What am I supposed to do about this medical procedure? Has anyone had this and what sort of help will I need? Stressed

[usermkal]

I have a 2.5 year old who is massive for their age. I need to have a hysteroscopy with a spinal block and have been told I shouldn’t lift anything as heavy as a pint of milk for three days afterwards!! I don’t know what I am going to do as ds is so heavy to lift into the car to get to nursery or even to get out of his cot. Has anyone had this procedure? I had a c section and I absolutely could not have lifted ds for a few days after, is it that bad?

my ex is going to be there for the day while I have it done so he can take ds to bed etc that night but that night and the next day I will be alone. I want ds to be in nursery as obviously that is easier than him being at home but there’s nobody I can ask to drive him in. We are very remote. Would it be dangerous to drive the day after? Any advice welcome thank you!

Driving is fine but lifting is not. Keeping him at home without having to lift him is your best plan - X. coming over after work to take a night shift caring for him while you rest.

What would be ideal is if you could find someone to take him to nursery and do bedtimes.

@newdiamondring i text and said the advice is to rest for first 24 hours and he has repeated he can only take one day off.

Having a polypectomy is a bleeding risk. Especially if they are large and/or numerous. They usually just twist them off.

Have your son sleep with you for a night or two.

@Throughahedgebackwards i think it might be because im having a polyp removed? Perhaps that makes a difference

I would just plan to stay home those days. Sit on the couch and let DS climb up next to you. I'd have him sleep in my bed with me and let him climb up there himself. At 2.5 those sorts of things should be easy for him.

It's just not possible to do what would be best after procedures or even after big ops if you have children or even a demanding job, you just have to get on with it. Anything that hurts I would try to avoid, if you feel OK doing something just do it. A good time to start teaching DC to get in the car when told, go upstairs and climb into bed, etc, with suitable encouragement and praise.

I had a hysteroscopy earlier this year during which they removed a polyp. It wasn't planned they just saw it during the procedure and whipped it out. I didn't have any pain relief and to be honest it didn't hurt at all. Drove home, went back to work. No one said anything about not lifting. I don't understand the spinal thing, do they always offer that at your local hospital? It's not offered at mine.

During a hysteroscopy it's possible to remove polyps and some types of fibroid; depends on what they see, how big it is, where it is, etc. Better to be safe than sorry.

Also had a polyp removed... No pain they just took it out. Id be asking why you need a spinal.. that's riskier than the op itself.. no different to a smear really!

I had some abdominal surgery when I was pregnant and had a toddler. They learnt to do things themselves because i wasn't allowed to lift for the rest of the pregnancy. Teach your son to climb into the the car seat himself, and consider moving him to a toddler bed or take the cot side off. Mine at 22 months could manage the carseat and highchair with a hand hold or hand on the bottom. Bath we did with a step up and then guiding them over the top.

Thanks everyone. I think I’m feeling a bit low as this sort of thing is a really horrible reminder of the fact I am very much on my own. Ex is a good dad to ds but he couldn’t care less about putting on me or making my life harder. It makes me sad.

I expect you'll be fine, OP. The advice not to drive for 24 hours is an outside limit just in case you have an unusually slow recovery - in reality the effects of a spinal wear off very quickly, and it's unlikely you'll have any difficulty driving the next day. I had a spinal after my first baby was born (for retained placenta) and it had no effects on my mobility after a few hours.

I'd imagine the advice about lifting is related to the polyp removal rather than the spinal, but even so the risk is very low, and even if you do have a slight bleed it would be unlikely to need any treatment - polyps have a narrow base so the 'wound' from their removal is really very small. I'd try not to panic - obviously it would be great to have a co-parent who will step up at times like these, but it's not always within your power, and you will manage just fine without him if you have to.

This might help.

https://yourhealth.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk/library/women-s-children-s/gynaecology/1586-having-a-hysteroscopy-and-biopsy-or-polyp-removal-from-your-womb-general-anaesthetic/file

There are few restrictions mentioned apart from not driving for 24 hours. The advice is about your situation but under a General Anaesthetic though. The nerve block is odd, do you know why they are using this and not General Anaesthesia? According to this leaflet the procedure including polyp removal only takes around 20 minutes or so.

I think given your anxiety around this, that a call to the doctor's secretary or whoever would be very helpful for you. They could clarify things that you may have misunderstood during your pre op consultation.

Best of luck.

You need to ask the surgeon why they've advised no lifting - it will likely be in relation to the size of the polyp/risk of bleeding.
You also need to have a childcare plan in case you need to stay in hospital overnight (which is a possibility, particularly if the procedure's later in the day).
If you have sedation/GA (eg. which is always the back-up plan if if the spinal fails) then the usual advice is no driving/signing docs/sole responsibilty for children for at least 24 hours. It's a little woollier after neuraxial block without sedation - perhaps best to check with your insurance company if they're happy to cover you driving within 24 hours of spinal & surgery. (DOI: fwiw, am an anaesthetist)

My hysteroscopy was supposed to included a polypectomy, but it turned out that there was no polyp there. The gynae did take "a more extensive biopsy". 24 hrs later, I did got to my exercise class, but took it easier - I'd also had a Mirena coil fitted.

If this is your plan they genuinely may not discharge you. When I was last in the day unit for gyne, the woman next to me was having the same. She said her neighbour was picking her up outside when asked how she was getting home and they said they couldn't discharge her because the person picking them up needs to come in and get them and accept responsibility for staying with them for next 24 hours.

If your ex isn't staying the night and next day they may well refuse to discharge you anyway. I mean technically you could discharge yourself against medical advice but if they know you're being left in sole care of your young child like that they may well call SS.

You shouldn't drive for 24 hours after a GA.

https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/patients/patient-information-resources/patient-frequently-asked-questions-faqs

If you do and have an accident I suspect your insurance would be invalid.

She's not having a GA

Same for me. It made me wince a bit but I drove myself there and back with no problem. Carried on as normal.

@Greybeardy why wouldn’t it work?! This has raised a new alarm bell 🤦🏼‍♀️

I thought that was only for people who had a general anaesthetic? I'm a widow and have been discharged to home when I've had procedures done with local anaesthetic. I drove myself home after my hysteroscopy/biopsy/Mirena insertion last month. I was originally scheduled for a polypectomy as well and the letter said that I'd be fine to drive home, though it suggested having someone with me.

[ETA Only got a local in the cervix.]

If the OP is getting a pain block, the only problem with that is that feeling can take a good while to come back. I'm not sure whether her walking is likely to be affected, but she won't be allowed out until she can pee properly.

(I had a pain block for my feet some years back and couldn't feel anything from the waist down.)

ETA Ah. I see that an actual anaesthetist has answered.

Hi OP I had this procedure before but under GA. You'll hopefully feel fine after but you've still had a medical procedure and it'll probably take some time for the anaesthetic to be out of your system so you can safely drive etc. Defo ring the hospital for further advice. Your ex should be asking his work about parental leave due to caring responsibilities. That's the last thing you want to worry about. I'd want to say to him we will be coming to your work in a taxi then and waiting there for the day so you'll be on hand when your child needs anything. What an a*se. Hope it all goes ok.

I had one years ago , no cutting they go in via the vagina. Full anesthia. Was in work next day but should have had a few days off, mail problem was the pain and very heavy bleeding, so need maternity pads and a strong painkiller. Echo the steps and other advice, but I would have been able to lift a toddler and did.No where as bad as your c section. Good luck

You don't ask him, you tell him.

There's a very good reason he is an ex. Why can't you accept that he will not act as a responsible parent? You can't force him.