After my operation.

[Roysieboy]

Good morning all. I had a hip replacement on 12th October this year. I had it done with an epidural, but apparently during the operation it started to wear off so they gave me a general anesthetic. Since then my breathing has been worse and I have been bringing up a lot of phlegm. I have emphysema and copd and wondered if anyone on here has experienced this at all, and does it get better as time goes on. Would be interested in ur thoughts. Thank u. 👍🤓

[Hacienda]

Hi Hun. I had Epidural Hip Replacement and like you an aneshetic was added when I too could feel everything. That was in 2009 and I do Believe that started my Lung Problems. Eventually COPD. I know I am not the only one who has Known this to be the Cause. maybe you will hear more Forum Friends agreeing. take care. Love n Hugs xxxx

[Roysieboy in reply to Hacienda]

Thank u for replying. Keep well.👍🤓

[Hidden]

The only thing worse than bringing up loads of phlegm, is not bringing it up. Maybe your experience helped you in that respect?

[Roysieboy in reply to Hidden]

Cheers mate.👍🤓

[Hidden]

General anaesthetic can result in a chest infection which your symptoms seem to indicate. I suggest that you tell your GP. Hopefully some antiniotics will clear it up

[Roysieboy in reply to Hidden]

Thank u for replying. What I forgot to add is that 2 weeks ago I spoke to the doctor and he said it could be a chest infection. He gave me a weeks worth of antibiotics but although it seems a bit better it maybe because the weather is getting colder. Thank u for thought. 👍🤓

[HungryHufflepuff in reply to Roysieboy]

Reading this post made me wonder if it's not the anaesthetic as such that caused your breathing problems (though I think it can) but the fact it wipes you out and leaves you more susceptible to infections. I've had general anesthesic a few times and it seems to take ages to get over it fully. I really hope you start to feel better soon. Keep warm and take care of yourself.

[Roysieboy in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

Thank u for replying, HungryHufflepuff. 👍🤓

[Spacecat1 in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

Did they give you morphine after the operation for pain. When I used it I was so sick. The stuff coming up was disgusting. I had had a bit of a reaction to the morphine. So put me on orimorph which sort of helped.

[Roysieboy in reply to Spacecat1]

Greetings. No I didn’t have morphine. Thank u for replying. 👍🤓

[Hidden in reply to Roysieboy]

GPs never give the right dose for long enough. I suggest that you go back, get the GP to send off some mucus to find out which antibiotic is needed to kill the bug and to give you a proper 2 week course. We have to keep plugging away.

[peege in reply to Hidden]

I agree with littlepom Roysieboy, ask them to do a sputum test. After an op like that I'm sure one week of abs wouldn't be enough fr you. You need to get your immune system ship shape for the coming winter! P x

[Bkin in reply to Roysieboy]

Sometimes a chest infection doesn't clear with one course of anti biotics. I would suggest provide a sputum sample for testing (you need to speak with your doctor who will arrange for a form to go with the sample you provide. If the infection is ongoing you need to keep on top of it.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

[Roysieboy in reply to Bkin]

Thank u for replying. 🤓👍

[santisuk in reply to Hidden]

For bronchiectasis sufferers there is the added authority of British Thoracic Guidelines that reinforce the messages that [A] 7 days of antibis is not enough (14 is recommended "by expert consensus" with a possible reduction to 10 for mild complaints) and [B] an infection requiring antibis should always stimulate a sputum sample request. Dunno whether there is something similar COPD sufferers could use with their GPs.

At the very least GPs, when prescribing 7 days for any risk and faced with any patient should surely add "and come back for more if it hasn't fully cleared up on day 7, with the emphasis on fully"

[Hidden in reply to santisuk]

Absolutely. My consultant is co chairman of the committee which has just updated the guidelines. The problem is GPs don't read them. They are only trained in copd for which there are also guidelines but seem to go their own merry way regardless.

[santisuk in reply to Hidden]

You are very useful to know Littlepom! It's the first I'd heard that the BTS Guidelines on BX had now been updated. Are they published yet and can I get hold of them. Have a particular personal need to see whether guidance on Pseudomonas handling for BX sufferers has changed any. For once I won't add more and more detail to that!

