Support thread for those awaiting medical appts,tests and surgery

[ohyouBadBadkitten]

It seems that there is probably rather a lot of us who are impatiently waiting to see consultants, have tests or waiting for surgery. So a thread for you to vent in or post your 'hooray's'

me. Am waiting to see my cardiologist. been a bit of a catalogue of delays and getting lost in the system. I have a wonderfully supportive gp who has just calmed me down after me losing the plot a bit when I found I wasnt on the appt system.

How about you?

Slippers, I'm glad that you have the test out of the way. Waiting for the results will be really tough, but you should get the results soon. Have the clinic indicated how long you will have to wait?

slippers Well done for getting through the sigmoidoscope... that cannot have been a confortable or pleasant experience. I'm sorry you've been left waiting for test results. As you'll see from reading this thread, it's a common experience for many of us, and virtually everyone finds that it gets them down. But given that cancer is suspected... you are very, very unlikely to experience the lengths of waits and delays of some on this thread: I really do think they will be as prompt as is possible in getting back to you.

Did you decide what to tell your family and work? Is there anything we on this thread can do to help you through the waiting?

mad I can't stare back at you because the CMs DS has just mangled my glasses (long story) but yes, well done for chasing the TOE and :( that it's going to be so horrid... I'm tempted to google but I won't. I just hope that 3-4 weeks now actually really means 3-4 weeks so that you don't have longer to worry about it... and hope that the TOE reveals the need for no further surgery.

I emailed the hospital, and received an out-of-office auto-reply that the manager in question will be back on Friday. The demon in question sat opposite me humming the Crazy Frog tune in my ear, and then spilt my coffee all over the floor.

Thanks for pushing me on this one. Give your DD1 my love. In years to come, that school photo of her sitting amongst the teachers will be a testimony to her fighting spirit...

I forgot to ask afterwards, the nurse was not very friendly and my mind went blank! I have just rung up and she said around 10 - 14 days. That seems quite a while my GP has put me on a cancer pathway and from seeing him to having the procedure done was less than 14 days!! This is my fault really for thinking things would be sorted out today

10-14 days sounds reasonable for a tissue sample to be checked. Just make sure that you chase it, if the result takes longer than this.

Is the TOE going to be horrible? I don't know, I'm just being a big coward. I think that any test where sedation is routinely offered is not particularly pleasant. Other than that, I don't know. I have never had one before (except during surgery), the TOE's reputation goes before it.

Got another UTI, which triggers a lot of kidney pain. Been bedded down for a few days, although managed to do an afternoon today as normal. Arthritis flare seems to be dying down a little bit, but I am coming down with a rotten cold courtesy of my darling daughter The Snotbucket.

Saw my GP this morning and started sorting through some of my issues regarding pain and nausea. I've to do a pain diary for a couple of weeks, recording how much I take and levels of pain, and if the tramadol and diclofenac are not managing the pain enough, then there are other options. Also had to increase my omeprazole to try to combat nausea, otherwise I will go onto medication for that too. GP has said that he sent off DLA report, so I am hoping for the decision on that soon. Still awaiting assessment from the Adult Social Services.

Will try to go back and catch up with you all, my concentration is shot, so forgive me for not being very communicative at the moment. I find it hard to keep up with people when I am not ill, so it's nigh on impossible when I am sick.

And don't you hate it when you have enough on your plate, then you have your period come out of the blue to make it that little bit worse.

That's part of why I enjoy breastfeeding: for the absence of periods but yes, I do remember it well enough to dread its return. I'm so sorry you're in so much pain.

Also in pain here. I don't think it's anything near the magnitude of most others on this thread, but it's so new and unexpected that I have a lot to learn about managing it.

I was so tired by the time DH got home today that I cried all over him and couldn't stop myself . I think it's finally beginning to sink in that This Is My Life From Now On. Like wot the GP and consultant and all of them said. And waiting, waiting for a possible reply to the email about the missed appointment.

Sorry to hear you are in pain Breastmilk and Rabbits

I hope the email comes soon.

I think I may just go back onto the depo injection. I'll be taking medications that I cannot be pregnant on anyway, it'll ensure I don't have to worry about contraceptive and stop my periods at the same time.

Hopefully your email has arrived now.

And if any of you would like, I could add you on facebook? Just PM me your details. Was just thinking it would be easier to catch up sometimes. I have a little private group specifically for my friends with chronic illnesses to chat about things without getting the "comments" from people who don't really understand (specifically my family).

No email yet. But wouldn't have expected one so soon.

I like the idea of FB. I'll PM you my details.

This thread has disappeared from the Gen Health board (I found it again only through my 'threads I'm on' list)... or am I imagining things?

Still no email.

BM I think you're imagining things. The thread is still here.

Didn't you write above that the manager is out of the office until Friday? I would not expect a reply until tomorrow at the earliest, and probably Tuesday. I would be chasing on the phone if it goes long into next week.

Rabbits, I will pm you my contact details, but I do tend to think of Facebook as being the work of the Devil, so I doubt that I will be a good friend to have. I rarely check my account.

