Dont know what operation ive had
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi all hoping you can give me some advice. When I went to see surgeon for a mass in my womb I was adviced to have it removed although it was non cancerous. She told me they would try and take it out by keyhole but just incase they had to make a bigger cut would I sign a consent form to have my womb removed at the same time. When I came to after operation I was told everything had went to plan and I would get out that night. I was in a lot of pain but they got me up to go to toilet. I was told I shoulnt be in as much pain and I had to walk arround a lot. Later I asked nurse about my dressings and she went to fetch doctor who then told me I had a bigger cut and I wouldn't get home that night.To cut a long story short I kept asking what operation I had and kept getting told it was keyhole then a nurse printed something of the internet for me about a laproscopic oopharectomy (dont think thats how you spell it) and told me my womb was still there and they had to make a bigger cut to remove the mass. Can anyone tell me if they have had same thing and any reasons why they wouldnt remove womb. I am 66 years old and feel very stupid and still in a lot of pain. They have also said I don't need a follow up visit as I have dissolving stiches. I think I'm more worried because the nurse said on tuesday I shouldn't have pain and I was sent home on Thursday still not knowing what operation Iv'e had done.
0 likes, 15 replies
lynda20916 irene24911
Posted
Hi, Irene,
So sorry you're going through this. It seems to me that you've gotten very substandard medical care. At the very least you should have had a follow up visit with the surgeon. If they removed a mass from your abdomen, it seems that it was attached to one of your ovaries, because that's what was removed according to what you said in your post. A pathology test should have been done on the mass, and you should have been informed about what the examination of the mass revealed.
Do you have a gp who oversees your medical care? I suggest you go see your gp and ask for his or her assistance in completing your recovery. You should also report the surgeon and the surgeon's conduct to your gp or to the hospital that performed the surgery.
I'm sure that others on this site will also have suggestions. Please don't let this go, you're being fobbed off. Please let me know how you do!
irene24911 lynda20916
Posted
Thaks for your advice lynda, I'm feeling a lot better now that Ive got pain under control. I'm going to try and see my gp and find out just exactly whats happened. I think myself there has been a lack of communication in the hospital. The wee nurse that got me up first time didn't even realise I had a bigger scar and I dont think the doctor who came to see me after op realised it either. I was in so much pain I didn't realise what was going on. I know the ward was very busy but I agree with you that the care was really substandard. Thanks for replying. The discharge letter i got from hospital to hand into gp did say the mass was going to lab and letter would follow with details of operation and the student doctors who came to see told me that fallopian tubes and ovaries had been removed and the reason I had a bigger scar was because they had to cut me to remove mass but they had left womb in place. When I asked about removing dressings I was told to do it myself when I got home. No-one examined scar and the dressings I got put on after operation were still on when i got home my daughter removed bottom one for me as my stomach was so swollen I couldn'd see it myself. I don't now if thats what they do now or not but as I said earlier I'm going to put on appnt with my own gp and ask a few questions.Will let you know how I get on.
lynda20916 irene24911
Posted
So glad to hear from you! Also good to know that you're feeling a bit better now. It's a slow process. I'm 67 and had my operation (hysterectomy, removal of ovaries and tubes) in July and I'm just now feeling well enough to exercise. Everyone is different, and heals at different rates.
Please keep in touch and let me know how you do!
Thesheen lynda20916
Posted
lynda20916 Thesheen
Posted
I am glad to know that I've helped. I wish I could tell you definitely that it does. I think that it depends on several factors, including the volume of what has been removed and the volume of what remains. In my case, my surgeon informed me that my uterus, ovaries and tubes took up very little space in my abdomen.
Your intestines and bladder will shift into the space formerly occupied by your uterus, so there will be some adjustment there. Also, you might have some inflammation going on.
After your surgery, the external stitches will heal at a different rate than your internal stitches. I had a couple of troublesome outside stitches that took about 8 weeks to heal. The internal stitches need to have time to heal, and I've heard that it can be 6 months or more. So, please be gentle with yourself as long as you need to be.
I've just started walking. I'm starting to gain weight. I was down to 133 pounds, and I'm at 137 now. But, I've lost some body fat, about 1%, so that's good, and indicates to me that I'm adding muscle. I'm trying not to push myself, because if I have a set back, I'll get discouraged and start thinking that my life can be improved by something on the end of a spoon!
Please let me know how you get on. I had my surgery because I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. So, it's been a scary time, as you can well imagine.
Thesheen lynda20916
Posted
lynda20916 Thesheen
Posted
Thanks, it's difficult to do it all the time.
Nights can get long. I'm so glad I found this site and all the wonderful ladies on it! xx
caroline_19506 irene24911
Posted
tracy12090 irene24911
Posted
Sorry to hear that you've had such a terrible time, it really should of been explained to you properly before you left exactly what operation you had even if they are busy. I have had an oopherectomy which includes fallopian tubes I can't say it gave me the kind of pain your experiencing, I would definitely get a check up if it doesn't settle.
I found a bit of information below on NHS website regarding the op.
Types of surgery
An oophorectomy is an operation to remove an ovary. This may be bilateral
(both ovaries) or unilateral (one ovary). A salpingo-oophorectomy is an
operation to remove the ovary and the fallopian tube. This may be bilateral
or unilateral.
I hope this helps
irene24911 tracy12090
Posted
tracy12090 irene24911
Posted
Hi, that's lovely of you to say, glad your feeling better and now understand what procedure you've had. This was the same one I had a bit of a mouthful isn't it lol! With the bigger cut their is more bruising and it takes longer to heal your body has been traumatised by the ordeal afterall. It's a little surprising when it's more than we were expecting as the leaflets don't quite capture the pain levels possible which vary so much. Hopefully now you're keep recovering and be more comfortable very soon x
Thesheen irene24911
Posted
barbara17317 irene24911
Posted
It seems my op was very similar to yours. The Surgeon said he was hoping to do it by keyhole surgery, however on the day of my op, he said he thought he would rather do open surgery as the cyst which I had on my ovary was quite large and he said he would rather make sure he got it out all in one piece, which he did, together with everything else including my appendix as my ovary had wound itself round my appendix. You could really say I had a "job lot". Everything went for testing and about 10 days later I had a letter from the Surgeon with the results which were all benign. I have a check up this week and can then be discharged from the hospital. I also had internal stitches, so just have a red line down the middle of my tummy. My tummy was swollen before lthe op and is now starting to go down gradually. I did not get much pain though and am doing well. I think I would go to my GP if I was you if you are suffering with a lot of pain and most likely your surgeon has written to your GP saying what sort of operation you have had. I got a copy of the letter from the surgeon telling my GP all about it. He also came to see me after the op to tell me all the details, which is what yours should have done.
Hope you get on okay from now on, remember to take it easy and do as you are told. Did a Physiotherapist come to see you after the op and give you a leaflet of exercises which you can do? If not, there are some handy ones on the NHS website under exercises after hysterectomy. By the way I am 73, although I am reversing my age now which makes me 37, in mind anyway if not in body!
irene24911 barbara17317
Posted
barbara17317 irene24911
Posted
Hi,
No I didn't have any external stitches at all, they were all done from the inside. I asked the Nurse who changed my dressing what sort of stitches I had got and she said no external ones at all, they were all done from the inside. She doesn't know how they do it but I said that's magic, so all I have is a red line where the skin has healed together. I also had a few bruises but they soon disappeared. Perhaps I am one of the lucky ones who had excellent treatment. The nurse said I could take the dressing off after 3 days but I left it for 5 days and peeled it off in the shower. It came off quite easily and I was amazed at how neat it all was.