Do we have the same risks as anyone else that undergoes general anesthesia and a lengthy surgery? What should I do to ensure that things will be okay? I have kids that depend on me to come out of this okay. I am really worried about a zillion things right now.

If you're worried that you wont be asleep during the surgery, there is something that anesthesiologists and anesthetists use to make sure you're asleep. It's called a BIS Monitor. It measures your brainwaves and the person doing the anesthesia can tell if you're asleep, how deeply you're asleep and when you're going to wake up.

I dont know about any of the risks of anesthesia that we MSers would have. Sorry that I cant answer that question.

My dad is a nurse anesthetist and is the one who told me about the BIS Monitors. (I have an anesthesia phobia) My dad knows that if I ever have to have surgery, he's to tell the person doing the anesthesia needs to use a BIS Monitor so that I'm not awake during any surgery I may happen to have.

I've never heard of there being more risk during surgery, but I know they really fuss over those of us with MS, here in Canada.

I had surgery in Nov/08, and was all scheduled & set when they called and said I had to postpone the surgery to first meet with the anethesiologist. She went through about an hour of questions, even though I had had surgery twice before with no problem.

It has always taken me about 2 - 3 times what it used to (pre-MS) to recover, so if the average person might expect to be back at work in 3 days, it's was always a few weeks for me.

This time was more difficult because I retained water in a BIG way, and put on 14lbs in probably 24 hrs. The surgery itself and incision recovery was went REALLY good actually . . . but the water retention caused numbness to my hips, and symptoms that seemed to be leading up to a relapse.

I got off the NSAIDs within a few days (don't do narcotics/codeine), but the water retention took a few weeks to clear up. I went down to pre-surgery weight after that, and all the symptoms let up too.

Good luck!

Cherie

Hola,
I had heard that too and talked to the Anesthesiologist about it before I had a hysterectomy. I don't remember exactly the risks, but there is things they watch for with MS Patients. Sorry, I don't remember exactly what though. I would be sure you tell your anesthesiologist that you have MS. He did give me the option of just having a spinal and not going to sleep, but I choose to go to sleep. The general anesthesia went fine for me, no problems at all, except I was so so naseauated after I work up, which is a very normal side effect. Good luck!
Kathy

Thank you all so much.

When I had a hysterectomy/bladder repair a year ago, I went off Rebif (was having some issues anyway, so just stayed off until after the surgery) and I don't remember them doing anything different with the anesthesia. They did say I took a long time coming to, and I had told them to give me the nausea medicine because of previous experience.

I recovered as fast as anyone, was back to work within 10 days, and I had the full horizontal incision, not the newer procedure. No one seemed concerned about my MS and the surgery, not even my neuro. Though he did say to keep my ovaries, that studies are coming out that women who don't go through menopause naturally have a greater risk of getting alzheimers, and with MS I didn't need that!

I told the obgyn to take them if they looked troublesome, but if not to leave them in!

i don't think there's any extra risk with anesthesia if you have MS.
but, talk to all your dr's, especially the anesthesiologist.

getting all the info you need will help to minimize your stress, which can cause MS sx's. just make sure all your drs know so that they can watch you for any problems and give you some extra time to get back on your feet.

i've had 2 surgeries and have come thru fine.