how many tubes ?

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

I've spoken to my aneathetist but because I was so nervous during the

appointment I forgot most of the information he gave me. I was by

myself and didn't write anything down, which I should have !!

So I have quite a few questions. My aneathetis says I'll wake up with

2 tubes in my nose. One is to assist me with breathing and will be

removed shortly after I wake up. The other one is to help with nausea

(not sure how that works ? He explained but I forgot, could it be

connected to the stomach ?). Can someone please explain ?

He also said I won't be able to talk at first since there is

a " device " in my throat or could this be one of the tubes ?? And I'll

also have a catheter the first day or so.

He predicts I'll spend 1 or 2 days in the OCU, then I'll spend one

week (up to 10 days)in hospital. Does that sound right ? I live in

Australia, perhaps things are done differently over here. Most of you

are released from hospital much sooner. I suppose it's a good thing

to be in hospital longer or not ?

Anjake

[Guest guest]

I don't know whether they do things the same way there as here.

But what I had was a tube that went through my nose and into my

stomach, to remove any blood that I swallowed, or that trickled down

my throat. It was out before I came to (I lost only a tiny amount of

blood during my lower surgery).

Also removed before I awakened was the breathing tube. When you have

general anesthesia, in essence you turn your breathing over to the

anesthesiology team (here, that's a doc, who " floats " around among

more than one surgery simultaneously but is instantly available if

needed) and a nurse anesthetist, who is the one monitoring you

carefully throughout. They pump the oxygen and the knock out goodies

into you, using your lungs, and keep track of your blood gases. This

was also out, for me, by the time I awakened. If you're having upper,

I think you're more likely to wake up with at least the naso-gastric

tube (the first I mentioned) in your throat. some folks need the

ventilator longer, as well. Both made my throat VERY sore, but the

soreness vanished in a couple of days.

I did have the catheter when I awakened, but it was removed the next

morning, before I went to my room.

I think that patients stay in the hospital much longer in the UK than

they do here. And perhaps that is true in Australia, as well. I

checked into the hospital at 12:01 on the morning of my surgery, had

the operation at 7 a.m., spent the night in a post-anesthesia

recovery unit (a kind of intensive care place) and went back to my

room at about 11 the next morning. Then I went home at 1 or 2 that

day. If I had had more work done, I might have been there longer --

two days is about the max here, I think, if all goes well. But I

could be wrong, and you could have some problems that mean you need

the hospital longer.

It's good to be in the hospital longer if you need it! And if you

have nurses who know how to care for you. I didn't need it, and was

very, very glad to get back to good old home!

I feel sure they'll take good care of you and help you deal with

whatever... Good wishes.

One tip: When I visited my surgeon the first time, for all the

explanations, I took a small tape recorder with me, and having asked

permission, recorded the whole conversation. I listened to it many

times, and found it helpful as I got ready.

Cammie

> Hi everyone,

> I've spoken to my aneathetist but because I was so nervous during

the

> appointment I forgot most of the information he gave me. I was by

> myself and didn't write anything down, which I should have !!

> So I have quite a few questions. My aneathetis says I'll wake up

with

> 2 tubes in my nose. One is to assist me with breathing and will be

> removed shortly after I wake up. The other one is to help with

nausea

> (not sure how that works ? He explained but I forgot, could it be

> connected to the stomach ?). Can someone please explain ?

> He also said I won't be able to talk at first since there is

> a " device " in my throat or could this be one of the tubes ?? And

I'll

> also have a catheter the first day or so.

> He predicts I'll spend 1 or 2 days in the OCU, then I'll spend one

> week (up to 10 days)in hospital. Does that sound right ? I live in

> Australia, perhaps things are done differently over here. Most of

you

> are released from hospital much sooner. I suppose it's a good thing

> to be in hospital longer or not ?

> Anjake

[Guest guest]

Anjake -

I had upper and lower - and they used two tubes - both of which were

out when i woke up. My throat was sore for the first day - because

it swelled a little bit... And the catheter was removed while I was

in recovery - and still foggy...

After one night in the hospital - my OS gave me the option to stay

another night - or go home. I stayed - since my breathing was still

ragged (I have asthma and they gave me oxygen treatments every few

hours.) But I was fine to go home after my second night.

Corinne

> > Hi everyone,

> > I've spoken to my aneathetist but because I was so nervous

during

> the

> > appointment I forgot most of the information he gave me. I was

by

> > myself and didn't write anything down, which I should have !!

> > So I have quite a few questions. My aneathetis says I'll wake up

> with

> > 2 tubes in my nose. One is to assist me with breathing and will

be

> > removed shortly after I wake up. The other one is to help with

> nausea

> > (not sure how that works ? He explained but I forgot, could it

be

> > connected to the stomach ?). Can someone please explain ?

> > He also said I won't be able to talk at first since there is

> > a " device " in my throat or could this be one of the tubes ?? And

> I'll

> > also have a catheter the first day or so.

> > He predicts I'll spend 1 or 2 days in the OCU, then I'll spend

one

> > week (up to 10 days)in hospital. Does that sound right ? I live

in

> > Australia, perhaps things are done differently over here. Most

of

> you

> > are released from hospital much sooner. I suppose it's a good

thing

> > to be in hospital longer or not ?

> > Anjake

[Guest guest]

Thanks Cammie and Corinne for your replies. Yes, it's all coming back

to me now : one breathing tube and the other one for the stomach.

Just wanted to make sure I remembered correctly. I was pretty sure

the doc said I would be awake when they are being removed. Perhaps

it's the first thing they do straight after surgery so most people

don't have any recollection of the tubes being removed. Anyway,

doesn't really matter.

Thanks again.

Anjake

> > > Hi everyone,

> > > I've spoken to my aneathetist but because I was so nervous

> during

> > the

> > > appointment I forgot most of the information he gave me. I was

> by

> > > myself and didn't write anything down, which I should have !!

> > > So I have quite a few questions. My aneathetis says I'll wake

up

> > with

> > > 2 tubes in my nose. One is to assist me with breathing and will

> be

> > > removed shortly after I wake up. The other one is to help with

> > nausea

> > > (not sure how that works ? He explained but I forgot, could it

> be

> > > connected to the stomach ?). Can someone please explain ?

> > > He also said I won't be able to talk at first since there is

> > > a " device " in my throat or could this be one of the tubes ??

And

> > I'll

> > > also have a catheter the first day or so.

> > > He predicts I'll spend 1 or 2 days in the OCU, then I'll spend

> one

> > > week (up to 10 days)in hospital. Does that sound right ? I live

> in

> > > Australia, perhaps things are done differently over here. Most

> of

> > you

> > > are released from hospital much sooner. I suppose it's a good

> thing

> > > to be in hospital longer or not ?

> > > Anjake