My VFS Journey

[Wynternight]

My surgery with Haben is coming up on 19 Oct. I have so many questions but a big one I have for you, Dena, is what kind of cough med does he give? Does it have hydrocodone or codeine in it?

[Dena]

Haben girls,

I emailed Dr. haben's office about the Marriot hotel reservations and pre-op instructions. Julie informed me that someone will call me to discuss hotel arrangements and pre- op instructions.

-Around when will I get a call from Dr. Haben's office regarding my Marriot hotel reservation arrangements?
- Around  When will someone call  me about pre-op instructions, stop taking certain meds etc?
- if I don't bring my own mouth guard/ teeth protector will they provide one?

Thanks much!

I found them to be very responsive because I committed to a date one month off and everything was cleaned up in a week or two. For the most part the hotel isn't a big deal, you just tell them the nights you need and it will be all arranged for you unless you want the shuttle to pick you up. If so, you will need to let the hotel know when your flight is. Mine was very delayed so it was a good thing I decided to use the cab a I was over an hour late.

You should receive a request for current medications in the information packet. Mostly they are concerned about drugs that would interact with what they will give you in surgery and diabetes. You will be up and walking hours after surgery so clots are not a big issue. I wasn't on HRT at the time so I am not exactly sure how they handle it.

They don't/didn't have teeth protectors and my mouth took a real beating because I have a long but stiff neck. I don't know if Dr Haben will allow you to use one but if they will allow it, it would be a good idea to bring them.

[Dena]

My surgery with Haben is coming up on 19 Oct. I have so many questions but a big one I have for you, Dena, is what kind of cough med does he give? Does it have hydrocodone or codeine in it?

I am not at home right now so I can't check the label but I suspect it does. I looked it up and it's really bad stuff and if I recall correctly, it's only  2 or 3 doses a day because it's so strong.  I will try to remember to check it out when I get home but if I forget, feel free to remind me. This is a medication that is only used in severe cases and not used to treat the common cold or flu.

[Wynternight]

I am not at home right now so I can't check the label but I suspect it does. I looked it up and it's really bad stuff and if I recall correctly, it's only  2 or 3 doses a day because it's so strong.  I will try to remember to check it out when I get home but if I forget, feel free to remind me. This is a medication that is only used in severe cases and not used to treat the common cold or flu.

Hmm...well if it's hydrocodone based I can't take it due to an allergy. Codeine might as well be water for me. I'll ask Haben's office. I just now got off the phone for the pre-op health questionnaire so time is creeping up on me!

[Dena]

Looked it up. The stuff is Tussionex suspension extended release and it contained hydrocodone.

[Miss Lux]

Hmm...well if it's hydrocodone based I can't take it due to an allergy. Codeine might as well be water for me. I'll ask Haben's office. I just now got off the phone for the pre-op health questionnaire so time is creeping up on me!

Wynternight,
Did Nikki contact you about hotel already? Did you call or they called you for the pre- op questionairre? Are you doing the CTA? We might see each other.... I am scheduled on the same day as you!!!!!

[Wynternight]

Wynternight,
Did Nikki contact you about hotel already? Did you call or they called you for the pre- op questionairre? Are you doing the CTA? We might see each other.... I am scheduled on the same day as you!!!!!

Yay!! I did the pre-op by phone today but no contact in regards to the hotel. I am doing the CTA.

[Wynternight]

Looked it up. The stuff is Tussionex suspension extended release and it contained hydrocodone.

Ah bollocks. I can't do Tussinex due to the hydrocodone in it.

[Dena]

I used only one dose and that was because Dr Haben said I should take it before getting on the plane as I would have to check my luggage. The only near cough I had was after surgery because I had a ton of stuff I needed to get up as it was restricting my breathing. After that, I used the tricks above and kept cold water with me at all times. I also went to the bathroom a good deal more but it was worth it not be knocked out by that cough medicine.

[GeekGirl]

Haben girls,

I emailed Dr. haben's office about the Marriot hotel reservations and pre-op instructions. Julie informed me that someone will call me to discuss hotel arrangements and pre- op instructions.

-Around when will I get a call from Dr. Haben's office regarding my Marriot hotel reservation arrangements?
- Around  When will someone call  me about pre-op instructions, stop taking certain meds etc?
- if I don't bring my own mouth guard/ teeth protector will they provide one?

Thanks much!

