Re: VATS at U of Miami-dave

[Guest guest]

Dave,

If you don't mind. I have ALOT of experience with vats-as to the epidural..i got one after one of my surgeries while i was put to sleep & then another when i was awake..its for the pain, trust me..it's good! (2 seperate because of problems) but all to do with lung vats procedure

As for the bowel movement...the med's will constipate you..can u believe i didn't have a bowel movement for 2 weeks..yes..2 weeks..they released me without realizing that i hadn't hadnt had one..of course i was in the hospital for 26 days..milk of magnesium took care of that as soon as i got home. It's just really hard to go when you're in the hospital..especially when people constantly around you. Was it hard to breathe..for me it really really was..alot of coughing..so please use your pillow-i accidently coughed too hard & my lung collapsed & had to go right back into the hospital--i started to swell up..you will be able to breathe naturally again..it'll just take some time.

just some fyi...i hope it helps you...

dot/42/uip10/08/sa,tx

Subject: Re: VATS at U of MiamiTo: Breathe-Support Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 2:27 PM

Terre,I am glad everything went ok for you, considering some of the posts on here. I am courious as to why you needed an epidural when you are getting general anesthesia. I though an epidoral was only used if you are going to be awake for the procedure. Please let me know. Should I make sure I have a bowel movement before I leave the hospital? So you did not have a pathalogist next door to look at the sample? Dr. Nguyen said that a pathologist would be in the room next door to make sure that he got a saple of tissue that was diseased and would be able to give me some sort of preliminary findings after the procedure. I spoke to at Dr. Nguyen office today and I mentioned that we talked on the internet. She said I was having my procedure at Memorial and that you had had yours at different hospital. What's up with that? I will make sure I get put in the ICU. Hope you are feeling good today. Was it hard to breathe after the

operation? Thanks for all the feedback. Dave>> First I'd like to thank the well wishers about my VATS procedure. Mike, I wanted to get back to you about how things went for me.> They cahnged the arrival time to 5:30 vs 5 am. I was sent to pre-op after registering. I talked with many people on the sugery team. Possibly 10 or more. The anesthesia doctor wanted to use a new procedure on me that acts like an epidural for child birth. But, it was higher up around the lungs. She explained that it would be 4 shots next to my spine starting at the base of my neck and going down along the spine to the bottom of the lungs. This would be in addition to the general anesthesia. I agreed

to the block.> I left the prep room at 7:32 for the 7:30 surgery. I remember going into the room but the next thing is waking up in recovery at 9:30 am.> Dr. Nguyen had said that I would go to ICU after the surgery because he wanted to be able to use all of his resources.> However, they took me upstairs to a medical floor. Where I didn't get my drainage tube hooked up for an hour or anything else either. My wife who is a nurse went into action at that time. I'd go to ICU if I had it to do over again. It's good to have an advocate with you if you can because you are too out of it to know or care what's going on.> Later that day near 4 pm, Dr, Nguyen came up to assess me. He didn't know why I was upstairs either. I think it was because I talked to Dr. Glassberg about helping with fund raising (volunteering) and maybe they thought I was going to donate a lot of money. hahahahaha. The floor was a penthouse room for just one

person. Go to ICU.> My drainage was good. I had a lot of pain in my shoulder joint and my shoulder blade. When he took out the drainage tube it all went away. I stayed over Friday night and was discahrged around 9:30 am Saturday.> I was back at the house by noon saturday.> I felt good most of saturday until that evening I had some pizza and resumed my normal meds. I forgot the lactase enzyme for the cheese on the pizza. I took two Motrin for pain. I took two more later on.> That evening I went to bed but started getting stomach cramps. I could not have a bowel movement. All of Fridays food and saturdays was still there. My wife thought I was having a heart attack as my blood pressure dropped and I was sweating and pale. So, the paramedics were called and I spent Sat. night in the local ER. They really couldn't find anything but guessed my digestive system hadn't restarted after all of the anestegia.> Got out Sat

evening during the Dolphins debacle. Today I'm up and around and feeling pretty good. I've eaten regular food today and washed up. I've gotten a back spasm when I breathe from laying around> but Aleve seems to be helping. It was probably from watching the Dolphins from bed. Other than that the pain is quite manageable and I'm breathing OK. I use the spirometer they gave me to excercise my lungs.> Probably too much detail but I wanted you to know what some of the problems can be. I'll probaly go back to work Wed.> The best of luck to you Mike. If you have any questions, please let me know.> I'll see Dr. Nguyen in a week from today. Takes about a week for the report. I do know that I have scarring and he said he got two good samples.> All the best,> Terre>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the info Dorothy, went and did my pre-tests today. Will update site

after procedure.