[Hidden in reply to santisuk]

I am pretty sure that you can google them. So far pseudo is stil 14 days ciproxen 750 bd or nebulised colistin or tobramycin or 14 days IV with meropenem or one of the other drugs. I am standing in hospital pharmacy picking up meds for my neighbour so having to do this from memory.hope it helped.

[Roysieboy in reply to Hidden]

Cheers. 👍🤓

[Tilantoe]

My sister in law had the same as you after hip replacement. And had recurring chest infections. For quite a while after.

[Roysieboy in reply to Tilantoe]

Thank u for replying. Will keep an eye on what is happening. 🤓👍

[Tilantoe in reply to Roysieboy]

Yes, please do. She had to have nebulizer antibiotics for a while. Take care. Pat xxx

[Roysieboy in reply to Tilantoe]

Thank u Pat. Will definitely ask for referral back to my consultant. My breathing and the sound when I speak is hoarse and that was what it was like when I was first diagnosed in 2017.🤓👍

[Kristicats]

May be worth another Gp visit to check out your chest as the abs may not have cleared it fully?

[Roysieboy in reply to Kristicats]

Will definitely have a word mate. Thank u for replying. 👍🤓

[Hidden]

What colour is the phlegm you are coughing up?

[Roysieboy in reply to Hidden]

It is quite clear, Don. 👍🤓

[Hidden in reply to Roysieboy]

I would take that as a sign that the antibiotics had done their job and you just need to work at getting the phlegm out with whatever means you usually use. We all have our different methods.

[Roysieboy in reply to Hidden]

Cheers Don. Will do that. Have a nice day.👍🤓

[Fleurbaby]

Hi roysieboy, here in ŃZ, the standard is they do not operate on COPD patients, as apparently the risks far outweigh benefit, supposedly (although one has to ask, " who's benefit"), considering we are a no fault medical system! You can't be sued in most cases!

I found this out only when going for my cardiac test, when the cardiologist saw me with a walking frame, she told me they would not do it, for reason of stress! She then told me they would of given me pills to control my heart problem.

I believe there are stares in Australia, where some doctors will operate on people with copd.

[Roysieboy in reply to Fleurbaby]

Hello Fleurbaby. Thank u for ur reply. It just goes to show how things differ from country to country. I feel alright in myself it’s just set my breathing back. I have good days and bad days. Sorry to hear about ur problems but let’s hope they can keep it under control for u. Nice to hear from u from the other side of the world. Best wishes from this end. 👍🤓💊

[Ergendl]

Maybe during the operation you were tilted so that your chest was higher than your mouth and it dislodged some of the gunge in the bottom of your lungs which is now coming up.

[Roysieboy in reply to Ergendl]

Thank u for replying Ergendl. I think time will tell. 👍🤓

[santisuk]

OH DEAR - SQUARED

The thread, arther than Roysieboy's specific request presents me with a moral dilemna - a mate just told me that last week when he went for a hernia op they had switched him onto general from epidural outside the theatre too. And he is a regular smoker of retirement age. Should I spoil his day and warn him of the risks? I say yes so that he can be observant of early signs on an informed basis if and only if there is a some authoritative source to support there being a causal link. So is there, or could i be exposing myself to a guy who likes to challenge and use research to spreading well-intentioned but fake news? Just saying.

Oh dear point 2. I'm writing this on a hospital bed in Thailand having come out of the op room (for herniated/slipped disc) under general anaesthetic 12 hours ago! So thanks for the heads-up guys and gals - I'll certainly be raising it with my UK bronchX consultant at next review and your input OP and others might well reflect through in future maintenance rigour of my presently mild-ish condition in any event!

[Roysieboy in reply to santisuk]

Thank u for ur thoughts santisuk. U get yourself sorted mate. I will press on. Good luck to u. 👍🤓

[santisuk in reply to Roysieboy]

Thanks mate. Some people may be scratching their heads a bit at my comment. Just after i finished it I realised I was questioning whether there was a causal link between general anaesthetic and development of COPD on the basis that the whole thread had developed along those lines whereas in fact that was only raised up front by one or two and the rest of the thread is more about discussing the link between GA and increasing infections (for those with or without COPD). My stated quandry about whether to say anything to my friend is easily solved by saying watch out for emerging chest infections and there is even a possibility that getting more chest infections could turn your risk of permanent chest conditions like mine into a reality.