 Poster: A snowHead
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Does anyone know (on average) how soon you can ski/board after an appendectomy? The patient is mid-30s if that is of any relevance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Had my appendix out 12yrs ago(mid 30s) Walking fairly easy pain free after 4 days. Jogging pain free two weeks later. No problems I reckon to ski 2-3 wks on.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@barbossine, thank you - that's hopeful!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@miranda, Depends on whether it's keyhole or open incision. Routine keyhole 2-3 weeks as above, open incision good 6 weeks, maybe more, I'd say. I had open incision in my 30s because of complications and it was still bleeding 2 weeks after the op!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I think you were unlucky, @Raceplate. I had open incision hysterectomy and was fine after 6 weeks, though I did loads of exercises before the op and started (appropriately with physio supervision) immediately after. And was very conscientious with my rehab. I've no idea how an appendectomy compares with a hysterectomy but similar, presumably.
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As Raceplate says; it very much depends on type of surgery. Laparoscopic (keyhole) is the norm these days and I would allow my patients to ski after two weeks. Open incision is more dependent on physique of patient i.e. obese vs very muscular. I would seek advice from the individual's own surgeon who will be able to give specific advice depending on the circumstances.
Hope this helps.
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Thank you - it was keyhole, op was yesterday evening in Sallanches and we just heard that she can come home today (it's one of our seasonnaires). They are both adamant they want to stay for the rest of the season but was just a bit worried she might go a bit crazy if she couldn't go boarding for months! But looks like recovery is pretty quick, which is good news.
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@miranda, sounds good so far. And there I was worried it might be you, and it would not be fair after your knee! Hope she doesn't go too crazy during recovery.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks @Pamski - I won't really be skiing either while she's healing as I will cover for her, but more than happy to do that and just glad that she's home and well - appendicitis does not look like fun! She thought I was being quite OTT when I told her to take a small overnight bag to the hospital "in case" but I wasn't surprised when we got the call to say she'd been taken straight into surgery. Positive report from both patient and partner for Sallanches hospital - the staff were apparently very nice, lots of English speakers (and particularly lovely ones who bent the visiting hours last night).
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Glad to hear it all went well. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@miranda, we went to the hospital at Sallanches last year to visit one of your guests and it seemed a well run place. At least its a reasonably mature seasonnaire so you won't have anxious mummy turning up..
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Pamski, took me a moment to think of who you were talking about then - looking forward to seeing him soon in better shape than the last time! Yes, it's not our seasonnaires' first season here and they are good friends of ours now so no need for parents to come dashing over even if they weren't 'mature' like us! (plus they have a large private apartment with a superking bedroom - there are worse conditions to be recuperating in)!
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@miranda, people spend a lot of money recuperating in the mountains don't they! Well that was what I always heard. People that come to stay with us usually end up bringing their UK colds and bugs with them - and leaving them with us..
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You know it makes sense.
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| pam w wrote: |
| I think you were unlucky, @Raceplate. I had open incision hysterectomy and was fine after 6 weeks, though I did loads of exercises before the op and started (appropriately with physio supervision) immediately after. And was very conscientious with my rehab. I've no idea how an appendectomy compares with a hysterectomy but similar, presumably. |
I think the difference is whether it's planned or emergency. I'm sure a routine hysterectomy is much harder than a routine appendectomy with a longer recovery time. But my appendectomy wasn't routine.
I realized I had an intestinal blockage and took myself to A & E. They examined me and weren't really sure. They then did a blood test and said it was contaminated. Planned an op for the morning. Before that occurred, the appendix burst and I had peritonitis. When they operated, they told me that my appendix was necrotic and had been leaking for some time. They pulled out all my intestines in order to flush my abdominal cavity and disinfect it. They also removed a section of my intestines around my appendix before stitching it back together. When they stitched my stomach wall back together they didn't line it up correctly and I had an overlap. It's still there now.
I'm sure if I was American I'd be suing them for disfigurement but I'm not, I'm a Brit so I appreciate that as little as 50 years ago I would have died a horribly painful death.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Wow, that sounds awful. No wonder your recovery was protracted. My hysterectomy was planned, routine, I was fit with good abdominal muscles, no infection. Straightforward recovery. Enormous relief...
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Poster: A snowHead
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My hysterectomy was also planned and I was slim and fit. Didn't stop me having a massive internal bleed 2 days later, an emergency op and 24 hours in intensive care afterwards. It took me more like 6 months rather than 6 weeks to get back to full fitness. Like @Raceplate, I still have a slight overlap, more than a year and a half later, as well as some numbness on one side. The scar is still red rather than silver, which I would have expected. I still rub Bio Oil in it every day, in hope  , and it's still slightly tender to the touch.
