This is an interview I did for the Benenden Hospital website HERE.
LBC Broadcaster and author Iain Dale had a gallbladder removal at Benenden Hospital on 6 September after using his private health cover to reduce his 18-week wait time.
"As I speak now on 22 October, I feel completely rejuvenated – I genuinely feel like I’m 35 again!”. Read on to discover Iain’s story.
What were the main symptoms you had prior to gallbladder removal surgery?
“At the end of July, I’d been enjoying some drinks and canapes with my neighbours. When I got home, I started to feel sick, and a pain began to develop down my right-hand side. That night, I couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t find a position to sleep in. I thought it would improve over the weekend, but it didn’t, so after two days of struggling I went to A&E.
“I assumed I was suffering from gallstones, but when they scanned me, gallstones didn’t appear at all! Instead, I was diagnosed with an infected and perforated gallbladder which meant it was leaking bile into my stomach. I don’t know whether this is the case, but this must have been going on for a long time because I’d been feeling quite run down over the past year.
“I was admitted to the intensive care unit in the Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury with the promise that my gallbladder would be removed the following day. Unfortunately, I was then told it was far too infected and inflamed to be operated on as the risks were too high, so they said I was to be added to a waiting list of about 18 weeks.”
Why did you choose Benenden Hospital?
“I knew I couldn’t wait that long, especially as the Consultant said I’d be functioning at only 60% in my daily life. It was then that I decided to use my private health insurance, as I could also choose my preferred Consultant which was a huge benefit for me as I’d really valued the care I’d been given by Mr Fazal Hasan, Consultant General Surgeon at Tunbridge Wells Hospital.
“I wanted to be seen by Mr Hasan again, so I did a bit of research around the private hospitals he works at, and Benenden Hospital was on the list. I rang up the hospital to ask if I could book myself in for gallbladder removal surgery with Mr Hasan and everything went smoothly from there!”
What happened during your initial consultation?
“My initial consultation at Benenden Hospital was with Mr Hasan as I’d requested, so he knew my symptoms and my patient journey prior to coming in. During my appointment, he told me that another Consultant Surgeon, Mr Ahmed Hamouda, would be carrying out my procedure. He advised that Mr Hamouda would be the best Surgeon for my type of operation as it’s his area of expertise and therefore I’d have the best outcome under his care. I really appreciated this level of honesty from Mr Hasan. I was booked in for a preoperative assessment on 22 August, three weeks before the operation. There I got lots of good advice on what I should and should not do prior to surgery.”
What was your first impression of Benenden Hospital?
“I think one of the things that strikes you about Benenden Hospital is that it looks like a pristine, new hospital – the cleanliness is outstanding. Everything and everyone seem quite serene; there isn’t anyone rushing around. All the staff were polite, friendly and caring. When someone makes that extra little bit of effort to make you feel at home and more comfortable, all patients appreciate that. One lady said, ‘I’m a big fan of yours’, which was flattering and lovely to hear too.”
How did you feel on the day of your operation?
“I’ve had quite a few medical issues over the past couple of years, so I’ve spent a fair amount of time in hospital. I fell 12-foot off a theatre stage into an orchestra pit so have had terrible problems with my knees. I also fell at the top of a tube escalator and fractured my hip.
“I don’t tend to get nervous or anxious because I have trust in the medical professionals. I knew I was going to have a general anaesthetic, so I was prepared for that. I was first on the theatre list, and I remember being wheeled down to the operating theatre at about 8am and the next thing I knew I was waking up in my room at around 11:30am.”
What happened after your gallbladder removal surgery?
On waking
“After my surgery, the Anaesthetist came to visit me in the ward along with Mr Hamouda, who updated me on how the operation went. The Anaesthetist told me that they nearly had to cancel the operation because of the level of infection, but Mr Hamouda drew on his expertise and managed to complete the operation.
“There was a team of nurses who cared for me during the day. They tested my blood sugars regularly, as I’m diabetic, and monitored my blood pressure. The nurses were very thorough and came in at least every half an hour. I couldn’t be discharged from the hospital until I had passed urine to ensure I was in the healthiest state. When I did, my partner picked me up at 8pm and I was home about 9pm.”
Post-surgery symptoms
“There were four incisions made during my procedure, and they were sealed up and had a dressing on them. You’re not supposed to get them wet, so it was difficult to shower but you get used to it. There was discomfort around my tummy to start with, but when you have your gallbladder out, your organs shift around, so it’s likely because of that!
Diet and exercise
“I was advised to only eat soft foods for four days, so I was living off soup and jelly which was quite enjoyable! You also can’t eat dairy products, as this can be harsh on your stomach. Gradually, I built up to eating solid foods. During this recovery time, I lost about a stone and a half in six weeks which also did make me feel healthier! I went back to the gym after a month to gain back my strength and I felt fine.”
Returning to work
“Six days after my operation, I went into London to test out how I felt. I’d been asked to present on Politics Live at lunchtime and was then recording a podcast with Carol Vorderman that afternoon.
“After the podcast, Carol invited me to her book launch and then Newsnight phoned and invited me on that night! I was unsure at first, then I asked who else was on and it was RMT leader Mick Lynch. He’s sort of known as my lookalike and I thought it was too good to be true! So, I went on-air for that too.
“My day started at 9am and ended at midnight, and I felt fine. On the Monday, 10 days post-op, I returned to work and I went on air at 7pm. Within five minutes, I suddenly came to the realisation that I felt like a new person! The energy I could bring to the show made everything feel better.”
How do you feel three months post-surgery?
“As I speak now, on 22 October, I feel completely rejuvenated! Having this operation has been quite transformational in many ways because I’ve realised, I’d been feeling lethargic for a while before these symptoms started. I brushed it off and just put it down to being 62 years old. I was even asking myself how long I could keep doing my job for because of the way I’d been feeling.
“Since having my gallbladder removed, I genuinely feel like I’m 35 again. People said to me on social media that I’d feel like a new person after my operation – and I did! I’m just so grateful that it turned out okay and had I known that I had this issue, I would have 100% got it done sooner.
“I can’t fault any aspect of the service at Benenden Hospital, from the admin staff to the booking staff – they’re incredibly helpful and really dedicated to delivering a first-class service. You’re treated as an important person – sometimes people say ‘oh, it’s just because you’re on the TV/Radio’, but most of the staff didn’t know who I was, so I was treated like any other patient.”
Iain’s advice to anyone with symptoms
“Don’t wait to go to A&E or to get your symptoms checked. If you’ve got private cover and you can use it to relieve the NHS of a place on a waiting list, I really recommending using it for private treatments. If I hadn’t used my healthcare cover, I wouldn’t have been able to work for another three or four months, moving into 2025, and I simply couldn’t afford to do that. Paying monthly for private insurance is a no-brainer to me and there are so many different packages available.”