hydro:(

[Xkaliebugx]

im having my first hydro done on thursday (next week) the 27th.. i have to say i am so scared out of my mind.. someone told me i have to be inibated and it scares the crap out of me:( im only 19 i feel like i shoulnd't have to go though all this crap. Today i had to withdrawl from college for the 3rd time. i feel like a true loser:( this flare is just so bad. anyways i want to know detail for detail what they do to you so im ready so i dont freak out.. thanks.
kalie:help:

[dg2901]

Kalie--I promise you theres nothing to fear. Remember that what we really fear is the unknown. The medical team at the hospital will take really good care of you. When you arrive the morning of your procedure explain to everyone your fears---you're not the first one to be afraid.

I dont want to go into the whole process because everyone reacts differently to this procedure. I will tell you that I personally had smooth sailing with the hydro and biopsy. The procedure from start to finish took about an hour. I was in the recovery room for an hour, then was discharged to go home. I woke up with an urgent need to urinate, and the first couple of voids were a bit uncomfortable (stinging and passing some blood)-though it was nothing that I couldnt handle. Once home I slept off the rest of the anesthesia, woke up then went to dinner with the family. By that evening I was back to feeling "normal".

Regarding needing to be intubated--this is standard procedure with general anethesia due to the paralytic drugs they use. If they didnt intubate you, you wouldnt be able to breathe. I can pretty much promise you that you wont remember this part of the procedure. It'll be done once you're sedated and will be removed as you're coming out of anesthesia (when you're safely able to breathe on your own). I've woken up while the intubation tube was being removed and I promise you again, if this should be your case, its nothing to worry about. It doesnt hurt and goes very quickly.

And I agree--you're too young to have to be worrying about these kinds of things! Know though that you're in a good place surrounded by people who understand what you're going through, and we're all willing to offer you any support you need.

Hang in there kiddo!!!
Diana

[Briza]

:hi:
my experience was quite a bit different from Diana's but I lived to tell about it and did have a great improvement in my worst pain....sharp stabbing bend over and die pains. Hunner's ulcers were found and removed via laser and that worst symptom of mine have never returned and my cysto/hydro was about 4 yrs ago. The procedure for me, tho no walk in the park, confirmed my diagnosis...I have the bladder photos to prove it (don't forget to ask for your own copy beforehand, otherwise they will make only one copy for your files), the biopsy results, and post-op results confirmng IC, all have made it so much easier to receive effective treament, including pain meds, and no doctors questioning me as to the validity of my diagnosis, whether it be my GP, my Gyn, psychiatrist, psychologist/therapist, urologist or my pain speciailist or anyone else for that manner (family members included). Any surgery is scary and to some degree the recovery is painful. Unfortunately many of us w/ IC symptoms just have to look at this sometimes necessary, sometimes painful procedure as a means to an end...to determine what is turning our lives upside down, how to deal with it and get ourselves on the road to recovery. That you are here asking questions shows that you have in you what it takes what it takes be an IC survivor...keep that in mind...it is not a fatal condition, and sometimes that makes it even more difficult. But I am here, Diana is here, and thousands others who have already been thru what you are going thru and the pocedure. I never think of it as a disease, but as a condition. For some reason that helps, I don't know why. Maybe because I am used to conditions in my life changing at the drop of a hat.
Many hugs and best wishes. We're all survivors here...you wanna be one, too? I think you do:flower::kiss:

[motherof4]

I had my first hydro 8 years ago and it actual made me feel sooooooo much better,I am now in a flare since january and am thinking about doing it again.There are people on here that do this often to help them with there IC,don't worry you'll be ok..Good luck

[lisabar36]

Hi, please try not to worry. I had 2 in the past and they have to intubate you, but you are asleep already when they do and its removed before you wake up so you won't even know. I was so scared to, I remember back when I had my first one. It did help me in the long run though. Good luck and try not to worry to much. I am sorry about your schooling, once they can get your symptoms under control you will feel alot better. You should not feel like a looser, you are doing what you need to do for you to feel better. :)

[ICNDonna]

I know intubation sounds very scary, but when general anesthesia is administered, if they didn't use that little device, your very relaxed tongue would actually fill up your throat and strangle you. It's inserted after the anesthetic is given and removed before you are totally awake. You may have a slight sore throat for a day or two.

I usually have a spinal for my hydrodistentions and no intubation is needed.

