Diaphragm surgery

[jenny8c]

Just seen my surgeon a few days before my big debulking operation and I thought he said it was likely that he was going to remove my diaphragm (as well as about everything else in my abdomen!!!!) as it was very diseased. As I was rather in shock at this news I forgot to ask him what the repercussions of this would be as I thought you needed a diaphragm to breath. Have any of you wonderful ladies out there had this surgery and can tell me the implications? Many thanks xxx

[Irisisme]

That sounds a bit extreme, I suggest you check it. I had lesions removed from my diaphragm but I do still have a diaphragm.

Iris xx

[Purple-iris]

Hi

Yes agree with Iris I would ring and ask for clarification on this . They found disease under my diaphragm and on surface during surgery . The disease was removed but not my diaphragm .

I did need to be on oxygen for a few days after surgery which they seemed to say was connected to involvement of diaphragm but I also got hospital acquired pneumonia so this probably didn’t help ! Recovery from surgery was a slow but sure process, but with the help of some physio I made a good recovery and was able to get back to the gym and Zumba .

Don’t hesitate to go back to your team with more questions . Love and best wishes Kim x 💜

[jenny8c in reply to Purple-iris]

Many thanks for your reply - I will ask some more questions but good to know you recovered well enough to do Zumba and go back to the gym - just what I want to be able to do. xxxx

[Lily-Anne]

I’ve just had a quick look at Dr Google, like you do, and he agrees with you. We do need our diaphragm.

I think I’d ask more questions. Unless there’s an artificial one?

I would call the Ovacome help line and ask your CNS too

Good luck

LA xx

[jenny8c in reply to Lily-Anne]

Many thanks for your reply - yes I will ask some more questions - it is a pain that I don't think of all the questions at the appropriate time!! I think I was just a bit shell shocked when he told me how bad my diaphragm and spleen were. xxxx

[Naimish]

Hi. Did he say anything about your peritoneum?

Naimish

[jenny8c in reply to Naimish]

Yes there will not be much left by the time he has finished with me. Full hysterectomy, removal of omentum, peritoneum, spleen, diaphragm (?) and maybe some intestine.

[Hidden]

I had the omentum or fatty layer peeled off my diaphragm; that's what the oncology nurse told me, but I think the actual diaphragm is still there. I'm going to ask my surgeon to clarify what he did. After that surgery, I did have some breathlessness when standing at first, and that has resolved.

Hugs to you. 🦋 xx

[jenny8c in reply to Hidden]

Bless you - I get a bit breathless now but it is good news that yours got better. I must ask more questions now the news has sunk in as I am pretty sure you can't manage without a diaphragm. xxx

[Nicky100]

Hi.

I’m pretty sure that you can’t remove the diaphragm? Have you had a second chat to him about a detailed plan for your op?

My cancer had spread to my diaphragm ( which they only found when opening me up and going radical surgery). They resected it and then stripped the rest.

Do let me know what they say?

Love Nicky x

[Julie40 in reply to Nicky100]

Nicky how are you doing after your radical surgery with Prof CF ?

xo

[jenny8c in reply to Nicky100]

Many thanks - I will ask more questions but I would not be surprised if I have the same as you. How are you getting on now? xxx

[bamboo89]

Check back with him - it's likely he means he's going to remove the peritoneum, which is a layer of tissue underneath your diaphragm, rather than taking the diaphragm itself.

[jenny8c in reply to bamboo89]

Yes the more I think of it and look into it the more I think I can't do without a diaphragm. I know my peritoneum is going along with several other organs. I think what happened to Nicky100 is likely to happen to me but I will ask more questions. Many thanks xx

[tutti]

I had a tumour on my diaphragm discovered when operating to remove liver tumour .They took half the diaphragm away and mended with mesh.I was breathless for a couple of weeks but no long term effects. That was in 2011 and I recovered quickly from that surgery unlike previous ones on bowel etc.I don’t know whether you can manage without diaphragm but I am still here minus a lot of bits! I just wish we had been made with a zip or Velcro to make surgery easier and less painful.Vivxx

[jenny8c in reply to tutti]

Your experience has made me feel better knowing if I did hear correctly and he takes away half my diaphragm I can make a decent recovery. I have lots of other things being removed at the same time and already have had bowel surgery so I do sympathise with how long it takes to get over these operations although my most painful to date was my laparoscopy. Yes a zip or Velcro would be good!!!! Many thanks for your reply - it has made me feel better. xxx

[Emalou71]

Hiya, I had a piece of my diaphragm removed during my surgery unfortunately due to the surgeons unable to remove the disease. I was given a plastic blue gadget which I had to blow through 10 times morning & evening, it had a dial on it and inside was a ball which as I got stronger went further up (unsure if that makes sense sorry difficult to describe) to use every day to expand & strenrgthen what was left. I did this for several months and with my cardio excercise I have been fine. Xxx

[jenny8c in reply to Emalou71]

Wow that is a new one on me but the main thing is that it worked. Many thanks for your reply - I am not so frightened now of the surgery ahead. xxxx

[Emalou71 in reply to jenny8c]

Good luck xx

[caf132]

Could he of said omentum? mine was removed as well as appendix and whatever I did not need.

Keep us posted.

Xx Carol