rio
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Posts: 27
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Post by rio on Aug 16, 2007 9:00:32 GMT -5
Hi again. I haven't posted for ages, but things have been happening! A new (and more experienced) gynae dr has suggested that a laparoscopy would not be out of the question for me, as the previous dr suggested (I have post-surgical adhesions), but that they would go in via a place in the upper left quadrant called, I think, Palmer's point. Does anyone have any experience of this kind of laparoscopy?
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Post by ouchy on Aug 16, 2007 9:15:38 GMT -5
Nope. But they can drop the laparascope in pretty much anywhere. The only reason they like going through the belly button so much is that it is a hollow tube so they don't have to cut through muscle. Good luck! Sounds exciting!
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Post by camille on Aug 16, 2007 9:27:25 GMT -5
I had two laps - the first one they went in through three small incisions in my lower abdomen including my belly button but the second one, which was done with the DaVinci Robot, was done through four incisions, one in my upper left quadrant, one about three inches below that, one in my belly button, and one a couple of inches above my right hip bone.
I read on the internet that this is better for people with dense adhesions. My doctor said it gave him more room to move.
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rio
New Member
Posts: 27
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Post by rio on Aug 17, 2007 12:16:10 GMT -5
Thanks for responding. I've no idea whether I'm actually going to have one, as the dr seems to be favouring trying out treatments without a proper diagnosis. However, my GP thinks I should have a proper diagnosis through laparoscopy before deciding on treatment options.
Camille - was your recovery time different for the second lap? Also, you said your doctor had more room to move - did that make it easier to see/treat the endo? I am convinced that any endo I have (in addition to existing adhesions) is on the bowel anyway, because of the site of pain before and during my period.
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Post by camille on Aug 20, 2007 9:25:03 GMT -5
My second surgery was much more successful than the first for a few reasons -
1. the first was ablation so my surgeon was unable to remove a lot of it - and I had a lot of implants, and everywhere. My second surgery was excision so my new surgeon was able to remove all of it - even from my bladder and bowels.
2. my second surgery was done with a new technology called the DaVinci robot which speeds recovery because the incisions are smaller and the robot doesn't have to "wrangle around so much" - it has a better range of motion than the human hand. My recovery from surgery was much faster.
3. my second surgery was better because they kept me overnight. I wrote about this in my lap story. I think this is very important. If you are allowed to stay, stay and get all the drugs and care you need in the first 24 hours!
I don't know if where the incisions were made had much to do with recovery - I just trusted my surgeon that he knew where to go. He said it would be harder to reach everything if he went in through my lower pelvis.
In terms of having a diagnosis before or after treatment, I favor figuring things out first rather than blindly treating a disease.
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rio
New Member
Posts: 27
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Post by rio on Aug 21, 2007 9:01:34 GMT -5
Thanks Camille - that's really helpful. I've no idea if we use the DaVinci robot over here - somehow I doubt it, on the NHS, anyway! Your comment about getting a diagnosis before treating endo was exactly what my GP said. The gynae dr is in favour of treating me with a choice of Mirena, endometrial ablation, or Danazol (sp?) - before doing a lap! My GP thinks I should have a proper diagnosis first - which obviously involves a lap.
I'm having a barium/CT test in a few weeks with my gastro dr to see if the extent and location of my post-surgical adhesions are visible. My gynae dr wants these results, too. So I guess we'll go from there.
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