Wellness

[sfnative]

---

@hckynut wrote:

Hi @sfnative,

So what med did they decide was best for you? Only answer if you are comfortable with doing so.

I found out during an oral surgery done in the hospital, which was about 90 minutes, what med, among others I will avoid every time. I asked my nephew, who is an Anesthesiologist, what med it might be that caused me to feel as I did, post surgery.

Never taken any type of mind altering drugs(illegal), but I heard about LSD and the like, an the feeling it is suppose to give to users. Anyways, that is how I felt after my oral surgery. I was "Awake, but no one was Home.

It was from the Fentanyl, and from that time on I have never had Fentanyl used in any of my many Colonoscopies or Endoscopies, nor my 2 Cataract Surgeries. I swore off of anything with Codeine many years ago? Now that all NSAIDS and anti-inflammatory meds are off my table? I am pretty much left with Tylenol for my pain med, but that is fine with me.

For my Cataract Surgeries they used Versed, and it worked fine with me. I have never had a "sick after Anesthesia of any kind, going back to Ether and Sodium Pentothal". Just do not like the "out of body feeling" of the ones I mentioned, and the blood thinning of the others. My colon cannot even handle 1 Aleve.

Take care, and best with your cataract surgery. As you know, mine turned out great for my vision.

hckynut(john)

---

Hi John,

To answer your first question, that would be a low dose of Versed and Fentanyl.  I'm confident that this will not exacerbate the neuro condition caused by the general anesthesia used during the TKA (total knee arthroplasty).

I'm off NSAIDs as well, as one, Mobic, taken for chronic migraine, has me in chronic kidney disease, so I'm really restricted like you and must really watch what I eat.

A few years ago I asked you about the lens choice you had made, so typed that up and always kept it in my wallet - believe it not so that when I finally got to the pre-op appointment, I had good info to go on.  Two years ago I had scheduled everything with a large high end cataract surgery "mill" here in town.  Didn't know that at the time.  Heck, in the few appointments I had there, due to having to re-schedule, I never once met or even saw the surgeon who would be performing the surgery.  This never set well with me.

Fast forward to last fall when I experienced a vitreous tear and bleed with a retinal pull on the right that will flash until I leave this earth.  Anyway, a Saturday visit to an on-call ophthalmologist to address the above was a fortuitous.  Ended up ditching the high end cataract mill and am going with this new ophthalmologist.

In speaking with him about lenses, he approached this subject in a different manner than the "mill."  He asked me how I use my glasses now, for distance and close up, and whether I want or require a change.  Told him I need lenses for distance.  That really is a given for many reasons.  And, for many years I've not been using reading glasses at all: I just whip off my glasses and read without any vision aid at all.  I do use computer glasses, however.

So, I'm going to come out of this just like I've been for years and years, which means I won't have to get used to something and maybe not like it and have to pay out-of-pocket for 2 more surgeries.  I'll just keep wearing distance glasses; whip them off for reading and close stuff; and, have computer glasses created along with my distance glasses, once both surgeries are complete.

When the "mill" practice was talking to me, they said I could have distance lenses, but would need readers.  We never had a conversation about how I do things now, which, in the end, is going to save me $$ in terms of one less pair of glasses (readers).  It just never occurred to me to question them, which is odd, because I normally would.  (Think they had me going in circles.)

Take care, my friend.

[pattypeep]

@hckynut Hi, John. I wouldn't normally worry about an untimely sneeze, except when thinking about it happening while a Dr. has a scalpel or needle in my eye. LOL. I've had to stop a dentist more than once while his hand and utensils were in mouth mouth because I felt a sneeze coming on.

Anyway, I was able to watch my brother's procedure because they have a common wall with a window opposite where they do the procedures, plus have a TV screen showing a close up of what is going on. They asked if I wanted to watch and I said "Are you kidding me right now ? Of course I do". A nurse came and sat next to me and I asked her why she was there and she said that some people have fainted. LOL Not that that's funny that they fainted, but that wouldn't be me. Anyway, I guess they will make a CD of my procedure to bring home. I will not be "asleep". I opted for the Dr. that didn't do that because I wanted to be awake. We shall see how it goes. It's only 5:30 am here, so I have a few more hours to fuss and worry.

