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Post by sunrisepink on Sept 14, 2009 15:18:24 GMT -5
I just had my first lap 3 days ago (on Friday) and I wanted to create a thread solely for my own whining. The surgery went great and they only found a small amount of tissue, which they removed. But my recovery is a lot harder than I thought it'd be! I expected pain and swelling the first couple of days, but I had no idea how uncomfortable I would be from the extra air they pumped into me. My stomach is completely bruised and swollen, I look like a pregnant gangster or something! Everything hurts - breathing deeply, digesting food, passing gas, having a BM, sitting upright, drinking fluids. I tried to take my dog for a walk this morning and I had horrible chest pain around my lungs and heart. I feel like a huge blimp that needs to be popped! Ugh I'm just so sick of being a huge stationary cow. I knew that if I posted here I could at least get some sympathy from the ladies who have been there before.
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Post by omaklackey on Sept 14, 2009 15:23:27 GMT -5
"huge stationary cow!' Yup, that pretty much describes what I have been doing the last month! OUCH... Hope it gets better for you
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Post by Karen on Sept 14, 2009 19:30:16 GMT -5
Yeah, some people do fine with the air, and some don't. Sorry you're in the crappy group! From what I've read, it should clear up soon! I've heard walking around can help, but if it hurts to walk, well then, that sucks! Wishing you a quick recovery!
Be sure to create an intro thread - we'd love to know more about you!
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Post by hellsbells on Jan 7, 2010 15:13:03 GMT -5
Well, I'm gonna stick my two-penneth worth in. 16 days post lap and I'm still not 100%. I had lap and dye, hysteroscopy and mirena inserted. I still get flare ups of severe cramping which feel like I imagine labour pains/contractions are like. I was on day 3 of my period when I had the lap, they obviously flushed out my uterus for the hysteroscopy, so I only bled mildly for a day or so after. But during the last two weeks I've had spotting on and off, mainly a dark browny/purply smudge. Today though it's more bright red but still only a little bit. I'm also bleeding slightly out of my back passage although I haven't had a bowel movement today, and it usually only happens with/after a bm. Is this bleeding normal?
I'd also say to anyone who has just had a lap - no matter how fine you feel within a few days - YOU'RE NOT FINE! Take it easy and rest up.
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Post by cherry on Jan 7, 2010 15:50:01 GMT -5
Hi Helen, I was bleeding and passing clots after my op for about 2 weeks, it may have been down to them doing a fair bit of excision around my rectum, but I was also pretty bunged up with taking all those narcotics. Speak to your doc it shouldn't go on this long. As for the spottinf, it will be the hormonal inbalance courtesy of the depo, it seems that endo flares up for the first month as your body goes crackers and the oestregen production jumps in reaction to the new regimen that your body is being forced into. This last bit of GnRH I had and my very first time, the spotting was crappy. Your GP can give you tranexamic acid (or it may mefenamic acid I think?) to slow and stop the bleeding, that's what I had during my first bout of treatment as I had 6 week long period and was getting ill.
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Post by hellsbells on Jan 7, 2010 16:02:39 GMT -5
But with Provera and Mirena......I have know idea what should be going on. I'm feeling EXTREMELY hormonal right now, getting very angry at stupid things. I gave a guy at a call centre a really hard time tonight. Now I can't stop crying. I'm in just as much pain as I was pre-lap. I'm scared to hope that it may get better as the meds kick in. I was telling a guy at work yesterday about the outcome of the op, and said to him 'But I may be in pain for the rest of my life', when it kinda hit home. After the op the doc told me they found it on urinary tract/bladder and top of vagina, but the amount of rectal bleeding I have is ridiculous. Don't know what's going on in my body and I'm a bit scared.
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Post by Karen on Jan 7, 2010 18:59:48 GMT -5
Oh, dear. Can you at least call your doc/get in to see him about that bleeding? Cherry's right - it could be just that you're bound up from all the pain meds, but best to be sure and talk to your doc. In the meantime, make sure you're super hydrated and eat tons of fiber so your bowel movements are as easy as can be, and consider a stool softener if your doc feels it won't harm things.
Vaginal bleeding on Mirena is quite common for a while. So is cramping. The thing that sucks about having Mirena inserted during your lap is that you don't know which is causing the pain AFTER your lap, if it's Mirena or healing or endo! I had some spotting for a bit, then a full out 'period' while on Mirena and it sucked. Keep an eye on it, k?
