Fw: Fw: Re: question about surgery -

[Guest guest]

Hi (it is you who's contemplating surgery, right). This was sent by

a member of the group April 14, 2002. Hope this helps. Take care, Fay

-------------------------------

I have the list of questions, I'll post it here:

Here is a list of questions to ask a surgeon before you are operated on.

These have been put together by several people who had surgery or will be

having thyroid surgery.

1){ How many surgeries have you performed per year and total.} Do you

think

you an expert thyroid surgeon? Why?

2){What percentage of thyroid is being taken out?} What will this mean to

me?

3){ What is the possiblity of going hyper again? (this will probably also

depend on how much is being taken out)} If it does, would this surgery be

performed in a way that I would be able to have a second surgery if it

ever

become necessary?

4) {What is the risk to the vocal cords & parathyroids and how many of

his

patients had complications in these areas.} In your opinion what causes

the

damage? How can it be prevented? It is my understanding that technique is

the

cause of the damage. What is your technique in locating the vocal cord

nerves?

5){ How long does he anticipate the hospital stay to be.}

6){ Will he be monitoring the Calcium levels.}

7) {Will there be a drainage tube?}

8) {Will he use Iodine pre-surgery.}Anything else? Will they wait until I

am

euthyroid before doing surgery? (I have had a few surgeons already, tell

me

that this was not necessary!)

9){Who will monitor his levels after the surgery and discharge from the

hospital. Surgeon or Endo.} Will I be on any medication besides pain

medicine

post-surgery? If so, what? {2. When will they be starting thyroid

replacement? Some start it right away and some wait until your levels

drop.}

10) Can I see and sign the consent form before the day of my surgery? I

will

be too nervous to understand it completely and it will give me time to

discuss any concerns that I have with you beforehand and put things in

writing if there is a need.

11)After the surgery and I am out of recovery, when will I see you to

discuss

what happened during the surgery?

12)Are you aware of my other medical problems that may present

complications

to this procedure? (if you have any, I do) How will this be handled and

monitered?

13)Where will my husband be, during the surgery? Will you tell him how

things

went and how I am doing, right after the surgery? When will I be able to

see

my husband, after the surgery is over?

14) It is my understanding that they laboratory test the removed parts of

the

thyroid.(I'm not sure how to word this) Will this be done in my case?

15)What kind of Anesticia(sp?) will be used? Who will be performing this?

Will I be able to talk to him beforehand? What are the risks for me? {1.

Will

the surgery be done under local or general anesthetic? Most doctors do it

under general but I think some are starting to do it with just a

local....scary thought for me )

16)What kind of closure to the wound will be done? What can I expect from

this? What size of wound and scar should I expect?

17)What do I need to bring with me to the hospital? Anything special?

(Any

tips on this from the forum, would be greatly apprieciated)

18)Before surgery will I recieve medicine that will make me relax? What

kind

of prep is involved? Catheter?

19)After the surgery what kind of pain medicine will I be given, at the

hospital and after I go home? How much pain will I be in? Are there side

effects to this medicine? The day of the surgery, will you prescribe pain

medicine before you leave for the day or attend to other patients? (in

more

than one past surgery for me, the surgeon didn't prescribe any pain

medicine

before they left the hospital and so I had to wait until the nurses were

able

to get a hold of him, before they could give me anything. One time it

took

two hours, this was with a c-section, OUCH!!!!)

20)Who will be present at the surgery? (For me, No students) What will

their

role be?

21)Do you think there will be a need for blood replacement? Should I

donate

blood for myself? If so, can this be set up to do so?

22)How long do you expect the surgery to take? How long in recovery?

Total time?

23) Will you be using a facial nerve moniter, if so, can you explain this

to

me? How will this aid you in the surgery?

this is what we have so far....any additions???

-----------------

Here is some personal experiances, each person is separated by the

asteriks:

The only other question I would ask is if you are staying overnight, how

do

you arrange a private room. My room mate had a heart condition, snored

and

had pneumonia. She rattled, gurgled and wheezed all night. I thought I

was in

hell until her monitor went off. Then I knew I was.

As far as checking out the doc, I called the administrative office and

just

asked point blank if the doc was in good standing. I was told that he was

in

excellant standing. Also I had my GP check him out since it was the endo

referring him.

*********

4) {What is the risk to the vocal cords & parathyroids and how many of

his

patients had complications in these areas.} In your opinion what causes

the

damage? How can it be prevented? It is my understanding that technique is

the

cause of the damage. What is your technique in locating the vocal cord

nerves?~~~~When I first woke up from anesthesia I COULD NOT talk at all!

