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Have any Type 1s had surgery, please?

Blue2

Blue2

Active Member
Messages
40
Hi everyone,

Has anyone had an Anterior lumbar interbody fusion(ALIF) operation?

I am in the waiting list and I am really interested to hear off anyone who has gone through this operation.
 
Thanks. I was hoping another type 1 may have already gone through this operation so I could see how much it effected them.

Tad scared of major surgery being type 1.
 
Blue2 said:
Thanks. I was hoping another type 1 may have already gone through this operation so I could see how much it effected them.

Tad scared of major surgery being type 1.
Click to expand...

Try re-posting your thread with a different title perhaps - Type 1 and major surgery? I'm sure there are many T1s on here that have had major surgery, just not the surgery you are intending to have.
 
Blue2 said:
Thanks. I was hoping another type 1 may have already gone through this operation so I could see how much it effected them.

Tad scared of major surgery being type 1.
Click to expand...

If you'd like me to reword your title, just ask and I can do that for you :)
 
51 years as a type 1 and major surgery 3 and a half years ago, triple heart bypass. My recovery was as good if not better than most people undergoing such surgery and my diabetes is better than it was before.
 
Hip replacement and revision. Didn't make any difference having or to my diabetes.
 
I had an emergency caesarean in 2000 and an retinal detachment operation, 2013, both under general anesthetic.
 
I had a lot of metal put in shoulder / arm during a 4 hr operation from a car vs bike accident and I was given additional anaesthetic due to me being a red head. I was told to go 50% basil and no bolus (as I couldn't eat) for 12hrs before the operation. No issues at all. If you have concerns raise them with your medical team. Good luck.
 
Not had the same surgery as you but earlier this year I had surgery - 90 minutes in theatre for keyhole surgery so came out with 3 "stab wounds" in my abdomen.
It healed well and I feel great now.

A few things to consider
- talk to your anaesthetist about how he is going to manage your diabetes whilst you are in surgery. I was on a pump and pushed to keep it but had to explain how it worked.
- you will probably have nil by mouth for a few hours before your operation. It is best to run your BG a little high during this time to avoid a hypo ... and the need for sugar negating the nil by mouth
- if you feel comfortable with it, I would take control of your diabetes as soon as possible. I have read about wards wanting to manage insulin doses "generically" (the same set dose for everyone).
- tell your diabetes team you are having the procedure. They may offer to talk to the ward and the operating team on your behalf
- make sure you have enough diabetes supplies for post-op recovery. You may not be able to easily "pop out" for a new prescription
- expect to have higher BG whilst you are recovering. This is likely to due to both the stress your body has been under and the lack of exercise. If you can, counteract this with extra basal.

Finally, try not to worry too much.
 
Best thing to do is to basal test before...

Ie if you know you will be nil by mouth from the night before op.. try doing it. See what happens to your bloods... get prepared before your pre op assessment. This enables you to discuss any concerns pre op.

I have nit had particukarly good experiences with my last two ops. Both were mastectomies. Very long stories, two diff hospitals. 2nd one new of my concerns, adjusted the sliding scale but still went hypo before op abd they had the wrong concentration of glucose in the drip.

However, my recovery was superb with 2nd op. 1st op I got poisoned after 3rd draining off from seroma build up. 1st op the consultant refused antibiotics during op and after.... if he had given them as I asked I would prob be ok. I could have died according to my oncologist...

However, 2nd op brilliant. Consultant listened. He gave antibiotics during op, twice by injection before leaving the day after and also a week of tablets two. Liquid drained off twice and no problems. No poisoning.

Recovery brilluant from 2nd op.

Dont assume anything!!

If they say you will be first down... check what that actually means. I was first down for both my ops but the breast surgeons operate in the afternoons. So I was taken in at 7.30 for 1st op, 9.30 for 2nd op and both ops were around 2pm.

You need to know if you will be put on a sliding scale. Again, dont assume. Ask. Tell them your insulin regime (we are all different-some do 1 basal in morning, some at night and some like me have 3 shots of basal!).... so ask them what they want you to do.

If you take any vitamins, make sure you tell them. I take oil of oregano but this has to be stopped a week before op because it is a blood thinner... so make sure if you take any vitamins that you tell them.

Or if you have a pump... what happens with it? Will they let you keep it for surgery or not (unlikely).

If you have a cgm ask if it has to be removed pre surgery. Mine did incase they need to use an electric saw thing that could arc!!

Dont rely on nurses on the ward to test you as often as you may need. Make sure if you need to test that you got your meter etc with you.

I had my diabetes educator sat with me 2nd op when I had informed ward nurse I was dropping fast.. I was hypo before the ward nurse thought about turning on glucose and I had warned her. It happened in two hospitals. Then the 2nd hosp also had wrong drip as well so I sucked two sugar cubes and got screamed at that the op would have to be cancelled, nurse would have to tell anaethetist etc... it was ok.. op not cancelled. After the awful experience on 1st op I just said to nurse" I dont care if op cancelled I'm not going to op hypo"..... she was wrong but I never got an apology.

I am unlucky in last two years. Hysterctomy 21years ago on mdi was blooming perfect. Absolutely no problems. Taken in night before, discharged before any other ladies as I was so **** well afterwards...

