Ultra radical surgery next week! : I know many of... - My Ovacome

My Ovacome

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Ultra radical surgery next week!

Fishfinger4 profile image
12 Replies

I know many of you have undergone this type of surgery. It is a daunting thought. I’d assumed that I’d been deemed u suitable for surgery 18 months ago when my chemotherapy started. After three lines of chemo things were still progressing in the wrong direction so surgery is suddenly back on the agenda. I suppose they know best - the alternative seems to be to wait for complete bowel obstruction, so no real choice. The team at Nottingham City seem very competent but I think the surgeon actually doing it is one I haven’t met which unnerves me a bit. Any advice please?

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Fishfinger4
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Lyndy profile image
Lyndy

My hospital has surgery CNSs who prepare patients and tell them what to bring etc...do you have a contact like this? If so you could ask to meet the surgeon. I met mine before I knew he would do my op and thought ‘I want him to operate’ i had complete faith in him...and he did a good job. It is important xx

Fishfinger4 profile image
Fishfinger4 in reply to Lyndy

It was only when I got my letter two days ago that I noticed the ‘under the care of’ was a name I didn’t know. I had my pre-op assessment the same day and queried it with the CSN and she said there is a team of five surgeons and you get who is on that day. She said my named one was very good, had done the op. loads of times, but I still would have liked to meet her.

Irisisme profile image
Irisisme in reply to Fishfinger4

Fishfinger, I would not be happy with the situation you are in. I guess it depends what surgery you are going to need but I certainly checked out my surgeon and had a long discussion with him before the op. There was absolutely no possibility of another surgeon stepping in to do the surgery. There was even an arrangement so that an experienced liver surgeon could step in if needed.

This op is not general surgery. You need to be left with the removal of all cancer lesions larger than 1cm and you need to ask your surgeon about this ( although they don’t know how the surgery will go for certain until the op is underway).

I researched the surgeon I had and how much experience he had. You should Google him and not rely on a nurse’s comment, it is so vital.

Also, having been hospitalised twice with partial bowel blockages, which caused a lot of pain, the idea of waiting for a complete bowel obstruction is truly terrifying. Please don’t do that.

Good Luck,

Iris🍀🍀

Caleda4 profile image
Caleda4

Pror to my surgery in 2015,I looked up the surgeon online & he had performed several thousand of the type of operation I had.I believe you should be able to meet the surgeon beforehand as I did.

Good Luck.

LallyBaBa profile image
LallyBaBa

The surgeons who do radical debulking are absolute specialist experts, and often not the surgeons who oversee your care. For example, even patients at the Oxford John Radcliffe are sent to London (Hammersmith) for surgery, so it's quite common not to know your surgeon prior to the big op. You should, and will I'm sure, be operated on by surgeon who does these ops every week, because it's a very specific skill set, needing highly experienced surgeons. If you can find out the name of the surgeon, or department, you can check them online, or ask for more info. But the most important thing is that you are operated on by somebody for whom this is bread and butter, with lots of experience and who is a "frequent flyer". That's more important than being operated on by somebody who you've met. Best of luck. We are waiting to hear whether my MIL is operable, post-chemo. Horrid waiting.

Ruebacelle profile image
Ruebacelle

Don't be afraid. It's hard on you but much more routine for the surgeons. But you have to meet surgeon and prepare an exhaustive list of questions beforehand. If you don't like the surgeon insist on someone else. It's your body after all. Most of us have had radical hysterectomies and post op teams will help you recover. Good luck hugs from paris

SUE7777 profile image
SUE7777

The surgeons are experts and excellent, I requested a consultation through my CNS. They should know whose operating on a particular day. Be assertive your entitled to meet the surgeon prior to the op. All the best Sue xx

Fishfinger4 profile image
Fishfinger4

Thank you all for taking the trouble to reply. It helps to know that so many have benefited from this type of operation. I’ll be fine! 😨

Leniko profile image
Leniko

Wishing you every success! 🙏

Fishfinger4 profile image
Fishfinger4

Thank you

Barbararac profile image
Barbararac

My mum is going same way incredible how are you? She will be in surgery for stoma today

Casamimosa profile image
Casamimosa

Hi I had ultra radical surgery 1st Dec 2020 also at Nottingham City hospital. I was told by consultant I had seen who gave me all the information etc with his cancer specialist nurse that he might not be doing the operation which did worry me a bit but was assured the team is excellent . I did see the consultant who was heading the team doing my op on the actual day prior to getting prepared etc , note : its not just one doctor doing the op anyway. He was very reassuring and listened to my worries concerns etc. This helped a lot. The team were fantastic from the cleaners, nurses, catering to the consultants throughout my stay in hospital. Its nearly 8 months now and I'm doing great and on lynparza after 3 lots of mop up chemo. There will be ups and downs but it will be worth it. Good luck and take care. Don't be ' strong' take pain relief if you need it and take baby steps once your home. Sending hugs

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