Post by katiepie on Dec 13, 2014 13:16:06 GMT -5
Hi,
I'm Kate, and I'm really glad to have found this forum. I'm 28, and living in Italy with my husband, though we don't speak much (if any) Italian. This is a long intro post, sorry for that :-) I've had a crazy few months,
After a year and a half of trying to conceive, we went to a gynecologist here about 6 weeks ago. She did a quick exam, and at the ultrasound, she told me i had to go to the hospital, I had endometriosis and several large cysts, which needed urgent surgery. Man. At that point I was actually thinking "woo! I get a few weeks off work!" What an idiot! Ha
I have always had heavy very painful periods. And back pain, and fatigue. And after being told by doctors that I'm fine I just kind of assumed ok, that's normal. Suck it up and stop whining. Then earlier this year I start to get stomach problems. Crazy cramps. Nausea everyday. Some SPECTACULAR bouts of vomiting in colleagues cars, and my bosses office, hahaha. After some random joint swelling I went to see a doctor with the Italian administrator from work. She had already decided that I either had arthritis (wtf) or that I had stressed myself into being sick. I did get much say in that appointment, but was told I had gastritis and colitis. Which accounted for all the symptoms, and it was because I got stressed easily. I didn't appreciate that haha.
I got put on a hugely restrictive diet, and some medication. And I don't know, definitely not 100% better, but different. Knowing (or thinking I knew) what it was meant I was a lot more relaxed about having to go throw up in the bathroom at work.
Anyway. Gynae 1 found a 12cm and a 9cm cyst. And it freaked her out. That I wasn't complaining more than anything I think.
Next morning we went to the hospital expecting to be admitted and not knowing anything. The hospital didn't know what to do with these 2 weird English people who couldn't talk to them without Google translate. So they got another Gynae (Gynae 2) to see me.
She spoke not a word of English. She looked over all the ultrasounds and then mimed to us with an anatomical model and the word surgery, cutting off my ovary. We both went white and then they started trying to find an English speaker.with the help of the internet and ringing our landlady who did some translation for us, we got the message. She believed surgery was too dangerous due to the size of the cysts. She wanted to start on meds to reduce the size, then operate when safe.
It started getting complicated then. We hadnt got around to registering as residents, and even though we have awesome insurance it got difficult with paperwork. We ended up being given the prescriptions and sent out to find a chemist, none of whom stocked it. So we ordered it, then had to pick it up and drive to her private practice as it was so late. We picked up my landlady on our way.
She started me on decapeptyl injections and visanne pills that day. And ordered me back in 10 days for a follow up ultrasound. And told me I had to quit smoking, stop all alcohol, try of to exercise, and I could only work in the office.
Those 10 days were horrible. I basically felt like I was going insane. I was emotional, hormonal, and I was stuck inside. Normally I'm outside being really active. Plus my boss was on holiday, so I couldn't talk to them about it, so I had I idea what was happening with work. My job you cannot do in an office. On day 9 he arrived back, and on day 10 he told me I could not work office. I had to be signed off sick, until I could work field again. To be fair, he was really good about it. He in no way deserved the onslaught on tears and snot that came his way. He asked me why I was crying. And I had no freaking clue.
I went to the doctors that night for the follow up. Feeling teary and unravelled, we went without the landlady. Gynae 2 eyed us in the waiting room then made us wait until one of her patients spoke English. She got them to wait outside in case she needed them haha. She got me on the table and did an ultrasound. Then sat us down very quietly, got in the girl from outside, and told us that the largest cyst had grown another 3cm in the 10 days, and it had to be removed urgently. it was distorting my uterus and other organs.
She told us to go home and go to hospital the next morning.
We left, my insurance company had told me I could have another opinion, and we met my landlady in the cafe under my flat. Suddenly our problems became my whole neighborhoods problems ? and our Italian friends and acquaintances started trying to contact the 3rd Gynae, and verify the credentials and reputations of Gynae 1 and 2, and the surgeon. Gynae 3 was away. Gynae 2 was confirmed to be excellent. As was the surgeon. I'm so thankful for their support and friendship that night. However little we understand each other :-D
Next day I was admitted, and sent for a load of tests. I had no idea what was happening haha. But I had felt that way for so long, I wasn't too fussed. They got nurses to stay on overtime so I could have mri's and x-Rays, then they stopped all food and water. The next day, I was almost restrained. If I stood up, a nurse would appear and verbally berate me in Italian. I was made to use a wheelchair. That was scary. No one knew what was happening and the doctors where in surgery. From what I understood, he would look at my latest results, and send orders back to the ward. Finally they came and wheeled me off to surgery, saying it was urgent. They told my husband I would be an hour. The surgeon told me that my landlady had found a mutual friend, and rung him at night, to tell him my ovaries were important (no joke, she did that! Haha). They told me they would do a laparoscopy to see what was going on, and if needed a laparotomy.
