# Yay!  I've got a date for surgery!



## caffn8me (Feb 13, 2009)

I've had a long catalogue of health problems which I haven't had much luck getting sorted out.

Just over a year ago, I ended up tearing the lining to my anus (anal fissure) due to being rather blocked up as a result of long term underactive thyroid (which took five years for my GP to do anything about) and strong painkillers I needed for several weeks following a dental abscess that took root canal work and nine trips to the dentist to fix.

I've been in such severe pain at times that when it's bad all I can do is lie down.  I can't take strong painkillers because they cause constipation which makes the problem worse.

I first sought treatment in February last year and non surgical treatments failed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





I've been waiting for surgery now since September.

I finally had a call from the NHS hospital earlier today asking me if I could attrend for surgery on 20th Feb (next Friday).  Well, it can't come soon enough.  Not only that, because the hospital is stretched they're actually transferring me to a private hospital for surgery (which will be much nicer)

It's done as a day case so I'll be back home after the operation.

I'm really looking forward to getting this problem sorted.  It's not a whole load of fun having it, believe me!

I know some people here think _I'm_ a pain in the backside but it will be wonderful to get rid of mine


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## purrtykitty (Feb 13, 2009)

That's wonderful news!  You'll have to let us know how it goes.


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## n_c (Feb 13, 2009)

Oh I had the same backside problem and took me a year to get it all sorted out. I didn't need surgery though. I know how you feel and im sorry you are going thru that.

Keep us updated.


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## TexasBelle (Feb 13, 2009)

(((((caffn8me))))) I'm so sorry to hear about your health problems, but I'm glad to know you are close to getting it all fixed!


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## mizuki~ (Feb 13, 2009)

That's great news! Gosh you seem like such a strong person. Hope all goes well!!


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## caffn8me (Feb 13, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *mizuki~* 

 
_That's great news! Gosh you seem like such a strong person. Hope all goes well!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 
Do you mean bolshie?  Have you been reading the HK returns thread?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Thanks!


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## almmaaa (Feb 13, 2009)

I know what you mean about having pain.  I have site pain from a medicine I get 24/7 under the skin (subcutaneous).  I will say a prayer for you that your pain goes away after your surgery good luck and please keep us updated.


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## couturesista (Feb 13, 2009)

Sending you well wishes!


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## X4biddenxLustX (Feb 13, 2009)

Medical problems suck! So do having to arrange appointments but I'm glad they've got you fitted in soon =]

The procedures that allow you to go in and have it done and return home on the same day are the best (well no surgery is fun but I'd rather be home than in the hospital). I think being able to go back home soon can help speed up recovery too, it's not fun being in a hospital. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you're medical problem is solved by this surgery!


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## caffn8me (Feb 13, 2009)

I'm absolutely not scared of surgery and had hand surgery in December 2007 for Dupuytren's contracture which had made my little finger on my right hand virtually useless as it wouldn't straighten.  I chose to have that done with a nerve block and no sedation.  I spent the entire operation chatting with the surgical team 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




This upcoming surgery will have to be done under a general (but light) anaesthetic which I'd rather avoid but the surgeon won't do it under a local even though it's perfectly possible.  I haven't had a general anaesthetic since I had my tonsils out aged five!  Again, I'm not nervous but would rather save general anaesthetics for when I really need them.

Thanks everyone for your best wishes.


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## Kayteuk (Feb 15, 2009)

Oh my god! You didnt tell me! Good luck hun, email me the SECOND your out of surgery or I will have to hunt you down


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## IDontKnowMomo (Feb 15, 2009)

Good luck 8]
Hope everything goes well and you're all better as soon as possible.


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## Septemba (Feb 15, 2009)

Good luck, Sarah! Wishing you a speedy recovery and no more pain


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## caffn8me (Feb 16, 2009)

Thanks everyone for the best wishes.  I am booked for surgery at 5pm and should be back home by about 7pm.  I'm actually staying with a friend that night as I'm not supposed to be left alone after a general anaesthetic.  I will, however, post here almost as soon as I get to her house (she's collecting me from the hospital).

The operation has a pretty good success rate (although nothing's ever guaranteed) so I'm optimistic it will put an end to the pain I've been suffering.


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## X4biddenxLustX (Feb 16, 2009)

The more optimism, the better =] It's kind of like the whole mind over matter thing.


