annie
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Post by annie on Jun 4, 2006 13:33:12 GMT -5
I'm having a laparoscopy next month to check if my problems are endometriosis but they are also doing a cervical dilation to supopsedly make my periods less painful, the doctor said that when i have a period I am having the same sort of events going on as in labour - I'm sure most of you can appreciate what this feels like! I am just wondering has anybody had this procedure and does it work? Does it hurt? Are there any complications or things I should be ready for after surgery like my next period? Any help you can give would be great, I am so nervous about this! I'm even scared of needles so all of this stuff is like a nightmare to me! Thanks! Annie
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Post by ouchy on Jun 4, 2006 14:20:45 GMT -5
Wow!!! That sounds awesome! Maybe I should talk to my gyne. about that! He said I have a really small cervix. I wonder if having my cervix widened would help w/ blood clots/cramps. I notice that my contraction-like cramps happen the most when I pass blood clots. Is this something like what you experience? It puts me on the floor in pain. I literally drop to the floor.
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annie
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Post by annie on Jun 4, 2006 14:24:36 GMT -5
Exactly like that! On the floor don't know where to hold rolling about like an idiot and panting! I do get clots too, loads of em, I've even had a similar experience to your baby in the bath fiasco! If it helps I will be over the moon but I can imagine that its really going to hurt especially when I have my first period. I don't think my intercourse can get any more painful! Hope somebody has had this but if not I will let you know about it next month when I've had it
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Post by ouchy on Jun 4, 2006 14:36:08 GMT -5
Same sypmtoms I have had! Good luck w/ the procedure, and let me know how it goes!!!
BTW, if you are currently on birth control, stop taking it before the lap. This way, the endometriosis will grow on its own (birth control pills supress it), and your doctor has a better chance of seeing it, if it is growing on its own, and he can burn more of it and find some he wouldn't see if you were on the pill. ...I wish I would have been off of the pill before my last lap!!!
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annie
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Post by annie on Jun 4, 2006 14:51:31 GMT -5
Well I never knew that! I am so scared of stopping it, I last had a period 2 and a half months ago because they are that bad and I'm so busy with my course I don't get to have time for periods! I guess i'll have to make time. I don't know if he's going to burn any of it this time because it is my first one but I guess it will show extent of it better. I'll get brave and stop my pill is a month ok without it? (thanks for the tip by the way)
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Post by ouchy on Jun 4, 2006 15:45:23 GMT -5
If endometriosis is found, I hope your doc does something with it the first time! Be sure to ask your doc what he/she plans to do if he/she finds endo. Also, from my experience (I did not know this at the time...) it would be good to discuss different places endo can be found and what you are willing to let the doc. take out and what you are not willing to let go.
I said no to any reproductive organs, and I wrote that on my consent form. I think I scared the doctor, so when he found endometriosis on my appendix, he just burned it, instead of removing my appendix (even though it is not a reproductive organ). During my second lap, my appendix was reaffected, and had by that time flipped up and backward and glued itself to my cecum (part of intestine right above appendix). SO...had my doc just taken my appendix out to begin with, I would most likely not have endometriosis in that region of my body. I had it scheduled to have my appendix removed during my second lap...and they almost had to cut me open to get it out, because it was so covered and glued to other organs due to endo. I'm sure a lot of other women can give more advice on things to ask your doc. In fact, I'm going to start a thread on it in the surgical post room--things to ask your doc prior to having a lap.
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annie
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Post by annie on Jun 4, 2006 16:08:10 GMT -5
My main problem with my doctor is because I am training to be a doctor he thinks I know everything about what he is going to do what is involved and all of the risks. I definately don't want to lose any of my reproductive organs, I am only 19 and I will be trying to have children when the time is right. I wish I could see him again before the procedure but i wont get the chance. I'm sure everything will work out
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Post by erzulie on Jun 4, 2006 18:47:30 GMT -5
You know, you could know everything about what he should do, but that doesn't mean you'll know what he is going to do. If you read laparoscopy experiences from different people on here you'll find they vary tremendously. Just tell him you'd like to know what he personally intends to do. Some doctors do just go in to have a look, which is a stupid waste of time. You need that stuff taken out of you!!! What's the sense in just looking around in there to tell you what the problem is??? I'd say don't go through with it if he insists on doing it that way. There's no point in putting your body through that just to be told what you already expected. Surgeries aren't good for your body. Each one generates scar tissue, so you've got to get the most out of it every time. Also next time he gives you the "don't-you-already-know-everything" attitude, perhaps you should ask him if he knew all he knows now when he was 19. If he says no (and he'll be lying if he doesn't), ask him why he expects you to know everything he knows in that case. At your age you can't have been to much med school yet, and even if you'd just finished you would have years to go before you could call yourself an experienced doctor. It's logical to expect him to know WAY more about this than you do, and to be asking him a lot of questions. I can't imagine why he's treating you this way, unless maybe he has some kind of sexism issues. Perhaps he doens't think women are smart enough to be doctors. Perhaps he just feels like being an arrogant jerk. Either way, you shouldn't have to put up with it!
