Getting surgery during M1?

[SB100]

Hi guys,

I may at some point during my M1 year have to get surgery (hiatal hernia repair), but knowing that falling behind in M1 is a big no-no I'm worried that this may happen if I do it during weeks of classes. My school gives us a two-week break for winter vacation, and I may have to have it done then, but I hope the time frame is wide enough so that I can have the surgery, get the stitches out, and recover before I go back in January. Has anyone else here had an operation during M1 or M2 who can comment on their experience?

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[indo]

schedule it for immediately after a round of exams... you getting a Nissen?

 

[SB100]

No idea what's gonna happen yet. I had an endoscopy in May that determined I had a hernia but my GI doc didn't seem to think that it would be a bother. Yet I've had a pulling/squeezing sensation that comes and goes just below my nipple line since and I just want it to be looked into further. My problem is I'm going to medical school 5 hours from home and would like to have this monitored by my home physician rather than try to find one where I'll be. Plus my medical records are all at home. I'll likely be doing a couple commutes back-and-forth during the fall.

Edit: Nissen looks scary, why not just have them pull the stomach back laparoscopically and tighten the hiatus?

 

[Blesbok]

You will be fine. Just schedule it as early as possible during your winter break. You probably won't be 100% by the end of break, but you will be fine to sit and study without pain pills by that time.

 

[Adam638]

I had the same operation done two years ago. Done laproscopically and spent a day and a half in the hospital. Felt like crap for a week. Back to being productive in two weeks. Do it over the break, but schedule for the earliest possible time in that break. Also, get off the pain meds as soon as you can tolerate it. They mess with your thoughts which isn't conducive to med school studying. Good luck

 

[SB100]

So my GI doctor says although I have a hernia, it isn't what's causing my symptoms. Likely it's esophageal spasms, so I'm now on Bentyl to take when the squeezing/pulling sensation in the lower part of my chest gets unbearable. Hope this works.

 

[Depakote]

had 2 knee surgeries during M1... they definitely hurt my grades.

I didn't have a any control over the timing, but there was a bit of recovery time after where I was on pain meds. This really made studying difficult.

If I were you, I'd schedule it at the beginning of a vacation, the longest one you can find and use the rest of that time to recover. Any added buffer would be icing. Doing it during class when you're supposed to be processing new material is a bad idea.

 

[BigRedBeta]

Had ear surgery during M2, trying to squeeze it in between exams.
Did it a week before an exam in our "how to be a doctor" course, did okay on that exam. The basic science core exam that followed a week later (2 weeks post-op), did not go so well. But it was over parasites and fungi and I probably wouldn't have done very well to begin with, so it really wasn't that big of deal. I still managed to pass the class. The biggest problem was once I got off the pain meds going back to look over my notes from lectures - I was there, I had taken notes that made sense and were readable...I just had no recollection of ever having seen the material the first go round.

 

[Depakote]

Had ear surgery during M2, trying to squeeze it in between exams.
Did it a week before an exam in our "how to be a doctor" course, did okay on that exam. The basic science core exam that followed a week later (2 weeks post-op), did not go so well. But it was over parasites and fungi and I probably wouldn't have done very well to begin with, so it really wasn't that big of deal. I still managed to pass the class. The biggest problem was once I got off the pain meds going back to look over my notes from lectures - I was there, I had taken notes that made sense and were readable...I just had no recollection of ever having seen the material the first go round.

same experience, but with anatomy and neuroscience... it got a little ugly.

 

[TopSecret]

You probably want to have it done as soon as possible by taking a leave of absence since your health is more important than graduating with your class. You should also ask the administration if you could take the exams later.