Donna

[Claredale]

Hugs and prayers that your nerves will calm down. Everyone is right, it more scary of the unknown. I never even knew I was intubated during my first hydro until after I woke up and the nurse asked me if my throat was sore. It was a cinch on that part.

Please don't feel like you are a loser. You have so much time to get things going. Get yourself as healthy as possible and you will be able to start your life. Just think positive! Make your life as stressfree as possible right now.

Tracey

[FENNSM]

I can so relate to your fear. I am terrified of being intubated so much so that the uro felt so sorry for me that she said we could do it with an epidural. That was the only way I agreed. But as I was in the hospital the anesthesiologist said no to an epidural saying the pain control would be too spotty but she would consider a spinal. Well I am just as afraid of a spinal as intubation because you are numb from the chest down and can't feel yourself breathing (yes, I have issues:)) I was practically in tears from being afraid so she took pity on me and said how about deep sedation. I guess there are 3 tiers of sedation...twilight, deep, and general.She said I would not feel anything and she promised and swore there would be no tube down my throat. That is what I did. It worked out great.Maybe that can be an option for you?

[mlzippy7]

I just wanted to say Good Luck with your hydro next week! It will be done and over before you know it!!

[Xkaliebugx]

thanks all you guys for replying back to me it means alot.. I'm still a little scared.. the biggest thing i have ever done is get my wisdom teeth out and they did twilight for that i dont remeber anything that happend with that so hopfally i wont remeber this eather.. but I'm scared beucause i dont wanna do a mask to be put to sleep beucase i am so clostrophobic(sp?) Anyways this whole thing is stressing me out so much i just layed in be all day today crying beucase #1 i had no where to go beucase my teacher withdrew me from class beucase of my abs beucase of this stupid bladder.. #2 i have been trying to get a new job beucase i had to leave the last one beucase they hated that i wasn't consistant with all my days and now my dad thinks instead of trying to find a new job i juust should take it slow and get back to regular health and i have 2054829482 bills to pay:( i just wnana hind in a whole right now;( anyways..i have been trying really hard to live a normal life latly.. went out with my friends on monday for st pat day and i tryed to hang and have fun but i ended up having to go home cause i was in pain.. and last night i had to go home from being with my friends playing vollyball beucase i was in to much pain again. I feeel misserable all the time and i just feel like nothing ever goes right in my life anymore.. I am constantly sick with a cold cause i have sinius issues and i have bladder pain 24 '/7 and i feel like people look at me bad beucase i am constantly complaining about somthing...ehh:( i dont know anyways im going to sleep beucase they told me i can't take tylonal or ib profin till next thurs when i go in for the hydro.. so i have a mondo headach right now and the only way it will go away is if i sleep.. so thanks all for writinng back.. and if anyone has AIM or aol or w/e IM me im always on it would cheer me up to talk to some of you just your perspectives.. I need to get out of this little depression whole:(

sn...xkaliebugx

and add me on myspace if ya havent...www.myspace.com/kalieklein

thanks!

[hdb1982]

Why did they say no tylenol until the hydro? I have never been told no tylenol, unless I am taking pain meds with tylenol already in them.
I understand your concern about being put to sleep. When I had my neck surgery in 06 I was laying in the bed and they had wheeled me into the little holding area the put you in right before surgery. My husband and my mom were in there with me. My dad had my baby in the waiting room. Like a jackass I asked to see Katie. I had not been given any meds yet but had my IV. Well, needless to say, when Katie came back and was laying on my chest I looked down upon her to kiss her forehead. She looked up and said "love you mama" I started bawling. All of the what ifs running through my head. I started hyperventilating(sp). The nurse walked over and said "this looks like a prefect time to start the sedation process" Adam took Katie off my chest while the nurse put the meds in my IV. Next thing I knew I was in recovery and mom and Adam were sitting there. I felt like such a baby making such a big deal out of it. I had never been put completely under so I was freaked for days before surgery. I have not freaked out about sedation since then. Let your dr know how worried you are and you want sedated as soon as possible. They have to be careful to not do it too soon but if you start spasing they will sedate you before you are in the OR. Unless there is a time constriction. I know no one can tell you not to worry. Everyone worries before surgery it is natural.
Who knows, maybe you will greatly benefit from the hydro, Donna has had a lot of them b/c they drastically improve her symptoms, and be closer to being back to the old you. Nothing will make IC goo away 100% for every but some meds and treatments get you 99% there sometimes. Maybe you will come out of the hydro and , after a few days of healing, feel better than you have in months and start to get your life back. Some ppl go into remession for years after a hydro. Just pray you will be one of those. It would be wonderful if 3 months from now you are back to work and school loving life again? I will be pray for you to achieve just that!!!

