My Laparoscopy To Treat Endometriosis
I've actually held off on posting this, because I wonder if I don't divulge too much on this website sometimes.
As a rule, I prefer to write about things that I've personally experienced -- with the hope that it will help someone else in some small way.
My theory is: If I wondered about how something works or how something's done, then chances are someone else has wondered the same things.
That is what fuels my desire to keep writing these sometimes overly-personal stories... like today's.
After a friend of mine told me that she was experiencing something similar and asked if I had any tips, suggestions, little-known facts that she might need to know, that was all the motivation I needed to share my experience of having a laparoscopy to remove cysts from my ovaries, caused by endometriosis.
I have affectionately subtitled today's post:
Yep, today's post is a firsthand account of a medical procedure that I had recently.
And since I have absolutely no modesty (or would that be no common sense???) I've even included some very non-flattering photos of myself in the height of my pre- and post-surgery delirium.
So, hold onto your hat... here we go!
Got Endometriosis?
Ladies: Have you got endometriosis?... And/or cysts on your ovaries? If so, then there's probably a laparoscopy in your future.
I'm here to tell you it's not that bad.
I had 2 ovarian cysts...
The one on the left ovary was initially measured at 4.67 cm; the one on the right ovary was 3.5 cm -- that's larger than the ovaries themselves. After the surgery, the doctor said that the cysts were actually much larger than the ultrasound had measured, and one (the "baseball") was even larger than my uterus! (My doctor found it hard to believe that I never had any worse symptoms because these cysts were so large.)
Forms of Treatment
Instead of a laparoscopy, I could have tried a couple more passive treatments (like hormone therapy which puts your body into full menopause temporarily, or one shot for 3 months to shrink up the cysts), but I chose the most aggressive form of treatment.
Actually, I tried birth control pills for a month to see if they would shrink the cysts at all (as they typically do when it's endometriosis). But my cysts didn't shrink at all. Instead, both got significantly larger.
...Which meant they could have been cancerous. The only way to know for sure was to remove them. So I did.
Here's what it's like to get a laparoscopy, or at least the way things went for me...
The Things They Tell You About (...with a few notes added by me)
You have to drink one full bottle of Magnesium Citrate the day before your surgery. (It's not nearly as bad-tasting as I thought it would be! Jim even tried it & agreed. It's kinda like Mountain Dew... but not.)
After midnight the night before your surgery, you can't use tobacco products, breath mints, or gum. Nor should you take any of your "regular" medicines the day of surgery, unless instructed by your doctor.
You can't wear nail polish, hand lotion, hairspray, deodorant, or makeup on the day of your surgery. (Not exactly true. I told the nurse I'd forgotten that part & had all of the above on. She said it was okay.)
You have to arrive at the hospital an hour-and-a-half before your scheduled surgery time. (This was for the time it took to fill out simple paperwork ...get changed into your cap & gown and ...get prepped for surgery.)
You should wear really comfortable clothing to surgery. (I think everyone in for surgery that morning wore the same 2-piece jogging suit that I'd recently purchased at Kohl's!)
Be sure that you have your driver's license and your insurance card the day of your surgery.
They insert an IV into the top of your hand moments after you walk into the pre-surgery room. (Which, for me, was a good thing because it's the part I had feared the most... I don't like needles.)
They give you 2 or 3 pills to take soon after you arrive. Supposedly, these help prevent nausea after the anesthesia and lessen any anxiety prior to being rolled in for surgery. They must've worked, cuz I didn't have any nausea or anxiety right before or right after surgery.
Overall, my surgery took an hour and a half. I had an additional ablation (...it was an "option", so I went for it. Geesh... even at the gyno, they're trying to upsell ya!)
They access your pain after the surgery on a scale of 1 to 10 during your time in recovery. (Not true. In my case they said, 'How do you feel?' and 'What hurts most?' My answers to those alone determined 1 Percocet or 2.)
Once you can hold down food & drink, and urinate... you will be discharged from this outpatient surgery. (They actually never tested my ability to urinate.)
Your belly will be puffy for several days following the surgery due to the fact that they super-extend the stomach with a bunch of air in order to give them enough room to work. (This was very weird... thankfully, today's lower, hip-hugging fashions helped to accommodate for the extra inch or so of space that my stomach now required. My belly actually got even more bloated as the days went on... probably due to the fact that I wasn't able to have a B.M. for 4 days.)
