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L

LAK

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2010
Messages
9
Location
Tennessee
Hi all,

I have been reading on this forum for quite a few days and even registered last week but this will be my first post. I am scheduled to have pre op tests on 6/29/2010, heart cath on 6/30/2010 and then mitral valve repair on 7/15/2010. Of course I am like everyone else on here - scared, nervous....etc.

I do have some questions that I have really not seen an answer to. My first question is regarding the heart cath. I know there is another thread regarding this but I would like to know how bad it hurts when they give you the local. I had a bad experience with needles when i was 23 and they performed a needle bone marrow biopsy on me and gave me no sedation or nothing to help with the pain so I am so afraid of needles that i will pass out if I see or feel to much pain from a needle. I have to take a 1mg Xanax 30 minuttes before I go to the dentist, GP, or place that is going to involve the use of needles.

My second question is how many of you have had valve surgery but was a smoker? (I've quit now for about 2 weeks.) I have heard complications can be worse in smokers. I don't mean to sound like a wimp, but everything bad I can imagine is going thru my mind.

I hope I have not asked to many questions, but I am just really freaking out over this.
 
Hello and welcome. I have added your OHS date to the VR calendar.
For the cath: ASK for Ativan or Xanax before, and they will give u a small freezing needle locally before going in with the cath tube.
If I can do it, anybody can. ;)
 
Hey, your username gave me a start - that's my initials!
I didn't post that!

Of course you are overwhelmed right now. But we'll be here for you.
I don't have answers for your questions, because either I don't remember (I was out for my cath) or I have no experience (I've never smoked). But someone will chime in soon.
 
Hi LAK, welcome to the forum!
I didn't feel anything at all when they did my cath. They gave me something to relax first, then the local. So I say to you, no worries! And I was a smoker before surgery as well. I had quit for only a very short time prior to surgery, and found it so amazing how quickly the lungs heal after quitting! I had no problems during surgery from that whatsoever. Plus they give you respiratory treatments that help so very much. My lungs were clear as a whistle, so-to-speak! You're in my prayers for a successful surgery, ~Karen
 
Welcome to the insane asylum. Pull up a straight jacket and have a cookie.

Heart Cath local---Sometimes it feels like a bee sting for about 2 seconds and your numb. I didn't feel anything when they gave mine. If your really nervous, let them know and they'll give you enough Versed to calm you. They won't put you out completely, but you won't care what they're doing. It's nothing like a bone marrow tap!!!!

Smoking---If you can manage not to smoke at all from here on out, you'll be much better off. It's very hard for you to get the gunk out of your lungs after surgery if your a smoker and also, smoking dilates the blood vessels. If you were an emergency, they wouldn't wait 6 weeks to operate, they'd do you no matter smoker or not. It's just more difficult to get off the vent and keep the junk out of your lungs, that's all.

Being scared out of your mind is quite normal whether it's your first of forth time going through this. As a human, we want to control things. This is one thing where we have no control and that is where the fear comes from. Trust in the fact that there are 1200 of us that have been through it and are more then willing to share info with you and help make things that much easier.
 
LAK,

I had a mitral repair a little more than a year ago, and a heart cath the day before. The numbing shot was much less than a flu or tetanus shot. They gave me something to relax me, too--Versed, I think. I was joking with one of the nurses, making corny puns with her name--Thea. Dumb stuff, like, "Good to Thea" or "Thea later!" Like I said, relaxed. 8)
 
I'm also deathly afraid of needles and was especially worried about the local down there because of where it's at - figuring it's probably pretty sensitive down there. I told them I was nervous, and that I hate needles. Whatever they did worked, because I'm not even sure I remember getting the local - if at all, it's a vague memory. So I know it didn't hurt much or I would have remembered it. And like we said in that other thread, there's no pain whatsoever when they go up through your artery because your artery has no feelings. All in all, as nervous as I was about the procedure, it turned out to be a big non-event. Even the laying flat on your back for a few hours afterwards didn't bother me, I just slept about 95% of that time. Got a great nap in! Don't worry about the local or any other part of this procedure - it's NUTTIN! And that's coming from a big (250 lb) chicken.
 
Hi,
I didn't feel anything when I got the shot for the anesthetic when I had the cardiac cath. Didn't feel anything after that either until the very end when they put the "cork" in the artery to seal it; it felt like a lot of pressure, but it was only a brief time, maybe about 10 seconds.
 
Welcome Aboard LAK !

The needles they use for the Local are Very Tiny and short. They use something akin to the Novacaine Dentists use, but with Much Smaller Needles. Be sure to tell the Cardio about your fear of needles. Versed (a form of "conscious sedation") can take you anywhere from "You're going to do what? Can I watch" to "I don't want to Know or Remember Anything of this" based on how much they inject into your IV.

I can't help with the Smoking issue.

'AL Capshaw' (Been There, Done That, Too Many Times)
 
not a smoker so no help there....but I just had a cath (my surgery is tomorrow) and honestly I was all worried but it went very smoothly and the one needle stick I remember was the IV in my arm....I do not remember any others. You are in a kinda twilight sleep...you can speak and hear ...but also easily fall asleep. I had 2 small holes right at my bikini line. You lay still for 3 hours while the collagen plug sets and then they place a compression dressing on it. You walk around a few times and then you get to go home. Good luck and I recommend reading all the forums here....it has really helped me to get to the point I am at now. Robin
 
They will give you something to relax you before hand then something in the iv in the room then a local. If you start to feel more than pressure say something and they will give you another hit of the local. Thats how it worked for me. Im bruised and a little swollen down there but nothing I cant handle. Heart Caths are very routine these days. I was there a total of 7 hours. and 3 of that was pre stuff before I even went into the back. Im getting aortic valve and aorta on the 14th of july as it stands. That week is turning into a busy week it seems also.
 
Thanks everyone for the information. It does make me fell better to know that I will not have to endure extreme pain as I did with the bone marrow biopsy.

Agilitydog - That is my initials to! HaHa!

Karen14 - I have noticed that my breathing and lungs do feel much better just the the last 2 weeks I have quit.

ARGreenMN - I am glad to know I am not the only one that is a "big chicken" when it comes to needles. HaHa!

Anyway, thanks to each and every one of you for the information. My heart and my prayers are with everyone who is in the "waiting room" like I am, have done made it thru it, or is going thru it as I write this. (Sunflowergirl)

By the way, Robb you will be having your surgery 1 day before me so I will be praying for a successful surgery and quick recovery.
 
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