surgery

Did anyone out there wake up during the procedure?

8 Comments

So glad that I was awake

by DawnM - 2011-07-02 06:07:49

I just got my PM 5 weeks ago, and was initially very nervous about the procedure itself and hoped I would be knocked out. I was kept comfortable, but was so glad I was awake. The only thing I felt was the initial injection to numb the skin. After that I only felt pressure. My EP talked to me throughout the procedure and I was able to ask him questions (I couldn't see him, of course, because my face was draped to maintain the sterile surgical field). He asked if I wanted more meds, but to my surprise, I didn't. I actually think being awake helped to calm my nerves, as it normalized this experience for me. It was also great to listen and hear the interactions my doctor had with the other cath lab staff, and see he had just as great a bedside manner as I had experienced in his office. Most patients though are kept in a "twilight sleep" for this procedure. Hope you have as stress free surgical experience as I did. God bless!
Dawn

I did wake up during my first heart surgery

by kathykat11 - 2011-07-02 09:07:01

way back in 1972... I just kind of floated up long enough to her tham say small chest retractors and oh damn.. and then I loated back down. Ispoke to my brother who is an anesthetist and he said it doesn't happen often but it does happen and the surgeon can tell even before the anesthetist that it has happened by the difference in tension in the muscles. It didn't hurt at all. Then at the end I was aware if not awake when my heart didn't want to start up on it's own so they shocked me with those little internal paddles. Now Thay did hurt not my insides but rather the buck of the jolts I got.
Kathy

I was awake for initial placement

by kathykat11 - 2011-07-02 09:07:48

but asleep for the move under the muscle since the muscles move more easily when they are relaxed. I was not nervous at all the second time since I had been through it, just a few months before. i woke up feeling great, and had too be more careful of my glue this time since i felt good nough to do everything I hadn't bee able to do in a very long time.
Kathy

Fascinating stuff

by Edouard - 2011-07-03 01:07:53

I was awake through the procedure. No pain at all, just some pressure as the surgeon pushed the PM in my shoulder with her foot (just kidding).
Fascinating stuff. There was an atmosphere of quiet professionalism throughout. The only disturbance came from me. They told me to shut up.
Edouard

Dawn

by ElectricFrank - 2011-07-03 02:07:25

Glad you had such a good experience with staying awake. I came to an agreement with the anesthesiologist that he wouldn't give me anything including sedatives, unless I asked for them. He was skeptical, but agreed. Like you I never felt any need for anything other than the local. It was great to know what was happening, and the greatest part was the feeling when the pacer was turned on. I could have run around the room.

You might keep it in mind when it comes time for a replacement and start out with none.

By the way I totally agree that placement deeper in the body like under muscles or breast is an entirely different thing than a simple pocket under the skin. It not only requires a different approach to anesthesia, but it also prolongs recovery.

frank

I was awake during my 2nd PM

by janetinak - 2011-07-03 03:07:35

placement as EP wanted to pull the lead out (& did as it was only in 2.5 yrs) & altho I'd like to have been in Lala land it was not meant to be. Got some stuff & felt no pain so it was fine. They only had to re-open skin pocket from the 1st PM & its not too deep. They replaced the single lead & all OK. Hope the soon to be done PM again goes as well.

Hope we have reassured you.

Janet

Yes......

by Pookie - 2011-07-03 12:07:48

I had a total of 5 surgeries for my first pacemaker cuz I was just born unlucky!!!!!!

One of my leads kept falling - no fault of my own, it was just the type of screw or hook thing at the end of the lead would not embed properly.....finally a cardiac surgeon got it to "stick" properly. The last surgery was because my pacemaker decided it wanted to travel across my chest and take up residence in my armpit!

During 2 of these surgeries I did wake up, mumbled something and they just put me back to sleep. When I did awake, I did not feel any pain, just a bit of a tugging feeling.

But, yes, it does happen that some people do awake even though they are put to sleep for surgery.

Something to discuss with the "sleep doctor" before he puts you into la la land prior to the surgery...that is if you didn't have your surgery yet.

Take care,
Pookie

Pushing pacer into shoulder

by ElectricFrank - 2011-07-04 12:07:52

You're right about that. It is a brutal process. Only difference in mine was that he didn't push it in with his foot. He used a jack hammer! No pain though just pressure. It does give some idea why we have some pain later. With my replacement the original pocket was still available and the pacer close to the same size so none of this. I kidded them that it was like they were dropping the pacer into a slot machine coin slot only with better odds of winning.

frank

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