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Waiting period for operation?

Posted , 6 users are following.

froggy1988
froggy1988

I got to see a gastroenterologist today and they confirmed I need my gallbladder out, as was obvious to me, it's just a useless bag of stones at this point. She told me the surgeon would be in contact with me, I just wondered if anybody who has been through this experience could tell me how long they waited for the OP. I'm in Hampshire UK.

2 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • cynthia89958
    cynthia89958 froggy1988

    Posted

    Wa to have been 18 weeks exactly to the day from seeing consultant but was cancelled due to the jnr Dr strikes. Have not got a new date but it looks as though it will likely clash with some big family events so not too happy as I already missed Christmas and Easter and a holiday due to being ill. Hope you fare much better, I'm in the W Midlands.
  • terry35628
    terry35628 froggy1988

    Posted

    Once the doctor told me that I was for sure having surgery they sent me to the surgeon to talk to them while visiting the surgeon for the first time he told me surgery would be a month away I broke down in tears started crying told him I can't imagine living another month in that much pain he admitted me to the hospital right away for an emergency gallbladder removal
  • redredwine
    redredwine froggy1988

    Posted

    Sorry , I am in the US and here it could be from one minute to 8 weeks. Jiust depends . Good Luck, hope it is over fast .. But it should be a micro surgery and not much recovery, we go home same day in the afternoon. The only thing usually hurts is the belly button incision for the camera and the bloating from injecting gas. It is then the post  food question and mistakes in diet that might be issue. Unless there is complication and each doctor has a percentage you should ask ,  what is the percentage of infection or complication with out offending the doctor.  Ask it in a generalized way.  I did when it was time for my last surgery I did some research on most popular surgeon and then that was my only question,  I was a little blunt, what is your success rate and will you be there for me when it comes to pain control, and you do have to remind all the nurses and the doctors the morning of surgery if you need a pillow for your back or neck or you need your  knees raised or what ever they will not remember and then they will always scramble and that is when I always say just give me some clean towels and I  then set  myself up so I don't get a secondary injury.  I  do have bad neck, back, hips and so on .   After the last few surgeries I came out fine because I positioned my neck and back and legs before they said good bye Sheryl..  PS one time I guess they left my eyes open and it was hell, pure hell when I came too. My eyes have never been the same.  You might discuss pros and cons of having them put something to hold your eyes shut.  I don't know why but I think it is the new generic meds they use that caused my eyes to stay open and it was blindingly painful and they tried to pretend it was no big deal I did not even know I had surgery ,  I kept begging for mercy because my eyes were swollen and red and if I cried,  I died.  They sprayed water in the and made it worse ,  they did not heal for long time.  So word of caution. 

     

  • E11eth
    E11eth froggy1988

    Posted

    Hi froggy I saw my consultant in January and was advised then that the waiting list as a day surgery case was 4/5 months. I'm still waiting on a date, im based in the west midlands, I know waits can vary region to region.

    NHS guidelines do state a maximum of 18 weeks but unfortunately many of us appear to wait far longer than this. You can also research your local hospital as waiting times for general surgery are published, my local hospital is claiming 9 out of 10 patients are treated in 27 weeks so I do think my wait will be longer than I have been advised x

  • froggy1988
    froggy1988

    Posted

    As an update, I was taken in to hospital on Sunday, had emergency surgery on Tuesday, now back at home, recovering well.
    • E11eth
      E11eth froggy1988

      Posted

      Hi froggy

      Sorry things got that bad that you had to have emergency surgery, but a sure fire way to jump the queue lol. Hope your recovering well, im still waiting on a date at present fingers crossed not to much longer, I will chase the secretary up next week if I still have not heard as I'm now 15 weeks into my wait and guidelines do stipulate 18 weeks.

      How do you feel now since the op? How long did they keep you in hospital? How are you finding eating? Any advice on how long before you can drive? Sorry there are so many questions but I'm really apprehensive about what to expect following surgery x

    • lisa98146
      lisa98146 E11eth

      Posted

      I'm glad you had your op done quickly and that you can start healing then living again.

      I feel all of your pain in waiting. I've been waiting since October last year. I am scheduled for my op in 3 weeks. I wrote to the CCG because the hospital breached my referal to treatment time and they told me they had no idea how much longer I'd have to wait. The CCG found me a hospital that could see me quicker as is their responsibility. So I changed hospitals and then the original one offered me a date. I chose to stick to the new hospital as it is much smaller with no A+E or cancer care and they dont treat people with a bmi higher than 40, so are less likely to cancel. If you get no joy with the hospital, contact your local clinical commissioning group. It is their responsibility.

    • froggy1988
      froggy1988 E11eth

      Posted

      I don't now about driving, but I think they say about ten days. Usually people are kept in about four hours after their op but I had some complications, So I was kept in about 28 hours afterwards. First because I was throwing up, secound because my bladder got paralysed by the anastethic and I had to wait 12 hours to be able to pee without a catherter. I felt really rough the day of the operation. But the day after I was able to move around. It's really difficult the first few days to make any movement using the stomach muscles, and really painful. But really it's not so bad and everyday I feel a bit better. I mean, four days on and I'm ready to get up and go for a short walk downtown, I've also switched from codine to ibuprophen and still only feel slight sore. I keep going on and off food,I don't have much of an appetite. Nothing that I have eaten has caused me any issues though.
  • cynthia89958
    cynthia89958 froggy1988

    Posted

    Hi hope ur recovering well, you got yr answer then! My new date is for June so I should be able to get to the planned events, at least if I feel well enough, fingers xd. Take care

     

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