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Post by pickles on Jan 23, 2008 4:48:02 GMT -5
I will be 29 in a few weeks. I've had 6 laps. The last one was in September? -Sorry 3:30 in the morning and I don't have my pocket calender in front of me. That surgery was to correct the surgery done in July by a doc who had no business opening me up. *That surgery was in July? It was a dr who I thought knew endo, but she obviously didn't. She went in, did a tubal dye study, took some pictures and closed me up. Nothing was treated.* The surgeries started when I was 16 and diagnosed with endo, and I had one when I was 18, 20, 22, and then 2 when I as 28- a few months apart. The last 2 surgeries were 100 times better than the others I remember. I was up and moving around like nothing by the end of day 2. The anti nausea meds they gave me this last time to keep me from vomiting I think really really helped a lot. I was not as groggy as I remembered. Course we had a 2 hour drive home which I probably slept most of the way. My right ovary has always caused me problems. The adhesions get to it and tie it up and cause a lot of pain. The last few times I have been in, they have said we'll just take it out if it is like that again. To that I say, it it ain't broke don't fix it! Leave it alone please- thank you! So they wrap it up with some type of dressing and leave it alone. The first 4 surgeries I have always had a lot of adhesions found both on the ovary and elsewhere. The past 2 there were hardly any, which surprised me since it has been 6 years since the last surgery. There was some endo, but no adhesions which is good. The June? surgery she said my fallopian tube was blocked and took pictures of the endo, but didn't do anything else. My surgery was delayed 3 hours and I think she was probably rushed and just didn't say anything, which is why she didn't treat any of it. I almost got a 2nd opinion by my old endo dr who did the 2 of my other surgeries, but I didn't. I should have. Listen to your gut! When I did go back to the good endo doc, after the blocked tube was given to me. It was just to look at the pictures she took and to see what kind of treatment he would recommend. He suggested surgery so we went in in right away september? before my insurance changed again. He lasered all the endo which is normally his method of treatment. I had some down near my bowel, and in an area he said causes women pain with sex usually. He since has of course recommended Lupron- a continuous tx of it until I am ready to have children, which I am seriously considering now. I decided that financially and due to my own hesitations not to go on Lupron again. I just can't afford it and with everything else going on in my life, I don't need to add to the crazy. So we switched my BCP again to Ortho Cept, but I am taking the generic APRI. It seems to have helped TONS. my boobs have gotten bigger by over a cup size. The headaches have come back, but I think that is the stress, and not the pill. Still investigating that. The best advise I can give is to really research docs and find a good one. Even if you have to drive a few hours to see them, like I do. Find a good one who knows their stuff. If we moved to Texas, I would fly up here to see him, he is that good. And if your gut is telling you... um hold on here. LISTEN TO IT!! I should've, but didn't and thank goodness it only cost me another surgery and not anything else. I have some friends with endo near my home who complain their dr isn't doing anything for them. I have told them you need to research this yourself. It is very time consuming, and it can be costly with some treatments that you can try yourself- herbs, food changes, books, acupuncture or other therapy. But you have to do a lot of the footwork yourself. That is the only way you will ensure you are getting all the answers. Good luck. I hope those of you struggling will find the help you need and have a little less pain. DON'T GIVE UP!!
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Post by kaitlynblunt on Feb 14, 2008 22:09:44 GMT -5
YAY! had my second surgery to clean me up and feeling way better. Diagnosed at 16 with a laproscope and i went to college in septemeber into a really stressful course were we had 9 tests in one week. i'm only suppose to have my period once a year and i ended up getting it 6 times in the first 2 months i was there... painful and not cool. I called my doctor back up and booked in, i obviously couldnt stay in the program or i would just get worse even with surgery so i dropped out. i had the surgery and feeling good. I enrolled at a different college that is close enough i can stay at home to keep me stable and comute. Thank goodness for my amazing doctor. I had a faster recovery then the first time especially knowing what to expect. I did have a bit of a reaction to the one medication after a few days i got severly depressed and starting running a fever. Luckily since i was rather out of it my mom made me go off of it and just stick to Tylenol. Thank goodness for the technology now a days and the tiny scars im left with. It's the scariest thing to let yourself be put under and not know when or if you re going to wake up i dont know how i managed to do it again.
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Post by melissa1012 on Apr 1, 2008 16:54:02 GMT -5
Hi Canadian12, How are you feeling now? I had a lap on March 12th and had severe endo, bladder, uterus, ovary, ureter, etc...the gyno said the most severe case she has seen in 17 yrs of practice. I am 41 years old and still feel lousy, tired all the time, pain in my back, lower abdomen. Will this subside? I am a person who is fit and loves to work out and I have been unable to do anything except short walks....I am so frustrated. Please any advice.
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Post by ouchy on Apr 1, 2008 19:13:49 GMT -5
(This is posted on the first page of this thread.)
Note to all posters: Please don't post opinions about procedures done on other people, give advice, or make off-topic posts, etc. This thread is for stories regarding your own laparoscopy so that other women might find a wonderfully compiled wealth of info regarding peoples' experiences with having a lap--and only that. Thanks.
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Post by mattyspea on Apr 24, 2008 22:53:44 GMT -5
I had my first lap on March 11 this year. It wasn't bad at all. I only had 2 little incisions..one in my belly button and one along the pubic line. My doctor removed 2 spots of endo and said everything else looked good. I was fortunate, I didn't get the shoulder pain that so many people do. I was off work for 3 days and felt better immediately after surgery. Hope this helps calm someones fears and gives them hope.
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Post by kaalkaj on Jun 14, 2008 10:06:31 GMT -5
I had my first lap yesterday. It took 3 monthes to get to the point of having one.
