To think the hospital should sort out what they've done to me ASAP

[WheresMyBellybuttonGone]

I had laproscopic surgery for endometriosis ten days ago.
As soon as I removed the dressings I knew something was wrong. The incision in my bellybutton was really sore and had what looks like a mini hernia sticking out of it. (I should say I've had this op twice before and it's never been like this). I thought maybe they'd just stitched me messily and it would go down (I was still in agony from the post op gas pain and on codeine so not thinking clearly!) but after a couple of days got worried and went to the walk-in centre who sent me back to the ward. I have been on antibiotics for almost a week now, and although the swelling has gone down it's still very sore when I move and very tender at the site of this... thing.

What's worrying me most is that when I'm standing up, there is a (sore) bulge just above my bellybutton, clearly part of this lump thing, that sticks out. This goes away when I lie down. So it doesn't seem to just be swelling/messy stitching causing new outy bellybutton. It's bigger than that.

The ward say I should just go to my GP if it's not ok by the time the antibiotics run out. That's tomorrow. It's not going to be ok by then...
They say the GP would have to prescribe more antibiotics and refer me to a different department (?) to get it sorted out.

I'm so scared I'm going to have to live with this thing for years or be fobbed off completely and stuck with it forever. It's interfering with my life hugely. I can't stand for long or walk far because it starts to stick out.

Surely as it's been like this since the operation (not even a later developing post op complication) they should sort it out ASAP? They've done it! They've left me like this immediately after the operation! Surely that's not ok?

(As a secondary concern - where the hell do I go for help? It's impossible to get an appointment with my GP in advance and I never win the 8am phone lottery. If I need antibiotics straight away what am I supposed to do?)

Can post pic if anyone wants to be put off their breakfast...

Oh you poor thing! Get in touch with the hospital department that did the procedure. I hope you get it sorted quickly xx

I'd ask to speak with the consultant who was in charge of your operation today. If no luck, phone PALS immediately.

YANBU, but you’ve been back to the ward, been prescribed antibiotics and told to go back to your GP if it’s not right. So that’s what you need to do. When you phone the surgery, explain to the receptionist what you’ve been told at the hospital and they will most likely arrange a GP call back.

FWIW, I had surgery on my side and the wound got infected - it was absolute agony for about 2 weeks!

Yes. Phone the consultants secretary and kick up a fuss, or get someone to do it for if you feel too ill. That is awful - you can’t stand up for long? That is terrible. You poor thing.

This sounds awful, OP.

Phone the hospital and speak to the secretary of the consultant in charge of the department that did the surgery.

Explain that you are concerned that the operation went wrong, and need to be checked by the surgical team ASAP.

If there’s any prevarication about ‘not being able’ to do that, explain that’s just not good enough and start asking if that’s something PALS would be able to arrange?

If still no joy, get straight onto PALS and complain. They cannot fob you off like this when you’ve raised a possible surgical error.

A word you may find helpful is ‘iatrogenic’, which means caused by a doctor.

Good luck.

Consultant’s secretary and PALS.

Laparoscopic surgery can cause a hernia. Go to your GP and ask them if that's what it is.

Thanks for the replies. Pleased posters think it should be taken seriously, worried it's definitely a hernia now and not just swelling as the hospital tried to say.

I'm slightly concerned as they asked when I had noticed it, so I said two days after the op when I took the dressing off. Actually I could feel the lump before then and has suspicions it wasn't right, but assumed.it was just swelling. I'm worried that somehow this has gone down as "appeared two days post op" meaning it's outside the window of it being their responsibility.

It sounds like dd's umbilical hernia to be honest op. However, I would have expected a clear explanation prior to discharge.

Note your concerns clearly and unemotionally in writing requesting further information and advice about how and when things will return to normal. Recorded delivery and addressed to the CEO and copied to your surgeon.

Definitely call your consultants secretary.

I'm a surgeon and would want to see a patient of mine who was worried. As would every single one of my colleagues. It could well be nothing but you don't know until you're seen. Hope you manage to get this sorted

@RosesAndHellebores

It sounds like dd's umbilical hernia to be honest op. However, I would have expected a clear explanation prior to discharge.

Note your concerns clearly and unemotionally in writing requesting further information and advice about how and when things will return to normal. Recorded delivery and addressed to the CEO and copied to your surgeon.

Absolutely no need to be sending letters to the CEO when you can just call the consultants secretary first!

