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Adrenalectomy, Hospital Meds

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When in the hospital for an adrenalectomy, who is the overall person who coordinates and accesses your medication? Should you bring all the medication you are presently taking to the hospital? During your hospital stay, do you take your own medications or medications prescribed by the hospital?
I understand the taking of medications before the adrenal surgery is to lower or higher the affects of the symptoms, such as: Low Potassium Levels, High Blood Pressure, etc. However, immediately post surgery, I understand you will have a dramatic effect on the output of your adrenal gland (because it is no longer there). This would require constant monitoring of your blood pressure and blood tests. Who then puts the results of the readings and tests together and decides what medications, you were taking pre-surgery, should be increased or decreased or stopped?
I realize this may be a multiple answer. When deciding what medications to adjust, every coordinator will have his/her own opinion; therefore, may I ask for anyone’s information on what medications they were taking pre-surgery, and what medications were changed immediately post-surgery. This information would give me a range to work with/have knowledge about when the coordinator makes his/her decision for me.
My surgeon is not an endocrinologist surgeon. They are apparently hard to come by. My surgeon is an urologist. He admits to not knowing about the hormones involved but is very adept at the adrenal/kidney area for surgical procedures. I fired my endocrinologist about eight months ago and have been using my primary caretaker as my medicine supplier and monitor, as I still have not found another endo that I like.
My surgeon is having the hospital work with my primary caretaker to ensure I have someone to coordinate all of my medications, but the hospital will not inform me who the coordinator is, or have the coordinator contact me, until the afternoon of the day before surgery (as to know what do to or expect). This coordinator will be an endocrinologist or a comparable doctor. Who is usually this coordinator? Or does the hospital usually do what my surgeon is doing by appointing an in-house doctor?
My surgery is tomorrow and I prefer to have as much knowledge as possible, so as to make my own decision as to what other choices I may have, as opposed to the only one option given at the last minute by the coordinator. I do not like to do things blindly. Nor do I trust anyone just because they have credentials.
I realize this is last minute but (I really hate to say this) sometimes my brain just isn’t brainy. In the least, hopefully, this will help future patients relax in knowing what to expect. Thank you for your help.

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Surgery Hypertension

1 reply

It will most likely be an endocrinologist. If it is not and endo or a hypertension specialist, delay and try to get on with NIH or Mayo Clinic. If you are under 40, you can probably get away with not having an AVS, however if you are over 40, you should get one first, even if it means delaying surgery.

You do not take your own meds to the hospital. They will provide them for you. At some point you must let go and let your medical professionals do their jobs and if they mess up, sue them.

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