I started out with my normal family doctor who diagnosed IBS. I had numerous trips to the emergency room for the extreme pain where I had a ct scan, transvaginal ultrasound, x-rays, colonoscopy, endoscopy, and a special test that took pictures of my gallbladder during a 4 day hospital stay. The only things these test showed was some cysts in my liver and erosions of my stomach lining.
I switched from my family doctor who I had been seeing since I was 3 years old to an Internist who my mother was seeing. He did multiple blood tests couldn't find anything other than raised liver enzymes. I called him one day after my husband and I had made love because of the pain I felt during and after. He said that I should contact a gynocologist. Which I did.
I was lucky and they scheduled an appt. for the next day for me to see the gyno. I took ALL my records with me to the appt. and he actually looked at them before he came into the room. Wow! ~SHOCK, GASP~ LOL He sat down and talked with me going over my symptoms and questioning me closely about the pain. He then did a pap smear and a pelvic exam. The manipulation of my uterus really really hurt. I was quite vocal about it. He had me get dressed again and then came back in to talk. He thought it was endometriosis. He wanted to try a 6 wk. course of hormones and gave me 2 packages of nuvoring. He talked about what it did and how it would hopefully help. Informing me that while its directions stated to leave it in for 3 weeks then take it out for the fourth week to have a period. He wanted me to leave it in all 4 weeks and then replace with a new ring immediatly to stop my menses.
The first week it was in I was still in pain and then the 2nd and part of the 3rd week I was pain free for the first time in 3 monthes. I was so happy! I scheduled my return to work. Cleaned my house from top to bottom. Went bike riding and played with my son. I thought that my prayers had been answered. Then halfway through the 3rd week my pain returned and with a vengence. I was devastated! To have my pain totally gone and then for it to return it was horrible! I double checked the calendar just to be sure and when I saw that it was the week before my period I slid down the wall and just started balling. I called the gyno and they scheduled me an appt. for the next day. Went in and the gyno siad okay its time for a lap. Got it scheduled in about a week and a half.
The day before I wasn't allowed to have anything solid or any milk products. I also had to do an enema the night before and the morning of. That was no fun. They hurt something fierce. Even popping 325/5 percocets and 100 mg tramadols every 4 hours wasn't slaking the pain. At midnight I had to stop taking the pain meds that was pure agony. I cried myself to sleep only to wake up a half hour later from the pain. The heating pad didn't help. Nothing did.
My mother picked me up at 10 am and we took my son to his great grandparents then headed to the hospital. The gyno had scheduled the pre-op testing for the same day so I had to be there 2 hours before my surgery time. They had all my information so registration was a breeze. The nurse came out at 11 a.m. and took me back had me undress nad put on the backless gown and their slipper socks (which I loved and took home with me). The nurse numbed the site for my iv and then inserted it so I could get hydrated She also took blood samples when she put in the i.v. The bowel prep had really dehydrated me. Between the stress, pain, no sleep the night before and dehydration I was exhausted. They gave me a warming blanket to put over my abdomen to help with the pain and I dozed off after answering their questions and giving a urine specimen.
Between noon and 12:30 the anastesiaologist (sp?) the assisting resident, O.R. nurse and the anest. nurse all came and talked to me. I informed them that I normally got sick after surgery and they made notes to give me an anitnausea med. They also made notes that I still had my nuvoring in. At 12:35 I was wheeled up to the O.R. Man was it bright! The helped me to the other bed and covered me with a blanket after getting me properly situated. The anest. gave me something to relax me and then placed an oxygen mask on my face but not securely over my nose and mouth. I remember him telling me it would smell like plastic. Thats the last I remember till I woke up in the recovery room at 2:30 p.m.
Waking up sucked! Pure and simple. I was shaking like mad, my teeth were chattering and was in pain. Our recovery room had a nurse assigned to each patient and they stayed with you at all times. She immediately gave me a shot of morphine through the i.v. for the pain while I was trying to focus, then she gave me a shot of demerol through the i.v. to stop the shaking. It worked and by 2:45 I was alert and comfortable. I asked if the cathater was still in cause I felt like I had to go pee and she said no that she had removed it a couple of minutes before I woke up. I told her I had to pee and she kinda chuckled. Said it was probalby because my urethra was still adjusting to the cath being removed that to just give it a few minutes and the sensation of having to pee would go away. I did and it didn't she said I wasn't allowed out of bed yet and brought me a bed pan. She was very suprised when I did go pee. I had coughed a couple of times already so I asked her that since I had coughed and gone pee if I could go home. I am a smoker and had not had a cigarette since midnight so I was nic'ing pretty bad. She laughed and said no. I had to go into the other recovery room first and she wanted me to stay in her recovery room for another half hour. I watched the clock and 5 minutes before the half hour was up I asked to be transferred again. She said that I still had 15 minutes and I said oh no you said a half hour at 2:45 it is now 3:10 I've got 5 minutes. She looked suprise and looked at the clock and told me I was right. She then finished up any tests she needed to do, called the other recovery room and at 3:15 I was being wheeled to it.
Once in the other recovery room my mother was allowed to come back and sit with me. I asked to go home again and the new nurse said that I had to get up and walk a little bit so I said fine, hand me a pillow. They did and I pressed it gently against my belly and slowly got up. I had to go pee again so the nurse styaed at my side while I walked to the bathroom. It was a bent back, shuffling walk but I got there. Sat down and went pee. Used the nurse call button thingy for help standing up again and went back to my bed. I said okay now I walked, went pee and coughed can I go home now. She said sure and went about disconnecting my i.v. I got dressed on my own. I did it slowly careful of the soreness. The nurse came back with my homegoing instructions and pain med script. She also told me to stick to a bland liquid diet and I was wheeled out to where the car was wiating. The car ride home sucked. So many bumps in the road! Mom told me about what the doctor had found and that he said that if I was hungry to go ahead and eat not to worry about hte liquid diet.
