warning, not for the faint of heart :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2004
warning, not for the faint of heart :)
5
Thu, 06-17-2004 - 6:51pm

I need to have a kind of rare procedure done where they insert a catheder (spelling?) in my groin, up through my heart, and through my jugular vein up into my sinuses.


CL for Acne

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Thu, 06-17-2004 - 8:51pm
Hi ariane05, welcome!

I think you are absolutely right, this is something you want to be guided by your doctor on and s/he might suggest stopping hormonal contraceptives for a period of time. Though, if it doesn't make any difference I think I would lean toward stopping the pills for a while anyway. If your doc doesn't know you are on OCs you might want to ask your question as soon as you can, in case there is some period of time s/he would like you off them ahead of your procedure. I hope your test goes well! Let us know what your doc. says and how you are doing, ok?

Good luck and lots of (((hugs)))

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Fri, 06-18-2004 - 8:39am
I agree with Jill, I'd ask your doctor about this asap. I can't remember the clearance time for the hormones to get out enough that surgeons are comfortable, it's probably just a couple of days, but if you're in a good spot to stop at the end of a pack, you might just wait to start the next one until after the surgery (with your doctor's guidance if you're not waiting for your next period).

Just remember--it'd be so much worse without general anaesthesia! ;) Sounds scary, but I bet it's over before you know it, and I hope it is!

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2004
Fri, 06-18-2004 - 9:19am

They don't use general for this!!


CL for Acne

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2004
Fri, 06-18-2004 - 11:55am
Like the others have said, you should talk to your doctor about it. but, i've heard before that most doctors tell women to go off the pill a few days (maybe a week?) before surgery.

As for the procedure itself, it sounds similar to (but more extreme than) the cardiac catheterization my father had done last year. He's in his early 50's and in very good health, but had been having some mild chest pain. They inserted a catheter into his groin and fed it into his heart, where it squirted some dye and they took pictures of the heart's activity to make sure there wasn't anything wrong with it. he had local anesthesia for the insertion point in his groin and they gave him quite a bit of valium to keep him relaxed. he was a little out of it from the valium for the rest of the day, but he was out of the hospital in a few hours. i visited him after the procedure (i work in the hospital where he was) and he wasn't in any pain and said it wasn't really that bad. Hopefully your procedure won't be too traumatic, either.

Good luck!

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-14-2004
Fri, 06-18-2004 - 12:48pm
Thanks!


CL for Acne