[AnikaBrodie]

@pattypeep

I had cataract surgery two years ago (one week apart) and it was over quickly so  don't worry.  I spent more time in the preparation area than I did in the actual surgery.  It goes by very fast (about ten minutes if that) and then you go into a recovery area, have a snack, and go home.  You'll have to use two types of eye drops for a few weeks to prevent inflammation and aid in the healing process.

I wish you the best.  And don't forget your sunglasses.  Oh, and you'll need a driver.  You'll be so happy you had it done.

[sophiamarie]

@henderson  Sorry, but I never heard of anything like what you are describing.  They "want you awake"?????  Are you serious???  They put a clamp on your eye to keep it open.  

I realize not every doctor works the same way but there is no way I would want to be awake, so I could keep my eye open.  Your natural reflex would be to blink when anyone comes near your eye.

I was given Versed one minute and the next minute, I was awake and alert and could have driven myself home if I didn't have a gauze pad over my eye, which I was told to remove later that evening.

As I said, not everyone is the same but I never heard of that which you speak...... JMO

[henderson]

To MMsfoxxie:  I did not have laser.  I paid extra for ORA $375.  Medicare pays the rest.  My eye is still blurry as I had my left eye done (monovision).  Previously I had lasik in that eye so I could read up close without readers and my right eye took over for distance.  I was a candidate for monovision as I have no problem adjusting with my eyes.  My eye dr. won't do monovision if you've never had lasik because some people's brain just can't adjust.  Today is much better than yesterday, my bath & kitchen lights are so bright and I know I will see improvements each day.  My husband had his eyes done and paid for Crystal Lens (cost $2500 each eye).  He has astigmastism and also wants to be able to see better to golf.  The procedure was pretty much painless -- you're very relaxed and not at all anxious.  I've had more pain when an eye dr removed a chalazion from the inner corner of my eye and used a needle to inject numbling solution.  I was in a small surgery center.   I about jumped off the table for that!  To the other poster, I did not feel like I needed t blink at all and I didn't feel any clamp keeping my eye open.  I was very relaxed and it was a pleasant experience.  Everyone I've talked to have been under light sedation to remove their cataracts.

[AKgirl2]

Hi @pattypeep ~ I hope all went well and that you can relax now and get much needed rest you missed being anxious/nervous (especially last night).  Tell us about your experience when you're able.  Take care!

[violann]

@pattypeep- I can't 'till you post that it's all over with and your vision is much better! Prayers........

[Mmsfoxxie]

@pattypeep, hope its over now and you're on your way to recovery.

@henderson, verbally said 'Ouch' when you said you had a needle in your eye to numb it.  Omg!  They would have to hold me down, lol.  My hubby had lasik surgery, I think, years before I met him.  He said he used to wear glasses as thick as a Coca Cola bottle that made his eyes look small.  Thanks so much for sharing your story.

[febe1]

Good luck, @pattypeep. You will do fine and will wonder what you were concerned about after.

I hope you have a beautiful result....

[pattypeep]

@febe1@Mmsfoxxie@violann@AKgirl2 and all:

Thank you so much for following up with me. It was a long day because the Dr. was behind, but the staff and the Dr. are wonderful and it didn't seem so bad. I was awake the whole time and chatted with the Dr. I think the Versad (or whatever they gave me for relaxation) loosened my tongue. I was a chatty Kathy. The dreaded shot wasn't so bad. They really numb your eye and give it plenty of time to take affect. My forehead and nose was even numb on that side. By the time the Dr. started his part it was super pain free and "almost" relaxing. My eye is still dilated, so I am unable to tell how much difference in vision yet, but they did say it would take time to see full results. I just watched my video. Amazing, amazing.

Thank you all again. God bless.