We stopped and got my son and then went back to mom's house where I am staying while I recover from the surgery. I used a pillow to press to my belly while getting out of the car and made it inside to teh couch. I still wasn't in horrible pain and the pain was different it wasn't the pain I had been having before. We got home around 4:30 p.m. and my mother needed a nap as did I so we crashed out for an hour. She wasn't up to cooking dinner and I sure wasn't so we ended up ordering out. After 24 hours of not eating it tasted soooooooo good! I took a percocet around quarter to 6 p.m. and then relaxed on teh couch till about quarter to nine. Mom helped me to bed. I sleep on my side and used a pillow to prop between my legs. I only have one incision and it is IN my belly button. While I am very sore on the right side of my abdomen and down low basically right where my c-section scar is I was able to sleep on my side. I got up pretty much every 4 hours due to pain, needing to go pee or thirst. I took a pain pill each time I woke up. Finally got up for good around 10 this morning. I am sore and walking bent over but this pain is totally managable compared to what I was going through before the lap.
The doctor burned off the scarring from my c-section 8 years ago and also burned off a couple of spots he found on my uterus. He took before and after color pictures of my uterus and the c-section scarring. He also took pictures of my liver, appendix, right and left ovary. They are kinda cool to see. He took 2 biopsies from my uterus and scarring. I have bowel issues and I do not know if he looked at my bowels. I don't remember speaking with him before or after the procedure but he spoke with my mother. He told her that he suspected it could be endo, an infection or chronic pelvic pain, but that he had to wait for the pathology to come back before he could be certain. If it is endo or an infection he will treat me but if its chronic pelvic pain he would refer me out to a pain management clinic. I will know more at my follow up appt. on July 1st.
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lexie
New Member
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Post by lexie on Aug 3, 2008 23:32:12 GMT -5
Hello Wendyjt, I was wondering what ligmaents on the right side the endo was on for you. ABdominal ligaments or pelciv ligmants more behind the vaginal wall and deeper int the pelvis. What ligaments names Wendy. I have ligaments problems and wonder too of my possible endo. locations if i have it.---thanks a million...lexie
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Post by orchidlily2222 on Nov 15, 2008 11:43:52 GMT -5
So...everyone's stories of laparoscopy were such a godsend to me in keeping my sanity and making me well prepared for my procedure I thank all of you profusely and want to share my story in case it can help in someone way another anxiously awaiting pre-surgery person like myself. I had my surgery 1130am yesterday. I may write more explicitly later but with the pain still persistent and sitting being uncomfortable I will do an abridged summary for now. --i had to fast the night before from midnight on and no advil for a week before...that was pretty much the extent of my preop instructions --i knew going in that i had a 3" endometrioma cyst on my right side but was still baffled (up until yesterday as to why my more severe stabbing dull pains persisted on my left side more) --due to the fact that the cyst was almost guaranteed diagnosed via ultrasound to be an endometrioma/"chocolate cyst" i was told that it was 99 percent certainty that i had endo but again nothing for sure until the lap was done --got there about 830 since i was told surgery was at 10am altho some confusion with time they told me at my dr's office and what they had listed on surgery schedule which is why i didnt go in until after 11am for surgery...they took me right back to the pre surgery/recovery room and got me into the gown...there was a tv there so my fiancee and i sat and watched the daily show and other comedy central stuff while we waited. --at 11ish they walked me back to the surgery room after talking to the anesthesiologist (i had been having some labored breathing, i get seasonal allergies that can provoke mild asthmatic symptoms, so she checked for weezing)...it was interesting walking to the surgery room as even when i had sinus surgery i remember them taking me back on a gurney --i remember talking to anesthesiologist about my lower leg elephant tattoo and getting it done in thailand and our mutual travels and the doctor coming in and saying he couldnt find my fiance, chris, in the waiting room but he would talk to him and tell him the results after...then all went dark and i woke up being taken to the immediate recovery room --the nurse monitoring me kept asking my pain level which was more gas pain that felt like cramping in my gut and pressure in my shoulders (little did i know that was just the preface to the true shoulder pain to come) and i said it was flucuating between a 7 then 6 then 5ish...every time i told her my pain level she gave me another dose of morphine which if i werent so disoriented and out of it i would have asked her to stop...pain i was used to and actually i didnt really want a ton of morphine in my system cause im super sensitive to meds and i knew it would make me ill...after third shot she told me she couldnt give me another dose like it was apologetically...and i remember thinking, thank god! it wasnt even helping the pain cause it was the gas pain i felt till then and wondered why incisions didnt hurt yet (now i think it was mix of grogginess and not having moved yet (also immediately after i remember having massive chills and teeth chattering but the warm blankets around belly and head quashed that) --the doctor came back while i was laying there and i remember him saying that my bowel was fused to something and there was endometriosis all over my left side and they removed right cyst...i remember asking what stage it was...cause after reading this website i knew in my delirious state it was the only way i could process what it was/how bad and he said "stage 3" which i guess even though i was prepared even then i was taken aback by because it sounded so ...well high ...then he said he was going to talk to my fiancee and tell him more detailed info --when they moved me into the chair to go to recovery that is when i felt the ache and pain and soreness of the incisions and inner belly pain like bruises really acutely and i was totally stunned and started chattering teeth some from that but it died down when i was moved --they brought me ginger ale and said it would help with the gas once the got me back into the main recovery room and my fiance was brought back and told me he talked to the dr and he had pictures from my surgery with