I also found a very good resource about anesthesia that explains
everything you need to know about anesthesia: the different types, when they are used, how they work, and the pros and cons of each of them. Achilles tendon surgery is performed with general anesthesia, so this site will familiarize you with it and hopefully remove any doubts of fears you may have, especially if this is your first time. I know it helped me a lot.
26 comments:
I had surgery on my fully ruptured achilles tendon on 03/11/08. The anestesiologist (I hope I spelled that right) persuaded me to have a spinal block, which numbed my nerves from the waist down....big mistake!!! Long story short...the surgery finished at 9:30 and I did not have enough strength in my legs to leave the hospital until 5:30. I'm not sure if it was because I received too high a doseage or because I do not take any medicine, but it took a very long time for the spinal block to wear off.
I had surgery on May 30 for a ruptured achilles tendon. I was put under using general anesthesia and given a nerve block below the knee. Excellent, I woke up feeling good with no pain. The nerve block didn't wear of until about 3:00 the next morning. I took a pain pill and went right back to sleep. Had very little pain after that. The cast comes off this Friday and I can hardly wait.
I had surgery yesterday, June 3rd. I would have to say that it went well. I also ruptured my achilles. They gave me a pain block right below my knee. It didnt wear off till today right around 1:00pm. I was beginning to think that something was going wrong. Then I started noticing my toes were tingling and I was able to move them a bit.Than off course a little pain followed. If anyone has any comments or anything they have been through that may help me, please feel free to email me at: ballinallstar22@hotmail.com. Thank you.
I had surgery on April 9th. Today I am exactly eight weeks out of surgery and my 4th week of physical therapy. I am almost walking without a limp and the therapist said that next week I should be out of the boot completely. Not bad for 8 weeks out of a complete right achilles rupture. Feel free to contact me with any questions. jonaspalmer311@yahoo.com
I tore my achilles on June 4 (playing tennis) and had surgery on June 10. I am currently in a cast which should be removed on July 21 at which time I'll get the boot :) I have a couple of questions: Did anyone have tingling in their foot (like it is asleep/ in the area around arch of foot) and does physical therapy start as soon as you go to the boot? Good luck and my the summer of 2008 fly by :)
I had surgery to repair a 100% transverse (messy) rupture on July 15th. It was outpatient surgery using a local block below the knee. They did give an IV and gas for sedation. It was completely painless. If you are facing the process, for me, it was less painful than giving blood or getting a shot from the dentist. I opted to not have a "pain pump" after the surgery. This was the best choice for me. With no meds except two tablets of Celebrex per day, no pain and no discomfort for the first two days after surgery. Actually, I have suspended all meds after post op day one. Had the surgery at 3:00PM, went home at 5:30PM with the leg block staying active until the next morning. As a 56 year old in good health, the Dr. is supportive of rapid rehab. We are planning to fit a walking boot day 7 after surgery. Lots of aggressive elevation to keep the blood flow active. I am using a lot of normal vitamins such as minerals, glucosamine, omega fatty acids, protein etc. We are looking at assisted walking in 7 days, progressive recovery for 3 months, normal activities in 6 months, normal running in 1 year. If there are any setbacks or other surprises I will post again. Send me a note if you wish.
Rich.minter_at_gmail_dot_com
Just got my MRI back after 4 weeks of dealing with my achilles. It is a full thickness tear with superimposed chronic tendonits. It addition there is diffused inflamation of all adjacent tendons. Did this 4 weeks ago playing basketball. Limped first 2 weeks and have been walking for 2 weeks without a limp, however, it is tender and stairs are a bit of a problem and cannot due a heel raise. My question is a full thickness tear the same as a rupture. Is there a chance I can rest and rehab without surgury?
Thanks, Bob
Not having surgery is an option, but it is a longer haul and the risk of re-rupture is higher. My ortho told me something about the nonsurgical option that I hadn't heard before. He said before that could be considered, an ultrasound would be done to see if the two ends could be brought together when your toes are pushed down. If they don't come together, he said surgery is the only reasonable option. I guess that makes sense. If you have been walking for four weeks, those ends may not come together so easily.
Good luck !
Hi everyone: I'm trying to choose between general vs regional anathesia. On one hand, I want to be completely out while the surgery is happening but on the other hand, the increased complications for general makes we want to suck it up and go the regional route. The regional would be through an epidural in the spine. That doesn't sound too safe either.
