by Me | Jul 9, 2018 | Pre-Surgery
After a month of running around getting a whole series of different tests, I had my follow up with my Bariatric Surgeon.
All test were OK… no major dramas… EXCEPT a biopsy from my Endoscopy suggested potential “Barretts Esophagus” – which, if present, could result in a very slightly higher risk of Esophageal Cancer.
My surgeon suggested he would check with the Endoscopic Surgeon to see if they could narrow down where the biopsy was taken from (i.e. whether it was from the top of the stomach rather than the bottom of the esophagus).
Again, this surgeon focused on the risks of the surgery (which is not a bad thing) and I left with the impression that he didn’t think it was a good idea to proceed.
I waited a week… and another…. but heard nothing.
I eventually chased up to see whether I should go ahead with a scheduled pre-surgery consultation with a psychologist. I explained that I didn’t know what the outcome of the previous consultation was, but I had the impression that the surgeon didn’t want to go ahead. The admin staff said there was nothing in the notes about not proceeding, but I decided to cancel the psychologist appointment.
I have still not heard back…
I have no issue at all with discussing the risks of surgery… on the contrary, it is important that patients are aware of these… But I was very frustrated at being “left hanging” I didn’t (and still don’t) know the outcomes of a whole months (and nearly $2,000)worth of consultations and tests.
My initial reaction was to forget about surgery… my hopes of the benefits and potential outcomes had been raised, but I had been frustrated by the process and it all seemed “to hard”… however, I decided not to give in… and seek a second opinion….
This consultation cost $125.
by Me | Jul 5, 2018 | Pre-Surgery
This one of a series of test requested by my Bariatric Surgeon
Electrocardiagram (ECG)
An ECG (electrocardiogram) is a medical test that detects cardiac (heart) abnormalities by measuring the electrical activity generated by the heart.
The ECG involves connecting a number of electrodes to various parts of the chest (after first shaving selective areas), lying down and undertaking a series of breaths and breath holds (as instructed by the nurse) while they test heart activity.
Stress Echo
A Stress Echo involves taking ECGs before and after “stressing” the heart – through exercise or drugs.
Ideally the patients heart would be “stressed” by exercising on a treadmill with increasing speed and inclination until the heart rate reaches a certain level. A Dobutamine Stress Echo is normally done for patients who are not very mobile – the heart rate is increased thorugh the injection of a drug (Dobutamine).
I was charged $150 for these procedures.
by Me | Jun 20, 2018 | Pre-Surgery
This one of a series of tests requested by my Bariatric Surgeon
Upper endoscopy is a procedure that enables a gastroenterologist to examine the esophagus (swallowing tube), stomach, and duodenum (first portion of small bowel) using a thin, flexible tube called the upper endoscope. This procedure needs to be done in a hospital (day surgery) because it is carried out under a general anesthetic.
I have only had a couple of very minor sugical procedures under general anesthetic, and I am fascinated by how effective the anesthtic is (touch wood)…. One minute you are talking to the anesthetis, the next moment you are waking up post surgery. It only takes second for the anesthetic to take effect and you have absolutoely no recollection of anythin while you are out – no dreams.. nothing.
This time (for fun) I thought I would try to “fight the anaesthetic… So when the drip started I toild myself stay awake… stay awake… stay…. and then I woke up in the recovery ward 40 minutes later.
Because this was a hospital procedure, my Private Health Insurance covered the Hostpital/Operating Theatre componetns (expect of course for a $500 excess), but I still had a gap fee for the Anesthetist ($150) and Gastroenterologist ($200)… Total cost to me $850
by Me | Jun 19, 2018 | Milestones
Today, I lost my sense of taste !!!!
I woke up, had breakfast as normal, but when I had lunch, thought I had forgotten to salt my cheese/tomato crackers… I hadn’t….. I had lost almost all my sense of taste !!!
I can taste a hint of sweetness in some things, but have almost no salty taste at all…. I can put salt on my tongue without any taste of saltiness.
I sometimes crave savoury things, but if (for example) i try some hot chips, or babrbecue shapes… they are just a massive flavourless disappointment.
My “favourite” foods at the moment tend to be things whithout a lot of flavour (e.g. ham/cheese sandwich) because theye are not such a let downwhen they dont taste of much…. My favouritte food is probably carrots becasue they have a subtle flavour and LOTS of texture…
Apparent;y loss of taste is not that unusual, but it is usually associated with a cold and returns once the cold recovers… as far as i can recall I didnlt have a cold at the time, and I also hadnlt started on any new medications (latest new med I started 3 weeks prior… and have subsequently stopped it with no effect).
My smell doesn’t seem to be affected (in fact if anything it seems to be enhanced, (but this could be compensation for the loss of taste) and I don’t seem to have any other “nerve” related issues (no tingling, no sagging facial muscles, no vision issues, no headaches). Sometimes my taste seems to be improving, but that may just be that I am getting used to it.
My GP and Endocrinologust found this quite “interesteing” – it was something a bit out of the ordinary to them…they did some research and ordered up a series of blood tests – which didn’t show up anything unusual. Nex step is an Eear Nose & Throat specialist…. and then possibly a Neourologist.
I no longer find it “interesting” – it is really not very much fun at all when you can’t tell the difference (apart from textrure) between a slice of cheese, a slice of bacon, or a slice of apple pie !!! and the prospect of maybe not being able to taste anything ever again is not very pleasent – although I am hopefull that at some stage it may reappear as mysterouiusly as it disappeared.
I have not been that intetested in eating and have started many meals, only to get half way through and deciding there was no point in finishing. They say every cloud has a silver lining… and my reduction in food intake has certainly had a positive effect on my weight (lost 8kg in 8 weeks) and blood sugar levels (regularly under 5 – which had never happend before – so I have had to monitor closely and drop my med dosages accoridngly.
Now (8 weeks or so later) it is no better – in fact in just thel ast few days I have developed a cold, and it has actually got worse 🙁
In terms of my Bypass operation, I donlt know yet if loss of tastes is going to help or hinder the dietary constraints in the leadup to (2 weeks OptiFast meal replacement) and followup (2m eeks liquids, 2 weeks mush)… but assume that after a month or so of liquids/mush I will be craving “texture” so much that the couch will start to look appetising.
by Me | Jun 15, 2018 | Pre-Surgery
This was the first of a series of tests requested by my Bariatric Surgeon
CT Scan
This was my first ever CT Scan… A CT scan uses x-rays to make detailed cross-sectional images of your body. it is that big doughnut like machine that has components which spins. around your body as it moves through on a motorised sled… Very impressive bit of machinery….
An abdominal CT scan helps the surgeon see the organs, blood vessels, and bones in your abdominal cavity. The multiple images provided give many different views of your body.
First I had to drink a litre of “water” over 45 minutes – a cup every 5 minutes or so. Not much of a challenge I thought… but the “water” wasn’t actually water, it was an oral contrast – a liquid that contains barium solution designed to show up in the x-ray. The first cup wasn’t too bad – a mild aniseed flavour… but cupfull after cupfull, the flavour certainly doesn’t grow on you.
Immediately prior to the scan I was also injected with a contrast dye to highlight blood vessels, organs, and other structures. It apparently only take 8seconds from injection to brain… what an impressive machine the human body is.
Chest X-ray
Very simple and quick… stand in front of a machine, dont move, click buzz and it is all done.
Abdominal Ultrasound
Again, pretty straightforward… Lie on you back and the nurse rubs on some gel and prods around a bit with the ultrasound head, roll on your side.. same thing… Then you get to wipe all the goo off… and all done.
Some of these test were bulk billed, but others I had to pay for – around $200
