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Have had pre-op assessment but no surgery date?

Posted , 7 users are following.

Glennie68
Glennie68

Just wondering if I am the only person who has had to go through a pre-op assessment without knowing when their surgery date is? I am waiting for a 270 degree fundoplication & hiatus hernia repair. Surgeons secretary said I couldn't have a date without a pre-op assessment being done - but I know loads of people who are given their dates and the pre-op assesment date a couple of weeks before. It's really frustrating - especially as you can't make any plans - I can't even book any holidays as I don't know how well I will be! I feel like I'm constantly battling for answers - when I just want it over with!

0 likes, 36 replies

36 Replies

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  • keith74
    keith74 Glennie68

    Posted

    This maybe as simple as the hospital admin omitted to send you a surgery date or it went astray. Anyway the best of luck
    • Glennie68
      Glennie68 keith74

      Posted

      Hi Keith,

      No admin error, I have spoken to the surgeons personal secretary who told me she could not give me a date until I had done the pre-op assessment - which is just a load of rubbish! Most of the people you speak to on here know their date weeks in advance. I feel like I have had to fight every step of the way to get to this point. 

  • judy54212
    judy54212 Glennie68

    Posted

    I spent all of last year with tests , waiting for appointments and finally in October surgery. So all told it took twelve months from knowing there was a problem to solving it. What are you including in your pre op assessment? I had an endoscopy, 2 CT's scans, chest x-ray, an echocardiogram and many blood tests before I saw my surgeon. Even after I saw the surgeon I didn't have a definite date but had surgery within two months. I couldn't travel any further than 30 minutes as I would be burping so much and very uncomfortable. I made four trips to emergency in the last six months of my wait. I used to listen to relaxation tapes in the afternoon to try and keep myself calm. I am retired but I couldn't have worked for the last six months.

    I also tried to keep busy with small projects that I could do. I could walk so that was high on my list to keep my body in good shape. I know how hard it is to wait but try to keep positive and busy. 

    Judy

    • Glennie68
      Glennie68 judy54212

      Posted

      Hi Judy,

      My journey started last April, when after being on PPI's for about 2 years my symptons were just getting worse and worse to the point where I was having regitation most nights, was having reflux after eating or drinking anything and sometimes the acid at work was so bad - even with PPI's - I was constantly drinking water to try and keep it down - which in my case was a mistake. To top it all the tablets were giving me cramp all the time - and I was tired constantly. 

      So my doctor referred me to the hospital for an endoscopy - as she suspected hiatus hernia. That was April - they lost her original referal - and if I hadn't changed my meds - I may have still been waiting! So she sent it again in May. Mid July they did the endscopy - found the hiatus hernia - said I would be referred to gastroenterologist to discuss my options. So September I got to see the gastroenterologist - who wasn't keen on the surgery route - but at this time the meds I was on where giving me cramp, I was constantly tired and I had lost most of my sense of taste! He changed my meds - and said he would book some tests. He wanted me to try every med under the sun - I said I didn't want that! In the end he said he would get a surgeon to speak to me about pro's and con's of surgery.

      November I saw a dietition, had to go to another hospital to have manometry and 24hr ph test done (as local one didn't - 140 mile round trip!!) and I saw the surgeon - who within 5 minutes of speaking with me put me down for surgery. At the time of speaking with the surgeon the tests from the other hospital had not come through - but he said I would be put on the list straight away - and only taken off if the results were inconclusive.

      I got a call in December to say the results showed I had massive acid reflux - and that the surgery would be going ahead. 

      So here I am now - everything has taken 2-3 months every time - and just knowing a date would be nice! I have helped myself a lot by sticking to a very strict diet - and sticking to the rules of eating and drinking times etc etc. Even when I saw the dietian she said I was doing as much as I could to help myself! It's just so frustrating! 

      I do have a bit of pressure from my work too - they want to know as I will be off work for 3-4 weeks! I can't tell them anything as I don't know!

      If I don't hear anything by the end of this week I will be phoning up!

       

  • judy54212
    judy54212 Glennie68

    Posted

    Glennie,

    you have been through the ringer! I see your frustration. You do need this surgery soon. It is very hard to wait. I found  I felt pretty good after my surgery but you can't do any heavy lifting for three months and the soft food diet is quite restrictive for a couple of months. I had a rolling hiatus hernia without heartburn . I had lost 20 pounds and had lots of gas and burping. I found it hard to sit as the hernia was putting pressure on my esophagus. I had chest pains . The waiting can make you very cranky and irritable. It is a lot of stress! I hope you get the call for surgery soon. I see my surgeon again in three weeks. I am starting to have trouble with gas again and wondering if I need to follow the soft food diet again. 

    Judy

    • Glennie68
      Glennie68 judy54212

      Posted

      Thanks Judy,

      I too have lost weight - I cut out all the known acid reflux triggers as well as things I knew I couldn't tolerate. 

      I hope you get your problem solved when you see your surgeon. It does make me think of a very interesting thing my surgeon told me during our consultation - that when you have a hiatus hernia you take more air in when you eat and drink than someone who doesn't have a hiatus hernia - don't know if this stops after the operation?.

      Good luck in any case - I think you will be seeing your surgeon before I see mine!

       

  • lee52785
    lee52785 Glennie68

    Posted

    Hi Glennie.

    I'm in the U.S., but my experience with surgery and hospitals is that different locations and facilities handle things differently and some are more efficient than others.

    It seems to me that they will have to schedule you pretty soon, because they need the pre-op assessment to be as current as possible before the procedure. That said, in your position, I would be annoyed, too.

    I'm scheduled for a similar procedure in a couple of weeks. Though they will call me on that day with an exact time to arrive at the hospital, I know I'm going to wait for hours (in an uncomfortable chair) until I'm actually admitted. That's the way all hospitals work.... hurry up and wait.  I'm bringing a newspaper, a couple of books and my phone so I can play games while sitting around. Good luck with it all.

    • Glennie68
      Glennie68 lee52785

      Posted

      Thanks Lee,

      I think I am tired of waiting to feel better. I haven't felt so great the last few days and I'm beginning to think that my meds are not working too good. Just compounds the problems! I'll get there eventually.

  • juan1971
    juan1971 Glennie68

    Posted

    Hi

    I had the pre-op test without a date for surgery. Had surgery almost 3 months later, only coz there was a cancellation. Blood test are good for 3 months but MRSA swabs had them done again on the day of surgery.

    I know how frustrating it is not knowing.

    Best of luck

  • anneinwales
    anneinwales Glennie68

    Posted

    Yes, I had my pre-op at the same time as my first appointment with the surgeon - or delegated surgeon, not the one going to do the op. Then I had to wait 8 months for the operation. I was given about 3 weeks notice, and then it was postponed twice. It was then the worst time of year for me, spring when everything has to be done, and I normally put up displays at shows and do heavy gardening work. I never had a proper consultation wih anyone who really knew anything about me, so had to find out information other ways, and make my own decisions! The open inguinal hernia operation went really well, and I was out immediately after. No problems, and I felt pretty good. However the healing process has been much slower than what I thought. I know I have to be patient, but 2 months on the incision is still not properly healed. I am back to my normal relatively acive life, but still have to be really careful, but I am getting there, but I am beginning to worry about whether I will be ready for some surfing on holiday in September, but I think I will. Age is against me, but I guess it will heal properly in its own good time.
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