If you have had endoscopic sinus surgery - question re: anesthesia

Were you completely out or somewhat awake? What was your experience and what would you recc? Also, how was the recovery? I have never been under any kind of anestesia and I am a nervous wreck about this! TIA!

Message edited 5/25/2011 10:27:28 PM.

Re: If you have had endoscopic sinus surgery - question re: anestesia

Ok, this is not going to be the same, but ...

DH had a pituitary brain tumor removed endoscopically through his nose (they went through the nasal cavity). He had both an ENT surgeon and a neurosurgeon. Since it was so close to his brain, he was completely out with anesthesia. He was slowly back to normal after 1 week, when all the packing was removed from his nose. By 2 weeks post op, he was fine! It was totally amazing!

Re: If you have had endoscopic sinus surgery - question re: anesthesia

Re: If you have had endoscopic sinus surgery - question re: anesthesia

I had endoscopic sinus reduction, nasal polyp removal and fixed deviated septum. I was totally out. I think the surgery was 5 or 6 hours long.

I had surgery on a Friday - packing removed on Monday, and I was back to work the next Monday after the packing removal. (I could have went back early, but I had the time off so I used it.) I did have to do nose washes 3x a day (so 1 time a day at work) so I had a second set of rinse supplies for use there and I would go into the handicapped stalll that contained a sink and did it there.

I didn't have black eyes - even looking at me with the packing in I looked normal. I took regular tylenol for pain killers - once I took the prescription meds (oxys) and they made me loopy and really high. I was fine with just the tylenols so I stuck with those.

Recovery wasn't difficult, some items that helped me.

1) sleeping somewhat upright in a recliner - if you lay down flat I guess fluids start flowing there and adding pressure.

2) no caffeine or bending over - again, head pressure.

For the first few days after surgery I had a neck ache - took me a while to realize but it probably was from them manipulating my head/neck into different positions to get better angles/views.

More annoying out of the whole process was all the pre-surgery testing and appointment coordination, and the constipation that comes after any anesthesia event.