Recovering from an Abdominal Myomectomy Procedure Pt 1 (or, Waiting Room Blues)

                                                                                    

On The Day of the Op..

                                                                                      Image: http://www.subodh.com

Nil by Mouth from What Time?

The only key advice I would give for your op day is take careful note of what time you need to stop eating and drinking. My admission time was 11am, I was advised to have a light breakfast by 6am and I was able to drink water up to 10am.

Admission is a Slooooooow Process..

1.    Be prepared to answer the same questions, over and over again in the pre-op sessions with a variety of professionals.
 

2.    Don't forget to take with you, any medication you use regularly so they can double-check that none of it will conflict with anaesthesia or any of the pain medication they administer in the hospital.
 

3.    Take whatever you need to pass the time, I took my mini iPad and charger so I had the choice of reading on the Kindle or playing games while I waited. I was at the hospital for more than 4 hours before actually being wheeled through to the op room. There are many pre-op checks (pregnancy, blood pressure levels, heart rate, ECG etc), but each takes no more than 5 - 10 minutes before you're deposited back in the waiting room. At some point, an anaesthetist will meet you to go though the type of anaesthesia applicable to you, answer any questions or concerns you may have, and ask questions on your medical history including any previous operations.
  

Immediate Recovery

Immediate recovery was a blur. My op was longer than planned and I came to quite late in the day.

My anaesthetist had explained the self-administering morphine button before I went under (also known as the PCA - patient controlled analgesia, a handheld device which you press every time you want to give yourself a dose of the pain killer). I was reminded how to use it as I came to, and my night began. I was monitored heavily that first night due to complications during surgery so my sleep was regularly interrupted by tests, but with anaesthesia still in my system along with the morphine, I was out for the count as soon as each test was complete, sometimes before the nurses were finished!

Thanks for reading! Please do comment below with your own experiences!

Next post on this topic “Hospital Days, or OUCH! Zzzzzzz.OUCH! Zzzzzzz..” 

Further Reading

British Fibroid Trust 

http://www.britishfibroidtrust.org.uk/myomectomy.php

Preparing for an Abdominal Myomectomy Procedure Pt 2 (or, is it HOT in here or is it just me?)

Preparing for Op-Day

 

1.       Weight Loss

A few months before the op, my consultant advised me not to put on any more weight.

Studies show that remaining within a set variation of your ideal Body Mass Index (BMI), statistically reduces complications during and after an operation. While I permanently reside above my personal BMI, I was apparently just under the 'danger zone'.

I have never been on a diet, and have a real aversion to the idea. My plan after speaking to the specialist was to change something simple about my eating habits in order to maintain my current weight. If that resulted in me losing a little, even better!

That's where smoothie-making came in. I resolved to introduce more (alright - some!) fruit and veg into my daily diet. It worked a breeze, I dropped a little weight and gained a bit of energy in the process.

2.      Zoladex Injections

For three months prior to the op, I received Zoladex injections.

Zoladex implants prevent the production of certain types of hormones in the body. It is used to stop monthly cycles and hopefully shrink fibroids prior to surgery.

When to Take Zoladex

I had my first injection in the first week of my cycle three months prior to my op date, and a further two injections every four weeks.

I was also given Livial Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) which I elected not to take. Call me hard-headed, but I didn't want to start medication to combat symptoms I hadn't even experienced. The side effects started approx. 3 - 4 weeks after the first injection and became progressively worse over the course of the last two months.

Suggestion: Zoladex injections must be taken within a very tight window, With timely GP appointments hard to come in the UK, make sure you book your GP appointments for injections well in advance, you can always cancel if your operation is rescheduled.


Zoladex Side Effects

Hot flashes!!  Imagine sitting in a huge pot on a low-to-medium simmer while in a meeting trying to remain professional and pay attention. It’s a MASSIVE distraction trying to ignore regular bouts of prickling fire in your chest, heat gradually creeping up to your hair follicles and visible sweat all over your face and hairline at random times throughout a working day.

Image:http://cocoafab.com/

Then there was trouble sleeping due to night sweats. Waking up burning.. Throwing off covers. Waking up FREEZING, scrambling to find the edge of the duvet and pull it up to your chin.. Far too much activity when there is another busy work day ahead next day.

I must admit I was blasé about hot flashes, "..what's so bad about a  bit of heat?", but facing the same symptoms in the future and knowing they may last for years, I could definitely see myself opting for HRT.

As you can imagine, disrupted sleep and managing hot flashes during the day contribute to a feeling of fatigue. 

I also felt thirsty all the time, I was nauseas in weeks 2-3 after the first injection and my whole body was itching all day, EVERY day, after my third injection.

Another side effect to mention was the emotional roller-coaster, sudden tears  - perhaps better described as sudden grief, with no basis and no letup was a shock. That stage lasted only a week but after a couple of rough days I was relieved to re-check Zoladex side effects and put my mind at ease that I wasn't having a minor breakdown!

Knowing I was going through a very short (3 month) tunnel with light at the end made the season bearable.

If you have been prescribed Zoladex for any reason, I would be interested to hear what side affects you experienced. Feel free to comment below..

Thanks for reading! Next post on this topic “Op day and Immediate Recovery”.

Further Reading

Body Mass Index (BMI)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_mass_index

Zoladex

http://www.drugs.com/zoladex.html

Livial

http://www.medicines.org.uk/guides/Livial/Hormone%20replacement%20therapy

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormone_replacement_therapy

Smoothie-Making: And the Winner This Month is..

My favourite taste this month has been my kale, banana, coconut water, satsuma and green grape combo. Definitely deserving of a blog post for the many mornings I have switched from my chosen pre-prepped freezer bag, in order to make this.

Favourite: Banana, kale, satsuma, green grapes, coconut water.. more kale.

A quarter of peeled lemon or a nub of peeled ginger gives the combo a nice twist but it’s also great with no variations.

Love it!

Do share any favourites of your own below, I'm always trying new combo's..