him...he couldnt remember what the dr had told him each image was but the cyst images were easy to pick out with the big round red ball that it is...the rest i guess was the scar tissue/adhesions... --chris told me the dr said my entire side was endo-full (my depiction) and "all" my organs were fused together ...although i dont know what dr exactally said that was just how chris remembers it so i guess ill get to ask more explicitly what that means in detail at my 2 wk follow up with my dr....he also said my left fallopian tube was blocked and the dr had told him we wouldnt need his--as a repro endocronologist--help to get pregnant when we want to but we would have problems if the fertilized egg went in the blocked tube as it would cause etopic pregnancy....he also said id def need lap procedure in the future but hopefully not for a couple of years...in addition to removing all the endo and "un-fusing" all the organs he put in adhesion blockers (didnt know there was such a thing) in to deter the organs fusing back together which i guess was from the scar tissue (still confused on that in terms of how scar tissue grows from the endo exactally...more stuff to research now i have more info...along with why he didnt unblock the blocked tube cause i thought that was possible). --couldnt eat while i was in recovery...i think it was all the morphine i was dizzy and nauseous and knew id yack if i tried to force food...the nurse pushed some antinausea meds for me and then i peed and they wheeled me out...i could feel the belly tenderness more and more with motion --i slept most of the ride home cause it helped dissipate my feeling the pain and i was so tired i couldnt keep my eyes open...somwhere along the drive i started to feel the gas way more acutely in my shoulders...i had known from on here how much that was the strongest pain but before i felt it i could never imagine how gas in my shoulders would feel...i tried to picture stomach gas cramps in my arms but that is definitely not it...it felt like sharp stabbing like someone jabbing at all my nerve endings all down my arm and if i tensed my muscle to move it would shoot up my neck and down to my fingers....once i got home and into bed it got worse and it was so bad at points i found myself just crying from frustration of the excrutiating nature of the pain and the fact nothing helped it...not percocet...the only thing that did anything was my heating pad which i left on all night --it was really hard to get up for the bathroom cause tensing my belly to move ached and throbbed so bad and using my arms to get up sent the shoulder pain shooting down my arm and up my neck to such a point it was almost futile...luckily after a long night of up and down and in and out of sleep the shoulder pain is lessing in frequency of "attacks" but when the pain sears its still intense....the belly pain is worsening in tenderness and soreness from moving and maybe anesthesia still wearing off and being more awake but im hoping by tomorrow it will disipate some as well.... im super exhausted...seems like everything, every effort makes me tired enough to need a nap again...so back to bed i go...i hope this story was useful to someone somewhere ps...maybe just me but the percocet seems to be futile for pain management...i feel numb and woozy in my head and a lil nauseous when i take it (again im so med sensitive) but it doesnt feel like it is minimizing pain at all.... good luck to all prepping and thanks again so much to everyone whose stories helped me...now to the next step of where i go from here...but i have to say the relief of knowing is much preferable to the big question mark and confusion over pain for the last 10 plus years! teresa
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Post by cassiopeia on Nov 24, 2008 5:20:59 GMT -5
Hello all,
I had my first and only lap in August 2006. I had the lap for diagnostic purposes, I am a private patient so I met my Gynae chatted to him and then was booked in for my lap the very next week. I had to fast for 12hrs prior to the surgery, but didn't need to do any other special prep like enema etc. I went in early to the hospital maybe 6 or 7 am can't remember now... I was weighed and had all of my vitals taken as a baseline before surgery. I was taken to a day surgery waiting room and dressed in a gown, paper undies (damn they are so uncomfortable) and paper sock/shoe covers. When I got down into the OT area I was taken to a room where they inserted an IV line in my arm and then I was taken into the operating room. I felt pretty nervous and wished my mum was holding my hand. The anaethetist put me off to sleep they made 2 incisions one in my belly button, and one just at the start of my pubic hair. They performed a hysteroscopy, and D & C as well as laparoscopic diathermy of my endo lesions. The next thing I remember is waking up in recovery, crying asking for my mum and my boyfriend, for some reason I was very confused thinking they would be there but before the surgery I knew I wouldn't see them until the afternoon when they came to pick me up. I was in a considerable amount of pain, it felt as though my insides were all burnt (because they were!!) so the recovery nurse gave me some morphine... I was very hesitant to receive the morphine (long story but I watched a loved one die of cancer doped up on morph and didn't want to be like that), however I was too groggy to put up a good argument against the morph plus I was in pain... It didn't seem to help me a whole lot, but I was then given some Capadex tablets to take and the combined effect was good, I was comfortable. I was then asked to stand up to transfer into a wheel chair to take me up to the day surgery recovery area.. I felt very woozy as though I would pass out so was told to sit for a while longer... I was right after a little while so they took me up to the other recovery area. I was given a light lunch once on the day surg area. I found I was quite thirsty but water wasn't cutting it I asked the nurse looking after me for an apple juice... she acted like I had asked her to walk half way around the world carrying a tonne of bricks... but I got my apple juice. I was in the day surg area until about 4pm when my mum picked me up. When I got up to walk out the door I felt a little dizzy but insisted I was fine to walk to the car... I started to make my way down the hall and the nurses and mum said I was as white as a sheet, plus I was walking like a drunk... they made me go down to the car in a wheel chair (after much protest) I felt so incompetent... I slept a lot when I got home. My mum was fantastic! My stomach was blown up like I was pregnant for about a week, I went for a follow up with the gynae after about a week too. I managed the pain with neurofen plus (ibuprofen and codeine). All together it wasn't such a bad experience.
