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Anesthesia
- by Bostonstrong
- 2014-02-25 06:02:39
- General Posting
- 1203 views
- 17 comments
Thanks to this site I was able to discuss with my ortho that I am going to need an anesthesiologist who isn' the "throw a magnet on it type, who understands that changing a pm mode from DDDR to DOO can cause VT if my heart rate is higher than the paced rate. I told him I really, really want to avoid R on T while I am under. He then scheduled my surgery at one of the larger hospitals in Indianapolis instead of the small outpatient surgery center affiliated with the hospital I work for. I would have been clueless about all this if not for information I learned about on this site. Thanks Donr. Now I'm bossing around the ortho and anesthesiologists. But in a very sweet way of course.
17 Comments
My kids
by Bostonstrong - 2014-02-25 07:02:27
Would say Bossy 901. But I kept them on the straight and narrow!
Sounsds to me like an .....
by donr - 2014-02-25 07:02:56
...MS in Bossy! Good job.
But this is only half of the challenge. Wait'll Grateful Heart finishes the supper dishes & wanders by. You KNOW what she's gonna say.
You now have to get hold of the Anesthesiologist who will do you ^ the cardio responsible & a Mfgr Tech to come in & reprogram the PM for the period you are under.
THEN, you grab a copy of the latest strip download report & carry it w/ you into the prep area for the surgery & discuss your settings w/ the Anesthesiologist & PM tech right there.
That will make you the third or fourth PMC member to do that. After all, we have a developing tradition to uphold - sorta like the French Foreign Legion or US Marines.
When is the BIG Day? Nosy minds demand to know.
What kind of sleep juice? Or will it be a spinal?
The best to you on this great adventure.
Donr
Sleep juice
by Bostonstrong - 2014-02-25 08:02:05
I don't know yet but it wont be spinal. No one is getting near my spine with a needle!
Scheduled it for March 17 because I need at least a week after I get back from California to clean up office things before I'm off work again.
My cardio is in a different network from this group so I'm not sure how all that works. I don't have a copy of my settings! Told you I was a bad patient. I will be vocal if something doesn't feel right with the pm though!
I can start running again 6 weeks postop if all goes well.
Thanks for the good wishes!
Bailed
by Bostonstrong - 2014-02-25 10:02:14
On the sinus surgery, sleep study, and another test. Showed up for the pm implant. Friends are already placing bets on whether I will bail on this one. Heavy odds are on bailing but I'm going to not be such a wuss this time. I will show up because I'm ready to get this fixed. Probably.
Oh Bossy...
by Grateful Heart - 2014-02-25 11:02:23
I'm afraid Don is right. That is only half the challenge....at least around my neck of the woods.
Where do I begin. For my first colonoscopy, which was almost 4 years ago, I did not know to bring a copy of my interrogation report for the rep., afterall, they can see what the settings are....right? Right but WRONG....he changed the settings after the procedure and on the way home my heart felt like it was beating out of my chest. I had to go straight to the Cardios office to have it corrected. Turns out there was a problem with the lead capturing at the time, but he never mentioned it....he just "pumped it up". Shortly after, this resulted in a lead revision.
So fast forward to a hip replacement almost 1 year ago now. I brought a copy of the interrogation report to the surgery. The rep showed up when the anesthesiologist asked him how he was going to "do this" he said "I'm just going to put a magnet on it, that's the easiest way". AND he was not planning on staying until the surgery was complete?? He was going to leave. I told him I did not want the easiest way, I wanted the safest way and then it went from bad to worse from there. He stayed but wasn't happy....they had to page him numerous times to come back after the surgery....the Doctor was not happy with him either.
No, I'm not done. I had a follow up colonoscopy this past December. This was with a new Doc (new to me, who came highly recommended and he has a sense of humor which is always a plus in my book). Anyway, he said he wanted a rep there and HE complained about how they all want to leave and not do their job and they have to argue with them to stay. (I think he was reading my mail). I was assured by my Cardio and NP a rep would be there. Well, he showed up (a rep I never met before) and......you guessed it......he wasn't planning on staying and was saying how they could just use a magnet. AGAIN, I had to explain how I have had complications in the past and they want him to stay.
This is all very stressful when you are just about to go into surgery/ procedures. It shouldn't be that you have to speak up for yourself at the 11th hour.
So they wheel me into the procedure room for the colonoscopy and the first thing the Doctor says is "the rep called me on the phone and wanted to know if I really needed him". He said "I told him, yeah....I think they want you here". Which explained why the rep showed up about 20 minutes late. You can't make this stuff up.