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## MACLovin (Feb 16, 2009)

Sorry you're going through this.. hope all goes well in the surgery and you make a speedy recovery! That has to be miserable. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




And regarding the hand surgery you had.. that's interesting, I had the same surgery, on the same finger! Although mine was due to an auto accident where I had an avulsion fracture and dislocation which didn't heal right. But my doctor didn't call it Dupuytren's contracture... he called it a Boutonnierre deformity. It was essentially the same thing though, I couldn't fully extend it or bend the middle joint. The surgery helped a little but my finger is still not 100% unfortunately. 

Surgery isn't fun, but I really hope your pain and suffering comes to an end soon. You'll be in my thoughts. Take care and keep us posted please!


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## caffn8me (Feb 21, 2009)

Thank you to everyone for all your kind wishes.  

Well things didn't go quite to plan but that was a good thing.

The letter confirming my surgery arrived on Thursday, the day before the operation, and it said I was being treated as an _inpatient_ rather than a day case.  I wasn't expecting that at all so called the hospital to confirm and they said they wanted me to stay the night as it would be quite late by the time surgery was over and they wouldn't let me leave for another four hours.

I checked in at the hospital at 4:30pm and was taken to my room - which had all possible facilities including en suite bathroom.

I think I went to surgery at about 6pm and was awake in the recovery room at 7:10pm.

I wasn't in any pain (morphine and midazolam saw to that!) and was wheeled to my room where they brought me copious amounts of coffee after they were sure I'd be able to cope with it.  

Dinner was a light snack of smoked salmon sandwiches (my choice) and 15 minute obs (blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation) were done until about 1am.  I then went to bed only being woken for obs twice in the night.

No pain whatsoever this morning so I didn't feel the need for any painkillers (although they've given me oodles - ibuprofen and paracetamol (acetaminophen) with dihydrocodeine.  

Breakfast (my choice) was half a grapefruit, an omelette, wholemeal toast and yet more coffee 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  I could have had a lot more but I'm trying to be healthy and to lose weight.

I saw the surgeon who told me everything had gone very well and that the fissure had been very bad.  I then had a nice soak in a hot bath (his recommendation), got dressed and (after more coffee) was discharged home.  I'm back home now still very comfortable.

The nursing staff were wonderful and it turned out the nurse dealing with me during the day lives just round the corner from me.  She recognized my Land Rover!  It's still at the hospital at the moment (I came home by bus) because I'm not supposed to drive for 24 hours after a general anaesthetic.  I'm medically OK but it turns out that insurance companies won't cover drivers in the event of an accident within 24 hours of a general anaesthetic.

The hospital was the New Victoria Hospital and you can get an idea of the rooms here and the food here.

All in all a truly excellent experience and one that was much better than I would have had if the original plans to be treated at a National Health Service Hospital had happened.

I just need to keep my fingers crossed now that everything heals properly.  I've got a week of antibiotics and go and see the surgeon for a follow up appointment in 8 weeks.


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## nunu (Feb 21, 2009)

Thank you for keeping us updated 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



I hope you will heal up soon.


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## Kayteuk (Feb 21, 2009)

Yayyy good for you  I am happy it all went well for you!


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## Odette (Feb 21, 2009)

Very glad the surgery went well. Wishing a speedy recovery.


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## Shoegal-fr (Feb 21, 2009)

Glad things worked out for you Sarah!


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## SparklingWaves (Feb 21, 2009)

Wish you well with the surgery and a speedy recovery.


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## Jessica0984 (Feb 21, 2009)

Glad everything went well!


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## caffn8me (Feb 21, 2009)

Well, it's now more than 24 hours since surgery and I am still in no more pain that I was before the operation and I haven't had any painkillers.  I am taking that as either a good sign or as an indicator that where there's no sense, there's no feeling 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




I'm going to have an early night and another soak in a hot bath in the morning.


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## Shoegal-fr (Feb 21, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *caffn8me* 

 
_Well, it's now more than 24 hours since surgery and I am still in no more pain that I was before the operation and I haven't had any painkillers. I am taking that as either a good sign or as an indicator that *where there's no sense, there's no feeling*





I'm going to have an early night and another soak in a hot bath in the morning._

 
lol, i could dissert all day long on that sentence...

No, it should definitely be a good sign!


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## NatalieMT (Feb 21, 2009)

I'm so glad your surgery went well, hospital sounds like they were really fantastic with your treatment. Wish the ones round here were the same because I regularly end up in them!

