Suggestions for how to get around this problem with Gyno surgery

[kg062007]

I want to get gyno surgery soon, There is one guy who offers the surgery in a price range I can afford.  I am a medical student, and I would have to pay for the surgery with loan money, the price is about 4300.   So I contacted the clinic and a nurse told me I would have to have somebody take care of me for  a day or 2 after the surgery. This means I would have to have someone drive me from the clinic to the hotel room, and have them take care of me for a few days. I ask if there was anyway they could do the procedure under local anesthesia and never got a response. The problem is, there is nobody who I know or trust to take care of me. I do not want anyone in my family to know I am having this surgery they do not understand and would not support me.  I thought about putting an ad on craigslist for someone to drive from the clinic to the hotel, then I could just take care of myself.  Anyway, I want to have this surgery soon, this condition has delayed my life enough.

[hammer]

Talk to your surgeon about having it done with just a local instead of general then don't ask the forum. 

If you need to find a ride from a member of the forum it would help to know the area in which you live.

[kg062007]

Talk to your surgeon about having it done with just a local instead of general then don't ask the forum.

If you need to find a ride from a member of the forum it would help to know the area in which you live.

I called the doctor about local anesthesia, and they told me I would still have to have somebody drive me to the hotel afterwards.  I would be getting the surgery done in south Mississippi, in a small town called Hattiesburg.

[hammer]

Well, then I can't drive you as I'm in minisoda!

You must have 1 person that you can trust telling that you are having this surgery, it's not like your going for a sex change or something stange, after all 60% of men get gynecomastia at some point in their life! Mine are so big that they require a 46H bra for support, and my doctor has recommended that I wear all the time because of there size!

Good luck

[kg062007]

You must have 1 person that you can trust telling that you are having this surgery
Good luck

Nope, not even one. I have though about using craigslist, but that would be kinda dangerous having to trust some stranger to transport me around while I am in a vulnerable state,  but its coming down to my only option. 

[hammer]

Sorry to hear that!

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Just my two cents.  I have found that doing appropriate, adequate gyne surgery most often involves excision and lipo -- and doing this under local anesthesia is very difficult and oftentimes extremely painful for the patient.  And when the patient is squirming in pain, the surgeon cannot do his best work.  And when the patient is squirming, the blood pressure often rises, which can pre-dispose to increased risk of bleeding during or after surgery.

In essence, my best results are obtained when the patient is sleeping gently -- either via twilight sleep (administered by a separate anesthesiologist -- or under general anesthesia.

As for having an escort to take you home -- that is very important and you should explore all options to get some help in this matter.  Perhaps you can pose the question to your surgeon or his staff and ask what they have done for patients in a similar position.

In my NY practice, we have a private nursing service available.  The nurses aids will pick up the patient and escort them to their home or hotel room, get them comfortable and then leave.  The costs are minimal and the advantages are priceless.

Dr Jacobs

[hammer]

Doctor Jacobs, I have had a total of 8 sugeries now done both ways, some under general and others were local anaesthesia. It doesn't mater, I would not want to have been without my wife to be here with me to care for me after getting home whether it was a same day surgery or after being released from a week stay at the hospital!

Thanks for your input.

[flatness13]

OP I was going through the same dilemma. I ultimately decided that I would have somebody picking me up(and trust me I needed that since I left about 3 hours after waking up from general anesthesia) but I told my clinic that they could not disclose information regarding what type of surgery I was getting, and I told the people around me that I was having surgery for something more..'normal' if you will. Yeah, it's lying but is this hurting anyone? No, it's to keep your own pride intact. So that's an idea, do with it as you wish.