So I am telling you these very long stories to stress to you.....get your interrogation report and bring a copy of it with you. Keep your ears open and bring someone with you for another set of eyes and ears. My Husband was with me but he could see I had it under control so he just sat back and let me handle it.
I know Don covered the electrocautery concerns....these are the rep concerns.
It's safe to say, I do not trust any reps anymore. I never had a job where I didn't give it 100%. I just don't get it.
Grateful Heart
Electrocautery
by Grateful Heart - 2014-02-26 01:02:03
I would think they would use it for meniscus repair but you can ask your Ortho to be sure.
All of the surgeries I referred to above were with conscious sedation, and a spinal too for the hip job.
The NP that does my interrogations is the best....5 years now, so I trust her with my heart and HR but I know what you mean about others controlling your heart....very scary, especially after they just find out they can't leave early to go for a loooong lunch or whatever and now they have to wait around for you. Stressful!
When they use a magnet, it does not always go back to the original settings and if the rep is not there to reprogram it, you should follow up with your Cardio/ interrogator to make sure the settings are where they should be.
In my case, I have an ICD so they have to turn off the defib. as well and turn it back on upon completion. It's not their heart so they think, take off the magnet and all is where it should be but......not always.
So talk to the Anesthesiologist and Ortho. My Anesthesiologist was good and backed me up with the rep...he wasn't happy about that either.
Grateful Heart
Bailing
by Bostonstrong - 2014-02-26 01:02:15
You can all run faster than me even when my meniscus wasnt torn. I'm slow but I keep moving forward and call it running...Yes, come on up to Indianapolis, the weather is lovely here. -11 this am but that was with wind chill. Snow/ ice moving in this weekend.
Please, please
by Moner - 2014-02-26 02:02:14
Hi Boston,
Please, I'm begging you, get a copy of your interrogation report, before the procedure.
If for nothing else, make sure the settings are back to the original settings, Too bad for Grateful heart that she had to go through her ordeal. Don't let that happen to you.
I know how you feel about interrogation, it really creeps me out, when someone can control your heartrate.
Good luck with your procedure on March 17th.
Bossy: If you ask us nicely....
by donr - 2014-02-26 08:02:38
...I'm sure that I can get Grateful Heart, Cohara, & one or two others who have been this route to join me in Indianapolis to help you through this.
I thought this was a torn ligament - you mean it's ONLY a torn Meniscus? Sheeeesh! That's a piece of cake - easier than pie.
I know of a judge in MA who will make you a ward of the Hosp so they can do the surgery whether you try to bail or not. Besides, we can all run faster than you - at least w/ that torn meniscus.
Donr
Reps
by Bostonstrong - 2014-02-26 12:02:00
If I just have conscious sedation would I need a rep? I'm having a meniscus repair, I don't know if they use electrocautery for that.
What's with the reps not doing their jobs? They have to report to somebody.
I'm still fairly new at this and am creeped out by someone else controlling my heart rate. I do not like interrogations, trusting a total stranger to control MY heart rate. I know I need to get used to it but not there yet.
Some of my interrogators have been cocky prune faced snots with personalities like a bag of cross weasels. I'm holding back a little here but you get the picture.
What do the reps do in surgery that is so much more complicated than using a magnet? Or what should they be doing?
Did they use general or conscious sedation for the colonoscopy?
Sorry that is a lot of questions!
I'm thinking they can just use a local and skip anesthesia altogether....
Boston
by jeanlancour - 2014-02-26 12:02:10
Please follow all derictions above!! You can do it, don't bail, in 8 weeks I want to be entertained with stories about your running. I look forward to them, you don't want to disappoint an old lady. I"d hate to have to come down there and give you the evil eye. Get your styff together girl!! Jean
PS
by jeanlancour - 2014-02-26 12:02:51
We up here are once again having a high of 5 this week and down to 20 or 30 below at night, and your going to Ca. before surgery. Just take care and think of me while setting in the sun. Jean
Don't leave home without it
by cohara - 2014-02-26 12:02:56
I wouldn't go anywhere near an operating room without my interrogation report. When I asked for it the rep seemed puzzled until I explained my reasons for wanting it. I have gone into surgery twice since getting the PM, and both times the printout went with me.
Most surgeons require a cardio clearance before surgery. That's when I got mine. If where you are having surgery does not require clearance, your cardio should have a copy of your last interrogation on file. The printout is the easy part. You already faced off the "put a magnet on it" syndrome. Isn't self-advocacy a wonderful feeling?
Now, go get that printout and finish the job!
Wishing you an easy surgery and fast recovery,
Carol
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well done!
by Tracey_E - 2014-02-25 06:02:58
You have passed Bossy101 with flying colors!