I am due to have DBS, has anyone had it whilst being awake? I may have asked this before so don’t have a go if I have as stressed about it as everyone seems to have been knocked out whilst having it and I am scared. There must be someone out there who has had it done whilst awake???
Hi
I do hope I am doing this correctly as it is my first post on the forum.
I had DBS whilst awake in 2006.I believe it was much more common then to do the op while the patient was awake.
I didn’t experience any pain during the procedure though there was some discomfort when the frame was put on my head.When the surgeon drilled in to my skull, it was the thought of it which was unpleasant rather then any painful feeling.In fact during the op I was able to joke about the operating theatre resembling B&Q!The advantage of being awake came when I was able to experience complete cessation of my tremor(right sided arm and leg) as they hit the right spot when they applied the electrical stimulus .
Once they have achieved this goal, there is no reason to be awake so I was put under a general anaesthetic while the electrode was run under the skin, down the neck and in to the chest for insertion of and connection to the battery.
Unfortunately,weeks later when I was tested again with the stimulator there was no effect .I can only conclude that they had inadvertently moved the electrode whilst I was in the land of nod.Thus I have had no benefit from the op and still have the redundant hardware in my head, neck and chest.
Since I think it is more common to be under anaesthetic for the op nowadays as they have improved the targeting considerably,I would be inclined to ask why you are having to have it whilst awake.Having said that I hope I have convinced you that there is nothing to fear from the op itself.
Infact I am on the list for another DBS operation, this time ,not awake!
Best wishes
keith
Thank you so much for replying and goid luck x