Pre op

[Girl6789]

Hello,

After so much wonderful advice recently I was just writing to see if anyone knows how long pre op assessments are valid for. I’m on the waiting list for a completion thyroidectomy and had me preop 6 weeks ago now and no date yet. Wondering when that runs out and if I’ll have to have another one. Any advice gratefully received.

Thank you

[bantam12]

Usually 12 weeks.

[Girl6789 in reply to bantam12]

Thank you

[Fruitandnutcase]

My husband had one last June for a hip replacement at the end of 31st July.

Seemed kind of early to me but that’s what it was.The July 31st date was cancelled and they were going to accept the same pre op for the next date which was due on September 15th but that was also cancelled.

He eventually had a second pre op done before the op which finally took place on 15th November.

He says he thinks it is probably three months but that’s really just a guess. You could call the department and ask them. Hopefully you w9nt have to hang aroun for as long as he did.

[Girl6789 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Thanks, hopefully not too long a wait. Can’t get a consistent level with thyroid hormones fluctuating between high and low and then also got the problem of growing nodule compressing oesophagus. Just like the waiting period to be over now.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Girl6789]

Yes! The waiting is awful. I’d definitely call the consultant’s secretary and see if he / she can give you an idea of when your date will come.

[cjrsquared]

I had my TT back in 2014, I had to have a second pre op with bloods as the date for surgery was over 12 weeks after the first pre op. The waiting time for surgery varies greatly across the country and unfortunately we are coming into winter with the problem of winter pressures which increases the possibility of cancellation for surgery. Hopefully you will get a date soon. You can always phone the consultants secretary and ask where you are on the waiting list. Good luck.

[SusanAR]

I was about 9 months. By the time I had the operation my thyroid had grown so much that the scans and X-ray images were no use to them.

They said there was a long waiting list and I wasn’t in a hurry to get such a big operation so I was happy to wait. They did offer to put me on the cancellation list but I didn’t bother.

[Hidden]

That was the only good thing about living in France it only took a couple of weeks from doctor to Surgeon to Pre op and then operation. Total one month maximum.

In the UK I was waiting even to see a surgeon for over one year even though my trachea had moved and I found it hard to breathe.