Thanks for this information Chris just in case I need it.
All the best for today's exchange surgery and lets hope you have no further need for more treatments.
I will keep a little notebook jotting down anything that I experience and see if there is an improvement or not. I am sure that some women complain about the slightest discomfort so we are all classed as 'not able to cope with pain etc' until it is ongoing and then they offer something. I had mentioned the stinging and the surgeon did not suggest Evening Primrose 3 months ago and I feel it should have been as soon as I said I had this as I cant be the only one he has amongst his patients. I have had heaps of surgery and some pretty nasty stuff and the only stinging I ever had was with a hip graft to my jaw but it is common with grafts and that I just had to endure but we are talking 40 years ago. Today you would think that anything the patient mentions would be given attention and not dismissed as nothing to worry about. He has done an excellent job surgery wise. Perhaps they get a big cocky that nothing is wrong because I know when I had steel splints over my jaw and jaws bolted together that I managed to write down a note and tell them that my tongue felt like it was stuck in the splints. 'Oh no the surgeon said, we never do that, youv'e had a major operation and it will be uncomfortable for a long while yet'! Alas 6 weeks later when they removed the steel my tongue had a gobstopper size yellowy glue looking lump as it had been caught all that time and I have the scar today with a gouge in the side of my tongue. It took months for this to subside and I spoke with difficulty. Apologies were forthcoming immediately and they did feel terrible I know but nothing to what I had been feeling. I know there are a lot of women who grizzle and whine about things that are insignificant really and if the majority are a bit this way you can understand to some degree that they become a bit dismissive of patients but it doesn't help when there is something that could be done.
Your Physio was able to help you and thats what is important. Surgeons are only interested in a brief encounter with the patient and look at their work and move on, they are not too worried about patient comfort! Too busy and long patient schedules have probably caused this and then there is the 6 patients in half an hour turnover which they keep their eye on and the dollar signs are flashing.
In 1991 I had major surgery and complained that I felt like I had boiling mud pools inside but not until I burst open the surgery and they were running around catching the abscessed mess in test tubes as it sprayed out like a fountain that they knew I was in serious trouble. I nearly died then and 3 wks going downhill, a blood transfusion etc before I very slowly recovered.
Enough on this anyway but you can see what I mean with mentioning anything amiss, it isn't really wanted to be taken on board, easily dismissed and you suffer longer than is necessary I say. I think much can be avoided with a bit more notice being taken of patients remarks.
