Laparoscopy, dye and hysteroscopy with Dr. Mocanu in HARI Unit (Rotunda)

timitami

I had this procedure recently and am writing it up for the benefit of future Internet searchers. I had no idea, really, what to expect and found the lack of information definitely led to a spike in my anxiety about the whole procedure. As I repeatedly said in the run up, I don’t want to die from an unnecessary anaesthetic like Kanye West’s mother. (I have thankfully survived to tell the tale). I’m sharing this just in case anyone out there feels like me in advance and wants to know what they can expect. I've thankfully never been sick so even checking into a hospital was a new experience for me.

I arrived at the Rotunda at 07:15am, as instructed, having fasted from midnight, along with a handful of other patients of Dr. Mocanu. My husband and I waited for an hour being called to admissions. I gave over my health insurance details, had all my personal data checked and my husband was given a visitor card. Then I went up to the ward where I changed into a gown and gave a urine sample. This was about 09:15. A midwife came and rechecked a bunch of medical details. I waited some more. Then two students, separately, came by and asked a long and exhausting set of questions, some of which I didn’t necessarily love answering with three other patients and their partners in the room. I feel I did my bit for future medicine there. You’re welcome. At about 10:20, it was time to go to theatre. I asked when my husband should come back, and was told 90 minutes. I was walked over to the theatre, where the theatre nurse again checked some questions. I waited near the theatre a little more. Then I was taken to a trolley beside the theatre and a cannula for the anasthetic was put in by a nurse. They had magazines in the waiting room, like a really strange beauty salon, so I had a read about some celeb babies. Then I was walked into the theatre where Dr Mocanu was with his RSCI students. I never met the anaesthetist. I was knocked out and when I woke up I was in a small room with some other recently knocked out ladies. Then I was wheeled back up to the ward. My husband came in at 12:45 - he said they wouldn’t let him up sooner due to patient meal times. The gave me a drip and some glasses of water, and then I basically just chilled out until I felt able to go to the bathroom. At about 14:00 I had some toast. I felt mostly ok-ish but had a big amount of shoulder tip pain, which is apparently nerve pain from the CO2 gas. At about 15:30 Dr. Mocanu came round and had a quick chat with me about how the procedure went. I had tons of questions but he said we could discuss them all at my follow-up appointment in six weeks. That seems a frustratingly long time away. By 16:00, I was able to go home. However, while I was waiting for my husband to get the car I felt really, really sick in the waiting room and had to ask for a sick bucket. (I didn’t get sick tho). He had to park in the Parnell Centre because there is no parking at the Rotunda. I lay down on the way home and then once I got into bed again and had a few Solpadeienes I was grand.

So that’s the chronology of it.

Things I wish I’d known:

- Realistically you don’t need to have anyone with you for anything other than moral support and you only need your escort from lunchtime onwards, I’d say. It was a lot of hanging around. I'd bring earplugs and have a few naps while waiting if I had to do it again. It was nice to have my husband there but not really necessary.

- I can’t fault the care but given it was definitely a public hospital! Everyone seemed super efficient and speedy. I won’t say rushed or stressed, because that’s not fair, but it was definitely a business-like tone. I chose the Rotunda because my work is crazy and there were more dates available in case I had to cancel/change (which I did) . Dr. Mocanu also does surgery out of Bon Secours and that might have been a more comfortable, leafy environment. I don’t know.

- I have found this entire process actually really disempowering and the lack of info about my own medical condition is stressing me out somewhat. Has anyone had any experience asking for a copy of their file from their consultant? Obviously I may have to pay some kind of admin fee, but I regularly feel a bit rushed out with not much info to go on and being able to read my own file, would, I think, put my mind more at ease.

dollydishmop

Thank you for this - have a hysteroscopy scheduled for next month :eek: at the Rotunda, so this is perfect timing.

We've a hotel booked that night, something for me to look forward to after the procedure...I just hope I'm able to enjoy it.