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Post by JC on Jun 6, 2009 14:04:32 GMT -5
So I just had my first lap on Wednesday June 3. I had the regular instructions of no medications except Tylenol and no eating or drinking anything after midnight. I didn't have to do an enema thank goodness. I was seriously nervous out of my mind over the thought of being put under anesthesia but I knew that this was something I needed to have done. I was scheduled to be at the hospital at 8:30am but my actual surgery was scheduled for 10:30am. I got there, checked in, was billed for my $100 co-payment, lol then told to wait a few minutes. My husband seemed more nervous than I was! I finally got called back and my husband was told to wait for me in the waiting room while they got me situated. They took me to my pre-op area and had me change into one of those lovely designer gowns they have. Sorry to get off topic but I was actually kinda surprised to see that my neighbor in the room next to me was a prison inmate that was shackled to the bed with two enormous prison guards with guns next to him. I thought it was kinda funny. haha! He was having some kind of shoulder surgery because he "got stabbed up". Ah! American health care! ANYWAYS, my pre-op nurse came in and had a long talk with me about what they were doing, my medical history blah blah along with every other person that came in asking the same questions over and over again. It was kinda annoying but I'm glad everyone all got their story strait before they put me under! The nurse placed the IV into my right hand, didn't hurt a bit! By this time, my husband was allowed back with me again. They hung a liter of fluids and a small bag if IV antibiotics as a prophylactic precaution because of the high risk of an infection after having a D&C. The anesthesiologist came in and gave me his speech of what he was going to do then my doctor came in and sat with me on the bed and had a small chat with me and my husband. He knew I was really scared and he just sat and reassured me that he had a good team and that everything would be fine. He explained again that he was going to do the pelvisocopy, remove my right ovarian cyst and do a D&C because of my history of having an infection with an IUD. At that point, they told my husband to kiss me goodbye because they were wheeling me away! This was the worst part because I knew it was only a matter of a few minutes before I was going to be put under. We rolled into the surgery room and I nearly jumped off the bed when I saw all the scary lights and big machines and an entire surgical team bustling around getting things ready. At that point, my big-baby self started to cry! I was greeted by the rest of the surgical team and they were all so nice to be because they knew I was really scared. For some strange reason, I remember they were playing Incubus on their little radio. LOL kinda random...They had me move over to the surgical table then they covered me with some of those awesome warm blankets and continued to talk to me. They pulled out these arm table extensions and had me lay with my arms stretched out to my sides like Jesus on the cross (sorry for the Jesus comparison). I could tell they were trying to distract me because they were asking me about my schooling and my future plans. Bless them for doing that because it helped me calm down. Then all of a sudden I got really fuzzy. The anesthesiologist, sneaky guy, injected my IV without me even knowing it! In retrospect I'm really glad he did that because I was already freaked out enough. I felt the room get really floaty and I actually remember the nurse covering my face with the breathing mask and blowing air into my mouth. That's the last thing I remember. Then, just like that, I was in the recovery room. I was blinking my eyes really hard because I could hear but I couldn't see anything yet. Apparently the first thing I said when I woke up was, "I'm alive! I want a cheeseburger!" I don't remember saying that though. lol The nurse asked me if I wanted pain medication and I said not yet. I did tell her that I wanted to see my belly so she helped me lift my gown so that I wouldn't flash the entire room. Then, to my surprise I actually had 3 incisions instead of two. I was under the impression that I was getting one under the belly button and one just above the pubic bone. Instead I had one below the belly button, one above the left ovary, and one higher up on the right side. I remember feeling embarrassed because I had read somewhere on this forum that they shave you "down there" for the surgery so before I went to the hospital I took the liberty to shave it myself. Instead the surgical team got an OO LA LA surprise when they did my D&C to find me completely shaven. HAHA! But aside from the small amount of porn-star-crotch embarrassment, I was a little nauseous and dizzy but not really in any pain. They had me get up and get into a reclining chair to help "further wake up". At that point my husband came in and sat with me until I was ok to go home. So the final verdict: I was in surgery for about an hour. The doctor found stage 2 endometriosis around my uterus, ovaries, and the worst part of it was in the posterior cul de sac. He removed the right ovarian cyst and the D&C came back fine. He also mentioned that there was an issue with my cervix that he addressed but I still don't know what the heck that means. I'll find out on my follow-up appointment what that meant. I'm actually not sad about the diagnosis because I know stage 2 is pretty mild compared to a lot of the women on here. My only symptoms that interfered with my daily life was the painful sex and the pain from the stupid cyst. I'm hoping that this surgery has corrected that. He said he was able to remove all of the endometriosis so I have high hopes! Day of surgery recovery: Day one was pretty much spent asleep on drugs. The gas pain was up in my right shoulder and in my rib cage. It was pretty uncomfortable but not unbearable. Day 2: I actually got out of bed and walked around a little, ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and took lots of naps. I developed this modified cart wheel thing to get in and out of bed without using any stomach muscles. It's where you get onto your side then drop your legs onto the ground and flip your upper torso up all at one time. It works pretty well! Day 3: I was feeling pretty darn good and stayed out of bed all day and stopped taking narcotics. I realized that the narcotics were actually keeping me IN bed instead of making me feel better. I'm just taking ibuprofen now. I took a long walk but realized it was probably too much to do because I got tired really quick. Day 4 (today): I'm up and around doing pretty well. I'm only minimally sore and hoping to finally have a bowel movement! I'm guessing the narcotics made me constipated cause I haven't gone poo in about 5 days I plan on taking it easy today. Overall, I'm really glad I decided to have this lap and I'm hoping that I can return to my normal life soon. ;D
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Post by cherry on Jun 6, 2009 15:55:13 GMT -5
