Posts by quiettinker9

I can't believe I'm actually typing this out! Seriously, you guys won't believe the day I've had. It’s been a total whirlwind! Everything is just moving so fast, and honestly? I am loving every single second of it. Life is wild! says:
Look, if you want to keep complications at an absolute minimum, you’ve gotta make sure your thyroid levels are sitting right within the normal range. Seriously. I highly recommend getting a fresh blood test—nothing older than a year. If your hormones are all over the place, get them under control with a specialist first. Get that sorted out with an endocrinologist before you even think about stepping foot into the OR!

This might get a little tricky because I’ve been dealing with hypothyroidism and taking medication for 15 years now. My labs have actually been acting up over the last few months—it's kind of weird because my levels have stayed super steady for years, but suddenly they jumped just past the limit. I had a follow-up blood test for my TSH a couple of weeks ago and things dropped back down a tiny bit on their own. My endocrinologist went ahead and bumped my dosage up a little too. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if all that intense stress I was under this past year played a huge role in how my thyroid is behaving!

ruggedpuma12 said:Look, drug interactions and contraindications? That’s not your problem to solve. That is strictly between you and your doctor, so seriously, stop stressing! You have zero reason to be afraid. Here’s the game plan: Before your pre-op appointment, just grab a piece of paper and write down every single thing you're taking. List the exact dosages and the specific times you take them. And don't get sneaky—include everything, even the "extra" stuff like Ginkgo, supplements, or anything else you're using. Just lay it all out there. Your medical team will handle the rest and give you the green light on what to take during the surgical period. The most important thing is to be 100% honest and list everything. No secrets!

I’ve got nothing to hide, so I’m just gonna lay it all out there. I don't touch alcohol, I don't smoke, and I don't do drugs—period. But honestly, between these genetic issues I was born with and some mental health stuff I'm dealing with, I'm taking five different medications every single day. It really feels like that cocktail might be causing some trouble. My liver enzymes are all over the place; one month they’re sky-high, then the next they’re totally normal, and it just keeps looping like that.
Man, this whole thing moved way faster than I expected! I went to see my doctor for the first time, and he straight up told me I need surgery. I wasn't even prepared—I didn't have all my test results on me, and I totally blanked on mentioning some important details during the appointment. He just handed me a checklist of everything I need to get done before the procedure—X-rays, EKG, the whole nine yards—and told me to follow up with the anesthesiologist. Now I’m stuck wondering if I should schedule another visit at his clinic just to drop off my MRI results and those reports from the endocrinologist. It's a bit of a mess! The very first specialist I saw privately actually told me not to sweat it and just monitor everything every six months with an UZV. Back in 2018, the mass was about 30 mm. By 2019, it hit 55 mm, and in 2020, it was up to 80 mm. The report says the mass is fluid-filled. Seriously, things are moving fast!

ruggedpuma12 said:So, what kind of allergic reactions have you guys dealt with so far? I'm talking everything—food, meds, environmental stuff, whatever! Lay it on me!

So, quick heads-up: I’m allergic to penicillin. Like, for real. As far as basic stuff goes—dust, pollen, whatever—I’ve been fine forever. No issues there at all! But when it comes to psychiatric meds? Man, my doctor had a total nightmare trying to find anything that worked for me. Every single time we tried certain ones, the side effects were just brutal. On the flip side, I haven't had any trouble with my other prescriptions. My cholesterol statins, Metformin for PCOS, and Levothyroxine for my thyroid have all been smooth sailing. No side effects whatsoever!

I haven't seen any posts from ruggedpuma12 yet! Still waiting for that input. says:
Low blood pressure? High blood pressure? Not having enough pressure at all? Honestly, we don't care. It’s absolutely no big deal to us! 🙂

I get what you're saying. My blood pressure is usually on the lower side anyway, but lately—I've been checking it with my digital monitor at home—it’s been dropping down to 82/45 even when I'm just chilling out.

I can't believe we're actually doing this! It's finally happening! I am seriously freaking out right now—in the best way possible! Everything is moving so fast, and honestly? It’s kind of wild. I’ve been sitting here just staring at my screen, waiting for the next update, and I am totally pumped to see where this all goes. Let's get this show on the road! says:
It all comes down to you, your own body, the surgeon, what kind of procedure they’re running, and honestly, whoever is handling the anesthesia. Time is totally irrelevant once you're under. You'll feel like maybe five minutes passed, when in reality, it could have been fifteen minutes or fifteen hours!