I was gone for 4 hours. The surgery took 3. I woke up in an absurd amount of pain. The surgeon, who didn't speak English told my landlady all the information. As well intentioned as she is, she didn't pass on 90% of the information. What I knew then was that the damage was a lot worse than expected. They removed 3/4 of my right ovary. And had to put everything else back in the right place.
The first few days I couldn't move. I had drains, catheters and drips, and any movement was agony. Day 3 they insisted I get out of bed, and that took 5 people. One nurse spoke enough English to explain that they had had to cut a lot of abdominal muscles. I stayed pretty much like that for 6 days. My arms started to bloat like balloons till I couldn't move my fingers anymore, because they were putting so much fluid through the drips. Doctors came by everyday, but didn't speak English. Eventually the anaesthetologist visited. He spoke English, and gave me his English Italian dictionary. 'We expect this to return, have children as soon as possible, go to the Gynae every month to 3 months'.
Next day I was unhooked, prodded till I popped and then discharged the day after. They gave me a letter, in Italian, summarizing my case. There were complications removing the cyst, massive bleeding. I had tough adhesions, sticking things together, and there were other cysts they could not excise due to the complications. A week later my bloods still were markedly out from the blood loss, despite the almost constant iron drips.
I was pissed my landlady had know this for a week.
I had to go back for serum blow outs a couple of times, and the last checkup with the surgeon he gave me the report on the cyst. Apparently it was 1 main huge cyst, with 6 other cysts inside it, and it was endo.
Gynae 2 visited me in hospital to tell me I had to start back on Decapeptyl and Visanne as soon as possible, that will be onTuesday next week.
2 weeks later Im walking,but not far. I danger around the flat and now I can get myself in and out of bed ok haha. Still no showers because, bandages. I hope she will remove onTuesday.
I have no idea what to expect next. It feels like I've been through some kind of trauma. I don't know what's going on, how to react, what's best and what isn't. I'm just kind of going with it.
One thing is for sure. I am NOT looking forward to going back on Decapeptyl and Visanne.
Any advice is welcomed, anyone who just wants to let me know I'm not alone and I'm not crazy, also, feel free :-) next job, watching those videos
Well done for getting to the end!!!!!!!!
I'm Kate, and I'm really glad to have found this forum. I'm 28, and living in Italy with my husband, though we don't speak much (if any) Italian. This is a long intro post, sorry for that :-) I've had a crazy few months,
After a year and a half of trying to conceive, we went to a gynecologist here about 6 weeks ago. She did a quick exam, and at the ultrasound, she told me i had to go to the hospital, I had endometriosis and several large cysts, which needed urgent surgery. Man. At that point I was actually thinking "woo! I get a few weeks off work!" What an idiot! Ha
I have always had heavy very painful periods. And back pain, and fatigue. And after being told by doctors that I'm fine I just kind of assumed ok, that's normal. Suck it up and stop whining. Then earlier this year I start to get stomach problems. Crazy cramps. Nausea everyday. Some SPECTACULAR bouts of vomiting in colleagues cars, and my bosses office, hahaha. After some random joint swelling I went to see a doctor with the Italian administrator from work. She had already decided that I either had arthritis (wtf) or that I had stressed myself into being sick. I did get much say in that appointment, but was told I had gastritis and colitis. Which accounted for all the symptoms, and it was because I got stressed easily. I didn't appreciate that haha.
I got put on a hugely restrictive diet, and some medication. And I don't know, definitely not 100% better, but different. Knowing (or thinking I knew) what it was meant I was a lot more relaxed about having to go throw up in the bathroom at work.
Anyway. Gynae 1 found a 12cm and a 9cm cyst. And it freaked her out. That I wasn't complaining more than anything I think.
Next morning we went to the hospital expecting to be admitted and not knowing anything. The hospital didn't know what to do with these 2 weird English people who couldn't talk to them without Google translate. So they got another Gynae (Gynae 2) to see me.
She spoke not a word of English. She looked over all the ultrasounds and then mimed to us with an anatomical model and the word surgery, cutting off my ovary. We both went white and then they started trying to find an English speaker.with the help of the internet and ringing our landlady who did some translation for us, we got the message. She believed surgery was too dangerous due to the size of the cysts. She wanted to start on meds to reduce the size, then operate when safe.
It started getting complicated then. We hadnt got around to registering as residents, and even though we have awesome insurance it got difficult with paperwork. We ended up being given the prescriptions and sent out to find a chemist, none of whom stocked it. So we ordered it, then had to pick it up and drive to her private practice as it was so late. We picked up my landlady on our way.
