Groin Lymph Node Dissection - Post Op Questions

Hi macshimi,

I haven't had a groin dissection, but in the hope of getting you a quick reply I thought I would tag in who I remember has had one. I'm not sure about Sailor2, but please don't let me put of any other people from replying.

I had one node removed from my groin by keyhole surgery a full dissection was mentioned, I did not need to go for that option. I only stayed in one night as they had difficulty waking me up ! I was so tired. I didn't need a drain so my stay was short, they still recommended lycra cycle shorts to help the muscles I believe. I identify as a woman who doesn't wear dresses very often and I wore comfortable elasticated trousers instead of my usual jeans to come out of hospital.

I will let others give you their low down on mobility and sitting as I was more mobile than a full dissection. Due to covid 19 I am wondering if there may be some differences in procedures, I don't know but I think I would ask, some people have mentioned for excisions that there have been.

Good luck 

Hi Macshimi,

Firstly to answer your questions:

Q. How long were you in hospital?

A. Overnight

Q. Were you mobile immediately after the operation?

A. I walked out of the hospital the next day (slowly).

Q. What did you wear when leaving the hospital, remember I identify as male, so will look strange in a dress!

A. Black Levi 501s

Q. Once home, what happened. Could you sit in a chair or did you have to keep the leg raised?

A. I kept my leg raised on cushions for a week when sitting or sleeping. Its a nuisance, but could pay off hugely. Worthwhile as its recomended by my surgeon.

Q. Once home, what was the pain level, and how long were you in pain?

A. Minimal pain, easily resolved with paracetamol/ Ibuprofen

Q. What exercise were you able to do in the weeks immediately after the operation?

A. At 3 weeks I was 90%+ fully fit.

Q. How many weeks before you returned to normal activities?

A. Depends what they are!

Q.What else should I know (I don't know what I don't know!)?

A. I wouldn't worry too much about this operation.

Now my observations & answers are based on only having two lymph nodes removed and not the full dissection. I have a neat 16cm scar, and suspect you will too by Monday evening. "Car cups" with lids are really useful when you can't walk smoothly and want to carry cups of hot tea. Microwaves can be your best friend if you don't want to stand cooking, but want a hot meal.

If there is anything else at all you'd like to ask, it might be in my profile, but please drop me a note and I will be glad to help.

All the best on Monday, I'm having a weird mole (and maybe a bump in my finger) removed on Thursday myself!

Take care

J

Sailor2

Thanks for the quick reply, I'm impressed you were only in for 1 night; I've been told 3 nights and I'll have a drain, that's why I was asking about what you wore.

Normal activity for me is cycling, walking and gardening; plus Netflix, Prime, etc.

Thanks for the extra advice, great practical tips; and good luck with your op on Thursday. I found the hospital very strange being nearly empty.

Hi Macshimi,

I suspect your op might be for more than just two lymph nodes if they are expecting to put in drains & keep you in for a few days?

Thanks for the well wishes. It may seem odd to some, but I quite like the post op feeling of knowing the doctors have removed the growth. A kind of cleansing...

Great time to be off and potter about in your garden! 

J

Hi macshimi,

I had a full groin dissection in May 2019. I’ve just completed a year of adjuvant Pembrolizumab and scans keep coming back all clear (touch wood) so all good for me so far! I blogged about it at the time, and I can be a right miserable cow sometimes, so I think it’s important that you hear the outcome before reading!! I’m fully recovered from surgery, and there were no complications. I have no lymphoedema, but my leg does feel ‘heavy’ sometimes.

There is quite a lot of information in here that I think you’ll find useful, but also a few graphic pics, just in case you’re not a fan!

onedaywithoccasionalleaps.wordpress.com/.../
 
To try and answer your questions..

I was in for 2 nights.

I did have to get up to use the loo after the op, so I was technically mobile, but it was really quite painful. There was a point the follow day where I just couldn’t get up and they had to bring the commode to me. Take all the pain relief offered, and ask for extra if you need it - that’s where I went wrong early on, and my mobility suffered. Actually moving when you’re up isn’t too bad, it’s the levering yourself up and down from the bed/chair that’s the tricky bit. Think about moving stuff at home if needed... you’ll want to be able to sit on the edge of the bed and lift your good leg up first, then hoist the bad leg up afterwards. A small stool to have an in between point to rest your leg on midway up so you can do it in stages might be useful. Stairs were actually okay as well - the physio at the hospital makes you do all that before they discharge you.

I wore baggy wide leg trousers to leave hospital, and for weeks afterwards. The drain tube ideally needs to go down your trouser leg - so shorts would be ideal. Get a long handled lighweight bag (like a fold-up shopping bag) to put the drain in - it’s useful to be able to have the bag over your shoulder so your hands are free.

Once I got home, I could sit in a chair, but with my leg raised as much as possible. It was generally quite uncomfortable so I did end up retreating to bed to lie down for a while. Probably for the first week at least.

Pain levels really varied. My groin was pretty manageable, but the drain was the biggest problem and caused the most pain. About 2-weeks in (struggling to remember timescales to be honest) I had a day of extreme pain and could barely move - so had to get a prescription for co-codamol, but that eased off  again the next day! It was pretty unpredictable to be honest. Just don’t scrimp on the painkillers. Although I would say, the night after the op most of my pain was bloating and trapped wind (too much info??) which apparently is a general anaesthetic thing - swiftly followed by constipation (a morphine thing apparently). So - maybe take some Rennies with you just in case, and have some heavy duty fibre ready for when you get home!

I’m not big on exercise normally, so it’s hard to answer this one. I was doing short bits of walking that 2nd week, but it all massively improved when the drain came out, which I think was about 2 and a bit weeks in... I went to a gig at just over 3 and a half weeks (which was a stupid idea in hindsight), so was doing lots of walking/standing/drinking/falling over then. I guess I’d say it took about a month to be returning to normal. I worked from home for ages afterwards, so wasn’t really driving or doing too much, but probably could have.

I can’t think now what else you’d need to know, but there might be stuff in the blog that prompts questions, so please feel free to ask anything else that crops up.

Best wishes for the surgery, 

Kate

Thanks very much for the insightful rely; it's a big help especially regarding mobility - I have a badly behaving ileal pouch which means frequent loo visits at night. I'll take a pair of tracksuit bottoms for leaving hospital and they should accommodate the drain.

I don't have my Beatson Cancer Clinic appointment yet, and I'm ignoring that side of things, until it actually happens.

I read your blog with interest, and the pictures are as good as my wide local excision ones, which I reckon should be called deep ugly excision!

No problem - I hope it all goes smoothly and your drain is trouble free! While I’m thinking about it, I did take lots of books/puzzles in with me, but couldn’t concentrate enough to read. I’d recommend headphones/earplugs to be honest!

Let us know how you get on.

Hi again macshimi, I would recommend taking some emergency rations, like breakfast bars. My surgery was programmed in for the morning session so I didn’t have breakfast and my next meal wasn’t til breakfast the day after. About 36hours without food as my surgery wasn’t til 1pm and instead of going home I stayed overnight due to still being out of it at 8pm from the anaesthetic. I might be unusual in this especially as I was meant to go home. At my hospital they also give you a list of things to take and not to take, you might find one on your hospital website the information leaflets. Mine didn’t want valuables like phones or iPads taken in for security if they went missing. 

Take care

Yup, I have download Netflix and library books and magazines, so I should have enough to keep me distracted!

Now that’s something I never thought of. I’m due in at 7:30, changed from 10:00, so maybe that indicates things are not that smooth at the moment. I’ll make some flapjacks as I have to self isolate. Thanks for suggesting that.