I

was terrified! I just knew that I had lost my voice! But it was actually

just

irritation from the tube being down my throat. It felt like I had a ball

of

mucuous stuck in my throat but my throat muscles were too weak to cough

it

up. I wish someone had warned me that this could happen so I wouldn't

have

been so freaked out. I don't think Shari had this problem but I wanted

you to

be aware that it could happen so you will be prepared for it.~~~

8) {Will he use Iodine pre-surgery.}Anything else? Will they wait until I

am

euthyroid before doing surgery? ~~~ I was still very HYPER when I had my

surgery ~~~~~~~

10) Can I see and sign the consent form before the day of my surgery? I

will

be too nervous to understand it completely and it will give me time to

discuss any concerns that I have with you beforehand and put things in

writing if there is a need. ~~~~~My hospital had me to sign my consent

form

the day before my surgery ~~~~~~~

11)After the surgery and I am out of recovery, when will I see you to

discuss

what happened during the surgery? ~~~~My surgeon came into to talk to me

as

soon as I came out of the recovery room and was put into my regular

hospital

room.

13)Where will my husband be, during the surgery? Will you tell him how

things

went and how I am doing, right after the surgery? When will I be able to

see

my husband, after the surgery is over?~~~My husband was able to come

upstairs

with me to surgery where they put me in a gown, took vitals and all of

that

stuff. Once they took me into surgery he had to go back downstairs to the

surgery waiting area. He was given a pager, but he stayed in the waiting

room

all day. As soon as the surgery was over the doctor called the waiting

area

and talked to my husband. He wasn't allowed into the recovery room but I

saw

him as soon as they put me in my hosp. room.~~~~

15)What kind of Anesticia(sp?) will be used? Who will be performing this?

Will I be able to talk to him beforehand? What are the risks for me? {1.

Will

the surgery be done under local or general anesthetic? Most doctors do it

under general but I think some are starting to do it with just a

local....scary thought for me )~~The anesthesiologist (sp?) came in and

talked to me before surgery. He examined my airway and explained

everything

and gave me a chance to ask questions.~~~~~

16)What kind of closure to the wound will be done? What can I expect from

this? What size of wound and scar should I expect? ~~~~I had staples

overnight and then steri-strips for one week. The steri-strips kind of

start

to peel off on their own. My scar is very thin and is about 4 inches

long. It

is a year later now and you have to look for it, it is hardly noticeable

at

all.~~~

17)What do I need to bring with me to the hospital? Anything special?

(Any

tips on this from the forum, would be greatly apprieciated)~~~Not much!

lol

You won't feel like doing much of anything. I just took a change of

clothes

and some pajama pants and a t-shirt. Make sure to take a v neck shirt if

you

take one. I had a t-shirt with a regular neck line and it was irritating.

If

you are going to have many visitors the pants are a MUST or you will be

showing your butt all day through your gown opening! ~~~

18)Before surgery will I recieve medicine that will make me relax? What

kind

of prep is involved? Catheter? ~~~ I didn't have a catheter...THANK GOD!

lol

My only prep was nothing to eat after midnight, but I was allowed to take

my

beta blocker the morning of surgery. I was give medicine to relax right

before they took me into surgery~~~

19)After the surgery what kind of pain medicine will I be given, at the

hospital and after I go home? How much pain will I be in? Are there side

effects to this medicine? The day of the surgery, will you prescribe pain

medicine before you leave for the day or attend to other patients? (in

more

than one past surgery for me, the surgeon didn't prescribe any pain

medicine

before they left the hospital and so I had to wait until the nurses were

able

to get a hold of him, before they could give me anything. One time it

took

two hours, this was with a c-section, OUCH!!!!) ~~~ My doc had pain

medicine

and nausea medicine prescribed. I took the nausea medication twice but

never

even needed anything for pain. They sent me home with a pain prescription

but

I didn't take any of them either. Compared to childbirth this is a

breeze~

~~~~~

20)Who will be present at the surgery? (For me, No students) What will

their

role be?~~~~If you are going to be at a teaching hospital make sure that

the

surgeon that you choose will be doing your surgery an not one of his/her

students!~~~~

22)How long do you expect the surgery to take? How long in recovery?

Total

time? My surgery took 4.5 hrs if I am remembering correctly~~~

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