Anyone with comments or past experiences?
had surgery on monday,and yes i also have tingling in toes,i had a block put in place as well and gen anesthesia.going well have to be on bedrest though for 4 weeks not quit sure as too why,and i,m not sure where the incision is.i also cannot keep foot down more then 5 mins out of the hour must remain above my heart they also gave me a ice cooler that rapped around my leg from foot up.however im having heel pain not severve but enough to know i had something done.does anyone know when i will be able to walk again on it or how long will recovery take to be completley mobile again.
I just had surgery and they gave me local anesthesia. It was a breeze. She gave me some medicine into my IV and next thing I knew I was in the recovery room. Surgery was around 11:15-11:30 and I was texting by 12:30 :) I would highly recommend local.
I had surgery on 16JUNE09. I am in the first week of recovery and it is killing me. I am a very active person and staying in bed and elevating my foot is just boring. But I know in tghe long run it will benifit me, if I continue to do the right thing. I hurt my self playing softball, i was coming around 3rd and I just felt a pop and it hurt like hell. I am going to do what I have to do to get back to normal, I love running and cannot wait until I can get back out there! Any tips on excersises or stuff to try and stay in shape would be appreciated, hope everyone is doing good in there recovery, and look foward to talking more as my recovery continues.
Please provide info regarding whether your surgery was performed by an orthopedic or podiatrist...
If ortho, were they specialist in foot and ankle?
Please give opinion on pain pump. I do not like to take pain medication, feeling like I exist in a haze and goofy is worse than the pain to me.
I was sitting at a picnic table and stood up to walk towards my car and 4 paces later, i felt a loud snap on my ankle. It's as if I was hit with a blunt object. I stood up with someone's assistance and when i raised my leg, my foot was dangling. I am very active and did my exercises by the book then the inevitable happened on July 3rd and rushed to the ER thereafter. I was told that i will need surgery and was referred to a podiatrist come this Monday. This blog site helped me understand what to expect and questions to ask. Thank you for all your comments. I am certain that I will go with a below the knee block and maybe a cocktail in my IV. Do you have any advices on what other else I should know?
Hi everyone. i ruptur mine a/t months ago and now i am waiting for my surgery. thinking about surgery and anesthesia is giving me goosbump in my stomech,can anyone please guide me step by step what happens after i wake up from anesthesia and till i go home?
{i am going for general anesthesia}
thanks in advance, you all are great.
I ruptured my Achilles on 7/2/09 playing softball. I had the surgery by an orhto surgeon under a general 7/9/09. Went under at 1:00pm and woke up at 2:30... was home by 4pm and was able to go to my teams softball game at 6:30 that night.... ah, no... I did not play!! Very little pain... The worst pain I have is from my ribs and I was running when this happened and I slammed down on my side! Crutches are very hard to use with the hurt side... My question is how long do most people have the hard cast on? I will get the current one off this Monday 7/20/09 but was initially told by the Dr that at this appt he will take the current off and remove the stiches and then install another hard cast for 6-8 weeks... I'm freaking out as I can't take this thing!!! I was told after that, I would start to put pressure on it... Seems awefully long before I can take a step. I'm a very healthy person and think mayne I need to ask the Dr. to see about expediting? Seems too much time before I start to use it and I'm afraid I am going to loose a tremendous amount of muscle mass in my calf and starting to stretch the tendon. This was a 100% break.. Anyone have any ideas? ckraines@roadrunner.com
I also ruptured my tendon running the bases. Mine happened on July 12th. Had surgery on the 13th. Currently in cast until August 23rd. I am definitely bored. Does anyone know how long after the cast comes off that I will be walking. I need to get back to work where I wear work boots.
I also ruptured my tendon running the bases. Mine happened on July 12th. Had surgery on the 13th. Currently in cast until August 23rd. I am definitely bored. Does anyone know how long after the cast comes off that I will be walking. I need to get back to work where I wear work boots.
I am a 49 yr old Mom who had nevr had surgery before. I was pretty nervous on what to expect. I had surgery on Wed and was completely off of pain meds on Sat. I also had the nerve block in my knee and recommend that. I also was persuaded to do the spinal block which was awesome and was strong enough to leave the clinic after a few hours in recovery. All in all doing pretty well. Getting used to the crutches is my biggest hurdle now. I am only 6 days post op and doing really well so those of you reading this and nervous it is really ok.
