Comments please

SorrHi I am awaiting Hip replacement. I am completly relient on my pacemaker. I was always told could not have an anaesthetic. but now having had to return to hospital as my hip is getting so bad. they say they will possibly give me a full anaesthetic. as with an epidural of spinal. they will possibly not be able to see if my blood pressure falls/rises. because he rhythm is pre set iat one pace, however I feel lucky as they are going to have the consultant aneathitist and orthopedic consultent at the table. Its going to be a matter of getting both together at the same time. But this could change at last hurdle When they all get together.needless to say at my age 78 I have some other complaints and I feel very unsettled in my mind about the out come.? its the old saying (every one wantsto go to heaven but nobody wants to die.) Sorry my name is Peggy.

3 Comments

Come On Cheer Up

by SMITTY - 2010-06-28 09:06:22


Hello Peggy,

Welcome to the Pacemaker Club.

The first thing you kids have to do is quit talking about dieing. Almost nobody dies while getting a hip replacement.

I think somebody must have given you some wrong information. Blood pressure and heart rate are two of the most important readings obtained during any surgery, so it will be monitored if you are given a full anesthetic or do get an epidural. It is standard procedure to have the anesthesiologist and surgeon present during a surgical procedure. BP, HR and respiration are the most important readings the anesthesiologist has to monitor as those three reading give the doctor a second by second report on your body's response to the surgical procedure.

As for that pacemaker, don't worry about it. As John Cameron Swayze used to tell us in the old Timex commercial "it can take a licking and keep on ticking." A cauterizer will probably be used to control any bleeding and some of those can be harmful to a pacemaker, but only if they are less than a foot away from the pacemaker. Well, unless you have an unusually short body, your hip is definitely more than a foot from your pacemaker location.

Anyway standard procedure is when a person has a pacemaker that may be affected during a surgical procedure an external backup pacemaker is put in place to take over should the implanted pacemaker falter.

So you get that unsettled mind settled and forget about unpleasant things such as dieing. We don't let our Pacemaker Club members die during surgery unless they give us two months notice in advance. I have seen no such notice from you.

Now let me offer a little bit of explanation of my being so irreverent. I have been teasing you a little with the hope it may help settle your nerves. I know I called you a kid even though you are 78. But I'm 81 and I figured that gives me the right to call you a kid. Last, but not least, if I have offended you in anyway, I sincerely apologize.

I wish you the best,

Smitty

Hip, Hip, Awau!!

by Wannabe - 2010-06-28 10:06:13

Hello Peggy - I'd a total hip replacement on 13th April of this year. It was given an epidural and tranquilising drugs. Although I was conscious throughout the operation I wasn't in the slightest bit put out about it. Later I was told it was unusual for a patient to be conscious as the tranquilisers generally send people to sleep. The anaesthetist told me I was highly resistant to them!

However, like you, I suffered agonies beforehand (especially at 3 o'clock in the morning when I couldn't sleep) about the operation. All a waste of time. Everything went perfectly smoothly. I was pain free from the moment the old hip had been replaced. Of course, you'll be given heavy pain relief after the operation for about three days at least. I don't know about your hospitals in Oz, but I was offered extra pain relief on a regular basis but never needed it. I was up and sitting in a chair on the second day following the op., and was walking on crutches the following day. I was shown how to get into and out of the passenger seat of a car, how to go up and down a flight of stairs and how to move around safely in the kitchen.

No doubt was raised about the pacemaker making a difference to the process and my blood pressure and heart rate was monitored regularly in the ward - but so was that of the other patients who were without a pacemaker. I think they're quite accustomed to dealing with pacemaker patients.

Useless for me to tell you not to worry, because of course you will continue to worry until the very last moment. Afterwards, though, I'm pretty sure you'll wonder why you were so anxious. If you would like further information, please send me a private message and I'll be glad to help if I'm able.

Now, excuse me, I have to go out and enjoy unaccustomed sunshine here in England. I'm going for a walk in the park after I've done some shopping in the supermarket. I couldn't do either of these things before having my new hip.

Be safe and well. Best wishes. Sheila

thanks Smitty.and Shiela

by pommiemum - 2010-06-28 12:06:54

I have been waiting re this replacement for approx 4years now with so many different tales. and excuses. RE not being able to do it for me Now it has brought forth fruit ? I kind of let myself get unsettled
Thanks for you reasurance. Feel much happier now.
I know I would have been able to talk my fears over with consultants on day of operation and still possibly will do.Thank you both once again. Dont mind being called a kid at all Smitty. I got a lot of living to do now (quote was only a Quote Re nobody wants to die.) sorry.Had my pacemaker for a year befor I had to have the complet ablation operation. If there is anyone out there having a heart ablation Go for it with confidence .It gave me a wonderful new life.
Sure all will be well now with all this new modern technoligy looking forward to waking e.c.t. again
will keep in touch as it may help someone else
FRom Peggy. PS I live in England.

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