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Post by hellsbells on Jan 8, 2010 9:42:43 GMT -5
Double whammy is the Provera is supposed to stop cycle - so two reasons not to bleed! I know it's early days though. I'm actually popping the odd laxative now and occasional stool softener. I'm now certain that what's caused the horrendous cramping I've had 4 or 5 times since the lap is larger, fuller bowel movements. Been in a lot of pain today again. The vaginal bleeding is super light to non-existent. It's not overly worrying, I'm just not sure where it's coming from. I suppose while the Mirena and Provera kick in though my uterus is still making a lining. As for the rectal bleeding, again just need to see what happens in time. Due to see gynae again early March, I can find out if he found any endo on bowel etc. And I think I've decided not to go to the gym until everything has properly settled down.
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Post by cherry on Jan 8, 2010 14:42:17 GMT -5
No Helen you should talk to your doc about the rectal bleeding now, it sounds like it is due to the constipation but this is having a huge knock on effect on everything else from what you've said so you need medical help. A little bit of bleeding may be expected but anything prolonged like this, whether it's post-op or not, is a concern. See your GP! I'd say stick to the stool softeners and avoid laxatives, they speed up the process which can't be nice for you. Lots of soluble fibre to soften your poos! I see myself as a something of a GnRH veteran and even a mirena vet cos I've had it twice and the first time it was very uncomfortable for the whole time I had it in. All 3 times I've started my GnRH course there's been spotting because your body literally goes 'wtf' as it's hit by a wave of new signals and chemicals.
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Post by hellsbells on Jan 8, 2010 15:17:18 GMT -5
I hear ya, loud and clear. But when I had sigmoidoscopy and was told everything was normal, I asked about the pain and the bleeding and was told 'Some people just have it'. I'm going to get an appointment with GP next week, I promise. I'm also ringing gynae's secretary on Monday to see if I can get the op report, and ask to speak to someone about the cramping pain.
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Post by cherry on Jan 9, 2010 12:39:57 GMT -5
I hate that 'sometimes it just happens' whatever happened to educating people a little about their own situation. There's nothing worse with going to a doctor and having them keep it all mysterious!
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Post by cherry on Jan 9, 2010 14:08:13 GMT -5
Sorry if the last reply yesterday came off as a telling off, I am just a bit worried about your bleeding situation and don't want you feeling like you have to make do when it could be something that needs to be looked at. It annoys me that there isn't much info post op and no one to ask about any post-op problems. I was hustled in to see my gynae on an emergency appointment made by an ER doctor, and even that took 2 weeks just for him to have to refer me for tests. Not very reassuring.
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Post by hellsbells on Jan 9, 2010 14:20:05 GMT -5
Aww Cherry no it just came over as you being concerned. In some ways I'm reluctant to ask about it because no-one in the so called medical community seems to think it's an issue. I'm going back to see gastro doc on Feb 2nd, now that I've had the endo diagnosis (gastro doc was quite sure the lap would show up nothing) the IBS and rectal pain and bleeding may be taken a bit more seriously. Perhaps. I have absolutely no faith in either or the GPs at the practice I'm registered with. I have the diagnosis now, but it's like....where do I go from here??
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Post by cherry on Jan 9, 2010 14:36:06 GMT -5
I know exactly what you mean! I think for a start, see if there are any recommended GPs (beware certain practices that only take appointment calls for 2 hours a day or have 2 week waits for appointments) cos that makes a world of difference. They're normally the nearest port of call so it's best to have a doc you can talk to. I'd leave my practice but they have a fab appointments system, my GP will do certain things when backed into a corner cos he's trying to look good (he seems to be pioneering every new system/rule going), and my fave GP is back off maternity soon. She saved me from going insane pre and post op. I think the most important thing is that she understood to a certain level and that made me feel like she honestly gave a crap about my general wellbeing. Beware though, not all women doctors are nice, they can actually be horrible because they think they know that period pain can't be THAT bad!
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Post by hellsbells on Jan 9, 2010 14:50:54 GMT -5
I'm going to do some research local practices and see if I can find one that has a GP who knows something about this disease. I actually mentioned endo to my GP, but because my ultrasound was clear he refused point blank to refer me to a gynae, hence the BUPA route. I'm very reluctant to see him again.
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