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?

HI I'm just popping in to say GoodLuck today Breastmilk

I never got the results yesterday as I was to ill to travel.

I have not read all of the thread as my vision is quite bad today. I'll catch up when I can see properley.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Hope you feel better later on backpack

I hope it improves later backpack

Brilliant news OYBBK

Backpack I also hope that things get better for you.

Bambino Your saga sounds so incredibly frustrating. Waiting times may well be capped at 18 weeks, but when you have to wait as long to see a consultant, then the actual wait is much longer. I agree that life is put on hold when you are waiting for a procedure, or even just for an appointment.

Can I add a very tiny 'please can I join in' - insignificant really, in proportion to the procedures/illnesses that some of you here are battling with :(

I'm having an arthroscopy and lateral ligament reconstruction a week tomorrow and am beginning to get the jitters. No stranger to GAs, but still fight it and get myself in a hell of a state convincing myself I'm not going to wake up. Think I may have to ask for a pre-med this time as it's getting worse every time I have to go in for surgery!

Welcome BigFatSpider. I have only had one GA, and that was enough for me. I was given premed before my GA. I think it was morphine, I didn't ask for it, it was just given.

I agree that GA's are scary, so keep busy and we shall hold your hand if needed.

Thanks, Mad :)

I had a low dose diazepam, I think, before a tonsillectomy a couple of years ago - it did take the edge of slightly but I was still a little hysterical as I went under Poor anaesthetist! I'll definitely ask for something a little stronger next week. The worst was having a large lipoma-type lump removed from my hip - I'd been on the waiting list for 6 years and it finally came through on my birthday. The only way the team could calm me down was for all of them to sing happy birthday to me as the mask came down (and again I say )

Doesn't really help that I have rather severe reactions to anaesthetics, so they need to get the blend of anti-emitics right. Oh, I don't want to go!!!!

BFS - is it worth going into see your gp to see if you can have a pre-pre med? Dunno if they can do that but it is worth a shot.

Had my own moment today as I got really poorly when I got into work. Nearly fainted in a lobby full of parents and kids and 2 members of staff (very very kind people) had to bundle me into the office and then take me home. Lots of people fussing and worrying in a very kind way but i hate fuss. Absolutely full of shame about it. ( if this outs me to anyone please pretend you don't know me as I've thought long and hard about posting this but could really do with the support!) so here I am wondering when the hell I can go back into work. Took 3 people to get me out of the mess I got myself into and affected the workings of the morning for a lot of people. I don't want to cause issues like that again, but I had no idea I was going to get that poorly when I set off. Seeing gp tomorrow.
feel like the worlds biggest idiot.

For my first GA I went to the GP and was giving Lorazapam (sp). I have no other advice as I love going under as it is mainly the only time I have interupted sleep :). I always get morphine before they give me Anesthetic I think that is for mainly pain releif for afterwards though.

I need to have a repeat MRI this evening as it looks like I moved and the image is blurred. I am having it at my local hospital as I still can't travel with the sickness feeling. I don't have a clue how I'm even going to get there as I feel nauseaus even going round the corner in the car :(.

My vision is a bit better I can make some writing out if I close one eye and turn my head to the side.

Hope your GP helps you tomorrow BAdKitten

What a pain backpack. Could you get a gp to prescribe some antiemetics and have someone pick them up for you this afternoon, or am I living in la-la land?

BackPack so sorry you have to have a repeat MRI - they are not the most pleasant experience (had more than a few on the long route to MS diagnosis). If you're anywhere near Cardiff I will gladly drive you myself. In the most likely event that you're not, I hope it goes ok for you.

Mad what a horrid thing to happen to you at work, I'm sorry. How are you feeling now? I too hate fuss and bother and try to just get by without anybody needing to help me - but the time I lost control of my legs and bladder in a board meeting (was the start of a relapse) was possibly one of the worst days in the office I've had! Hope GP can get you back on the straight and narrow (or, if you're me, the wobbly and fat)

Damn, got names wrong - so sorry Mad, that message was for OYBBK!

