General Anesthesia and PBC

[NotorDJP]

Hello all! I have my Thyroid removed in 10 days and I'm starting to get nervous. I know going in that I have cancer, so worried about the extent of spread, but also more concerned about the surgery itself and my recovery due to PBC. I haven't had general anesthesia in 11 years, and I'm sure my liver was in better shape then. Anyone had surgery since diagnosis, and did it make surgery harder, or just about the same? I had my gall bladder removed in 2004, but other than that, no major surgeries. This will be longer than the gall bladder surgery and I will be out longer, so more anesthesia. They are being careful what type to use due to my liver, but I'm still nervous.

Thanks

[Oidra]

I had a general when I had bone removed from my back. I am not sure how long I was under but the anaesthetist was aware of my PBC and there were no problems. It was nothing compared with what you are going through and I wish you the best outcome possible.

[NotorDJP in reply to Oidra]

Thanks. Though this is still a major surgery, its considered a less painful one. I am praying that the cancer is confined to the thyroid and there aren't any lymph nodes involved. But I have a small pea size lump on my collar bone that has been there for years, they are biopsying that during the surgery to make sure it isn't involved, though they think it isn't. Right now, I am more concerned about the actual surgery than what they will find, but I am worried about that too. Right now they say its caught early, but thyroid cancer is a sneaky one. It can spread even with your tumors are small. Luckily, even with lymph node involvement the prognosis is pretty good. Its only worse when there are distant mets in the lung and bone. Hopefully nothing like that is going on.

[NotorDJP in reply to Oidra]

I don't know, back surgery is kind of painful isn't it?

[zedi]

Hi,I wish you luck with your op.

I can only tell you that I have had PBC for over 10 years and in that time I have had 5 operations.

The two most recent [I say 2 as the root nerve wasn't an op but I had it done under a [general] have been in my back. The last one was just this March 2015. Before that a root nerve injection in November 2014. And major back surgery May 2014.

And I had no problems at all coming out of a general, just I a little more tired than usual.

best wishes Zedi

[doublewhammy]

Hi. I have aih/pbc overlap. Last year I was diagnosed with bowel cancer and had my large colon removed- about 4-5 hour surgery. No problems with recovery and was home four days later. Thankfully I didnt need chemo so I couldnt comment on any issues there. The only area to be affected was that they took me off azathioprine due to its connection with cancer. So at the moment am only on steroids. Good luck, stay positive and motivated.

[Hidden]

Good luck with your op,

I had surgery last year that took 3 hours and everything was fine but I know how nervous I was. i went home the next day to recover, very tired for quite a while but so relieved it was all over.

[Calogia]

Dear Notor - I was in a horrific car accident after my diagnosis and had 7 hours of surgery to repair 4 crushed arteries and a multitude of other problems. I can't say right away I noticed anything different, the fatigue got worse but not for another year. I know they say surgery with PBC could be risky but I was also told they won't do it if they don't think your body can handle it.

They must have faith in you. So do I! Good Luck.

Calogia

[NotorDJP]

Thank you. That all sounds like I am probably going to be ok. I know this surgery has a tendency to be delicate, where it is, etc. I am having quite a bit of shoulder pain right now due to some kind of pinched nerve or muscle or something. I just don't know what is causing that. It is usually worse when I sleep flat or on my side in bed. If I sleep propped up in my lounger or in bed its usually better. I've posted on here about my costochondritis, but I am beginning to wonder if thats it or not.

[Wilmahair]

Hi have had numerous surgeries and no ill affect. My only problem was awareness so now they put a band on my forehead and they can monied my brain activity. Haven't had a problem since they started doing this. Good luck with your surgery.