You will be able to go back to work after 24 hours. (Cough, cough, yea right! There was NO way I could stand fully erect, let alone get my mind off the pain & swelling -- for at least 2 days. But I actually needed 3 days off work due to the added swelling & pain in my belly -- see below.)
The carbon dioxide that remains in your body after the surgery may present itself as shoulder pain or a sharp pain underneath your diaphragm. (Very, very true! It's strange how the pain presents itself in these locations, so don't be surprised when you're wondering why places that weren't involved in the surgery start hurting.)
Your feet are in stirrups at least part of the time, which could result in some lower back pain after the surgery from all the poking and prodding. (I only felt a small amount of lower back pain.)
The pain medicine will mask your pain to help you feel better. Agreed, the Percocet (oxycodone) lessened the pain, but it still wasn't easy to forget about the uncomfortableness. In fact, I think it only lessened the pain due to the fact that Percocet was like a sleeping pill for me. I only took the pills for one full day after surgery -- every 4 hours, and after that the pain was completely tolerable. At that point, it was simply the act of twisting my stomach when getting up or turning around that moved the stitches themselves and hurt the most. On a scale of 1 to 10, the worst pain I ever felt (with pain meds or without) would rate as a 6. They say to take 1-2 pills every 4-6 hrs. I took 1 every 4 hours.
You will have a 1/2-inch incision at the lower part of your navel, with stitches that will dissolve. You will have 2 to 4 tiny (1/4-inch) incisions near the pubic hair line. These incisions accommodate the instruments needed to perform the surgery. They may or may not have stitches under the bandages. (Mine did... and they took forever to fall out or disintegrate or whatever they do. For me, the healing time for those 3 prong marks took nearly 2 months to completely go away.
You can remove the waterproof bandages 2 days after surgery. (I took one quick peek & decided to put them right back on. I didn't want to take any chances with those butterfly stitches & crusty spots. Not even a "regular" bandage would've worked, in my opinion -- especially not over the belly button itself, which was far worse than the prong wounds. So I just showered with them on for about 4 days longer than required.)
You can eat normally immediately after surgery. (Not that you'll actually want to, but it's A-ok to. I got home from surgery at 11AM and by 7PM I felt that my stomach could handle a couple slices of pizza & a fruit smoothie.)
You can pretty much do whatever you're used to doing the day after surgery. I remember thinking it was odd that I was sitting cross-legged on my bed without any pain to speak of within hours of the surgery, yet 3 days later I was unable to stand upright without wincing in pain from my ribcage. In my case, this was due to a big glitch. (See B.M. below.)
The Things They Forget To Mention (...to me, anyway!)
They won't perform the surgery if you have a fever on the morning of surgery. (I was paranoid that I was going to come down with a cold or something!)
The week prior to your surgery, you have to have bloodwork done (at the lab of the surgery center itself), and get an EKG if you're over 40 (at the "outpatient" area of the hospital adjoining the surgery center). That is, unless you've had these done within 2 months of your surgery date. The whole process took about an hour for me, though each procedure itself takes less than 5 minutes apiece.
The EKG is not as bad as it sounds... you're fully clothed, and they simply put some sticky tabs on your legs, your chest, your back, and your arms. You lie quietly for about 30 seconds & the machine measures your heart rate & breathing patterns. It's not the same as an Echocardiogram -- I had one of those (specifically, a TTE) before.
You can't wear any of your own metal into surgery, but you can wear plenty of theirs... Not only did one of my wristbands that identified my blood type have a full metal clasp, but when I got home, I found a heart-monitor plug still attached to the back left side of my chest area -- it was one of those with a metal node.
Before you change into your cap & gown, you have to pee in a cup, for a last-minute pregnancy test.
You have to wear these fairly tight knee-high socks that are cut-out at the toe part. They're to prevent blood clots in your legs. (Not sure why they're cut-out at the toe ...So they can play "this little piggy" when they're trying to get you to come around in recovery???)
On top of those socks, you have to put on their fun little socks with grippies on them -- so you don't slip if & when you walk on their uncarpeted floors. (I love these... I actually took mine home and wear them around the house... they're GREAT!)