She started me on decapeptyl injections and visanne pills that day. And ordered me back in 10 days for a follow up ultrasound. And told me I had to quit smoking, stop all alcohol, try of to exercise, and I could only work in the office.
Those 10 days were horrible. I basically felt like I was going insane. I was emotional, hormonal, and I was stuck inside. Normally I'm outside being really active. Plus my boss was on holiday, so I couldn't talk to them about it, so I had I idea what was happening with work. My job you cannot do in an office. On day 9 he arrived back, and on day 10 he told me I could not work office. I had to be signed off sick, until I could work field again. To be fair, he was really good about it. He in no way deserved the onslaught on tears and snot that came his way. He asked me why I was crying. And I had no freaking clue.
I went to the doctors that night for the follow up. Feeling teary and unravelled, we went without the landlady. Gynae 2 eyed us in the waiting room then made us wait until one of her patients spoke English. She got them to wait outside in case she needed them haha. She got me on the table and did an ultrasound. Then sat us down very quietly, got in the girl from outside, and told us that the largest cyst had grown another 3cm in the 10 days, and it had to be removed urgently. it was distorting my uterus and other organs.
She told us to go home and go to hospital the next morning.
We left, my insurance company had told me I could have another opinion, and we met my landlady in the cafe under my flat. Suddenly our problems became my whole neighborhoods problems ? and our Italian friends and acquaintances started trying to contact the 3rd Gynae, and verify the credentials and reputations of Gynae 1 and 2, and the surgeon. Gynae 3 was away. Gynae 2 was confirmed to be excellent. As was the surgeon. I'm so thankful for their support and friendship that night. However little we understand each other :-D
Next day I was admitted, and sent for a load of tests. I had no idea what was happening haha. But I had felt that way for so long, I wasn't too fussed. They got nurses to stay on overtime so I could have mri's and x-Rays, then they stopped all food and water. The next day, I was almost restrained. If I stood up, a nurse would appear and verbally berate me in Italian. I was made to use a wheelchair. That was scary. No one knew what was happening and the doctors where in surgery. From what I understood, he would look at my latest results, and send orders back to the ward. Finally they came and wheeled me off to surgery, saying it was urgent. They told my husband I would be an hour. The surgeon told me that my landlady had found a mutual friend, and rung him at night, to tell him my ovaries were important (no joke, she did that! Haha). They told me they would do a laparoscopy to see what was going on, and if needed a laparotomy.
I was gone for 4 hours. The surgery took 3. I woke up in an absurd amount of pain. The surgeon, who didn't speak English told my landlady all the information. As well intentioned as she is, she didn't pass on 90% of the information. What I knew then was that the damage was a lot worse than expected. They removed 3/4 of my right ovary. And had to put everything else back in the right place.
The first few days I couldn't move. I had drains, catheters and drips, and any movement was agony. Day 3 they insisted I get out of bed, and that took 5 people. One nurse spoke enough English to explain that they had had to cut a lot of abdominal muscles. I stayed pretty much like that for 6 days. My arms started to bloat like balloons till I couldn't move my fingers anymore, because they were putting so much fluid through the drips. Doctors came by everyday, but didn't speak English. Eventually the anaesthetologist visited. He spoke English, and gave me his English Italian dictionary. 'We expect this to return, have children as soon as possible, go to the Gynae every month to 3 months'.
Next day I was unhooked, prodded till I popped and then discharged the day after. They gave me a letter, in Italian, summarizing my case. There were complications removing the cyst, massive bleeding. I had tough adhesions, sticking things together, and there were other cysts they could not excise due to the complications. A week later my bloods still were markedly out from the blood loss, despite the almost constant iron drips.
I was pissed my landlady had know this for a week.
I had to go back for serum blow outs a couple of times, and the last checkup with the surgeon he gave me the report on the cyst. Apparently it was 1 main huge cyst, with 6 other cysts inside it, and it was endo.
Gynae 2 visited me in hospital to tell me I had to start back on Decapeptyl and Visanne as soon as possible, that will be onTuesday next week.
2 weeks later Im walking,but not far. I danger around the flat and now I can get myself in and out of bed ok haha. Still no showers because, bandages. I hope she will remove onTuesday.
I have no idea what to expect next. It feels like I've been through some kind of trauma. I don't know what's going on, how to react, what's best and what isn't. I'm just kind of going with it.
One thing is for sure. I am NOT looking forward to going back on Decapeptyl and Visanne.
Any advice is welcomed, anyone who just wants to let me know I'm not alone and I'm not crazy, also, feel free :-) next job, watching those videos
Well done for getting to the end!!!!!!!!