Too old for operations?

Susie

Susie

Member
Location
Australia
"Too old to have any more operations!" the Doc said a few days ago!
I was surprised!!
(He did offer viable alternatives.)
87 isn't old, is it?
Anyone know the age limit for operations in other countries? :notfair:
 

Susie said:
"Too old to have any more operations!" the Doc said a few days ago!
I was surprised!!
(He did offer viable alternatives.)
87 isn't old, is it?
Anyone know the age limit for operations in other countries? :notfair:
Click to expand...

My wife's Mom had three hip replacements done at the age of 86. The first failed due to the surgeon cracking her femur; it was re-done within several weeks. Month later, she fell in the living room, breaking the good hip! That was then replaced.

At 88, she was becoming anemic, a small malignancy was removed along with a short length of colon, she was up and around within days. She will be 90 in January. Still drives herself to town to Bingo, Senior Center, shopping, etc. Amazing lady. At 86, my personal prediction was, operation too risky. I was wrong. imp
 
It completely depends on the individual. Dad is 93 and the dentist gives him options over full restoration. But if he needed another heart operation or bone replacement I think he'd probably go for it. He can still run circles around many of us.
 
  • Like
Reactions: imp
I recently had a hip operation and before I did so I checked with my GP who gave me a full set of blood tests, then sent me for a lung scan. I also saw my cardiologist who sent me for a stress test. After all of this checking there was no reason not to have the operation. I don't think it is a matter of years but of being robust enough to benefit from the operation and to be able to recover from it.

As others have said, seek another opinion.
 
"As others have said, seek another opinion."

A glaring discrepancy exists here. I established that fact almost 20 years ago, confronting a doctor whom I had 100% trust in. He had asked me for personal medical information. I countered with, will it not all be entered into a nation-wide medical database? He concurred, in time, it no doubt would.

Today, at least in America, but I'm guessing also in Australia, a "second-opinion' is not at all that: veiled from previous opinion? Hell, no. The second-opinion preparer has before them ALL the previous opinions put forth. imp
 
If I were to seek a second opinion I would do it by asking my GP for a referral to the appropriate specialist and if I wasn't happy with that encounter, I would go back to the GP, discuss the advice and ask for a second referral. However, if my GP and the first specialist were in agreement I would accept the weight of opinion.

Before my husband had his back operation he had to have a bone scan to see whether his bones are strong enough to hold the screws. If the scan indicated that they were too weak then the matter would have been settled regardless of his age.
 
imp said:
"As others have said, seek another opinion."

A glaring discrepancy exists here. I established that fact almost 20 years ago, confronting a doctor whom I had 100% trust in. He had asked me for personal medical information. I countered with, will it not all be entered into a nation-wide medical database? He concurred, in time, it no doubt would.

Today, at least in America, but I'm guessing also in Australia, a "second-opinion' is not at all that: veiled from previous opinion? Hell, no. The second-opinion preparer has before them ALL the previous opinions put forth. imp
Click to expand...
I am really puzzled: Does the Dr. have all info and the original opinion in front of him?
Why don't we.
,the patients, get to see it?
Is there any respect and consideration left for the patient if all information is easily available on a nation wide data base, and any clever hacker can easily access it?
 
I don't see any real negatives of having everyone's medical history, etc., entered into a national database that any doctor or hospital can access quickly. If a person has a medical emergency while traveling, for example, it would seem that a doctor would be able to make a better decision if he/she had access to the patients history....and such information might go a long way towards avoiding a misdiagnosis. Sure, such a database might be "hacked", but what value would such information be to a thief??? It's not like some crook gaining access to a persons financial information...how could a past surgery, for example, be of any benefit to a hacker?
 
I'm with you on that one Don. I can get a printout of my medical history whenever I ask for it. I have done so whenever I go on a cruise or into hospital for an operation. It is simply a listing of all of my significant health events and my current medications. Whether it is on a national database or just in my doctor's computer I have never bothered to ask. I would hope that it is on the national DB though in case of unexpected emergency.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top