I forgot to do mine, so busy waffling in my self pity thread. So, the day before my third lap (second with actual surgery to relieve endo pain and GI issues) I was given a different bowel prep, this was to be over in a few hours rather than taking all day. It really hurt this time, maybe cos of the endo, maybe cos it was a swifter clearance regime. I had injured myself getting the house ready so that may have made it worse. In addition, UK hospitals now screen for MRSA, an antibiotic resistant 'superbug' that can kill when passed to hospital patients or other weakened individuals. they swabbed each nostril, the back of my throat, and my crotch either side of the bikini line. Unfortunately my nose had some (I'd been in and out of hospital in the 2 weeks before so I lay the blame there!) so I had wash in antibacterial and put what smelled like vaseline up my nose. I put some in my ears too cos they're susceptible to infection haha. The day of the op I nearly pooped the bed so I asked to go in a little later to allow myself to stop pooping. My boyfriend was sweet but I think he'd draw the line at pooping in his car. I had to stop my NSAIDs 10 days before, and I really saw how much good they did cos the pre-op without them was so painful I was crying each day. I was allowed to carry on taking tramadol and my antidepressants til the day before. I was told not to shave, not even my legs, cos the iodine would burn me. I seriously debated putting an apology post-it note on my fallulah about my messy hedgerow and prickly thighs for the surgeons to find. Because of my MRSA status I had to go in a private room rather than on a ward in case I breathed MRSA on someone (seriously, it gets into the wound and poof they can die very quickly), which I didn't really fancy, plus I had to wait an hour in the waiting room with my freaky bowels and my pillow while they cleaned my room. My room was barely bigger than the bed! Oh but I got my own bathroom Again due to MRSA status, I had to be operated on last to avoid cross contamination. 2 nurses kept popping in to keep me company, and were very sweet. I got a huge bouquet of flowers, burst into tears cos I was a bit freaked about it all, and the flowers were the sweetest gesture from Cass and her fiance Chris. We laughed that my boyfriend would be jealous that they were so nice, and the nurses all commented how sweet it was that they'd been sent by my friend in Aus. I had to wait 4 more hours to go into surgery, during which the consultant person of drugs (anaesthetist) came to see me about my requirements. It was the first time someone had really taken notice of what happens to me during ops, cos she decided to try me without morphine due to me being so sick after my 2 other ops. I asked for just tramadol and paracetamol, and she also opted to give me a diclofenac suppository as I respond much better to NSAIDs. I had to walk along the hall to that pre op place where they check your details for 50th time (I hear ya on that Jenaya!) past some builders who smirked at me in my ass-baring gown then respectfully looked away when my nurse scowled at them. In pre op there was a poor woman in hysterics. Seeing as the docs locker room is past there, and there were so many walking past in blood soaked clogs and wellies, I can see why she panicked. More from her later (I was a bitch) The anaesthetist was a different one, as the lady I'd seen was in another op. He put my stent in no problem, but super mean in putting in my cocktail of drugs. He even told me off for gasping, saying I was tensing and making it hurt. Maybe if he didn't push the syringes in with the force of a runaway train it wouldn't have hurt at all. The medical staff were great, chatted to me a fair bit about what I wanna do, who would take care of me at home etc. Last thing I remember is laughing about the economy (laughing, really?!) and the anae guy complaining that my heart rate was still high (in hindsight that guy was a pain in the backside, even doubted me on whether paracetamol made me sick, and was I sure, really sure?) I woke up shaking like mad, the tensing up was hurting my belly button and my bum (sorry) and there were a few people around me including my a**hole anaethestist. I really wish the nice lady anae had come back. My heart rate was high, which didn't worry me but clearly was bothering the anae who had his jacket on to go home. I kept looking at my monitor and was told off for 'panicking myself'. I said something borderline rude to him about being quiet and said 'I'm just nosy' which they giggled at. But that poor hysterical lady was back, and crying post op cos they told her they found some endo. I was still seriously smacked up and got really irritated and asked that they tell her to shut up. I would never say that normally, or even think in such a mean way. The staff obviously thought I was ok enough to go back to my room if I was ok enough to be horrible to someone who reacted the way I did when I was diagnosed. Cos my room was so small they had real trouble wheeling me in to transfer me between beds, so I just got up and into my bed myself. I didn't want the nurse to see my bare bum (again) so I waited til she went to have a little cat lick with baby wipes and put my jammies and socks on. I need socks always! They were surprised by this when I came back but apart from some tummy soreness I was quite ok. If I'd had morphine I would literally have vomited just for turning over or sitting up, so this was paradise, dressing myself. It was pretty late so they declined my request to go home. I was still pretty sleepy but ok, my boyfriend and sister brought me some treats including a nice hot stir fry and mango juice, yum. I was far too boring cos I kept falling asleep mid convo so in the end I asked them to go. I'd had a mirena inserted, but this time I didn't have any cramps or discomfort. The worst pain was the gas pain in my shoulders. Cass and my friends kept me company the whole op day Midnight, I needed my first wee, and was suddenly feeling more internal pain. Going made it worse, so I went to the nurses station to ask for some mild pain relief. They came back with paracetamol, which I was not happy about, it seemed insulting straight after abdominal surgery. I ended up waking my boyfriend to have a cry, and texted Cass for support. I only asked for pain relief cos the pain was not bearable and I certainly couldn't sleep due to the endo sprite stabbing me in the bum. The nurse came back, and was nicer advising that I hadn't been put down for pain relief which they thought was stupid considering the report from my op. I felt silly to have her walk in on me crying like a brat, and worse she seemed embarrassed. It wasn't even her fault. I got to sleep soon after taking the meds, and by this time my heart rate had dropped to 110. They woke me again at 6 for more meds and obs. I didn't bother with brekky cos I had no appetite, and the tea which tasted like warm milky dishwater made me feel sick! My boy came to sit with me for a while, and they made him leave the room while I got my first shot of gonapeptyl GnRH in my fat prickly thigh. They checked my sexy incisions, which had been sewn up to look like 3 extra belly buttons, and then let me go with a prescription for HRT to minimise side effects. I took my medical note to work myself, which was not a good idea cos even that little walk through the building had me falling asleep at our reception desk. My workmates were all peeping through the doors so I made a quick exit cos I was ready to vomit and couldn't really chat. Mark was with me the whole time, putting up with my mood swings over the tiredness and pukiness and pains. I stayed at his apartment after the op cos he's severely allergic to cats, and also Luther the male cat weighs a ton and likes to jump into my lap at the worst times, ie during periods and bowel prep. The pain was on and off, I continued on high doses of tramadol for nearly 3 weeks, and was very quick to tire. I pooped blood clots after the op, and not sure of the cause but because they worked on my rectum during the op, I guess that may have bothered my insides a bit. 3 weeks