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Post by Cheryl on Nov 12, 2006 4:10:25 GMT -5
A week and a half ago I had an ultrasound, and they found five 'small' cysts on my right ovary and two 'very large' ones on my left ovary - the doctors think they are blood-filled endometriomas. My regular OB warned me that there's a good chance I'll have to have my left ovary removed.
I have a laparoscopy scheduled for two and a half weeks from now, but I'm meeting the surgeon (the Chief of OB surgery) in three days. They are going to investigate how extensive the endo is (I also have sciatica, so I'm hoping it's caused by the endo and they can do something about it!), and remove as much as they can. I have some questions though and can't wait to ask the surgeon!
My OB also warned me that they may need to switch to a laparotomy if they can't get to everything. At what point do they decide to switch from a laparoscopy to a laparotomy? Do they decide to switch based on how big the cysts are? It looks like several other posters have had large cysts removed via laparoscopy - how is this done? Do they drain the cysts first and then remove the tissue? Do they do a laparotomy based solely on endo location?
I'm worried about surgery in the first place. I know I need it, especially since endo is causing me to be infertile. But I'm especially worried about possibly having a laparotomy.
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Post by ouchy on Nov 12, 2006 11:24:30 GMT -5
I think a doc. has to swtich to a laparotomy when the endometriosis is too severe to remove laparoscopically.
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Post by erzulie on Nov 12, 2006 12:24:27 GMT -5
I think there are two situations that would make them likely to switch to laparotomy: 1. If there is such a huge mess that they really can't see what they're doing with the little camera. It would be better in that case to just open you up, and easier to get at everything too. 2. If you had so much scar tissue that a laparoscopy was literally impossible, though this would be unkiley if you've never had surgery before.
Also, doctors take different approaches to removing cysts, so it would be a good idea to ask your doctor about this before the surgery! Some doctors will just drain the cyst and leave the tissue, which isn't a good idea (some people have found that was what was done when the doctor said s/he had "removed" the cyst)! Some (I think probably most) doctors do what you described, but that's not really the best approach either. It is possible to remove the cyst in such a way that is does not drain into your body, and that is the best approach even if it is extra trouble, because in the unlikely event that there were cancerous cells in the cyst, draining it inside your body would be the equivalent of killing you! Cysts are rarely cancerous but since they can be it's a good precaution to take.
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Post by denna on Nov 13, 2006 21:36:13 GMT -5
hi cheryl
i had a laparotomy and both ouchy and erzulie answer are correct.mine was a stage 3 endo and it too them 2 hours to get rid of all ( i hope) scar tissue. don't worry too much.it's better to get rid of it otherwise you will nedd to undergo few laparoscopies later on. if it does happened to you you can always pm me.i'll help in anyway i can. in my case i was expecting it because i've been having a very pain abdomen cramp for the past few month prior of my diagnosis. anyway, all the best...we are here to support you.btw how long have you tried to conceive?
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Post by akcheryl on Nov 14, 2006 10:52:02 GMT -5
erzulie - I'm meeting with my surgeon today, and don't worry, I'm going to make it VERY clear that I want the cysts totally excised! (Of course I'll tell him in a nice way!)
denna - My husband and I have been trying for a year. I'm 24 and have never been pregnant before. And even though we've only been really trying for a year, I've never been on any form of birth control and we've been together seven and a half years and before trying we were only half-hearted about using protection before (since we know we're both healthy as far as STDs go).
My mom had stage 4 endo that was found during an appendectomy (when the dr. saw the endo he removed as much as he could). Later, she went back for another surgery and had her left ovary removed due to a cyst the size of a grapefruit. She also had her right ovary half removed.
I've read that women who have a first-degree relative (a sister, and esp. a mother) with endo tend to have more severe forms of the disease. The things that give me hope are: 1) Even though she only had 1/2 an ovary, my mom had me and my brother (I was born about three years after her ovaries were removed, and she had been told she had no chance of getting pregnant outside a six-month postop window). 2) My mom's endo hasn't seemed to bother her since menopause (although she has a lot of IBS-like symptoms still).
I'm just hoping to get through this surgery and not have a lot of postop pain, which makes me even more scared of a laparotomy. I'm just really freaked out about waking up with stitches in my bellybutton, plus 2 or 3 small incisions and another large incision from them having to open me completely up. Plus, I already know there's a good chance that I'll wake up without an ovary on my left side, which I'm trying to prepare myself for, but I'm already on Prozac because I'm so highstrung and anxious about everything (esp. infertility). I don't know how well I'll handle waking up with a bunch of stitches everywhere.
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Post by needadvise on Nov 18, 2006 11:04:16 GMT -5
those are my fears to, and the reasons i have been skating around the lap idea altogther, cause of fear of the unknown. what might i wake up to? how bad will it be? how many incisions? i also have never been on any form of BC and should have had 20 kids by now, if i were fertile from my first long term relationship on. i have had 3, and they all were monogomous, and anything culd have happened. we are on cycle 14 of trying naturally now, and nothing is happening.
i was hoping a less invasive procedure called an HSG might show something, if i had it, or at least show something to cause my pain other then endo, but it didn't...iam all clear and my hsg is normal, which is good in some ways, but in another way if something could be seen, i wish it would have been, if i have something awful wrong. i know my pain isn't normal, and i have had ibs forever, and my mom had endo, and pain, not as often as me though, which scares me, as she had everything taken out quite young, which i can't even think about.
right now iam just hoping natural ttc post my cleansing yesterday will get me pregnant. my drs aren't pushing for the lap, but more pushing to get me pregnant, which is kind of odd, but i'd rather be pregnant yes, but what if i can't do it cause of endo? i don't want it to be too late, but the surgery scares me, and the waking up to not knowing, and finding out, is freaky to me.
i just wish there were some other way:(
gl hon...iam sure you will be ok. also good luck ttc as well.
hugs, michelle
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