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OK so that was interesting, meeting beforehand with the anesthesiologist. He asked a lot of questions and really, really seemed to listen. He thought things through and then said, "OK, here's my plan - no intravenous anesthesia for you. Inhaled only. I'm going to make sure everyone on board knows this and I'm going to update your file now in case something happens and I can't be there myself Tuesday." Then on the way out, he updated the surgeon's nurse as well.
So I feel a lot more comfortable about the anesthesia part, which has really been the only thing I've been worried about.
Good doctor! Best wishes on you lipomadectomy....
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You could ask for conscious sedation. I’ve had that and didn’t remember a thing about the procedure. I had lipomas in my chest above my breast and they had to of course biopsy to make sure it wasn’t cancer. Like I thought your Brest tissue was just the Breast no turns out, the tissue is above and below the Brest itself as well. Conscious sedation is a kind of misleading term. You’re awake and can respond and all you just don’t know it. Like being awake but out consciously. It takes seconds to be knocked out and as soon as they stop giving you like versed or propofol you come back aware. I had a ton of nerve blocks in my hip that way.
Ok, I'm 56, in perfect health, on no meds, feel great, but I noticed that my neck and shoulder blade were both hurting me more and more, like I had some sort of catch or something in there. I fell several years ago and dislocated several ribs right up there by my shoulder blade when I landed on it (OUCH - fell off a porch which is another story - funny but for another time!), and so since that fall, there's been a sort of tender spot there, but it's been really bothering me lately. Anyway, I was getting a massage, mostly because my neck and shoulder were hurting me, and the massage therapist said, "Wow, you have a pretty significant lump back here - you need to get that checked out."
Now, I can't see my back, so I didn't realize I was like Quazimoto or something, but I got a mirror out, looked at it and holy moley, I DO have a big lump on my shoulder blade near my spine. Needless to say, ever since I saw that, my shoulder and neck have been killing me! LOL
Anyway, so I went to the doctor and he immediately said, "Yep, looks like a lipoma, and since it's bothering you, and it's pretty big, it needs to come out." He then measured it and said, "I think it's at least 5 cm by 5 cm (two inches by two inches)." I said, "Well, can't you just take it out here in the office?" (Yes, I watch videos of Dr. Pimple Popper sometimes and I've seen her remove lipomas that seem a lot bigger than that!) I mean, Dr. Pimple Popper removes big ol' lipomas right there in the office, with local anesthesia. But he said, "Well, see, the problem with that is that I can only measure what I can feel, but I think your lipoma may be bigger - I think it may be nestled between muscle or even ribs, so it's general anesthesia and surgery for you, my dear." (Actually I'm not sure he said "my dear" but that's how it came across to me.)
WHAT THE FREAKING HECK?
So I told my brother who immediately said, "Oh, yeah, I had one of those awhile back, in the very same place, and a few years after they removed it, it just grew back. Heh heh heh..." (Brothers!) No, we didn't both get the same lipoma gene from our parents - he's adopted. So it was just chance. Apparently medical science doesn't even know what causes lipomas. Though there is some speculation that trauma can be part of the cause - and I did have trauma in that exact spot when I fell.
Also, really strange - my HUSBAND had one in the exact same spot and had to have it removed (it hasn't come back) and it was a lot bigger than they originally thought and it became this big, ugly ordeal with a drain and a pump and a big hole in his back - oh my gosh. I don't want to go through all that! (He also had an injury to the same area where his lipoma cropped up.)
My husband and brother did fine with the surgery, but they've never had any issues with general anesthesia. I on the other hand have, and frankly I don't want to die or slip into a coma just over having a lipoma removed. I'm assuming that anesthesia has come a long way from 15 years ago though (my heart rate dropped to 20 beats per minute, I was very difficult to wake up, and my doctor told me I don't respond well the anesthesia and to avoid unnecessary surgeries and always tell any anesthesiologist that I'm a Problem Child, which I've told them).
Anyone have one of these things removed before and if so, share your story please so I can read it in morbid fascination. Thank you.
I am so ticked off!
I had a back MRI. The radiologist reported that there was necrotic tissue in the lumbar. I asked my doctor about having that removed as "necrosis is not healthy tissue".
I had not one. But two big lipomas one on each side in my lumbar.
Tge first ine i was put under abd no problem. Needed a 3",incision.
