Back from minor surgery

[Guest Julia59]

WEll here I am still reeling from the effects of lidocaine------------------- Feels like I have speed in me.........!

About 1/2 hour to an hour after the procedure I started to feel it---actually some during the procedure also. The Doctor kept injecting more and more, and finally he hit some kind of nerve and it felt like straight adrenaline was going into my heart---but it passed quickly. I told him to stop, but he was trying to prevent pain during the procedure.

Dr. Grubb had to push the device around to find a good tight pocket----OUCH---now that was BAD.

I'm still struggling with some tremors---I woke up after only a couple hours sleep---feeling speedy---and shakey, so here I am posting.

I called my Dad to come and sit with me after the procedure as my son had to leave for work. He and his girlfriend were very cool----and tried their best to make me feel better. Then my mother in law came to sit with me until me Dad got there. I felt very scared because I felt so uneasy and shakey. I was gagging a lot and was not able to eat. I called my husband and told him to find someone to finish his route---a couple hours were left.

He showed up around 4:00---then my Dad left after I rambled on for a while with him about a bunch of nothing---just rambled on and on, and it did help a bit to calm me down. My Dad understood the situation and just sat there and listened and went along with my rambling, and rambled right along with me to help me hold on. He never made me feel bad like I was over reacting, he just let me keep my dignity. I kept getting the adrenaline surges---are they sure it wasn't cocaine--that they gave me-------? Finally I was able to nibble on some food---fruit---dry cereal.......

My husband and I sat there until I felt safe to go home. I'm still shakey and somewhat tachy---on my BBs---and praying for it to pass soon. I don't feel up to this at all---the pain is increadable-------worse then my neck surgery. It feels so bruised and heavy---it's just very very painful. All I can handle is tylenol extra strength for the pain. He inserted it just beside the peck muscle near the sternum bone. They don't like to put it just under the collar bone as it has a chance to move out of place in that area with movement of arms and such. and of course my period is due any moment and the PMS-HOT flashes don't help the situation one bit. I'm getting older (46)---and changes are coming----

Poohbear--------THANKS A MILLION for talking on the phone with me. You truly helped me a great deal-- the thoughtfullness and genuine caring you showed was such a comfort. People just need that during the rough spots. I told my dad about what you did, and I told him about all the other people on this forum who are truly the glue that holds me together. I looked him in the eye and said this with such seriousness.

I'm going to go and try to wind myself down. That lidocaine is a nightmare for me---I don't know how in the world I will handle having this thing taken out.

I NEED A BIG GIANT NERVE PILL................

Julie :0)

[corina]

Hi Julie,

I'm glad you're back home safely! I do hope that you'll get some sleep though! it's almost 10am overhere but it must be midnight overthere!

Anyway, I'm glad the surgery is done. Can you explain me what a loop recorder is?

Tell your Dad he's the best! He's taken very good care of you!

Warm wishes,

Corina

[Guest Julia59]

A loop recorder is a device that is just put under the skin to record any irregular heart rates----or tachycardia. When an episode happens a pager sized receiver is laid on top of the device under the skin and an EKG is taken. But it actually records automatically also. It lasts up to 14 months and is inserted under local anesthesia. A lot of people like to be sedated. I didn't--just the local. I try to avoid drugs whenever possible.

Julie :0)

[Ernie]

Hi,

Glad to have your update Julia. I was thinking of you yesterday and hoping that the procedure was going fine.

I am glad that you are now home recuperating.

Ernie

[goldicedance]

Glad to hear that you are coming along. I have had 1 pacemaker implantation and 2 pacemaker changes. During the initial insertion, I felt pain and the doc gave me more lidocaine. What bothered me the most during all three insertions was the stapling...I hated to hear the chachunk, chachunk, etc. Do you have to wear a sling? Don't worry, you'll feel better soon. Been there, done that!

[Laura]

Yay, Julie!! You did it! I'm glad you are home and recovering. Laura

[Guest Julia59]

Thank you so much for your support. You all keep my going.

Goldicedance----no sling is needed because it's just on the inside of my left breast---right near the sternum bone. I don't really have a lot of muscle or fat in that area---so that made it hard For Dr. Grubb to find the tight fit needed to contain the device. They have to make sure it is a good tight fit or the device can more around.

Unfortunately i'm a bleeder and there was a lot of cauterizing, so Dr. Grubb told me I would have more bruising then usual---both behind and in front of the loop recorder. Dr. Grubb also poured a bunch of antibiotic right over the surgical site to help lesson the incindence of infection.

We listened to some nice Rock music during the procedure---which helped take my mind off the rought spots a bit.

It's not very big, about the size of a pack of gum---a little shorter in length.

If I hold up my left side of my chest a little it helps take the pressure off.

I think the effect of the lidocaine are finally starting to wear off---I can rest a little now.

Thanks for not making me feel like a fool---I know the procedure was minor, but you know how it is for us POTS folks. I just have so much going on with my health at once, so this thing seemed a little overwhelming given that state of mind I was already in.

Julie :0)

[MightyMouse]

Glad you're home safe and sound. BTW, all the "caines" are relatives of cocaine. Here's an emedicine article with info about the options, along with the length of action for each local--lidocaine is one of the shortest acting.

Nina

http://www.emedicine.com/plastic/topic112.htm

[Roselover]

Julie,

Having had some procdures done recently, I can really feel for you. I just wanted to send you a BIG GENTLE HUG! Hoping your'e feeling a little better by now and the after effects are wearing down now.