> >

> > First I'd like to thank the well wishers about my VATS procedure. Mike, I

wanted to get back to you about how things went for me.

> > They cahnged the arrival time to 5:30 vs 5 am. I was sent to pre-op after

registering. I talked with many people on the sugery team. Possibly 10 or more.

The anesthesia doctor wanted to use a new procedure on me that acts like an

epidural for child birth. But, it was higher up around the lungs. She explained

that it would be 4 shots next to my spine starting at the base of my neck and

going down along the spine to the bottom of the lungs. This would be in addition

to the general anesthesia. I agreed to the block.

> > I left the prep room at 7:32 for the 7:30 surgery. I remember going into the

room but the next thing is waking up in recovery at 9:30 am.

> > Dr. Nguyen had said that I would go to ICU after the surgery because he

wanted to be able to use all of his resources.

> > However, they took me upstairs to a medical floor. Where I didn't get my

drainage tube hooked up for an hour or anything else either. My wife who is a

nurse went into action at that time. I'd go to ICU if I had it to do over again.

It's good to have an advocate with you if you can because you are too out of it

to know or care what's going on.

> > Later that day near 4 pm, Dr, Nguyen came up to assess me. He didn't know

why I was upstairs either. I think it was because I talked to Dr. Glassberg

about helping with fund raising (volunteering) and maybe they thought I was

going to donate a lot of money. hahahahaha. The floor was a penthouse room for

just one person. Go to ICU.

> > My drainage was good. I had a lot of pain in my shoulder joint and my

shoulder blade. When he took out the drainage tube it all went away. I stayed

over Friday night and was discahrged around 9:30 am Saturday.

> > I was back at the house by noon saturday.

> > I felt good most of saturday until that evening I had some pizza and resumed

my normal meds. I forgot the lactase enzyme for the cheese on the pizza. I took

two Motrin for pain. I took two more later on.

> > That evening I went to bed but started getting stomach cramps. I could not

have a bowel movement. All of Fridays food and saturdays was still there. My

wife thought I was having a heart attack as my blood pressure dropped and I was

sweating and pale. So, the paramedics were called and I spent Sat. night in the

local ER. They really couldn't find anything but guessed my digestive system

hadn't restarted after all of the anestegia.

> > Got out Sat evening during the Dolphins debacle. Today I'm up and around and

feeling pretty good. I've eaten regular food today and washed up. I've gotten a

back spasm when I breathe from laying around

> > but Aleve seems to be helping. It was probably from watching the Dolphins

from bed. Other than that the pain is quite manageable and I'm breathing OK. I

use the spirometer they gave me to excercise my lungs.

> > Probably too much detail but I wanted you to know what some of the problems

can be. I'll probaly go back to work Wed.

> > The best of luck to you Mike. If you have any questions, please let me know.

> > I'll see Dr. Nguyen in a week from today. Takes about a week for the report.

I do know that I have scarring and he said he got two good samples.

> > All the best,

> > Terre

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dave,

IPF means a big difference in treatment as there is not really any but lung

transplant. IPF doesn't have a cure and has very little for any meaingful

treatment for most people. However, there are some advances being made. Dr.

Glassberg is on the leading edge of the knowledge of those. She is connected to

the IPF doctors over the entire nation. She knew quite well the doctors that I

had seen at the U of Iowa. We consulted with them to come up with my dx. There

is a Dr. Hunnehake (sp?) there that is a leading diagnostician of IPF using

CT scans. And, he was right after all.

I'm confident that she will come up with a good treatment to help if my body

cooperates. As she said,I might not be able to cure you but I think I can help

you live longer. Especially since I am still in the beginning stages.

When is your biopsy?

Best regards,

Terre

> > > > >

> > > > > First I'd like to thank the well wishers about my VATS procedure.

Mike, I wanted to get back to you about how things went for me.

> > > > > They cahnged the arrival time to 5:30 vs 5 am. I was sent to pre-op

after registering. I talked with many people on the sugery team. Possibly 10 or

more. The anesthesia doctor wanted to use a new procedure on me that acts like

an epidural for child birth. But, it was higher up around the lungs. She

explained that it would be 4 shots next to my spine starting at the base of my

neck and going down along the spine to the bottom of the lungs. This would be in

addition to the general anesthesia. I agreed to the block.

> > > > > I left the prep room at 7:32 for the 7:30 surgery. I remember going

into the room but the next thing is waking up in recovery at 9:30 am.

> > > > > Dr. Nguyen had said that I would go to ICU after the surgery because

he wanted to be able to use all of his resources.

