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cataract surgery and fibro

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Posted 1/14/2013 9:01 AM (GMT 0)
I go back to the eye dr next month. He has already talked about me having cataract surgery but wanted to wait till after the new year due to all i had been through in 2012. I was told they do not put you completely to sleep and from what i read after local anesthesia you still see shadows coming at you and feel pressure on your eye. I am scared to death! This is a person who has pd an extra $500 to be given the twilight sleep just to pull a tooth.

Has anyone here had it done? I am worried the pain will be really bad because i am so sensitive to pain with this d%&* fibro.

Please any advice or experience? I know i need to have it done, as my eyesight is getting worse every week.

I am worrying myself to death.

Posted 1/14/2013 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
I did a search on 'cataract surgery,' and on the Mayo Clinic website it said you may be given a sedative to help you relax.

  I honestly know nothing about this surgery, but I was just thinking back to my colonoscopy in 2011.


I was given the option of either staying awake and watching the screen or having a sedative. Since I had no interest (zero!) in watching my colonoscopy, I told them I wanted to be sedated. That was no problem, and I practically slept through the procedure. I would guess that may be the case with other surgeries, also. These days they have to know that not everyone wants to be fully alert for these procedures, and I found the doctor/nurses who were with me during the colonoscopy went out of their way to make sure I was comfortable. They deal with patients every day, and most of the day, so I think they're very familiar with 'comfort zones.'


Rather than worry, personally, I would phone the doctor's office and talk to a nurse about your concerns, or even leave a message for the doctor to call you. I think they will be very understanding and sympathetic.


Best wishes and prayers for you. I'm sure you will be fine!

Posted 1/14/2013 7:13 PM (GMT 0)
I was a caregiver for my great aunt for many years...She passed away at age 96...And during her 80s...she went through breast cancer/mastectomy and full recovery, colon cancer/taking out part of the colon and having a colostomy bag for 6 months and then full recovery....

And then cataract surgery in both eyes at 86...The reason I mention the other things is that she had been through a lot as well.

All they did was give her a bit of Valium to calm the nerves while it was being done as well as they do use anesthetic eye drops so there isn't any pain and it was as easy and pretty quick. This was back in 1995 so they have even made better advances since then. She wore here fancy black shades for a few days and never looked back:) (Sort of a pun...lol)

As mentioned, just let them know of your concerns and I'm sure they can provide or work with your regular Dr. for some anti-anxiety medication. The more sedated someone is (like using twilight to general anesthesia) the more risk there is with respiratory and heart issues so it's always best to do the least amount that you can and that is required.

Again, even being able to take some of the anti-anxiety the day before as well as day of should be fine as you need to have someone drive you there and home anyway:)

Try not to stress about things that haven't happened and even the day of, worrying doesn't change anything....it only makes things worse.

Good luck!
Posted 1/14/2013 8:05 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks. I stress easily. I can not help thinking about how even a blood pressure cuff will hurt me. I have had the twilight sleep for different procedures and usually have no problem except for last time. I had an egd and had trouble they said waking up. One nurse said they almost put me on a respirator but then i came out of it. I have done research about cataracts and fibro. Some say that cataracts get bad faster if you have fibro. I thought, great, something else. I plan a lot of questions on my next appt.

Posted 1/14/2013 9:01 PM (GMT 0)
Don't expect the negative.  Look to the benefits!  I had my entire colon removed while having fibro and had no problems at all...was Christmas shopping at the mall 11 days later with 89 staples still in me!  I was a woman on a mission and nothing was going to stop me from getting my children Christmas gifts!  It's amazing what you can do if you think positively and go for it! 

 

I didn't worry about pain.  Why worry about something that might not be bad at all?  If you expect things to be painful, they probably will be. 

 

I do know when I had a colonoscopy, they didn't knock me completely out.  I was totally relaxed and really didn't care what they did to me and didn't really feel much at all, either.  I got to watch the whole thing on a television they had in the operating room.  It was sooooo neat to see the inside of my colon.  Yeah, I'm weird!   tongue   They will give you enough medication so you won't feel much. 

My friend had this surgery a couple of years ago and didn't have a problem with it.  I picked her up at the surgery center, took her home, and we had a lovely lunch together....even though she had to wear a patch over her eye.  She was fine and you will be fine, too.  Just expect a great surgery and just think of all the benefits of this surgery, too.  You will be able to see far more clearly and that is a real blessing!

Sherrine 

Posted 1/14/2013 9:03 PM (GMT 0)
ladywithfibro: Remember that your friends here are pulling for you! I think you are wise to ask a lot of questions on your next appointment (this is from someone who goes to her doctor appointments with numerous questions written down!). I find that it really eases my mind, and the doctor/nurses are nearly always willing to work with you. Please keep us posted and best wishes.
Posted 1/15/2013 3:38 AM (GMT 0)
I had the lazer eye correction done a few years ago. It's similar to cataract surgery. I saw shadows and felt a little pressure. They numbed my eyes and if I complained any they put more numbing gel on it. I couldn't feel a thing.
They do the surgery one eye at a time unless your willing to be total blinded for several days. LOL
My mother had one eye done and as soon as it was healed she had the other one done. You'll have to do special medications before and after the surgery and wear a patch for 3 days I think.
Posted 1/15/2013 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
Asking questions and learning is good.....But pouring over every detail and making yourself even more sick with worry about everything (like the BP cuff) is not going to change anything except make you miserable until the procedure...

You mention the twilight procedure but they do not do this for this type of surgery...Again, they just give you a bit of medication to relax you like a Valium (pill form) and then the eye drops numb the eye so you aren't going to feel pain.

You will be fine...This procedure is done thousands of times a day all over the U.S....

As Sherrine has said....why not turn things around and think about how great it will be to see better!

The one thing that we can control in our life is our own thoughts:) Everything else I give up to God and go on my way....
Posted 1/16/2013 12:52 AM (GMT 0)
I have bad Fibro and I am a real chicken when it comes to pain. I had both eyes done a month apart. They will give you a nerve pill if you let them know you want one. They put lots of numbing drops in your eye and you do not feel anything at all. You are wide awake but it is ok. You do not feel anything.
Posted 1/16/2013 8:17 AM (GMT 0)
I can not help but worry. Dh says i do enough for both of us. I am going to let him know how bad my worries and anxiety gets. They have to give me a valuim for an mri. The dr that will be doing it is known for being one of the best in the state. They have been written up as one of the best cutting edge in the US. So i know they are good and do it all the time. I HATE pain, I am not good with dealing with it.
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