Not sure why the "grippies" on the socks were required, because I didn't have to walk anywhere. They pushed me on a gurney from pre-op to the surgery room & vice versa. And I even got a free ride in a wheelchair out to the car. (I remember telling the recovery nurse how good it felt for a Type A personality who's always in control of things to spend the past couple of hours completely being taken care of for a change.)
You have to be intubated. This terrified me the moment I heard the nurse slip-up & tell me this in pre-op. But it's really not so bad BECAUSE you're asleep when they do it. Once I knew I'd be asleep, I was fine. (But it certainly didn't help that the night before I'd watched an episode of Dr. 90210 where they couldn't get the trach tube down the guy's throat -- but for some reason, he was awake throughout the process.)
They "catheterize" you. But, just like the trach tube... you're completely asleep & won't remember a thing about it. (Good news: There's no lasting evidence, nor any pain at all after you've had a catheter removed.)
They tape your eyes shut during surgery. How I found this out: The morning after, my left eyelid kept sticking to itself. This was also the point at which I discovered tape residue underneath both eyes, as well.
For outpatient surgeries (at least at the hospital I went to), the surgery room itself is more or less just a big open cafeteria-like room filled with people on gurnies -- separated by individual curtains. I was surprised that it didn't look more sterile and private. But then again, we were all there for some pretty routine stuff in the outpatient surgery center.
As soon as you come to and can carry on a conversation with the Recovery Nurse, you're given a Percocet. They have to wait 10 minutes to see how your body reacts, then they give you a Saltine cracker and your choice of beverage -- to make sure you can hold down food before you leave. (When I told her I was still feeling the pain pretty good at the bellybutton region, she gave me another Percocet and we waited another 10 minutes. As a result, I was feeling perfectly fine & painless for the rest of the day. In fact, Jim was amazed I was able to dress myself & even bend down and tie my own shoes. I guess I was kind of in la-la-land.)
You may become constipated afterwards, which could wreak havoc on your healing process; so be sure to start with some stool softeners after the first day at home. I didn't start this until the 3rd day after surgery, which meant I endured too many days of sharp poking pains anytime I'd breathe in. (Something about my innards poking my ribs or lungs or something. End result: much, much pain.)
At one point, the pain was so severe, I wondered if I was having an appendicitis attack or something. I couldn't move without making the pain worse. That's when I called my doctor & was told that I needed to have my first B.M. immediately! She recommended Colace stool softener & if the pain continued to go to the emergency room. That day, nothing changed. The next morning, I was about to head to the emergency room, when I decided to try eating some oatmeal first instead. Fortunately, that was enough to trigger the goodness. From that point forward, the sharp pains began to subside and I was able to stand up straight for the very first time in days. (Tip: Don't purchase a stool softener that has a laxative in it... If Colace is not available, Dulcolax will work just the same.)
I've read that you can resume sexual activity after 2-3 days (which, quite honestly, I couldn't imagine being very enjoyable), but my doctor said to wait 2 weeks. This might have had something to do with the size of my cysts -- baseball-sized on one ovary; golf ball size on the other.
Your throat will be a tad sore for 2-3 days afterwards from the trach tube.It's not unbearable, just noticeable. And your voice sounds slightly higher pitched for a couple days too.
If you have crowns on any of your front teeth, they need to know about it. (I had to sign a release acknowledging that there could be "dental damage" from the intubation process itself... they said it could occur if you have crowns in front.)
Afterwards, you may have cuts on your lip that swell up whenever you eat hot soup other warm foods & beverages. (I presume this is from the intubation process and/or one of the crowns I had on a front tooth.) A spot on my top lip swelled up for over a week after the surgery -- only whenever I ate something hot or cold.
When you're feeling those pains in your shoulders, neck, back, and chest from the excess air, it helps to get up and move around. It's also a good idea to drink either hot water or hot tea with fresh lemon. A heating pad will help too.
The intense pains felt after surgery can jump from one side to the other, with no rhyme or reason. For instance, the cyst on my left side was the largest, yet that was the side that hurt the least overall. The right side would often hurt so badly I'd double-over to get through the pain. Only to find, that an hour or so later, a similarly intense pain was occurring on the left side this time.
You will return to your doctor's office for a post-op checkup in about 2 weeks after surgery. At that appointment, your doctor will discuss the results of your surgery and answer any further questions you may have.
You'll probably lose some weight. According to my doctor, I lost 15 pounds! (That's partially due to the removal of a baseball and a golf ball...)