I know what you mean about periods. I have mine now, 24 days since the last one. I'm in two minds about whether to get my coil this cycle or to wait until after my ablation. I had decided to wait, because the ablation is a lie flat with your pants off for four hours procedure, and I was scared of having an unpredicted period because of irregular bleeding from the coil. Now I just think maybe I want my coil ASAP, because it may take my periods away altogether.

The pain is gone :) Praying it stays gone sufficiently long to get us all through seeing the HV first thing tomorrow.

Yay for no pain . I hope your HV is a good'un and not a pita. It's not jab time for your dc is it? Dd1 can still remember her preschool boosters even though she was only four.

Pleased your pain has gone :) hope it stays away for you.

HI.

Hope everyone is doing OK?

I'm in so much pain today and the Surgeons are not helping me :( as apparently the pressure is "Normal High". I'm waiting for a GP to call back for some advice but my normal GP is on a 3 day holiday this weekend so its a Locum who don't know me.

Backpack, I hope that someone gets back to you soon for the pain. I suppose it's good that your pressure is not through the roof, but not that you are suffering.

I hope everyone else is doing well. I know both OYBBK and BM are waiting for appointments, and OYBBK for test results too. Hopefully, you will not be drumming your fingers for too much longer. OYBBK, I saw on another thread that your dd is poorly with a virus. I hope that she is on the mend. Does she still take calpol, or has she moved onto tablets? Dd1 says that she will never take a tablet!

Me, I am now not waiting for any more appointments (assuming all goes well at ones that are scheduled, and it will). My TOE came through today, and it is on May 16th. I will be at the hospital for three weeks running in May. The TOE says no food for 6 hours before, and that I may get mild sedation I was hoping for the strong sedation. If I'm offered drugs, then I shall take them, no false bravery here. I also got a copy of the letter from the EP today. He says that I'm being referred for ablation because of persistent flutter. It doesn't indicate why this flutter needs treatment, so it must be obvious to everyone except me.

The day before a bank holiday weekend is never a good time to be needing a GP. BackPack I hope the locum is helpful.

And mad glad at least you have letters through. All sounds very daunting, though.

I received the email. Apparently the follow-up isn't for 'another few weeks' and I will get a letter 'when dates are coordinated'. So why did I think I was told it was going to be 6 weeks post-op? Did I imagine it? I was so out of it that it's impossible to tell But given that there's nothing much they can now do to help the fatigue or pain, it's all fairly immaterial when the appointment takes place.

And I spoke to the GP and have max strength codeine on prescription. In the short term, yes, I need to be functioning for everyday life and the DCs, but in the long term... well, what?

And on top of it all, my computer has broken. I know it's all fixable and data-recoverable... but it feels like the end of the world, it really does.

The GP called me practically straight back. He advised to buy Co-codamol at the chemist and see how I deal with that then when my GP comes back on Monday he will prescribe me something for long term. The Co-codamol eased the pain a little bit.
The GP also said my pressure is quite high as it is double normal pressure.

The Surgeon secretary phoned me 10mins ago and said the appointment has been brought forward for the Neuro I just feel like the Surgeons are passing me to anyone but him, why wont he help me? . The Neuro can't do anything as he cant even do a Lumber Puncture as I'm "shunted" I'm just so fed up I'm on the verge of going to the surgeon who will remove my shunt and then forget all about Neuro's and Neurosurgeons as no-one is helping me.

Hope your appointments come soon BM and OYBBK.

Mad if the mild sedation doesn't help you ask for stronger. Hopefully all goes well for you in your appointments.

Breastmilk will your GP give you any stronger pain relief?

sorry for the lack of posts here, been a funny old week. dd is better than yesterday Mad, though her temp is climbing back up. She is on tablets - hooray! Soooo much easier than calpol.

I am weary. I had a fainty spell just before I set off for work this am, wasnt hr as that was just 80. I think it was just tiredness and fighting off dds bug. I'm seeing my gp next week to touch base.

backpack :( I'm sorry that you are in so much pain still. I really really hope that you find some relief.

BM - when my computer breaks it feels like a catastrophe!

Mad - you must be feeling a bit 'eek!', just take it one week and one appt at a time and try to enjoy this weekend.

Dd1 is on her camp. The forecast is quite chilly for May, so we shall have to see how she gets on. I had been hoping for daytime temperatures to be at least in double figures for a May camp, but it seems that is not going to happen. I have told her to not take her base layers off for sleeping, and she asked for her hat and gloves as soon as we got out of the car.

I was soooo tempted to skip my rehab class today, because of my period. I did go though, and it must do me good because my hr was 84 before exercising and 62 after the cool down at the end of the class. I asked the cardiac nurse about the TOE test. That was a mistake, because she said that she didn't want to lie to me, but having a camera down your throat is not pleasant . Next time I won't ask.

Backpack, I'm sorry your consultants aren't being more helpful.

OYBBK, well done to your dd for switching to tablets. I hope that she perks up soon, and the whole bank holiday weekend is not a write off.

I did it by cutting jelly babies into little bits and getting her to practise swallowing larger bits. Not something to try when they are poorly.
Well done for making it to rehab.

Quick hello to all, I've been in hospital with dt2 since Wednesday night, had a chest infection again so back in oxygen, praying I don't get it this time.

Oh no LGR :( what a nightmare.

So sorry dt2 is unwell again. Do try and keep well, but that's easier said than done...