> > > > > However, they took me upstairs to a medical floor. Where I didn't get

my drainage tube hooked up for an hour or anything else either. My wife who is a

nurse went into action at that time. I'd go to ICU if I had it to do over again.

It's good to have an advocate with you if you can because you are too out of it

to know or care what's going on.

> > > > > Later that day near 4 pm, Dr, Nguyen came up to assess me. He didn't

know why I was upstairs either. I think it was because I talked to Dr. Glassberg

about helping with fund raising (volunteering) and maybe they thought I was

going to donate a lot of money. hahahahaha. The floor was a penthouse room for

just one person. Go to ICU.

> > > > > My drainage was good. I had a lot of pain in my shoulder joint and my

shoulder blade. When he took out the drainage tube it all went away. I stayed

over Friday night and was discahrged around 9:30 am Saturday.

> > > > > I was back at the house by noon saturday.

> > > > > I felt good most of saturday until that evening I had some pizza and

resumed my normal meds. I forgot the lactase enzyme for the cheese on the pizza.

I took two Motrin for pain. I took two more later on.

> > > > > That evening I went to bed but started getting stomach cramps. I could

not have a bowel movement. All of Fridays food and saturdays was still there. My

wife thought I was having a heart attack as my blood pressure dropped and I was

sweating and pale. So, the paramedics were called and I spent Sat. night in the

local ER. They really couldn't find anything but guessed my digestive system

hadn't restarted after all of the anestegia.

> > > > > Got out Sat evening during the Dolphins debacle. Today I'm up and

around and feeling pretty good. I've eaten regular food today and washed up.

I've gotten a back spasm when I breathe from laying around

> > > > > but Aleve seems to be helping. It was probably from watching the

Dolphins from bed. Other than that the pain is quite manageable and I'm

breathing OK. I use the spirometer they gave me to excercise my lungs.

> > > > > Probably too much detail but I wanted you to know what some of the

problems can be. I'll probaly go back to work Wed.

> > > > > The best of luck to you Mike. If you have any questions, please let me

know.

> > > > > I'll see Dr. Nguyen in a week from today. Takes about a week for the

report. I do know that I have scarring and he said he got two good samples.

> > > > > All the best,

> > > > > Terre

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dave

While what Terre states is for the most part true, there are doctors who

still believe in prescribing Imuran and Prednisone for IPF. There are

also other factors that might change things. If there is considerable

alveolitis/inflammation, it can be addressed. Also, they can continue to

search for underlying causes such as hypersensitivity or a connective

tissue disease. If one is discovered then the underlying cause can be

treated.

However, I do have an IPF diagnosis (note IPF=UIP with no known cause

identified) and no other identified treatable factors so it made me

comfortable not pursuing any treatment path. I do exercise (highly

recommend pulmonary rehab), take care of myself to avoid complications,

treat all my other conditions, and live very happily.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > First I'd like to thank the well wishers about my VATS

procedure. Mike, I wanted to get back to you about how things went for

me.

> > > > > > They cahnged the arrival time to 5:30 vs 5 am. I was sent to

pre-op after registering. I talked with many people on the sugery team.

Possibly 10 or more. The anesthesia doctor wanted to use a new procedure

on me that acts like an epidural for child birth. But, it was higher up

around the lungs. She explained that it would be 4 shots next to my

spine starting at the base of my neck and going down along the spine to

the bottom of the lungs. This would be in addition to the general

anesthesia. I agreed to the block.

> > > > > > I left the prep room at 7:32 for the 7:30 surgery. I

remember going into the room but the next thing is waking up in recovery

at 9:30 am.

> > > > > > Dr. Nguyen had said that I would go to ICU after the surgery

because he wanted to be able to use all of his resources.

> > > > > > However, they took me upstairs to a medical floor. Where I

didn't get my drainage tube hooked up for an hour or anything else

either. My wife who is a nurse went into action at that time. I'd go to

ICU if I had it to do over again. It's good to have an advocate with you

if you can because you are too out of it to know or care what's going

on.

> > > > > > Later that day near 4 pm, Dr, Nguyen came up to assess me.

He didn't know why I was upstairs either. I think it was because I

talked to Dr. Glassberg about helping with fund raising (volunteering)

and maybe they thought I was going to donate a lot of money. hahahahaha.

The floor was a penthouse room for just one person. Go to ICU.

> > > > > > My drainage was good. I had a lot of pain in my shoulder

joint and my shoulder blade. When he took out the drainage tube it all

went away. I stayed over Friday night and was discahrged around 9:30 am

Saturday.

> > > > > > I was back at the house by noon saturday.

> > > > > > I felt good most of saturday until that evening I had some

pizza and resumed my normal meds. I forgot the lactase enzyme for the

cheese on the pizza. I took two Motrin for pain. I took two more later

on.