So yes, everyone is different and so are their insides! As my surgeon said when I asked how long my op would be, "Well, it depends on how tangled and mangled we find it in there!" 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Blimey. Agree, that does sound really awful Raceplate. Can't imagine how horribly uncomfortable you must have been. As you say, though, as bad as it was it could have been much worse as you're still here thankfully, skiing, and living to tell the tale! My friend was apparently being all 'British stiff upper lip' about the whole thing but the doctor told her in kind but no uncertain terms that she was being absolutely crazy and that she had no choice - it was coming out there and then before it burst.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Have just been told off by a British doctor (to be fair a very lovely guest so I'm prepared to be gracious) for using an "awful Americanism" in calling the op an "Appendectomy" rather than an "Appendicectomy" - so apologies to all offended British English pedants! Sorting through my friend's paperwork earlier (not complicated), I thought it might be of interest to mention that the "standard operation charge" (i.e. seemed to suggest was not related to the type of operation) at Sallanches is apparently €1500, with €450 payable by EU citizens (friend had insurance so paid nothing).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@miranda, interesting re the charges. I know hubby had a bill for a daily charge to the hospital of around 20€ per day, and also a fixed charge of 200€ or so (but it was several years ago). I seem to recall it being around 450€ in total but there may also have been fees for X-rays and scans. Our insurance company sorted it, but about a year later he received a 'Statement of Account' (but not a bill) from CPAM which seemed to suggest the op (repair of a fractured C5 vertebrae) cost about 10000€.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Hells Bells, I find the charges very confusing still. When I had my ACL reconstructed in Annecy (voluntary and planned op), I was still a British tax resident and they wouldn't accept EHIC so we paid out ~€3-4000 to the hospital I think (paid out about ~€5000 in total including physio which was reimbursable at 65%, drugs, appointments, consultations etc. and didn't bank on seeing anything back - raided the honeymoon fund - having personally chosen the surgeon and hospital based on a local's recommendation. In fact when I got the statement through, there were various charges that were reimbursable at various rates but the operation itself was deemed as 100% reimbursable  In the end we paid nothing at all as the Carte Neige insurance picked up all the non-reimbursable % as it was a mountain activity injury.
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So, the moral of this story is have proper insurance. And that some initially simple seeming procedures can go wrong and cause havoc. You can be lucky or unlucky.
I don't know what an "overlap" is in this context but if it means the top of a horizontal scar sticks out over the underneath bit, I have one too but it's not a big deal, as my bikini days are well over. And the whole medical thing, including 48 hours of moderately severe post-operative pain because of not having been given pain killers pales into insignificance beside the ongoing joy of having got rid of the whole shooting match and the hassles which went with it.
I hope your saisonnaire has an uncomplicated recovery from her appendicectomy, Miranda, as most people apparently do.
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Just thought I'd update this to say that, as our friend got a surgeon's letter to say she wasn't allowed to board for 3 weeks, Carte Neige have just confirmed they will reimburse her (well, us really, as we pay for it) for 3 weeks of not being able to use her season lift pass - wasn't hopeful that would happen as it wasn't a "mountain injury" but it's been no quibble....
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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That's good to know, @miranda. Presumably a "pro rata" payment.
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@pam w, yes, I got a "pro rata" reimbursement for the remainder of the season when I did my knee in at the beginning of the February of that season so this will definitely be "pro rata" too (don't know how much yet) but I put the request through on the off chance, not really thinking would be eligible as it is "just" 3 weeks (seems a lot longer to the poor impatient patient!!) and a "non-mountain" injury... but looks like Carte Neige is going to do the job.
Would never say CN is the equivalent to 'proper' insurance but I think it covers more than most of us realise.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Raceplate - Sorry to hear you had such a rotten time with the operation. I took have had the ladies "H" op sometime back and it was also preplanned and an open incision job. I was advised not to ski for eight weeks (I had planned the op for early November in anticipation of being able to ski at the end of January). In the event I set out very gingerly for a couple of days and then slipped on an icy piste and did a mickey mouse fall flat out on to tummy, arms and legs outstretched and lay on the ground for a minute thinking about it. When I realised I neither hurt nor had I become "unzipped" I gave up guarding myself and just go on with the holiday. I dont think I would have wanted to ski sooner than the eight weeks though and with all the messing about with your innards I suspect they will take as long to settle properly as most ladies tums do as things move around and find their place in the newly available space!!! 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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the procedure that dare not speak its name? 
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