all four are coming out. I'm one of those people who HATES anything dental related. They have to novacaine my mouth just to clean it :/ anyways, I think more so I am worried about the anesthesia... I am terrified of being put under... What If I'm conscious and they don't know?! What if I can feel everything but not talk? I know it's ridiculous haha.. But maybe like some of you said I can get an anti anxiety med for that morning.. The surgery should only be an hour, and ill be home the same day. I just can't wait for it to be done and to go home and snuggle with Berlin. I'm just super anxious until then they already gave me all the RXs for the surgery, I got Motrin and norcos, and on top of sedating me, he said he also will be numbing my mouth so when I awake I won't feel any pain... I just don't do pain well and am worried about like eating after and such. But hopefully the pain after is much less than what I have been going through the past two week from these teeth and the arthritis/TMJ in my jaw. Thanks for the support everyone, it truly does help!


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[Gretchen]

I had my wisdom teeth taken out under anesthesia, but not my jaw shaved. It was much better than going in the hospital. I went to sleep and I felt like I woke up 5 minutes later and it was all done. I don't remember having much pain after surgery, just remember keeping ice on my cheeks and that seemed to work.

[jocoyn]

I was awake for mine. Wish I had been under. Incomplete nerve block was discovered when he hit the tooth with a chisel. I survived. He gave me a valium and he took one too.

I don't think they give you the paralytic drugs for surgery at a dentist office. So not to worry. You should ask to calm your fears.

I am so old I had ETHER as a kid - now THAT was an unpleasant experience. I still remember the rubber mask and the sweet icky small and the vomiting afterwards. New stuff is infinitely better.

[JakodaCD OA]

when I had dental surgery, (had wisdom teeth removed, plus bone chips in my upper jaw behind my front teeth)...They used propofol, I love that stuff, you are out, and I didn't feel a thing Wake up, and tho I was a little woozy, in about 20 minutes I was totally normal ..

But alas, it's after surgery that can be more painful.. Good luck, you'll be fine!

[Abby142]

I had jaw surgery when I was about 15. They broke my jaw in I think 4 or 5 places, added over 16 screws, some metal plates and various other things I can't remember. I was terrified. I cried for days beforehand and I don't think I slept the night before the surgery. But honestly, it wasn't that bad.

As everyone else has said pain management is so great now, and the people that do the anesthesia are very very very well trained (one of the highest paying jobs in a hospital actually). I don't even remember them putting me under. The guy came in, and talked to me for a bit, and then I was out like a light. Woke up several hours later with my mom standing over me. I will agree with the others that said it is important to have a support person. My mom never left my side and it really helped.

It wasn't a fun experience, but I got through it, just as you will get through you surgery! Wisdom teeth aren't bad at all (had that done a few years before the surgery) and everyone treats you so nice afterwords. You are going to be fine. Sending calming thoughts and prayers your way.

[Carriesue]

Ah ok... I had three wisdom teeth taken out at once though that was it but take it from someone who panicked and started hyperventilating when getting one wisdom tooth pulled a few months prior... The dentist said he's never had to give anybody that much nitrous before, lol.

But for the three teeth being pulled, they gave me something other then nitrous... Completely knocked me out and I don't remember a thing. It's just like being dead asleep, you won't feel or remember it though it will hurt after... Narco's are a godsend though and will help a lot!

Just be careful once you're home though, I'm sort of sensitive to medicine but after I got home, I ended up passing out, hitting a wall and broke my nose. Just make sure someone helps you because the meds that make you sleep will have you feeling a bit woozy and groggy for awhile. Make sure to go lay down straight away and rest!!

[gsdlover91]

Originally Posted by Carriesue

Ah ok... I had three wisdom teeth taken out at once though that was it but take it from someone who panicked and started hyperventilating when getting one wisdom tooth pulled a few months prior... The dentist said he's never had to give anybody that much nitrous before, lol.

But for the three teeth being pulled, they gave me something other then nitrous... Completely knocked me out and I don't remember a thing. It's just like being dead asleep, you won't feel or remember it though it will hurt after... Narco's are a godsend though and will help a lot!

Just be careful once you're home though, I'm sort of sensitive to medicine but after I got home, I ended up passing out, hitting a wall and broke my nose. Just make sure someone helps you because the meds that make you sleep will have you feeling a bit woozy and groggy for awhile. Make sure to go lay down straight away and rest!!

Omg! I cant believe you fell and broke your nose lol thats like double the pain...i'll definitely just be chillin in bed with Berlin for a day or two. I don't know how much he'll like that though.......

Originally Posted by Abby142

I had jaw surgery when I was about 15. They broke my jaw in I think 4 or 5 places, added over 16 screws, some metal plates and various other things I can't remember. I was terrified. I cried for days beforehand and I don't think I slept the night before the surgery. But honestly, it wasn't that bad.

As everyone else has said pain management is so great now, and the people that do the anesthesia are very very very well trained (one of the highest paying jobs in a hospital actually). I don't even remember them putting me under. The guy came in, and talked to me for a bit, and then I was out like a light. Woke up several hours later with my mom standing over me. I will agree with the others that said it is important to have a support person. My mom never left my side and it really helped.

It wasn't a fun experience, but I got through it, just as you will get through you surgery! Wisdom teeth aren't bad at all (had that done a few years before the surgery) and everyone treats you so nice afterwords. You are going to be fine. Sending calming thoughts and prayers your way.

Thank you and wow! Thanks for sharing your story, I have been on the border with needing jaw surgery to realign it and correct the TMJ and it just sounds SO painful. But if you did not feel anything and did not have much pain when your JAW was broken..im sure me getting my teeth out will be nothing.

Originally Posted by JakodaCD OA

when I had dental surgery, (had wisdom teeth removed, plus bone chips in my upper jaw behind my front teeth)...They used propofol, I love that stuff, you are out, and I didn't feel a thing Wake up, and tho I was a little woozy, in about 20 minutes I was totally normal ..

But alas, it's after surgery that can be more painful.. Good luck, you'll be fine!

I think that is what they will be using....glad it will knock me out fast...and glad the aftermath isnt as bad as general anesthesia. The after is what I worry about as well..I just hope I can eat somewhat! I don't even like to eat after having my teeth cleaned because they hurt...

Originally Posted by jocoyn

I was awake for mine. Wish I had been under. Incomplete nerve block was discovered when he hit the tooth with a chisel. I survived. He gave me a valium and he took one too.

I don't think they give you the paralytic drugs for surgery at a dentist office. So not to worry. You should ask to calm your fears.

I am so old I had ETHER as a kid - now THAT was an unpleasant experience. I still remember the rubber mask and the sweet icky small and the vomiting afterwards. New stuff is infinitely better.

I could never be awake, and this is one reason why! Terrifying! I also could not sit and watch/listen to them shave things, break teeth, and do whatever else... What is ether?! Does not sound fun at all!

Originally Posted by Gretchen

I had my wisdom teeth taken out under anesthesia, but not my jaw shaved. It was much better than going in the hospital. I went to sleep and I felt like I woke up 5 minutes later and it was all done. I don't remember having much pain after surgery, just remember keeping ice on my cheeks and that seemed to work.

Phew, that makes me feel better...glad this isnt an extreme surgery, and I'm hoping it is exactly as how you describe! Ill have to try the ice


Just a question - when you guys get surgery - what do you do with your GSD's?? Like im sure since Ber is still a puppy...he is going to want to go play outside, run etc, not sleep and lay around all day.. or do they know??