Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2013 9:52:03 GMT -5
Hi - I'm Rachel, and I'm 39. I am a very reserved, shy, and generally private person, and this is the first forum I have ever participated in - but my pain and other symptoms have become such that I see the value in the support and knowledge I can glean from the amazing people I have observed on this forum. I have been lurking around this board for several days and I am already so thankful for the wealth of information that is included in the endo-resolved web site and from all of the members of this forum. I have been faced with the possibility of endometriosis only very recently, but looking back, I think I have probably been struggling with this for years.
In early June of this year, I visited my doctor complaining that I had a sharp pain in my lower back on the right side that would occasionally move around to the front. I thought maybe I had a kidney stone, since my Dad has problems with them. My doctor (who I absolutely love) checked me out, ran some urine tests, and scheduled me for a CT scan. The CT scan came back abnormal, showing fluid in the vicinity of my right ovary. The radiologist speculated that I had an ovarian cyst which ruptured. My doctor explained that since the cyst had ruptured, I would probably begin to have relief from my pain within a week or two, as my body absorbed the fluid. When the pain did not go away, I went back. She sent me to a GI, who had me come in for a colonoscopy (fun!). When that came back normal, he suggested I see a gynecologist. My gynecologist saw me that week, felt around, checked the placement of my Mirena iud, and said the iud looked find and was not the cause of my pain. He said to give it a couple more weeks and come back in if I was still in pain. So, in the meantime, my family doctor asked the GI to look at my case again and see if he could think of anything else. They scheduled a HIDA scan to check my gallbladder and found that it was only functioning at 17%. I had no idea my gallbladder was a problem - I didn't have any of the symptoms of gallbladder disease or stones. When they did the CT scan earlier in the summer, they indicated that there were no kidney stones or gallstones. They scheduled me to meet with a general surgeon to see if he would recommend surgery to remove the gallbladder. In the meantime, I went back to my gynecologist for my follow-up and during my pelvic exam, he was able to reproduce the pain and said that he also felt a "mass" behind my left ovary. By this time, the pain had changed - I was feeling the original pain and was also feeling pain on the left side and beginning to feel discomfort in my upper abdomen on both sides. It was bad enough that my family doctor prescribed some vidodin to get by by until they could "figure me out". So, my gynecologist said he suspects endometriosis and wants to perform a lap to look around and to remove any lesions or adhesions he finds. That afternoon I met with the general surgeon about my gallbladder, and he recommended that since my pain seemed gynecological, we should just wait on the gallbladder - especially since there were no stones.
I was scheduled to have my lap procedure on August 28 (my husband's birthday!), then very early the Monday before, I ended up in the ER in the worst pain I had ever experienced and vomiting bile uncontrollably. The pain was in my upper right quadrant, and I immediately suspected it was my gallbladder. The ER confirmed it was my gallbladder and that it was "full" of stones and very inflamed. So, instead of my lap for the endometriosis on the 28th, I had my gallbladder taken out on that date. Unfortunately, we could not schedule both for the same time because the doctors did not use the same facilities.
The gallbladder surgery went great and now I have rescheduled the original lap procedure for next Friday, October 4th. I am thankful to have gone through the gallbladder surgery to know a little about what to expect, but I am still very nervous. I cannot wait to get the official diagnosis so I can justify the pain I have been experiencing every day. I live on my heating pad and I take vicodin when I just have to. Just as aggravating as the pain are the bowel and urinary symptoms. I alternate between cases of diarrhea and severe constipation and it hurts after I go, no matter what. I have for as long as I can remember suffered with diarrhea just before the start of my period each month. I thought that was normal... I never tied my constipation to my cycle nor my very frequent urge to urinate and the pain I experience after I do.
I have learned so much from all of you, and I sincerely appreciate that you have shared your experiences to help us newbies become better informed. Thanks so much for reading my long introduction!
In early June of this year, I visited my doctor complaining that I had a sharp pain in my lower back on the right side that would occasionally move around to the front. I thought maybe I had a kidney stone, since my Dad has problems with them. My doctor (who I absolutely love) checked me out, ran some urine tests, and scheduled me for a CT scan. The CT scan came back abnormal, showing fluid in the vicinity of my right ovary. The radiologist speculated that I had an ovarian cyst which ruptured. My doctor explained that since the cyst had ruptured, I would probably begin to have relief from my pain within a week or two, as my body absorbed the fluid. When the pain did not go away, I went back. She sent me to a GI, who had me come in for a colonoscopy (fun!). When that came back normal, he suggested I see a gynecologist. My gynecologist saw me that week, felt around, checked the placement of my Mirena iud, and said the iud looked find and was not the cause of my pain. He said to give it a couple more weeks and come back in if I was still in pain. So, in the meantime, my family doctor asked the GI to look at my case again and see if he could think of anything else. They scheduled a HIDA scan to check my gallbladder and found that it was only functioning at 17%. I had no idea my gallbladder was a problem - I didn't have any of the symptoms of gallbladder disease or stones. When they did the CT scan earlier in the summer, they indicated that there were no kidney stones or gallstones. They scheduled me to meet with a general surgeon to see if he would recommend surgery to remove the gallbladder. In the meantime, I went back to my gynecologist for my follow-up and during my pelvic exam, he was able to reproduce the pain and said that he also felt a "mass" behind my left ovary. By this time, the pain had changed - I was feeling the original pain and was also feeling pain on the left side and beginning to feel discomfort in my upper abdomen on both sides. It was bad enough that my family doctor prescribed some vidodin to get by by until they could "figure me out". So, my gynecologist said he suspects endometriosis and wants to perform a lap to look around and to remove any lesions or adhesions he finds. That afternoon I met with the general surgeon about my gallbladder, and he recommended that since my pain seemed gynecological, we should just wait on the gallbladder - especially since there were no stones.
I was scheduled to have my lap procedure on August 28 (my husband's birthday!), then very early the Monday before, I ended up in the ER in the worst pain I had ever experienced and vomiting bile uncontrollably. The pain was in my upper right quadrant, and I immediately suspected it was my gallbladder. The ER confirmed it was my gallbladder and that it was "full" of stones and very inflamed. So, instead of my lap for the endometriosis on the 28th, I had my gallbladder taken out on that date. Unfortunately, we could not schedule both for the same time because the doctors did not use the same facilities.
The gallbladder surgery went great and now I have rescheduled the original lap procedure for next Friday, October 4th. I am thankful to have gone through the gallbladder surgery to know a little about what to expect, but I am still very nervous. I cannot wait to get the official diagnosis so I can justify the pain I have been experiencing every day. I live on my heating pad and I take vicodin when I just have to. Just as aggravating as the pain are the bowel and urinary symptoms. I alternate between cases of diarrhea and severe constipation and it hurts after I go, no matter what. I have for as long as I can remember suffered with diarrhea just before the start of my period each month. I thought that was normal... I never tied my constipation to my cycle nor my very frequent urge to urinate and the pain I experience after I do.
I have learned so much from all of you, and I sincerely appreciate that you have shared your experiences to help us newbies become better informed. Thanks so much for reading my long introduction!