Love Roselover

[morgan617]

Hi Julia, glad you're better and feeling ok. I've never had a problem with lidocaine, but I request not to have it when I get an IV as it stings more than the IV does. Hope they can get some important info. morgan

[mom4cem]

Hope you are feeling better soon. Nice, soft hug for you.

[Guest Julia59]

Thanks Nina for the information on local anesthesia.

I'm thinking it must have been the lidocaine. I know it's one of the shortest acting, but for me it took a long time to get out of my system. Dr. Grubb was really good about it. When I told him to stop, he did. But he said I might feel the pain more. I don't think it could have been the antibiotic that Dr. Grubb poured over the site----could it? It felt like he poured a glass of water on me.

I am so incredably sensitive to meds, I can not believe it myself. It's always a toss up on what will happen. One of the drugs I take---wellbutrin----a lot of people can't handle that, but yet I can. But some easily tolerated drugs are very difficult for me to tolerate. I was still shivering a little this morning, and I felt a little out of control---and the lack of sleep didn't help. A lot of you on this forum have a terrible time with sleep. I can only imagine what some of you go through.

They will probably need to find a sedative that I can tolerate to remove the device, because I don't want to go through that again. I felt like I was on a bad trip. It was on and off---it came in surges. I imagine the anxiety didn't help matters.

You are all so nice for thinking of me-----thanks so much again for your support.

Julie :0)

[DancingLight]

hey julie giraffe,

at least we were both up looking at the clock all night last night! nice to know you're not alone, huh? ugh!

sorry you had a bit of a rough time with the lidocaine...i feel badly that i was so high on it! no pun intended! thankfully it will be out of your system soon...

hope you get some sleep tonight and begin healing...hope the site isn't too bruised and sore!

emily

[steph37822]

Hi Julie, glad the procedure is over with, and you are recovering. I wanted to inform you of this since you have to go through this again with the removal, I felt it important. Sorry I didn't read this before your procedure, I would've assumed the docs knew though.

You do either have EDS or joint hypermobility right? And is Dr. Grubb aware of this, and was the anesthesiologist?

Because it's been common knowledge for years that people with EDS III do not respond to local anesthesia. ---if you need the paper to give to dentists, or other docs, I can copy it for you and PM it.

There was a paper written in 1991 that actually started to distinguish those who have "joint hypermobility" with those who have EDS III, which means you have a truly genetic collagen disorder, because those with true EDS didn't respond to the local........they could give me lidocaine until i turned blue, and without another drug, I'd feel anything they were doing to me......so i haven't had a procedure done with an anesthesiologist or doctor/dentist present who would just let them use a local, unless they wanted one screaming girl on their table!

I am also incredibly med sensitive, but have managed to not get sick after having 7 procedures (endoscopies, skin biopsies, one minor ankle surgery, EP study, etc, etc.) done under local, usually with the use of Versed.

I always get sick under General, but I'd rather throw up a couple days then remember a few guys sawing up my bones! I always ask them to give me phenergan, but now Zofran along with the Versed, to ensure that I don't get sick. So far so good. It has amnesiac properties that make me forget what I went through in the first place, and it's completely relaxing, I usually end up sleeping through the whole thing, once the meds take full effect.

I don't know if you felt the procedure, or what your EDS or joint hypermobility status is, but your anesthesiologist and Dr. Grubb need to be made aware of that situation if they both weren't already. I know you wanted to use as little medication as possible, and that's always your decision. I just wanted to make you aware of this in case it applied to you. You said you felt like you had speed in you, and I wondered if that didn't have more to do with your flight or fight--adrenaline, panic mode kicking in due to pain, since it lasted so much longer than one would think lidocaine would? When using lidocaine with something else, it's never affected me negatively either, luckily i guess, and it wears off much faster than it must have for Emily, she REALLY likes it!

Well hopefully the monitor picks up something that will help, or doesn't pick up something that will harm, hope the incision is healing all right.

Take Care

-Steph

[Guest Julia59]

Thank you Steph,

The lidocaine worked partially for me. I could still feel the cauterizing and also when he pushed the device around------------that was the worst--------uggg

My stiches are pullling now---but the worst pain is the bruising.

Julie :0)

[michiganjan]

I am glad the procedure is over, Julie. Now you will finally have the information you need on what your heart is doing.

It is too bad you had to go through that nightmare. I experience some of the things you describe when I have anything medical "done" to me. For me, in addition to whatever the procedure is, I go into panic mode and I feel awful from the effects of the panic. You may have had a combination of both. It is no fun to have a super sensitive nervous system.

I also babble like crazy whenever I feel panicked. I had to smile at your description of you going on and on. The two of us should plan to have our medical "procedures" at the same time and place and then we could then hold a gab contest!

I had a uterine ultrasound and a biopsy last week. It really did not amount to much but while the doc was taking the biopsy, I felt panic rise. I got jerky and felt like I had to move or at least sit up and shake my leg. That was the last thing I needed to do at the time. The good news is that the biopsy was normal. The other news is that at the age of 58 I am still ovulating and having periods! Ah, well, I am just happy it wasn't cancer. I have enough of that at my house already!

Keep us posted on what the loop recorder shows.

Michigan Jan

[Guest Julia59]

Thank you Jan for taking the time to post with everything you having going on.

How is Jeff doing? How are you holding up?

That is funny about the gabbing part. If I didn't gab, I don't think I would have held up very well.

Julie :0)

[goldicedance]

Julia...The good news is that the removal process should be a lot less painful. Good luck and hope you get information that is useful to you and Dr. Grubb. Lois

[Sunfish]

julie -

i'm sorry that you had a rough time of it but glad you had good support around you and that you're on the mend now. hope you're continuing to feel better & better.

:-)melissa