How long does surgery take

Hi Kazza,

You just reminded me, I was headachy by the time the op came around so the anaesthetist gave me some fluids and something to calm me.  But I was so thirsty and tired that when the surgeon asked me what I was having done I couldn't get the words "lymph node" out and kept telling her "I had a limp nose".  Luckily she knew what she was doing and I got the right operation :)

cheers

Mira

Hi Kazza,

I had to be at the hospital for 7.30am for the lymphosyntogram, ie identifying the lump and sentinel nodes.  That took about 2 hours with the initial injecting of the lump, and waiting for it to travel to nodes for the scanning to happen. 

I then went up to the surgery ward where I waited around watching tv (cooking shows, salivating).  I was second on the afternoon list which meant I didn't go in til about 3 ish.  I remember being so nervous about having an anaesthetic and I told my anaethetist that I shouldn't really be there because I'm not sick. 

The actual surgery for my initial excision and sentinel node biopsy was about 1 hour 45.  I think I spent quite a bit of time in recovery afterwards as I've now found out that my blood pressure falls through the floor post op and the days that follow.

I spent one night in hospital and found that most of the pain was from the biopsy site and not the breast excision.  Wore one of those corset binders that make you feel like Scarlet O'Hara.

All the best with your surgery Kazza.  Glad to hear you've been having preop attention to your airways.

Recover well,

Karen xx

Hi Mira, that's crazy to think they would send you off into the night, lol. Yes, last year went in around 7.30 and sat round after hook wire till around lunch I think it was. And they sent me home within about 2 hours of waking up. I was still out if it. Went home and slept off and on for rest of arvo evening. Thanks for reply ??

Hi,

I was only in for one day.  I had to be at the hospital at 7.30 in the morning.  They checked me in and then did the injection of the dye about 10.  Then I sat around in my gown all day and they finally operated about 3, and that night at 10pm they said I could go home ... so I did.

I think I was a bit too lively for them that night lol :)

cheers

Mira

Thanks appreciate the reply. Yes, booked in for the hook wire first up that morning and the radioactive injection as well. They said their doing the blue due once asleep. I had a lumpectomy last year and that took just under an hour, but no node biopsy that time. I figured it may be longer with the additional procedure. In overnight, hopefully recover us way way better than last year. Yes it will be, I'm praying and believing for that. Last year couldn't talk for 5 days, and was crouoy wheezy after the tubes during surgery upset the airways. This time their aware so believing for it to be better. The surgery site recovered quite well, but ended up quite ill with mastitis, so will be happy to bypass. Those 2 complications this time around, lol. ??

Hi Kazza, I think it's about 1 1/2 hours in surgery. But there's the pre treatment such as hook wire if that's what they are doing and then the injection of dye to find your sentinel  node. How long your in recovery is different for each one of us. I hope things go well for you, x