Don't worry BFS! That sounds like an awful experience. You poor thing.
I'm ok sat down. Feel very slightly woozy, but that's it. I'm ok pottering about a little too. Just incredibly annoying that anything prolonged or a little more energetic seems to bring it on. If they could deliver the kids here I'd be fine.
Incredibly embarrassed though, what on earth will they all thought of me. As well as having to clutch the wall and be supported i got snotty tears. When I return to work I will have to wear a disguise.

Poor OYBBK it must have been very embarrassing to have fainted at work. I'm sure work will not be expecting you back until you are feeling better. I know that you said before that you felt the amiodarone side effects were causing you to feel dizzy. At least the cardiologist can review your medication next week, and hopefully you will not have too long to wait for the ablation.

Sorry, haven't been following the entire thread.

Kitten, don't be embarassed. It will all be forgotten soon enough.

Hopefully your cardiology appointment will come through and your GP can check you over tomorrow and will have your xray result at hand.

There's nothing worse than ill health and feeling out of control. Hopefully the ablation procedure will correct your poor ticker's rhythm and that will be the end of the need for amiodarone.

Keep your chin up, Kitten.

Onwards and upwards to everyone else.

How is everyone this evening?

Backpack, are you from Cardiff? Coz I am :-)

What operations / procedures are people waiting for?

I'm currently on waiting list for 4 operations /procedures.
I'm having a general anethestic for my anterior and posterior spinal fusion (been on list since july 2011),
breast surgery (been on list since November 2011), and
all my wisdom teeth out as they are all going sideways into my jaw/cheek/other teeth ( on list since July 2011)
And a local to have Botox injections in my leg/foot (put on list today)

I'm in lots of pain this evening, I've just taken my next dose of morphine, I hope it works.

Thanks mad and jalopy. I am glad that I've got the appt tomorrow, not sure what the gp can do, but hopefully she can rule out some of the nastier causes. Trying not to think about today too much!

Reeny that is a lot of surgery. I hope you get some dates soon, and that the morphine kicks in.

Reeny You have been waiting for surgery for a serious amount of time .

I know the 18 week maximum wait cannot deliver every time, but for one person to exceed it for three different procedures is outrageous.

I have been feeling really well lately, but for some reason I am shattered tonight. It's 7.30 and I'm thinking of my bed already. Dd1 is 11, and getting very hormonal. Everything is a drama, and she threw a tantrum at 10 pm last night. Dh was out so I had to deal with it on my own. I think she depleted my reserves. She is a good child, lovely to be with, but she has a furious temper!

Tis a tricky age! It sounds like you need an early night with chocolate.

I do email and ring secretary but she says it's very long and some have been waiting a year.

I myself like a few others on here have been in hospital a lot. I've spent 30 months out if the last 72 months as an inpatient in hospital. And this is just the last consecutive 6 years.
(this doesn't include the amount of outpatient appointments)

Reeny, that's crazy :(

I don't know if BackPack is in Cardiff - I was just offering chauffeur services for her MRI this evening if by any chance she was, 'cos I am! Nice to meet you :)

Thanks for the offer Spider But Im in the North East.

The MRI went well. I never moved this time, but I can't remember moving last time.

Hope you have Surgery soon Reeny,

I am waiting for a new Shunt to be placed. It is going more towards a VP shunt.

I also need to go and see my Eye Surgeon (I can't spell his proper title) to see about surgery on my eyes as he is getting more concerned about my vision.

I'm in a lot of pain today headache wise, but my sight is "normal" for me anyway.

Does anyone else find stress brings their illness out more? I am going through a lot of stress with an ex Landlord and my head is really bad, even the Morphine is not touching the pain :( The pain is going down my face and neck and it feels like my teeth are going to get pushed out :(

Hope everyone has a good day.

:( backpack that sounds horrid today.

Wondering how Breastmilk has got on.....

Gp has signed me off. Feel very :( about it, but yesterday was plain daft. She is going to confer with colleagues but she is concerned that possibly the amiodarone is causing lung inflammation and I may need to come off it. That will be rather shit, cos although I don't like being on it, it was being bloody effective at controlling my hr.

Breastmilk is here, and enjoying a fab latte back at home. The surgery went well but TBH I just coudln't cope on the coronary care unit, and the consultant was brilliant in all he did to ensure a safe early discharge.

I'll reply properly later. Thanks for all your support.