after the op I got a copy of the letter that my gynae sends to my doc, of which the main details were that he'd had to free my rectum and cervix which were stuck together, open up my pouch of douglas and excise part of my abdominal wall on my left which has been a little trouble spot and seems (from what I deduce in my docs letters) to be where the endo started. From what he told me post op and in the letter, things weren't as worrying as last time. Adhesions yes, but no mention of aggression and it was only along the bottom of my abdo this time rather than everywhere like 18 months ago. I won't see my gynae for 6 months now, after I finish my GnRH. The recovery has felt slower, but internally I feel good now, not as raw if still very twingey. Hip pain was gone straight after my op, and though I can't put much pressure on my stomach muscles, I'm back at the gym doing small bits of cardio. I could still happily sleep all day! I had upper abdo and chest pain, but cos they found nothing up top, they didn't operate on my chest too seeing it as unnecessary when I hadn't been investigated for poss other causes of the chest pain. I still get bad pain when I eat, but the vomiting has stopped, so maybe the endo contributed. I'll see a GI specialist about the pain and bowel bleeding, and speak to my GP about investigating the chest pains too. My heart rate is stupid anyway so might as well get it looked at.
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Post by rach on Jun 13, 2009 8:25:41 GMT -5
I never got around to writing on here when i had my first lap, so thought i'd post about my second one which i had just over a week ago. In the last year i have had lap, a lletz, a gastroscopy and a clonoscopy, so in the lead up to the lap i thought i would be fine, you know io've had plently of hospital experience in the last year and anethesthis and all that. However the week before i started getting nervus and the day before i abos**tely freaked out and decided that i couldn't go to hospital because my ugg boots were smelly! Ended up me dashing madly to the shops half an hour before closing to buy new ones so i could go. I was also well prepared this time around with new comfy one size too big trak pants and a range of different pads. It was the usual no eating or drinking beforehand. My boyfriend took me in to the hospital at 7am, they don't tell you when you are actualy scheduled for surgery. I got a bit worried because they didn't take me to the day surgery ward like last timel this time they actually took me upstairs into a proper room. They left me to get settled and said they would be around to do admission soon. I was freaking out, thinking they do know i'm just having a lap, right? Why am i in the stay over night room? Turns out its just because the day ward was full, and it meant i got my own tv. So boyfriend sat on the chair next to me and we watched some tv, then he said the chair was uncomfy and got on the bed with me. It was totally non sexual, both of us just lying there, but i felt a bit embarassed when the nurse came in and gave me a look! Anyway i had various people come around and ask me what i was in for and do other paperwork; got my tag on my wrist and my leg and got my blood pressure and temperature taken. A while later they told me i could get my gown on, boyfriend helped me into it and i got a bit hysterical when i couldn't get my paper knickers on right. The back and the front was the same, yet somehow when they were on only half of one butt cheeck was covered! I was all obsessive about getting it on right, which i finally did. Not long after boyfriend left. Then someone came and wheeled me down into pre-op where i had to put my 'paty hat' (hair net) on. I was freezing in the pre op room but luckily they gave me a warm lanket cos i was in there for ages. The nurse in there was really sweet, she could tell i was nervou so she was chatting to me and asking if there was anything she coul do. Then they wheeledme into operating theatre where i scooted over on to the operating bed. As the anethatist started putting my drip in my gyn came in and said hello and that she would see me in a weeks time. They were distracting me asking me what i do for work, etc. I got a little fuzzy and had a few breaths few the mask. Next thing i new, i needed to vomit. I woke up with really bad nausea, i kept wretchin but couldn't bring anything up. I kept going in and out of sleep and each time i woke tried to vomit. I ould hear them talking about it and they gave me something through the iv to stop it. Next time i woke up i was in a lot of pain. I was crying and drew my legs up to try and help ease he pain in my stomach. I kept going in and out again, and i could hear them saying that it must be painful because my blood pressure was so high. They kept giving me more and more painkillers, i think i was in there for about half an hour getting regular doses of it. After a while the pain subsided and i calmed down, and i was awake enough for the nurse to talk to me. She said she'd given me lots of pain killers and that i had been pretty worked up, so sh was trying to calm me down. They adjusted the bed so that my legs were higher than my tummy which helped a lot. Once i was properlly awake and the pain was under control they wheeled me back to my room. The nurse told me to breathe through the pain as we went over a bump getting out of the elevator. Back in my room i slept for quite a bit more. Various nurses kept coming to check on me, testing blood pressure and temperature and aking me how bad the pain was. I dozed on and of some more until i was thirsty, drank some water, dozed some more. Eventualy i asked for some juice and they ought me some biscuits as well. Another nurse then told me it was time for me to have something to eat, but i said i rally didn't want a sandwich, ugh it was the last thing i felt like! So they made me eat a few more crackers. By then i was awake and doing ok, so i asked them to help me to the toilet. My paper knickers weren't tied up so i was grabbing at them o hold onto them, shouldn't have bothered because i ended up dropping them in the toilet any way! Man all dignity is gone when you have to have someone put you the toilet and "check your pad" for you!! After toileting i ot a call from my boyfriend on the hospital phone, and i swore and had to struggle to reach it. Holy moly that wasn't fun!! Next time the nurse came in i asked when i could go home, and they started getting me ready to leave. I had a student nurse come take my vitals one last time, she was really nice, and she also took my bandage off and cleaned out my belly button and wiped the blood off that had dribbled all around my back. They tidied me up, i struggled ino my clothes and it made me feel all hot and faint so i had a sit down. My byfriend arrived, they got me some drugs and talked him through my pot op care, and i got to leave. I had to check out n that floor and also down on the bottom floor in reception. It was a long and hard walk to the car (last time i got a heel chair!) but luckily a quick drive home. I got straight into bed and realised i couldn't ly down so propped myself up with a bunch of pillows, then my parents came and drove me to their house about three hours away where i spent the week recovering. I am doing well know, except i hurt myself carrying too much shopping in one hand. Bad mistake! My incisions have healed well and hopefully the stitches will disolve soon as they're starting to feel pretty tight. My gyn appointment...well i don't really kno what to think. She didn't see any visible endo this time around, which i was very relieved to hear.
