Finally My Turn!!

[NoChance]

So before this long weekend came around I got the call.  A brief 2nd consultation with Dr. Haugrud this upcoming week, and my surgery scheduled for mid June.  I'm excited anixous,nervous and kind of scared at the same time if possible.

The surgery is on a tues and I'm supposed to have drains left in until thursday.  My biggest fear right now is a botched job or uneven removal of the glands as some of Dr. Fielding's patients have experienced.

Dr. Haugrud's methods are a bit different so if any of his patients have any tips or suggestions I would greatly appricaite it.

[brebguy]

you say that Haugrud's method is a bit different. can you explain ?

[NoChance]

Well Dr. Fielding, the most popular Doc on this board does the surgery and sends you home soon after all stitched up and tells you to put on a compression vest to prevent the area from filling up with fluid/swelling etc. 

What Dr. Haugrud does, is he does the surgery on a Tuesday, but leaves drains in your chest to prevent fluid build up.  You then go back 2 days later on thursday to get the drains removed/checked out/stitched up .  According to Dr. Haugrud, use of the drains, makes the need of a compression vest uneccesary, and the likelyness of fluid buildup/swelling more unlikely, unless you have a ton of fat/mass in your chest (which I dont).  Apparently, this way is a bit more successful, but because it requires more patient time and more of the Dr's time it is not as popular and a lot of Doc's have phased it out.  Apparently, Fielding used to use this method, but switched over to the out in one day and just wear a compression vest method (my guesses being because it takes less of his time).

[Estie1]

Good luck man. I am two months post op with Haugrud and for the most part am pleased with the results. One thing I would advise is asking the Dr. the best way to avoid infection post-op. I had a nasty infection develop on one side, because I am not living in Calgary it snowballed and I had to book a last minute flight to see the Dr. in emergency on a Friday night. It was a real pain in the ass that probably could have been avoided. The healing on that side has been slower because of it.

The surgery itself went pretty well. No complaints there. PM me if you have any questions.

[brebguy]

ya i guess drains gives an easy way in to infections, carefull with that but it does indeed reduce the need for compression.

i think Fielding also prefers to use a compression vest on his patients mainly because a lot of his patients come from outside toronto, making the follow ups difficult (sometimes impossible). but i heard of a few patients who had drains too (some time ago though)

[NoChance]

Thanks for the tips Estie1.  One day late or I coulda asked Dr. Haugrud.  I'll ask him the day of or just take special care to not get an infection.  From what I gather, Haugrud creates a separate hole on the chest sides for the drains?  How uncomfortable were the drains?  Please tell me you get a ton of perocets or something because it looks like the drains will be really uncomfortable.

and to Brebguy, I asked Dr. Haugrud his opinion on the vest, and he said personally he would never put a compression vest on a patient after surgery.  His explanation is after the anestetic (sp), your breathing is already slower than normal for the next couple days.  Putting something constricting on the chest (such as a compression vest) could possibly worsen the situation and put your body under more stress, meaning as soon as the vest comes off you could ballon back up.  I also noticed, Brebuy you were interested in Dr. Haugrud for a possible 2nd attempt.  Right now Haugrud only works on Alberta Residents as he found a way to completely bill everything to Alberta Health Care.  Im not sure how you being from Quebec would play into that.

Right now I'm just counting the days... in less than a month, something thats haunted me most my life could be gone for good! 

[huffking]

I had my consult in april i was told about 1 month they will call with the date for the surgery no call yet so just wondering How long from the day of your consult did you wait before your surgery date was set?

[NoChance]

I have my consult in Dec and I am having the surgery last June.  You should expect about a half year wait.

[Grandpa Bambu]

I was told about 1 month they will call with the date for the surgery no call yet.

Dude...  If you feel that it has been an excessive amount of time without hearing from your PS, give them a call. Say to them... "Hey, I've been waiting for over a month for you to give me a surgery date. What seems to be the problem here?"...

It's understandable to have to wait a few months for the actual surgery day, but to have to wait over a month to be informed of the actual date of surgery is a tad excessive IMO...

Anyways, give them a call and find out what is going on...

Good Luck!

GB

[mattmando]

wow thats way different from the process here in the states.  pretty much you can have a surgery in one month after your initial consultation (thats how long it took me).  But i am sure that in canada its much less expensive.

good luck

[NoChance]

I think there is a misunderstanding between HuffKing and Connie (the nice receptionist at Dr. Haugruds office).  Usually after a consult, you are not called until a month before your surgery time comes up, not a month after the inital consult.  Typically the wait is around 6 months, less or more depending on how severe the gyno is.  Dr. Haugrud is doing these gyno surgeries free of charge to the patient as he found a way to bill alberta health care.  Try to imagine how busy he must be to be doing regular plastic surgeries like hand and breast reconstruction at both the University of Calgary and the Rockview Hospital, and then still find a way to regularly work in gyno surgeries, and not only that but to not charge the patients, when every other Dr. in Calgary is charging as much as he can get away with.

Connie is pretty much in control of the gyno waiting list.  I'd suggest calling once to confirm, but then just be patient.  Whether they would admit it or not, I can only imagine regularily calling would get you moved to the back of the list.  Waiting half a year to correct something for free that costs thousands anywhere else isnt that bad.

[Grandpa Bambu]

I think there is a misunderstanding between HuffKing and Connie (the nice receptionist at Dr. Haugruds office).  Usually after a consult, you are not called until a month before your surgery time comes up, not a month after the inital consult.

Well that sheds a little light on the subject... 

Whether they would admit it or not, I can only imagine regularily calling would get you moved to the back of the list.

You're prolly right there dude.... 

GB

[Shattered_Nyte]

I went to see the Doctor in December. The receptionist told me that the wait time could be anywhere from 6 to 9 months to the surgery. They will call a month before the surgery

[NoChance]

They said 6-9 months for me, but to call back when 6 months were up to see what was going on. On 4 months passed, I got a call from Connie saying someone else cancelled last minute and I could have his spot if I was availible.  I'm in university and it was exam week so as much as it killed me, I had to pass.  On exactly 6 months passed from the consult, I called and she had an appointment ready for me 4 weeks from that date.

It also depends how bad your gyno is.  If Dr. Haugrud has to put you under (bad case of gyno like mine) the wait is longer, where as if its minor and he can use local anestetic(sp), he tries to squeeze you in within a few months.

[brebguy]

and to Brebguy, I asked Dr. Haugrud his opinion on the vest, and he said personally he would never put a compression vest on a patient after surgery.  His explanation is after the anestetic (sp), your breathing is already slower than normal for the next couple days.  Putting something constricting on the chest (such as a compression vest) could possibly worsen the situation and put your body under more stress, meaning as soon as the vest comes off you could ballon back up.  I also noticed, Brebuy you were interested in Dr. Haugrud for a possible 2nd attempt.  Right now Haugrud only works on Alberta Residents as he found a way to completely bill everything to Alberta Health Care.  Im not sure how you being from Quebec would play into that.

hey NoCHance, actually no, i asked about Haugrud for the other folks out there (and out of curiosity) but i dont plan to see a different dr. (at least not for now). i have an appointment with fielding and i will see what he's got to say first.

anyways, good luck on your surgery keep us posted!!!