Surgery and Eating disorders..

[~Kaytee~]

I'm due for surgery early next month.. (not ed related but I will be getting a laproscopy (spelling?) done).

Anyway, I've just started seeing a new eating disorder team and the psych I saw yesterday is concerned because of my apparent weight loss and my purging. She wants me to get bloods done before the surgery and regular check ups with the doctor.. which is fine with me.. but now I'm actually starting to worry about the actual surgery...? Has anyone else had an op with an eating disorder and everything's been okay? I'm scared coz I don't know what could happen :/ if anything could... you know? Is it safe to have an operation? lol. I have my pre admission appointment in just over a week and will be discussing with them about it too but thought I'd ask here as well just in case anyone has been in a similar boat? Hope it's okay to post this :/

[plastic rose]

I didn't have an operation during my eating disorder. However, no doctor takes the decision to do surgery lightly, and they would not do it if they thought it wasn't safe. It is definitely a good idea to talk to the surgeon about your eating disorder, they do need to be aware of any health problems you might have. People with eating disorders can have an increased risk of heart and breathing problems in general, so I would imagine that the risks of surgery are somewhat increased, but it depends on how your physical health is more than anything else.

If you're worried about the risk, the best person to talk to is the surgeon or anaesthesiologist. They will be able to go through all the risks with you and explain how likely they are. Thousands of people have operations every day and in the vast majority of cases there are no complications. It is very rare for things to go wrong. But talk to the doctor about it. At the end of the day you have to weigh up the risk of having surgery versus the risk of not having it, and I can't say much about that, not knowing your medical situation.

Take care.

[fragile as glass]

I've had 6 operartions whilst been anorexic. The only time I have had an operation refused is when my weight was very low - low enough to be considered for tube feeding. Being underweight per se has not stopped my operations from going ahead, it's just HOW underweight you are. The doctor/surgeon will be able to advise you in your pre admission appointment whether or not you are putting your op in jepordy. You may be asked to put a bit of weight on for surgery or you may be asked to maintain what you are now for surgery or you may be told there is a little leeway with your weight regarding the safeness of operating on you.

However you MUST ask where you stand so there are no surprises around the corner and no cancelled operation. The NHS has such long waiting lists that you really don't wan't to be cancelled because you don't know how long you will have to wait again for another slot. Plus if your ED deteriotes over time then you're op will almost definately be cancelled again. Alot does depend on the necessity and urgency and type of op you're having.

Having an ED doesent make an op more painful and not necessarily more dangerous but it can affect healing time and your ability to fight off any infections as robustly.

[~Kaytee~]

Thank you both for the replies. i talked with my psych again about it yesterday then saw my doctor and got blood tests done etc. i have the pre admission next week so yep, will definitely be letting them know everything and having a good talk about it. I guess at the moment, I'm not concerned about it weight-wise, but more because of the fact that I'm still purging everyday and wondering how much of an effect that could have on it.

The surgery isn't crucial, so...I was even thinking.. what are the possibilities about discussing post-poning it for awhile so I can get things under control? I don't know how stupid that is, I'm aware I may have to wait a fair awhile for it again but it will give me to chance to really stop purging, you know?

I can be alright thinking about the surgery but then I'll start to get really scared again thinking what if's. I know I shouldn't. But yeah. lol

Eh, I'll just have a really good chat to them next week about it, who knows, they may decide I shouldn't have it just yet anyway.. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what till happen. Thank you both again for replying, I really appreciate it x