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Post by rach on Jun 13, 2009 8:33:22 GMT -5
Oh and also gas pain in my shoulders was pretty bad for three days, and also under my ribs when i woke up so that i couldn't take deep breaths. I had two heat bags though which helped most of the pain, and learned from last time to drink coke to help me burp it all out because last time i had trouble getting rid of the gas.
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slips
New Member
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Post by slips on Jul 18, 2009 9:29:15 GMT -5
I had my first lap on wed's 15 july, so only 4 days ago. I was also treated for endo whilst under and this is how it went.
I was so so so nervous as i have never had an operation before, so much so that when i was taken into theatre i was crying and shaking, they had to give me some drugs to calm me down. Anyway, I was told it would probably only take about 45 minutes, we already knew, from a internal camera, that i had a large, 5cm cycst on my right ovary, and this was going to be removed, and they would remove any endometriosis which was found during this lap!
I woke 3 hours later to see the clock was not 45 minutes later and that in fact i had been in surgery for nearly 4 times as long as i was supposed to be!
I awoke in quite a lot of pain and was immediately given morphine, this did help a lot.
I was pretty much out of it for a few hours after that unable to get out of bed for feeling faint and quite sick, but this is normal after a lare dose of morphine.
When the doc came aorund they told me that they was shocked to find that I was covered in endometriosis, it was everywhere, hence why i was in theatre for so long! Apparently, both my ovarys had endo, also a cyst on the right one too, my right ovary had stuck itself to my pelvis, my bladder, tubes, uterus etc everything was covered in it and they showed me over 20 pics to prove this! I was horrified - even the doc said they have never seen it so bad in someone as young as me, being only 29, and no womder i would pass out on a regular basis with the pain!
They also told me that my bowel is also riddled with the disease and that this was too dangeous to remove at this time and further surgery may be needed to deal with this!
Anyway, recovery is not too bad, first three days i was on co-codamol, which pretty much knocks me out. I find it very hard to use my stomache muscles, i.e pulling myself up and off the sofa, in and out of bed, off the loo etc.
I suffered really bad with the gas pains in my shoulders, even so i am now on day 4 and they still hurt, also under my ribs too.
My three insicions are very very painful to touch, and i have bruising on my stomach, this is very tender. Also my tummy is very swollen and very hard, but i think this may also be due to the fact i still haven't been able to open my bowels, as it hurts too much to push!
My doc signed me off for 2 weeks and i think i will need this. i get so tired in the afternoons and if i stand for long i get a dull ache in my lower tummy!
I have to return to my doc in 5 weeks for the full conclusion of their finding and how we go about sorting my bowel and preventing this from coming back!
My main concerns are pregnancy, I am getting married in 3 months and plan to have children in the next few yrs, i am so frightened to hear that my reproductive organs are damaged so badly from the endo.....fingers crossed this will not be the case.
Hope this story helps......There is so much to write but it can get a bit drawn out and repetative if we all put the same!
thank you xx
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Post by joannec on Oct 23, 2009 16:08:14 GMT -5
Hi All,
I first found these boards a few weeks ago after being scheduled for a diagnostic laparoscopy. My OB/GYN was skeptical that we would find endo in spite of the fact that I had recurring pelvic and back pain that required me to regularly take Percocet and Morphine; he believed that I might suffer from myofascial pain syndrome.
My surgery was on October 15th. The ended up having to remove a 2 cm growth on my right uterosacral ligament and three smaller ones on the left side. I just want to emphasize to others that might find themselves in my position, the importance of trusting your instincts even when no endo shows on ultrasound or MRI. The OB/GYN said to me in recovery that he was sorry; that he believe this must account for 90% of my pain and that any muscle dysfunction would have been secondary to these growths.
I did great the first three days after surgery, but believe that I did too much and set myself back. I am determined to stay put on the couch or in bed for the weekend to regain strength.
I have a questions for the pros regarding incisions. The one in my navel had a bit of a foul-smelling clear discharge which has resolved but it is now quite red and itchy...It did put some tea tree oil on it which may have been too abrasive and a dumb idea. Has anyone ever had an infection? Is what I'm describing common? Have others experienced this and I should just not worry about it?
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