Question on how to keep surgery private from family

[kpuz]

I'm from Toronto and considering getting the surgery this winter with Dr. Fielding.  My worry in that my family will find out about the surgery since you are required to have a family member escort you home.  Does anyone know how I would be able to travel home without the assistance of a family member?  Will I be too groggy after the surgery to take public transit (TTC) home? Or a taxi?  I understand that this might seem like a silly concern to some but I would rather not have my personal business being discussed by people I have to routinely deal with.

[lamp]

Hi there, I'll reply since it's very active here.. lol. What is your relationship with your family like? It's easier to say that you should have a communicative relationship, but I know that can't be the case for everyone. Keeping surgery private from family and peers will be very tough, especially if you need help recovering from it mentally or physically. Now I have nothing against keeping something as big as this private, but it certainly would benefit you in the long run in my opinion. You'll have people to run to if something goes wrong with the surgery, or someone who'll have concern for you. As for as keeping surgery private, I don't think you'll be allowed to travel home by yourself. I think you'll have to have a family member or friend to take you home after you're ready.

 Good luck to you.

[Emmitsm03]

I would just tell ur mom and/or dad... i did about a week before surgery (which is this thursday) and boy lemme tell ya how much weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It was very hard to tell them, i think because there is SOOO much to my story of living with G. But i managed and feel alot better.

[oldspice]

if your really adamant on keeping it private, i would assume that you can stay over night at the hospital and check your self out the next morning. otherwise, if u want to leave the hospital right after surgery, you would definitely need someone to sign you out. a lot of people from other provinces fly to toronto to get the surgery from fielding, i assume they sign them selves out a day after. best of luck.

[DrBermant]

My worry in that my family will find out about the surgery since you are required to have a family member escort you home.  Does anyone know how I would be able to travel home without the assistance of a family member?  Will I be too groggy after the surgery to take public transit (TTC) home? Or a taxi?  I understand that this might seem like a silly concern to some but I would rather not have my personal business being discussed by people I have to routinely deal with.

For safety reasons no surgeon should permit a patient to leave without a responsible person. In our office that can be a family member, friend, or a nurse that we can arrange for our patients. Any doctor letting general anesthesia or sedation patients leave will lose their operating room accreditation since they are not practicing standard of care safety issues.

Hiding what was done involves much more than the sedation issues. Pain and Discomfort after Gynecomastia Surgery are even larger factors. That is one reason why I evolved my techniques to maximize comfort. My patients tell me that plain Tylenol is more than enough to keep them comfortable after surgery. Such factors are very surgeon and technique dependent.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
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