I am 54 and had ruptured achilles tendon on 17 July o9.Now I don't have any pain during normal walk whereas with limp & stiffness.Dr. informed that surgery is not recommended these days due to complication in future.It may take a month for the normal walk whereas i cannot run or Jump.Now I have decided not to go for a surgery.off course a little pain followed. If anyone has any comments or anything they have been through that may help me, please feel free to email me at:mohans@pricol.co.in
I am a 36-year old male who ruptured his right achilles tendon back in November 1996 while playing soccer. I had surgery one week after the tear under general anesthesia and had no complications with surgery nor did I ever feel any pain. I was in a full hip cast for a week, then the stitches were removed and a cast to the knee was put on. I was in this cast until mid-January 1997 at which point I had a knew cast every week as my foot was brought back to a neutral position. The only pain I ever really endured is when the doctor had to push against the bottom of my foot to stretch the tendon on two occassions. It was excruciating but worth it. The first week of February I was out of the cast and on my own to rehabilitate my muscles which I started by doing in a pool kicking my legs, even with 55 degree water temp in the middle of winter. I guess it could have been worse if I lived farther north than Columbia, SC. I then progressed to weights and light cardio. By July 1997 I was back to playing beach volleyball like I did when I was 18 down in Ft Lauderdale, FL. Other than a large scar and wider ankle, I have had no complications, and I have never felt limited with my range of motion or ability to play certain sports. Anyone who ruptures an achilles tendon should definitely check with their doctor about whether surgery is the best option, but either way, having a cast on for 2.5 to 3 months is the worst part about the injury. Rehabbing can take some time, but it's not hopeless. And I should know given that I have torn my right achilles, right meniscus (x2), right ACL, left meniscus and right rotator cuff. I still golf, play soccer, volleyball, workout 3 days a week, and run (on an elliptical) 15 miles a week. An achilles tear is a bump in the road, so treat this injury as you would an moment of adversity and fight through it. Don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself, start rehabbing immediately when you can and get back on your feet asap.
Damien Sobieraj
Mt. Pleasant, SC
Hello everyone,
I ruptured my left Achilles tendon 2 months ago and I'm still with cast after surgery.
I don't wear the ROBOCOP boot but the doctor placed another kind of boot which won't be taken off until another month.
I ruptured it when I played basketball. I really enjoy playing it and I'm still planning to play again next year or on November for a season league.
_I want to know if I can still have the ability I had before?
_If I can still play the way I used to play before.
_What are the important care I need to follow in order to fit back in play?
_Some people told me that it could be caused by a medication I took, because I had fever one month before the rupture and had to take a couple of week off. Is this possible that some medication may cause Achilles tendon rupture?
Thank you for answering these questions. All are welcome :)
Michaël
i am a 18 year old athlete and i completly tore my achillies.
I have a tear on my Achilles tendon, not a complete rupture. Scar tissue has formed so I have a very visible bump on the back of my ankle. I have had physical therapy and have had the boot for a month, but I haven't worn it continuously. The doctor recommended surgery. Anyone have a similar problem and what was your treatment and results?
hi i had a full rupture of my achilles i am almost one week out of surgery and the pain is still there just not as bad i guess tolerable at this point... the thing about the anesthesia (dont know if i spelled that right) is this general they have to give you a breathing tube and paralyzing medications which i was not too crazy about so i got the spinal which i guess was the better way to go but just a heads up when the meds wore off after surgery i had no idea what kind of pain i was in for it was very bad and pain meds were not working for me... but i got through it and have been bed ridden and foot elevated for almost a week now with a long road ahead of me was wondering if anyone had some advice for me
I have had long standing achilles issues, did somthing to it in 1/09. Could not walk for 2 months, doc said it would take a year to heal, no x ray, no MRI. 8 mo later, unable to run, no stairs, just able to bike. 12/09, got xray, thne MRI showed tendinosis, bone spur. 2/10 had surgery to remove spur, shave back heel, remove scar tissue, reattach tendon.
Had leg block with general. Not much pain to block wore off. I cannot take percoset, etc. and was given nucyrna (sp). Worked for a day, but I broke out in hives and had crazy itching all over.
went to alleve and advil and that eliminated most of the pain. I chose to use a walker and in my zeal to get into my house I caught it in a carpet and took a header, slamming my foot down. The pain was incredible. It diminished after 8 hours and now is minimal.
I am 16 days PO. had the soft cast replaced by the fiberglass cast on the 10th. No swelling. BE RELIGIOUS about keeping your foot elevated. I was a freak about it even at night.
Have to drive back to NE from FL on 2/24. Hope I can get by with a crutch. Sick of this. Hope it takes care of the problem. How long till any of you could play tennis again?
Post a Comment