Cold pre surgery will it go ahead?

[DarkStar85]

Has anyone had experience of going into surgery whilst unwell with a virus? I have a sore throat, head, achey and a bit of a cough. Negative covid test. Low BP, high pulse and higher white blood cells at pre op. Obviously fighting infection. Nurse at pre op said I'm fine to go ahead as no temp and not coughing up flem. Dreading recovery if I'm already unwell but don't want to postpone as I want it over and done with. Can't believe my awful luck 😞 nose is a bit blocked but I can still breathe. No idea if it will go ahead.

[GreenViolin]

Hi DarkStar. I was actually feeling very similar to you a few days before my surgery in January. I also cleared my pre-op and then by the day of surgery I felt like I was just over the worst of it.

My view was that I was going to go ahead no matter what unless I was told I couldn’t, as I was just so desperate to get it done. Although I wasn’t 100% for the op, I barely noticed the cold symptoms after (either due to the opioids or the fact that this was giving my body a far more significant battering, or a bit of both).

I think if your clinicians aren’t worried about going ahead, you should be ok, but it’s perfectly natural to worry.

[DarkStar85 in reply to GreenViolin]

Thanks GreenViolin. Glad your surgery wasn't affected and hope you are doing well now. I feel each day after my pre op I've gotten slightly worse. Nose more blocked and more coughing. Although my headache and aches have died down. I do want to go ahead as I can't go through this build up again and my husband has arranged wfh to look after me and the kids. Just worried the anaesthetist won't go ahead due to sore throat and blocked nose for breathing under GA. Were you stuffed up on the op day? Day in bed for me today and I'll find out tomorrow if they'll do it 🙏

[GreenViolin in reply to DarkStar85]

Resting today is definitely a good idea. Mine has got more to the runny nose stage on the day of the op. I just blew my nose just before I went down to theatre and to be honest it wasn’t terrible when I came out like I feared. Fingers crossed for you that everything will be ok. X

[DarkStar85 in reply to GreenViolin]

Thanks. I appreciate your advice on this and other posts. Don't know where I'd be without these forums. All plans to clean the house today are cancelled! Going to glug down elderberry syrup and paracetamol today and hopefully I'm OK for tomorrow! X

[GreenViolin in reply to DarkStar85]

I can understand you’ll feel frustrated about not getting the house straight, but you’re definitely doing the right thing prioritising your health. Will be thinking of you tomorrow . Would love to how it goes, or if it doesn’t happen (but hopefully it will). X

[DarkStar85 in reply to GreenViolin]

Thanks for thinking of me! I'll update tomorrow when I get to the hospital and see if they'll take me! Had my head over boiling water and viks so thats unblocked my nose! I'll do it again in the morning. Husband is on duty for cleaning today all other plans cancelled! Hope you're having a good day and well on your way to recovery x

[DarkStar85 in reply to GreenViolin]

Hi green violin. Op went ahead and seems to have gone well. I feel like death after GA and in some pain. Think I'm getting kicked out today so they better give me good pain meds! Hope you're well x

[GreenViolin in reply to DarkStar85]

So pleased to hear that! I’m so glad you were able to have it and that it seems to have gone as planned. Definitely make sure they know the pain is a challenge so they can give you something appropriate to take home. Hope your cold isn’t bothering you too much now either. Take it easy while you recover knowing there’s no one size fits all, but listening to your body is really important x

[DarkStar85 in reply to GreenViolin]

Thank you. I feel very dizzy when moving around hope that goes soon. I don't react well to GA. Hospital trying to kick me out with paracetamol and dihydrcodine. I need something stronger so I'll stay again tonight for morphine. Wasn't expecting to feel this wiped out but is only 24 hours in. Thanks again for all your help x

[GreenViolin in reply to DarkStar85]

Yes, sounds like it’s best to stay if they won’t prescribe morphine to take home. Thankfully I got given some for discharge, although I had to stay in two nights anyway as my bladder went to sleep while catheterised and took a lot of coaxing to start working again. It’s always hard to judge how wiped out you’ll feel, but it will definitely ease over time. X

[DarkStar85 in reply to GreenViolin]

Oh really. I woke up without a catheter which I was surprised about. Also woke up hysterically crying which I'm cringing at now! I've came home as they agreed to give me oramorph. Think all these different pain meds are making me feel sick. Wish I could fast forward time its going to drive me crazy doing little around the house! X

[Teal09]

Hi there 😊

Just wanted to jump in - I felt very similarly to you last week before my op on Friday. Felt I was at the runny nose stage but on the day of the op I was a bit more blocked up and sore throat so was worried they would cancel. But no one was bothered at all, just made sure I had no temp etc.

And I didn’t realise that with general anaesthetic they also put a tube down your throat to keep your airway open (not a full intubation) so even if my nose had been really badly blocked, breathing is ok through that tube.

I was on hot lemon,honey and ginger for days before and it really helped! Hope it goes well for you 😁

[DarkStar85 in reply to Teal09]

Oh thank you so much thats really helpful. I did wonder about intubation. It's been 13 years since I had my last GA so I couldn't remember! Sounds like it should be OK to go ahead. What surgery did you get? How has your recovery been? You've put my mind at rest that is should go ahead regardless of the annoying blocked nose! Thanks 💐

[Teal09 in reply to DarkStar85]

I had an endometrioma removed and I’m not totally sure what else happened, whether they removed other endometriosis or not, I’m still waiting for the Lap report. But recovery is going really well, pain is less and less each day and can move around quite well so it’s been better than I expected, this was my first one. How about you, what will you have done?

[DarkStar85 in reply to Teal09]

That's good you're recovering well. I have stage 4 DIE ovaries stuck together and bowel stuck to uterus. So it's excision, bowel shave and 5cm cyst to be removed. I'm expecting quite a hard recovery with all that!

[Teal09 in reply to DarkStar85]

Aw wow that’s a lot to deal with. It’s such a big lead up, it will be good to have it behind you and you can focus on recovery. Hope all goes really well tomorrow and you have some relief!

[DarkStar85 in reply to Teal09]

Thank you 😊