Eye Weight Surgery and being awake?

[clr]

Hello Everyone!

Here I am again to ask questions. My daughter Betsy is to go sometime in May (still waiting for them to call with an appointment) to have the gold weight put in her eyelid. The doctor asked if she wanted to be awake or put under. Betsy chose to be awake.  Well, her aunt told her she was crazy. Now, Betsy is wondering if being awake is normal. I know Betsy, her biggest fear for her surgeries was that she was never going to wake up. To those of you that had this done, were you awake or put under? (She knows she won't be able to feel anything.)

Thanks guys!!
Cindy & Betsy

[saralynn143]

I was awake. There was a point at which the surgeon was asking me to look in different directions and to blink to be sure the weight was positioned properly. I've heard of the surgery being done both ways; sometimes it is even done in the office chair.

If your daughter is more comfortable being awake, it's certainly not a crazy choice.

I wish Betsy all the best.

Sasra

[nancyann]

Hi there Cindy & Betsy:  I had it done both ways (had to have the gold weight removed due to an allergic reaction - very very rare, so then I had a platinum weight put in).  I preferred being awake.  The only thing that hurt was when the surgeon was injecting the numbing medication into the eyelid area.  After that I didn't feel a thing.
You may want to ask your surgeon if he/she can use the platinum chain because it is much thinner than the others.  I don't have a chain in, but if I ever need a replacement, I'm going to ask for it !
Best wishes,  always good thoughts,  Nancy

[Kaybo]

I have been awake and asleep and really prefer being awake - I have had several over the years for different reasons.  When I had my eye sewn shut within the 1st year after my AN surgery, I actually HEARD the cutting and let me tell you, I DID NOT like that!!  Absolutely grossed me out!!  When we started talking about the weight surgery, I VERY emphatically told the Dr that I did NOT want to HEAR anything!!  They gave me something to relax me so that I wouldn't have any of that (I think now an Ipod would work good too).  I actually had to have 3 relatively close together because we couldn't get the right weight and the last time, they forgot to give me the pill.  It was late in the afternoon and I didn't want them (or me) to have to take extra time for it to take effect so I just went without - I really wanted to get to my daughter's soccer game!!  I did fine and really that was the best one b/c i didn't have to get over the "woozies" - I went to the game - frozen peas in hand!!     It is really a GREAT surgery/procedure - simple none/little pain and WONDERFUL helpful results!!

Good Luck!!
K   

[leapyrtwins]

I didn't have eye weight surgery, but I had BAHA surgery and I was awake.  Completely.

I had local anesthesia and didn't feel a thing.  If Betsy thinks she wants to have her eye weight surgery while being awake, she should be supported not dissuaded.

If it would help, she might want to ask her doctor or his staff how many patients have the eye surgery while awake.

My doc's staff told me that over 90% of his patients have the BAHA surgery with local rather than general, which helped me make my decision.  I figured if they could do it, I could too - and I was right.

Jan

[saralynn143]

For what it's worth, the doctor did not give me an option of being asleep or awake, and it never occurred to me to ask. If i even thought about it at all, I just figured that's the way it was always done. I was surprised the first time I read about someone being asleep.

Betsy, not her aunt, is the one having the surgery, so it's completely her choice.

Sara

[salamander]

My surgery was just 4 days after my AN surgery and I was admittedly out of it still, but I was awake.  It did seem a bit creepy to know what was going on, but the local shots killed pain and I just used breathing to keep myself calm for the procedure. 

Being awake is definitely a normal option.

Samantha

[clr]

Thanks everyone!! Betsy feels much better about choosing to be awake.

Cindy

[Doc]

I started out asleep and woke up with about ten minutes to go...I recommend being asleep. My Doc put these little shields over my eyes while I was out; they help protect the eye during the procedure I guess. I was awake when he took those out and it was rather unpleasant in my opinion. The way I figure it, you're already laying down, why not take advantage of the opportunity and squeeze in a little nap while you're at it...you know, multi task!

Good luck to your Daughter...hope the procedure is a success!

Take Care!
 
Doc

[saralynn143]

That's interesting, Doc, I did not have any type of eye shield during my surgery. So many variations . . .

Sara

[Doc]

That's interesting, Doc, I did not have any type of eye shield during my surgery. So many variations . . .

Sara

Hi Sara,

Yes, they were Lime Green and had little handle like things on them too...kinda like a solid pair of contacts (like garbage can lids), you can't see through them! The Doctor said it actually helps the patient from blinking unnecessarily from close-in intrusions of fingers and instruments over the eye(s).

Take Care!
 
Doc

[Ellenmn]

Sorry I haven't been on the board much.  She's probably already had the surgery but for what it's worth I was awake both times.
As mentioned before the only thing that hurt was the injections to numb the eye area.

[satman]

knocked out