Epidural before surgery?

OK, I'm sure having it open makes a difference.  Hopefully you don't need to stay a whole week but I would think you would need a couple days longer than if you had it lap.

Small risk of a spinal headache with an epidural. I've seen it twice in 12 years and have never witnessed any other complications. Don't freak out when they go through the risks with u, its no different than being informed of the risks with having any surgery.

I'm a Labour room nurse and se epidurals inserted every day. The prob won't do one while your under cause they would not know if you have a level of pain control and or, it most likely will be a dry epidural so the can dose it up post op. A lot of surgical patients get an epidural postop and use a button to administer more of the epidural med themselves. Did not have it for my surgery but i did with my kids and its not painful at all. Just a bee sting when they put in the numbing medicine and then you won't feel a thing. Cather did not bother me either when i had it inserted for other reasons, but for the rny they will wait until you are out before they insert it.

Thank you all for your replies. You've really put my mind at ease. I think it's the unknown that is scary. Please keep your fingers crossed for me : )

I haven't heard of an epi for RNY but I guess it makes sense as long as the epi works. It didn't work for me when I had my daughter and while they say the epi doesn't cause back issues; my back hasn't been the same. Of course they did 8 attempts and 3 completed epi's in the course of 24 hrs. So that may have something to do with it.

The worse part of a cath is when they put it in. Other than that no big deal. Just ask them to put it in after you are under and no worries ;)

Good luck.

Now I'm curious though if epi's are done for open RNY here in the states ... If/When I have the RNY it will be open so there's something to ask during my consult.

 they put my catheter in when i was under so couldn't tell you how it felt (or at least i was in the process of being put under and felt nothing). they took it out the next morning. i wish they would have left it in longer. it was a hassle everytime i wanted to walk around (or pee) because i would have to page the nurses (who always took their time to come to the room) who would have to switch everything to mobile machines, and it was a pain to wipe and such. coming out you only feel the tiniest tug

I asked my surgeon about epidurals and he said they no longer use them.  they found they didnt give anymore pain relieve and that they can control pain better with the PCA box which is now standard practice here in the states. It is a box with either morphine or dilaudid (I find dilaudid workd better) and you can press the button every 6 minutes if you need it to get a dose of medication. You can press it whenever you need it and really works great for pain control post op.

I had an epidurl after I had a bowel obstruction becaues it was an open surgery and for some reason they felt it might give me better control - it was a big mistake - I have spinal disc troubles so it was hard to get in and then no one realized but when I woke up, I kept saying that I was in pain and they said I shouldnt be because I was getting alot of medication through the epidural.  they kept upping the dose and then they said sometimes it can work better on one side of the body than the other - so they gave me some IV pain meds in addition.  then finally after about 1 2hours of me yelling in pain - they checked to see what was going on and the epidural was hanging out of my spine - they tried to adjust it by trying to pu**** back in but that only made it worse.  After a few more hours of no pain control, I insisted they take it out and sure enough, it was already out.  I will never again get an epidural.  If you can - ask for a PCA box.