Medical Information

[ferlew]

How much are we entitled to know?
Found out yesterday that Mr F has broken ribs from the procedure to remove part of lung.
The Docs/Nurses on the ward have not mentioned it at all. It would have helped to know why he was in so much pain.

[woofgang]

They might have assumed that this would have been mentioned when the op was discussed and consent obtained although i agree, its not good enough. Is he getting sufficient pain relief now?

[DaisyNonna]

Think you are entitled to know that!
Appalling.
Hope he is feeling more comfortable very soon.

[daffy654]

The pain could be more to do with the chest drain, believe me I know what i'm talking about as i've had a few. I would rather give birth without pain relief than have to put up with a chest drain!

[ferlew]

It was never mentioned, as the op was supposed to be VATS, what is making me cross, is that initially he was offered paracetamol.
Picture here a a tall man, 6'2' and built accordingly, why would they EVER offer paracetamol for a guy that size, with an op site, broken rib, and a chest drain in situ?
Bear in mind he has Alzheimers too, I am more than cross here.

[ferlew]

Cheers Daffy, but would a little honesty have hurt ?

[daffy654]

They offered me paracetamol once after my first chest drain, I cried. The doctor next morning gave the nurse a right b0ll0cking for not paging him to come and give me pethidine. I was also never warned how painful the chest drain would be but that could be because the first time it was due to spontaneous pneumothorax, the second time I knew what to expect, the third time was after VATS bullectomy and pleurectomy and was bloody awful, made worse because the drain was on suction so I couldn't leave my hospital bed even to go toilet :(

[daffy654]

Sorry, meant to say that I hope Mr.F feels better soon. x

[ferlew]

Bless ya, thanks. He is home with an ambulatory chest drain, our hospital abandoned the mains ones.

[ferlew]

To add, ... another gentleman, who did have a biopsy done, (age 84) was sent home with NIL pain relief.
On our return to the ward on Wednesday, the duty doc said it was out of order, and cruel.

[bednobs]

hope he feels better soon. However, i would like to stick up a little for paracetamol, which is a seriously underrated drug for pain relief. Did he say yes to paracetamol?

[daffy654]

That is awful ferlew.

I wanted to marry the (male) pain nurse at Blackpool Victoria Hospital during my first hospital admission, after the debacle with the paracetamol I was given a PCA with morphine and spent the 9 days waiting for my lung to re-inflate in a completely painless haze :)

[daffy654]

bednobs, paracetamol is next to useless for pain relief when you have a chest drain in situ.

[ferlew]

Bednobs, whilst 2 paracetamol may help a headache, it certainly doesn't help a broken rib, and half a lung removal. Especially in a larger man.

[daffy654]

Just as useless in a 5ft 4in 8st female ferlew.

[knittynora]

My mum had a similar op over 30 years ago. She said that having the chest drain removed was the most painful experience she'd ever had so it's probably a good idea to make sure his pain-relief medication is well topped up when they come to take it out.

[bednobs]

i bow to your superior knowledge daffy - i have never had a chest drain in. I had paracetamol during my first labour, and iv paratcetamol after my c section and both times it worked marvellously.

[bednobs]

it didn't help him at all? it's really such a shame that no-one noticed :(

[ferlew]

Bloody hell Bednobs, you're a cheap date....;) no offence.

[ferlew]

I saw the ward sister, and they offered oxynorm and oxycontin instead....why should we have to beg ?

[Peter Pedant]

Mr F is the only one ( assuming he is compos mentis ) who is entitled to know any thing about his health.

You have no rights at all.

when he was was consented before his op - this sort of thing would have been covered. Are you sure it is not cut through and removed sections ?