[windchaser]

hmmm strange i didnt get intubated because i have reflux pretty bad so they gave me a twilight drug and i think put the tube in my nose... it still wasnt bad at all hydro didnt help me tho still got my pain just as bad as before so im not sure what the next step is.. im sure you will be fine just know we are all here for you :)

[Bea]

I agree, please try not to worry.. I had my first hydro done while in college.. actually my first semester in college.. all I remember is falling asleep to the happy drug and waking up.. I did wake up in pain, but they gave me meds to help that.. a lot of people find relief from the hydro.. good luck to you hon

[SandyRN]

Diana (dg) gave the best example of how things go in the ER!! That was great...step by step. I had a pretty hard recovery, but most people really do great. The actual procedure part of it was the easiest part. I was terrified too. I'm a nurse and I don't like other people having that much control over me. I don't like to feel vulnerable....but, it was much easier than I thought it would be.

I have other pain issues in my body and I hurt more than most people, so I won't tell you my whole story. The good thing is you are young and you heal faster and are able to bounce back faster than when you are older. You really should be fine a couple days after the procedure and you might even get some relief from your symptoms from it. I did after I recovered and I have a very bad bladder.

I hope this thread helps ease your fears somewhat. Knowing what I know now I would do it again if I had to.

Hugs, Sandy

[Sarojini]

I also want to give you a virtual hug and tell you it's going to be fine.

Don't worry about the mask they put over your nose and mouth, either. First off, it is made of clear plastic these days, so it is not as claustrophobia-inducing as it used to be. Plus, usually they give you some anti-anxiety medication before they even start any of that, so you probably won't care as much as you think you will ;) Then they will ask you to take some deep breaths from the mask, and you'll hear the anesthesiologist say, "OK, I'm going to put something in your IV now; you may feel a burning sensation." Your arm may burn a little, and then... absolutely, positively nothing until the recovery room. :) Essentially, you will only have to put up with the mask for all of one minute.

The reason you're asked to breathe deeply into the mask before they put you out is so you can be pre-oxygenated. As Diana mentioned, they give you paralytic drugs during general anesthesia so that you will be perfectly still during the operation. What happens is, right after the anesthesiologist knocks you out with the induction agent (the stuff he puts in your IV that may burn), he will give you the paralytic drug. Then, he will quickly intubate you and start you breathing a mix of oxygen and a gas anesthetic through that tube in your throat. However, in those seconds between being paralyzed and finishing the intubation, you won't be breathing -- so they give you all that oxygen through the mask beforehand to make sure you have plenty in your body to get you through those seconds.

I know it sounds scary, but it's not. You won't be aware of any of it! :)

[Xkaliebugx]

you guys are awesome giving me all this support and all.. thanks so much. im a little relived now. i guess the only thing i might be worryed about is the " happy drug" i dont really like that stuff.. like i dont like to get drunk or anything hahh so i dont know im a litle scared.. but other then that im excited to hang out in my bed for a coulple days with my boyfriend watcing some movies!! lol but im scared for the " glass peeing " pain yuk. anyways thnks guys so much ur awesome!!!:woohoo:

[motherof4]

I am going in for another hydro friday,I just saw my doctor yesterday I too am still alittle nervous but I know how much better it made me feel last time.Oh, and don't worry about the happy medicine they do put a mask on you which I know your not thrilled with ,but they tell you to count backwards from 10 by the time you get to 8 you are out....Don't worry you will be fine,Keep us posted.............

[sassiegyrl]

Everything will be fine. It will be done before you know it. When I had mine done it helped so much.

sassiegyrl

[omarito]

i just want to tell you, i felt like you exactly, when i was in high school, spending a lot of time sleeping at my desk from pain, there were some teachers that didn't care & some who told me UNFAVOURABLE comments...
then in college, i wouldn't forget being told once what is the segnificance of ur presence in the class?, i cried a lot that day, but i remember also an excellent teacher in high school who used to encourage me, even when i cried once i told him i can't take it anymore, he told me YOU CAN, & because of my faith in God first & this word i have finished college & i have akid now, so what i want to say... you can, i have been in various surgeries before& believe me u shouldn't wory about getting asleep... i hope everything will turn good for you.