> > > > > > That evening I went to bed but started getting stomach

cramps. I could not have a bowel movement. All of Fridays food and

saturdays was still there. My wife thought I was having a heart attack

as my blood pressure dropped and I was sweating and pale. So, the

paramedics were called and I spent Sat. night in the local ER. They

really couldn't find anything but guessed my digestive system hadn't

restarted after all of the anestegia.

> > > > > > Got out Sat evening during the Dolphins debacle. Today I'm

up and around and feeling pretty good. I've eaten regular food today and

washed up. I've gotten a back spasm when I breathe from laying around

> > > > > > but Aleve seems to be helping. It was probably from watching

the Dolphins from bed. Other than that the pain is quite manageable and

I'm breathing OK. I use the spirometer they gave me to excercise my

lungs.

> > > > > > Probably too much detail but I wanted you to know what some

of the problems can be. I'll probaly go back to work Wed.

> > > > > > The best of luck to you Mike. If you have any questions,

please let me know.

> > > > > > I'll see Dr. Nguyen in a week from today. Takes about a week

for the report. I do know that I have scarring and he said he got two

good samples.

> > > > > > All the best,

> > > > > > Terre

> > > > > >

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Terre, that's kind of what I thought. Well I hope the best for you. Do you have

symtoms yet? I dont for the most part. Maybe tired and little out of breathe

after moderate activity, like bike riding or swimming. They moved my VATS to

Wed. 11/4 - will keep ypu posted

> > > > > >

> > > > > > First I'd like to thank the well wishers about my VATS procedure.

Mike, I wanted to get back to you about how things went for me.

> > > > > > They cahnged the arrival time to 5:30 vs 5 am. I was sent to pre-op

after registering. I talked with many people on the sugery team. Possibly 10 or

more. The anesthesia doctor wanted to use a new procedure on me that acts like

an epidural for child birth. But, it was higher up around the lungs. She

explained that it would be 4 shots next to my spine starting at the base of my

neck and going down along the spine to the bottom of the lungs. This would be in

addition to the general anesthesia. I agreed to the block.

> > > > > > I left the prep room at 7:32 for the 7:30 surgery. I remember going

into the room but the next thing is waking up in recovery at 9:30 am.

> > > > > > Dr. Nguyen had said that I would go to ICU after the surgery because

he wanted to be able to use all of his resources.

> > > > > > However, they took me upstairs to a medical floor. Where I didn't

get my drainage tube hooked up for an hour or anything else either. My wife who

is a nurse went into action at that time. I'd go to ICU if I had it to do over

again. It's good to have an advocate with you if you can because you are too out

of it to know or care what's going on.

> > > > > > Later that day near 4 pm, Dr, Nguyen came up to assess me. He didn't

know why I was upstairs either. I think it was because I talked to Dr. Glassberg

about helping with fund raising (volunteering) and maybe they thought I was

going to donate a lot of money. hahahahaha. The floor was a penthouse room for

just one person. Go to ICU.

> > > > > > My drainage was good. I had a lot of pain in my shoulder joint and

my shoulder blade. When he took out the drainage tube it all went away. I stayed

over Friday night and was discahrged around 9:30 am Saturday.

> > > > > > I was back at the house by noon saturday.

> > > > > > I felt good most of saturday until that evening I had some pizza and

resumed my normal meds. I forgot the lactase enzyme for the cheese on the pizza.

I took two Motrin for pain. I took two more later on.

> > > > > > That evening I went to bed but started getting stomach cramps. I

could not have a bowel movement. All of Fridays food and saturdays was still

there. My wife thought I was having a heart attack as my blood pressure dropped

and I was sweating and pale. So, the paramedics were called and I spent Sat.

night in the local ER. They really couldn't find anything but guessed my

digestive system hadn't restarted after all of the anestegia.

> > > > > > Got out Sat evening during the Dolphins debacle. Today I'm up and

around and feeling pretty good. I've eaten regular food today and washed up.

I've gotten a back spasm when I breathe from laying around

> > > > > > but Aleve seems to be helping. It was probably from watching the

Dolphins from bed. Other than that the pain is quite manageable and I'm

breathing OK. I use the spirometer they gave me to excercise my lungs.

> > > > > > Probably too much detail but I wanted you to know what some of the

problems can be. I'll probaly go back to work Wed.

> > > > > > The best of luck to you Mike. If you have any questions, please let

me know.

> > > > > > I'll see Dr. Nguyen in a week from today. Takes about a week for the

report. I do know that I have scarring and he said he got two good samples.

> > > > > > All the best,

> > > > > > Terre

> > > > > >

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

>