"Surgery complications"

I recently went in for a day procedure, ablation and tubal litigation, dnc and laproscopy.

I understood, being asthmatic, that there was a risk of complications, especially with my lungs due to the anaesthesia. However, the post operative team seemed to not be aware of pretty common complications which concerned me immensely. As someone who has been traumatised multiple times by doctors, I've learnt to advocate for myself so I was fortunate enough to know what risk I felt I faced and advocated for myself as best as I could.

Post operatively my condition started deteriorating about an hour or so after surgery. I noted I was dizzy, I had a pressure/pain in my chest and I was visually drowsy and somewhat breathless in my speech. One of the nurses noticed me reaching for the button and looking a little concerned so came over to check me. They noticed my blood pressure had dropped somewhat.

I was monitored and checked, but I was not offered intravenous fluids (this was a question my primary care doctor asked), simply monitored repeatedly, most cases noting my blood pressure remained low. I was unable to go to the toilet on my own and required assistance as standing up made me dizzy and I was puffed from the exertion each time.

After a while they did one ECG to check if there were any heart complications to check for. No checks on my lungs were done.

At some point during this I believe a admin person noted my condition was not okay to release and left, however, despite my continued poor condition, the overseeing doctor came and I felt they tried to talk me into saying I wanted to leave, asking me what I wanted to do. I referred back to them each time, noting I believed I was a falls risk and shouldn't be released but as they were the doctor, ultimately it was their call. It seemed the doctor got visually and verbally frustrated, telling me that I couldn't put it back on them, and I told the doctor that's exactly what I was doing because they were the expert and should know if I'm safe to release or not, noting the admin person had already been by and said to not release me.

Eventually they decided to keep me overnight and sought a medical doctors opinion (as the other doctor was a specialist) and the chest pain was investigated somewhat properly once on the ward, rechecking the ecg and sending me for a chest xray.

It was suggested that it was due to the laproscopy that the chest pain was occurring (again, no one checked my lungs) although being the time it was at night, I don't believe they consulted the radiologist to review the xray results and I was monitored throughout the night, getting some intravenous pain meds and a minimal amount of intravenous fluid as a result of the flushes, one nurse ran the flush a little longer cause they noticed my BP was still a little low.

I accepted the gas pain was most likely the cause although did note to the care team my pain had changed and gotten more agressive but ultimately just tried to cycle my legs and move around enough to pass wind and get some minor relief.

I was released the next morning with the same assumption of wind and went home with a prescription for pain meds. My primary care doctor’s office contacted me nearly immediately on discharge, asking me to book an appointment. I initially ignored the request, thinking it was blood test results and it could wait until I was more capable of driving. They tried again a day later, prompting me to book a time as soon as I was able. 5 days post op. During this time I noticed I was struggling to breathe normally and was getting worn out with any sort of movement and the chest pain hadnt subsided properly in the 72 hours i was told it would. Turns out the xray report had flagged a partial collapse of one of my lungs which would have accounted for most of the post op symptoms and I was checked over, my doctor confirming I did have atelectasis after listening to my chest. I was prescribed antibiotics to prevent the development of pneumonia and also a fluticasone inhaler by my primary care doctor.

I feel the hospital should have had a fair idea of this condition, given its a common post operative complication with anaesthesia but this was not what I experienced, it seemed to me they lacked the necessary training for good post-operative care.