The second one a different anesthesiologist got paranoid because I have asthma. ( keep in mind id had 16 surgeries before that, always put under). So she refused me to me put under.
When the surgery came i was only given atavan ( valium) and was otherwise wide awake for the surgery. I could FEEL him CUTTING another 3" incision into my back!!!
I told the nurse at my head i could FEEL that!!! She said " shut up the doctor is operating!....un no s**t!!! I FEEL it!!!
I was NOT pleased then i felt him pulling, tugging and cutting it out!!!.
You could ask for conscious sedation. I’ve had that and didn’t remember a thing about the procedure. I had lipomas in my chest above my breast and they had to of course biopsy to make sure it wasn’t cancer. Like I thought your Brest tissue was just the Breast no turns out, the tissue is above and below the Brest itself as well. Conscious sedation is a kind of misleading term. You’re awake and can respond and all you just don’t know it. Like being awake but out consciously. It takes seconds to be knocked out and as soon as they stop giving you like versed or propofol you come back aware. I had a ton of nerve blocks in my hip that way.
True. A friend of mine was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer 8 years ago......no cancer in either breast to this day.
How did they find it? Her left arm swelled up with lymphedema and they went searching for the cause. After testing they found ground zero, a lymph node in her neck which had spread to the lymph nodes in her arm, causing the swelling. No surgery as the lymph node in her neck was considered too dangerous to try to remove.
It was labeled breast cancer by DNA.
She went through a course of IV chemo and after that chemo pills, which she will have to take for the rest of her life.
She has to wear a compression sleeve on her arm and do an hour a day on a compression pump.
The cancer cells disappeared almost immediately after starting chemo and no trace of it since.
Well, today is the day. Just knowing I can't eat or drink anything till after the surgery is making me hungry and thirsty!
I have a head cold (no fever and no coughing other than very occasionally due to sinus drainage). I told the nurse yesterday who said it's not likely to be an issue as long as there's no fever, no chest involvement and only clear drainage (which is the case) but I hate that I apparently will be dealing with a stuffy, runny nose on top of other surgery fun. UGH.
Oh well, I will get it all over with in one fell swoop. If I'm going to feel bad anyway, I may as well get pain meds and just lay around and sleep for a few days! How I hate colds - I had to try to sleep last night propped up so I could breathe through my nose (I hate mouth breathing). No fun and I didn't get much sleep and my nose is doing that whole "suddenly I'm a faucet" thing so there's that. Ugh.
Well, today is the day. Just knowing I can't eat or drink anything till after the surgery is making me hungry and thirsty!
I have a head cold (no fever and no coughing other than very occasionally due to sinus drainage). I told the nurse yesterday who said it's not likely to be an issue as long as there's no fever, no chest involvement and only clear drainage (which is the case) but I hate that I apparently will be dealing with a stuffy, runny nose on top of other surgery fun. UGH.
Oh well, I will get it all over with in one fell swoop. If I'm going to feel bad anyway, I may as well get pain meds and just lay around and sleep for a few days! How I hate colds - I had to try to sleep last night propped up so I could breathe through my nose (I hate mouth breathing). No fun and I didn't get much sleep and my nose is doing that whole "suddenly I'm a faucet" thing so there's that. Ugh.
BEST OF LUCK, Kathryn!!!
Itll be over and youll be eating a muffin and drinking cranberry juice before you know it!
Good luck Kathryn! I am sure you will come through fine, since you always take such good care of yourself.
LOL well you're right about that - if I don't, no one else will and that's a fact, Jack!
Everything went great, I'm back home, doped up, sore, with a big indentation in my back where a lipoma used to be but no drain - YAY! Just a bandage and some dissolving stitches.
Surgery went fine, no surprises, except that the lipoma was NOT buried between muscles - it was just the 2 inches by 2 inches shaped like an egg sort of thing, so it was easily removed. Anesthesia went well too, and I am not all that groggy, but just tired tired tired and sore. My back is bruised up pretty badly but the actual incision is only about 2-3 inches long, so yay me!
I am off to bed and I plan to sleep this off and be in pretty good shape tomorrow! The doctor didn't seem to think it was anything other than a lipoma so that's good too but I guess they will biopsy it anyway.
THANKS FOR ALL THE WELL WISHES AND PRAYERS AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF!
So glad to hear it was straightforward and everything went well! Healing should also be quicker which I know you'll appreciate too. Good luck!
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