I’m mostly just trying to wrap my head around how long these kinds of surgeries actually take. Here’s the deal: based on what they’re guessing, this "clean" or benign tumor isn't just sitting on one single organ. It’s basically hogging space between my liver, colon, and kidney. It's getting weird, too—one radiologist read the scans and only saw it near the liver and colon, but then another one comes along and says, "Nope, it's touching the kidney too." Also, I've got this double renal collecting system on my right side, which is super strange because none of my recent MRIs have picked up on it. Honestly, it might be a smart move to go get a kidney scintigraphy done. The last time I had one of those was like 25 years ago!

ruggedpuma12 said:If your past anesthesias went off without a hitch, that's a massive win! It’s a huge indicator that everything is going to go smoothly next time around too. Seriously, it's a great sign.

Honestly, I have zero clue. I’ve never actually been through any major surgery before. I definitely don't count getting my tonsils out as a "real" operation!

Hey everyone! I really need some advice. Does anyone know a top-tier, super experienced radiologist who could take a look at my MRI CD? I’ve got surgery coming up to remove a benign tumor/cyst. They told me it’s sitting right in that tricky spot between the liver, kidney, and large intestine—it started out at about 5 cm, but it's grown to roughly 8 cm now. Also, back when I was a kid, they diagnosed me with a double urethra, but looking at two different MRIs now as an adult, there’s absolutely nothing visible. That feels pretty weird to me, so I’m dying to get a second opinion from a real expert privately before I head into surgery. Any leads would be amazing!

So, I’ve got this laparoscopic surgery coming up to clear out a benign tumor/cyst near my liver and kidney. Honestly, since I struggle with anxiety and panic attacks, I'm starting to spiral a bit. My mind is racing with questions about the anesthesia part. I deal with thyroid issues, lipid metabolism problems, and PCOS, so I'm on a bunch of meds—including stuff for my anxiety. I’m really worried about potential contraindications because my metabolism has been super sensitive to certain drug groups in the past. Is it actually possible to get allergy testing done for anesthesia before the surgery? Also, my blood pressure tends to run low—is that going to be a major issue? On average, how long do these abdominal laparoscopic procedures actually take? Am I going to be intubated for breathing once the anesthesia kicks in? And will I have to deal with a catheter after the surgery? My biggest fear, though, is the idea of waking up before the muscle relaxants wear off. Like, what if I regain consciousness and feel pain but can't signal anyone? I know it’s incredibly rare, but that tiny chance is still eating at me. I’ve never had surgery before, unless you count getting my tonsils out when I was just a kid.

How much of a headache are these fluctuating liver enzyme levels, really? Like, when they constantly bounce from totally normal to sky-high? I'm talking crazy high. My enzymes are elevated most of the time, but there was this one stretch a few months back where things went absolutely off the charts. For example, if the cutoff for ALT is 41, mine hit a massive 266.

So, I just had an abdominal ultrasound that flagged this growth tucked between my liver and the surrounding organs. I’ve actually gone through two separate abdominal MRIs about a year and a half apart, and it’s definitely growing. It’s hit about 8 centimeters at its widest point now. The first radiologist I saw labeled it a hemangioma, but after the second scan, they started listing a bunch of different possibilities. They’re calling it a tumor for sure now, though they’re betting on it being benign. Earlier this year, the physical symptoms kicked in—I was getting these massive bouts of pain in that area, usually hitting me out of nowhere in the middle of the night. Luckily, the pain has stopped for now. I also have a diagnosis of fatty liver. Just to be clear, I don't smoke, I don't touch alcohol, I try to eat healthy, and I've lost a ton of weight, so I'm at a totally normal weight for my height now. I even went in for a preventative colonoscopy (which came back clean) because a CEA marker was elevated, and there's a genetic predisposition for bowel issues in my family. They also tested me for antibodies because they suspected some rare genetic disorder, but those results looked fine. Plus, my hepatitis markers are negative. What I really need is some advice from anyone who’s been through this. What should my next move be? Every specialist I talk to gives me a different interpretation, and they just keep sending me for more tests—half of which have a year-long waiting list! Would it be better to just go for a liver biopsy? And honestly, how safe is that procedure?