Did anyone opt out of the epidural. And if you did were you given anything extra for the pain. And why did you choose not to get it.

I heard that even your legs are numb too and you cant feel them(I dont know how true this is) if you dont lie still for a certain amount of time your can be paralized. Dont know how true this is just asking around.

Thanks

I read a lot of research on this kind of surgery before even selecting the sleeve, and the epidural is recommended in the research literature, especially for bariatric patients. It enables the anesthesiologist to use less general anesthesia, so there are less complications. Obese persons tend to sequester general anesthesia in our fat, so it takes longer for us to excrete it and wake up. So the epidural reduces that problem.

My epidural line was left in for almost the entire time I was there, and I received pain medication through it. It was so easy and very effective. I assure you, I walked around most of the time throughout the days, and never had any numbness. It is not a "spinal", it is in a different "compartment than a spinal". I would do it again.

Trust Dr Aceves. He knows what he is doing. You will be so happy that you chose his program.

I'll second Cajun's comments. I was the ultimate skeptic on epidural's but I went ahead - with no fear - with Dr. Aceves. It truly was no big deal. I remember coming too and it took about five minutes longer to wiggle my left toes again before I could wiggle my right toes. They did not leave the port in me after the surgery. I did react to morphine, however, so it didn't do me much good after I woke up. It made me dry heave a bit so they gave me something in my i.v. to counteract the morphine.

If it made my surgery easier I'd do it again in a second. It was one of the easiest parts of the whole process.

I did not have an epidural. To be honest, I'm not sure what was in the anesthesia "cocktail" but it seemed to do what it needed. I did have pain medications in my IV and the surgery center, but it seems that the hydrocodone (sp?) that I took by liquid did the best for me as far as pain management. Yes, it made me sleepy, but it was good for the pain. When I would wake up, I would walk. About 1 hour before time for another dose, I could start feeling the incisions again.

Day 4 post-op and I am only using Liquid Tylenol today. I may use the script tonight when I go to bed - I will just have to see how my day goes.

You are asleep when they give it to you? I wouldn't have it done without it, unless Dr. Aceves wanted you to not have one for some reason.

Due to complications I had with anesthesia back in June, I am actually asking my surgeon tomorrow if he'll consider using an epidural on me for my gallbladder removal surgery that I'm having.

I had one when I had my c-section. It wore off quickly, and I was up and walking within a couple of hours.