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Post by ouchy on Jun 4, 2006 22:01:30 GMT -5
I agree with erzulie. I actually think that if the doctor won't give you a straight answer ...regardless of the fact that you intend to become a doctor and he wants to "quizz" you...then you should find another one. Don't rely on what you "think" he might do. If he doesn't have time to see you before your surgery, call his office and request that he call you back... he shoudl at least be able to talk to you. If he doesn't have time to call you back from now until next month before your surgery is scheduled, then how can you think that you can count on him should you happen to have complications after surgery and need him? Think twice. If a doctor gives you the "ah-oh" feeling...stick with your gut!!! It is better to wait the endo out and find a doctor with whom you are comfortable doing the surgery and has fully answered your questions/concerns than to just go and get it done by someone who doesn't have your best welfare at heart. Also would be good to ask him how many laparoscopies he does a month on average and his average of finding women w/ endometriosis out of those laps he performs. If he can't give you straight answers, I would not have confidence in him to do the job in the first place, because that means he is not that familiar w/ the procedure he is supposed to do on YOU!!! You are planning on becoming a doctor. Hold this doctor to the same level of integrity to which you would have your patients hold you!
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annie
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Post by annie on Jun 5, 2006 10:07:48 GMT -5
Thanks for your replies, I think I will call his sec next week to discuss things with him. He said he was very familiar with endometriosis so I presume he will be ok. I actually work at the hospital where I'm getting it done but in another set of theatres and my boyfriends mum is the main staff nurse, she knows him very well and when I told her he was looking after me she said I was very lucky! I told her what he had been like and she was really surprised, maybe he was just having an off day! I'm that desparate to get things sorted now I can't wait for another consultant, I have 5 exams in 4 weeks then my surgery after that and then Im back to uni so it's pretty much a rush to get through this. Today I've tried to not use my painkillers for the first time in weeks because I just get too out of it to work but I'm struggling a bit now! I'm scared I'm going to get tolerant to them and then be left with nothing
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Post by erzulie on Jun 5, 2006 11:15:26 GMT -5
Here's an article I found that seems to be talking about soemthing similar to what you're having done: womenshealth.about.com/cs/surgery/a/d_and_c_2.htmI have heard people talking about a D&C before and never had an idea what they meant. Now I know! I hate it when people use abbreviations out of context so only the initiated know what they're talking about.
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annie
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Post by annie on Jun 5, 2006 11:32:43 GMT -5
Thanks for the link, it does help. I have heard people talk about d and c and asked my mum, about it (she's had all sorts of problems like this and endo so I thought she might have had it too) but she hadn't had it. Apparently it is common but he didn't say he was doing d and c just a dilation but I suppose he might take a few specimens too just to be sure.
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Post by Janet on Jun 7, 2006 7:38:58 GMT -5
I am not familiar with just dilating the cervix either, I would assume a D&C. I would ask alot of questions because just dilating your cervix wouldn't seem to do much, it should just close back up. LIke when it dilates for pregnancy (and it dilates a little each month with your period), it closes back up when its done. I'm not sure why dilating would work for more than say a week, but if its a d&c maybe he's trying to just clean it out and start over.
Good Luck.
Janet
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Post by baby bonnet on Jul 18, 2006 12:55:32 GMT -5
Just in case anyone is still not sure weather the cervix closes up after Dialation - After my D & C, I was instructed on NO Whoohoo for about 1 month. The reason for this was that I had to give my cervix time to close back up so that Whoohooing wouldn't cause an infection in my cervix.
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