Just my luck in last two ops, I'm sure you will be fine.

Do basal test... so you know you will be safe with no food....

Dont worry from my experiences. I got another two ops coming up before end of year at 2nd hospital and I have to work on the fact that for me it will be 3rd time lucky.
Also, if I have all the bad experiences, it means others will have the good experiences.....

Do ask for antibiotics as you are more prone to infections...
 
Depends how long the op will be as to whether they put you on a sliding scale.

My hospitals plan for the worst case scenario that they wouldnt want to be faffing around getting drips in if op was complicated for any reason. They both insisted on sliding scales.
 
helensaramay said:
Not had the same surgery as you but earlier this year I had surgery - 90 minutes in theatre for keyhole surgery so came out with 3 "stab wounds" in my abdomen.
It healed well and I feel great now.

A few things to consider
- talk to your anaesthetist about how he is going to manage your diabetes whilst you are in surgery. I was on a pump and pushed to keep it but had to explain how it worked.
- you will probably have nil by mouth for a few hours before your operation. It is best to run your BG a little high during this time to avoid a hypo ... and the need for sugar negating the nil by mouth
- if you feel comfortable with it, I would take control of your diabetes as soon as possible. I have read about wards wanting to manage insulin doses "generically" (the same set dose for everyone).
- tell your diabetes team you are having the procedure. They may offer to talk to the ward and the operating team on your behalf
- make sure you have enough diabetes supplies for post-op recovery. You may not be able to easily "pop out" for a new prescription
- expect to have higher BG whilst you are recovering. This is likely to due to both the stress your body has been under and the lack of exercise. If you can, counteract this with extra basal.

Finally, try not to worry too much.
Click to expand...
This a great advice thank you very much x
 
donnellysdogs said:
Best thing to do is to basal test before...

Ie if you know you will be nil by mouth from the night before op.. try doing it. See what happens to your bloods... get prepared before your pre op assessment. This enables you to discuss any concerns pre op.

I have nit had particukarly good experiences with my last two ops. Both were mastectomies. Very long stories, two diff hospitals. 2nd one new of my concerns, adjusted the sliding scale but still went hypo before op abd they had the wrong concentration of glucose in the drip.

However, my recovery was superb with 2nd op. 1st op I got poisoned after 3rd draining off from seroma build up. 1st op the consultant refused antibiotics during op and after.... if he had given them as I asked I would prob be ok. I could have died according to my oncologist...

However, 2nd op brilliant. Consultant listened. He gave antibiotics during op, twice by injection before leaving the day after and also a week of tablets two. Liquid drained off twice and no problems. No poisoning.

Recovery brilluant from 2nd op.

Dont assume anything!!

If they say you will be first down... check what that actually means. I was first down for both my ops but the breast surgeons operate in the afternoons. So I was taken in at 7.30 for 1st op, 9.30 for 2nd op and both ops were around 2pm.

You need to know if you will be put on a sliding scale. Again, dont assume. Ask. Tell them your insulin regime (we are all different-some do 1 basal in morning, some at night and some like me have 3 shots of basal!).... so ask them what they want you to do.

If you take any vitamins, make sure you tell them. I take oil of oregano but this has to be stopped a week before op because it is a blood thinner... so make sure if you take any vitamins that you tell them.

Or if you have a pump... what happens with it? Will they let you keep it for surgery or not (unlikely).

If you have a cgm ask if it has to be removed pre surgery. Mine did incase they need to use an electric saw thing that could arc!!

Dont rely on nurses on the ward to test you as often as you may need. Make sure if you need to test that you got your meter etc with you.

I had my diabetes educator sat with me 2nd op when I had informed ward nurse I was dropping fast.. I was hypo before the ward nurse thought about turning on glucose and I had warned her. It happened in two hospitals. Then the 2nd hosp also had wrong drip as well so I sucked two sugar cubes and got screamed at that the op would have to be cancelled, nurse would have to tell anaethetist etc... it was ok.. op not cancelled. After the awful experience on 1st op I just said to nurse" I dont care if op cancelled I'm not going to op hypo"..... she was wrong but I never got an apology.

I am unlucky in last two years. Hysterctomy 21years ago on mdi was blooming perfect. Absolutely no problems. Taken in night before, discharged before any other ladies as I was so **** well afterwards...

Just my luck in last two ops, I'm sure you will be fine.

Do basal test... so you know you will be safe with no food....

Dont worry from my experiences. I got another two ops coming up before end of year at 2nd hospital and I have to work on the fact that for me it will be 3rd time lucky.
Also, if I have all the bad experiences, it means others will have the good experiences.....

Do ask for antibiotics as you are more prone to infections...
Click to expand...

Thank you for sharing your experience and thank you for your advice.

Wishing you luck for the future x
 
Just hope that your op is successful. Good to prepare...

Same as my stomach investigations. I planned and perfected my basals well in advance for the horrible bowel emptying before. Preparation is key for any op and most ops you dont get to talk to anaethetist until the day for a general op. For bowel investigations they are not general normally so preparing basals for limited and nil eating for T1's is essential...

Good luck, I am sure I have had everybodys share of bad luck..

Please let us know how you get on.. thinking of you. Xx
 
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