I have Crohn's so part of me can feel your pain. Hope your recovery continues to go well, feel better soon!


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## caffn8me (Feb 21, 2009)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *NatalieMT* 

 
_I'm so glad your surgery went well, hospital sounds like they were really fantastic with your treatment. Wish the ones round here were the same because I regularly end up in them!

I have Crohn's so part of me can feel your pain. Hope your recovery continues to go well, feel better soon! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 
I'm so sorry to hear about your hospital experiences and that you have Crohn's.  I hope that it's well controlled as I know it can be horrendous - much worse than my small problem.  One of my close friends has Crohn's so I've seen the problems it can cause.  I expect you're familiar with the antibiotic I'm on - metronidazole/flagyl - no alcohol for me for a week!

Thanks for your good wishes


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## NatalieMT (Feb 22, 2009)

Yeah I spent the first 2 weeks of January floudering in a local hospital, nothing seemed to really get done past about day 2 or 3. Eventually however gastroenterology did turn up and since getting discharged I had a follow up consultation on the 22nd of that same month and I have to go back into hospital and into theatre March 12th it is. It's an inpatient/day case thing, so I shouldn't be there more than 1 night I imagine. Same as you really!

No antibiotics for me at the moment, I'm rolling with the steroids and a whole host of other things. Like a list as long as my arm, they want me on a pretty much lifelong immunosuppressant aswell soon. Not sure how I feel about that but I suppose it's one of the only longterm solutions, so I must go with it.


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## caffn8me (Feb 23, 2009)

*Recovery; doing it all wrong*

Well, dang 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




I'm _supposed_ to be recovering slowly it seems.  As soon as I was out of the operating theatre (theater for those across the Pond!) the nurse looked at me and said "You don't look as if you've had any surgery" and, to be honest, I didn't really feel as though I had either - although I was aware of "changes".

Well, I had a pretty normal day the morning after the surgery taking public transport to get me home and even doing some shopping. Today I went to have lunch with a friend. 

Still no real pain although there is minor discomfort at times.  It's no worse than it was before the operation so I regard that as a good result.

I was curious about what recovery is _usually_ like so I turned to Google and came up with the following;

 Quote:

 *When can I return to work and resume normal activities?*

Patients usually resume normal activities after one to two weeks. Full recovery may take as long as two months. [Link] 
 
and another;

 Quote:

  Work - you are likely to need 2-3 weeks off work, depending on the nature of your job. The ward staff can advise you and can supply you with a sick certificate to cover your hospital stay and convalescence. Your GP can then review your health and provide further certificates if required.

Driving - you will probably be fit to drive in a few days, providing you feel alert and can do an emergency stop comfortably. [Link] 
 
So, I must be doing it all wrong 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  I drove without any trouble at all today and will be ice skating tomorrow for a couple of hours at least with two ice skating lessons on Tuesday!

I'm really not in favour of these long recovery times


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## IDontKnowMomo (Feb 23, 2009)

*Re: Recovery; doing it all wrong*

Yay! I'm glad you're doing well :]


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## caffn8me (Feb 23, 2009)

*Re: Recovery; doing it all wrong*

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *IDontKnowMomo* 

 
_Yay! I'm glad you're doing well :]_

 
Thanks!  It may yet all go horribly wrong but I'm not expecting (or planning) it!  Now watch me break a leg on the ice.


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## IDontKnowMomo (Feb 23, 2009)

*Re: Recovery; doing it all wrong*

You be careful, now!


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## NutMeg (Feb 23, 2009)

Glad to hear things are going well.


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## caffn8me (Feb 23, 2009)

*Re: Recovery; doing it all wrong*

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *IDontKnowMomo* 

 
_You be careful, now!_

 
Thanks, I'll be careful, I promise!  The last thing I want is more health problems.  I spoke to the surgeon on Friday and he didn't seem to think that ice skating on Monday would be a problem if I felt up to it, and I do 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




I need to start some exercise again as I'm still fat and blobby.  The surgery didn't change that.


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## caffn8me (Feb 23, 2009)

I survived the ice skating with no ill effects at all.  Two and a bit hours on the ice is great exercise.  I have a lesson in the morning (by myself with an instructor) and a group evening class too (my first).

The only moments of discomfort (bearable though) are bowel movements and they are getting easier.

When I've lost another 30 pounds or so I might even get a picture taken of me skating to post here.  Long way to go yet though


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