My surgery was on 7/20. I had first contacted Dr. Haben's office about a redo on 3/7. I paid shortly afterward and hadn't heard from them until 6/23. On that day, Julie sent me info on my Marriott reservation. I called Marriott on 7/18 to confirm with Marriott that my hotel reservation was in the system and I also called to ask about the limo. Mariott doesn't handle the limo. It's another company. I had to contact Julie about this and she responded on 7/19 that the limo arrangements have been made.

I figure things happen a little more slowly in a small city like Rochester than in Philly, NYC, or Boston like I'm used to. Just call Dr. Haben's office and everything will be sorted out. There are only two people running Dr. Haben's office, so it's a small, very personalized experience. You're in good hands. When I visit Dr. Haben, I almost feel like I'm meeting a cousin and his wife. (I don't think his nurse is his wife, but I may be wrong.)

You will receive pre-op instructions from Rochester Health about a month prior, so around the same time as you get the Marriott info emailed to you. I believe I was able to take all my meds (estrogen, allergy meds) up to the morning of the surgery.

Regarding the mouth protector issue, I have big teeth, my jaw doesn't open very wide, and didn't need a mouth guard, but your mileage may vary.

[GeekGirl]

The new gold-colored suspension liquid tastes SO MUCH BETTER than the old cherry stuff. I got nauseous with the cherry stuff. The new stuff made me a little loopy the first couple of days, but I was fine afterwards. It's really thick so you have to have patience as it drips slowly out of the scoop/spoon (you'll see what I mean when you take the medicine).

[Miss Lux]

Thank you Geekgirl!!!

[Miss Lux]

1 day post op... feeling a little better... worst feeling last night  nauseos , dizzy etc... vomited x1 i couldn't stop it and coughed up thick phlegm x 1 ... no urge to cough after... just a little nauseaous still..

[Dena]

Almost as soon as I woke up from surgery, I had a single cough that brought up a mouth full that accumulated during surgery. That wasn't everything that was down there so latter on I had a second caught that brought up  the rest.

I am not sure if it's the medication or the dizziness that is making you nauseous but I suggest you move you head slowly until the dizziness passes. I have had a history of inter ear infections so dizziness doesn't bother me much but it did when I first start getting them. You might be more sensitive to the dizziness.

[GeekGirl]

1 day post op... feeling a little better... worst feeling last night  nauseos , dizzy etc... vomited x1 i couldn't stop it and coughed up thick phlegm x 1 ... no urge to cough after... just a little nauseaous still..

I felt all of what you felt the first time I had the surgery. I vomited shortly after I woke up. I was nauseous and didn't leave the hospital until 5pm. The second time wasn't as bad which I attributed to the new cough syrup. I was still nauseous and didn't leave the hospital until 5pm. The second time I didn't want to take any chances with eating anything greasy so I ate soup. I think it was chicken noodle and I remember not eating much of the stuff in the soup, just the soup itself. I was much better the next day and could eat normally.

[Miss Lux]

Thanks for d tips. i feel so much better. I got worried that d cough and vomiting could have damaged d sutures but it was fine, Dr. Haben showed me. I have not taken the cough syrup  i don't really have the urge to cough. But I can feel secretions in my throat but I am scared to clear it... do you just leave it alone or u try to clear it/ expel it? ...On my way back to LA currently in ROC airport, the people in Rochester are very nice generally Driving is also not as stressful as in LA... got the chance to go to the Maid of the Mist and Toronto before the surgery. The cepacol lonsenges helps with the sore throat too I realized

[Dena]

I found that leaning forward and exhaling did a reasonable job of clearing the accumulation. I had practiced not coughing before surgery and the primary thing I needed to eliminate from my diet was chocolate as that contributed to the problem. I dislike hot spicy food so that was already out of my diet and I discovered on the trip back that carbonated beverages were a bad idea. After I was back I stayed with soup and soft food until my mouth healed from the beating it took.

[Miss Lux]

Just curious, Would you know if your stitches break or if your surgery failed ? Would you feel it? Is it normal not to feel pain/ soreness on the third day?

[Dena]

I would sip ice water through a straw, warm it in my mouth and swallow it. That controlled the pain and the coughing. I felt very little pain in the vocal cords but a fair amount in my mouth from having my teeth banged around. If you aren't coughing, the sutures should be holding and if your swelling is under control, you should feel little or no discomfort. In my case, I had extreme swelling so I felt discomfort a bit longer. We worry a good deal about the the sutures failing but they will take a fair amount of abuse without problems.

Take your antacid pills, try not to make noise and at about 6-8 weeks the sutures will come out on their own. When you can speak, carefully limit your voice in order to help speed the healing. Be careful but don't worry.

[Miss Lux]

Thanks Dena... I just needed to hear that....