@RosesAndHellebores

It sounds like dd's umbilical hernia to be honest op. However, I would have expected a clear explanation prior to discharge.

Note your concerns clearly and unemotionally in writing requesting further information and advice about how and when things will return to normal. Recorded delivery and addressed to the CEO and copied to your surgeon.

I was just discharged with the dressings on, no mention of anything being different to previous times. (Only difference was I was given codeine this time and previously just advised to take paracetamol. Thought of MN and the "give women adequate pain relief" type posts!)

Usually I speak to the surgeon before discharge but surgeries were delayed and he was in theatre much longer so not available.

@CharlotteUnaNatalieThompson to be fair the ward have already fobbed the poor lady off. If there were any merit in contacting the consultant's secretary the ward should have suggested it.

Why is it an issue to write to the CEO when nobody has so far helped this lady and action and support are required.

Make sure you are clear with them that you could feel it but had initially dismissed it as swelling as you obviously left the dressing on for the first 2 days. It appears to have been present from day 1. Push PALS if necessary to make sure that's on your record.

I will call the consultant's secretary today.
The consultant himself is great for listening to patients and taking concerns seriously (lucky for women he went into gynecology) and knows my case particularly well due to some earlier mix ups.

And it's all very well saying you as a surgeon would want to see the patient but have you any idea of how difficult it is to get through the wall of numpties to effect that and how obstructive that wall can be on the journey?

Ime if there is an issue and the hospital were the last medical professionals involved within a certain time frame (48 hours here) then the gp won't touch you anyway and will tell you to speak to the hospital.

I would stand firm but polite that you want a discussion with the consultant before discharge

@RosesAndHellebores to be fair, she hasn’t even tried to get hold of the consultant so it would be a bit daft to go to the CEO first

OP I would contact the secretary and ask her to either get the consultant to call you today or to confirm when this week he will see you. If this fails then see if he’s on linked in or look for his email address. Often if you search his name you’ll find to as he’s likely to be on various committees. Another alternative if he does private work is to check that out. Contact his private secretary abd and ask him to contact you (likely to be less of a gate keeper)

Yanbu but it won't bump you up there list /make them sort it out unfortunately.
I'd ring gp and say it's urgent (explain need for antibiotics) don't let them fob you off and get a referral ASAP (either by gp or ask your consultants secretary to ask Dr to refer as quicker in house). If this doesn't work speak to pals (although be prepared to be fobbed off there to).
I speak from experience I lost my job 8 years ago because of botched surgery and still can't work. I'm waiting for an operation (2 years and counting) for 4th corrective surgery I have had no assistance to get the support I need. The best thing I've managed to do is find a supportive gp (tryed lots out). Best of luck.

Will do.

@Landslidelife

Yanbu but it won't bump you up there list /make them sort it out unfortunately. I'd ring gp and say it's urgent (explain need for antibiotics) don't let them fob you off and get a referral ASAP (either by gp or ask your consultants secretary to ask Dr to refer as quicker in house). If this doesn't work speak to pals (although be prepared to be fobbed off there to). I speak from experience I lost my job 8 years ago because of botched surgery and still can't work. I'm waiting for an operation (2 years and counting) for 4th corrective surgery I have had no assistance to get the support I need. The best thing I've managed to do is find a supportive gp (tryed lots out). Best of luck.

That sounds awful, best of luck to you and I hope the next surgery happens soon and helps you x

@Landslidelife umbilical herniae do not need antibiotics?! Why is everyone on mumsnet so intent on “telling” their GP what to do, I assume in the vast majority of cases without any medical training?!

The operating team should take responsibility for assessing and diagnosing this new finding - not your GP. If it is an umbilical hernia (I’m not saying it is, you need to be diagnosed) they will be unlikely to do anything especially in the short term, but at least would be able to reassure you and discuss longer term plan. Hope you manage to get hold of the secretary, or persist with the discharging ward if not. Good luck!

@caneparrot I was actually referring to this,
'**The ward say I should just go to my GP if it's not ok by the time the antibiotics run out. That's tomorrow. It's not going to be ok by then...
They say the GP would have to prescribe more antibiotics and refer me to a different department (?) to get it sorted out.'

Also op needs to let the gp know what the ward staff said. Umbilical hernias don't need antibiotics but sounds like what the ward staff prescribed antibiotics for could still be an issue. I do believe antibiotics are over prescribed (but that's for the medical professionals to not prescribe when not needed not for op to make a decision on).