How I Learned I Had Endometriosis
I wasn't really having any symptoms at the time I was diagnosed with endometriosis.
I simply went to the gynecologist one day after a 2-3 year span of not having been to one. When we talked about how I hadn't been able to get pregnant the past 6 years... and about my heavy periods... and about ONE night several months ago that unexplainedly left me doubled over in pain and ready to call an ambulance... she thought we should do a trans-vaginal ultrasound -- just for the heck of it, more as a precaution than anything else.
When the ultrasound revealed a cyst on both the left and right ovaries, my first thought was to just "live with it".
Why? Because I knew that cysts on ovaries are actually quite common. And they are usually pure 'ol endometriosis -- a sometimes painful, yet common condition that you can live with.
What scared me most were the stories I'd heard... how even if you remove the endometriosis, it's practically a given that the endometriosis will reappear again and again in the future.
And since my symptoms weren't really that bad -- in my mind -- I feared that I'd actually be triggering more symptoms and more pain and more endometriosis.
In the end, Jim and I chose the most aggressive form of treatment in order to get to the root of the problem... fast.
While the cysts were larger than everyone thought, they were not cancerous. (...thank goodness)
And the bonus from my treatment (the optional ablation): No more periods!
Truthfully, I wasn't going to do it, but when the doctor said she would actually like to have this option herself... and Jim thought I would probably be happier if I did it... I realized that it was probably a good idea. Now I can say I'm very glad I did it.
Endometriosis No More?
For the record, this laparoscopy or surgery to remove the cysts isn't really a cure; it's just a temporary fix because endometriosis tends to show itself again. The good part is you can do things to keep it from reoccurring so aggressively (like take birth control pills, I am), or treat it differently when it reoccurs. (For example, now that I know any future bouts of it probably won't be cancerous, I could treat recurrences with those shots I talked about earlier.)
Another fun fact: By its very nature, I guess endometriosis sort of invades your body and latches onto your linings all throughout your body. For example, they think endometriosis could be the explanation for some weird chest pains I've had for years. Doesn't make sense to me, but that's what my other (family practice) doctor told me.
So... once you have endometriosis, you always have endometriosis. But you can totally live with it. It's not life-threatening in any way (unless yours is cancerous). The only difference is the degree of pain that different people have from it. I had next to none.
For More Information...
Photos of the laprascopic procedure & tools used (Warning: only for those with strong stomachs.)
Endometriosis Multimedia Gallery - photos and videos showing endometriosis at its finest.
Endometriosis FAQ - answers to all of your pressing questions.
And now for the humor...
About a week after my surgery, Bob & Tom talked about this exact thing! Actually, they were talking more about the Ultrasound that's required to initially identify things like cysts... and endometriosis... and even a tilted uterus. (Yep, I happen to have one of them, too.)
Audio clip from the Nov. 15, 2006 Bob & Tom Show where they talked about Christy's tilted uterus.
See... if you look hard enough, you can find humor in just about anything!
Hi,
Your article was great I also had the same
problem.
You should write a book want any inf.
e-mail me. Thank you very much
Gayle
MrsO - Your symptoms sound like everything I've heard in the past about endometriosis.
My symptoms were NOT severe. Weren't even noticeable - by me. Yet I had the baseball size and golf ball size cysts. So I would say with the pain you've been having, it's definitely something worth treating.
I would definitely go thru with the steps necessary to diagnose and treat endometriosis, if I were you. If you're worried, try to get a second opinion.
As for the scarring - I had NONE. The tiny scars from the laparoscopy faded during the first 6 months or so. And today, they are nowhere to be found. :-D
P.S. I had never had surgery before this either. I was TERRIFIED. It turned out to be not bad at all. Really.
Hi,
I started having symptoms exactly a year ago when I went in to the hospital with severe abdominal pain. I thought for sure I had kidney stones again or appendicitis. The doctors were not able to find anything but a few small cysts which they were not "concerned" about on my ovaries. Till this day I still don't know what cause my acute pain but I was unable to get out of bed for close to 1 month, and my pain has never fully resolved. I have worse pain during my period, and it's mostly on the right side of my groin. I have had a swollen lymph node on my right groin for over a year now, and severe lower back pain daily. I am 27 years old and have had heavy periods since I was 9 years old. I have also been on the birth control pill (for period pain) since I was 16. My doctor recommends a laporoscopy to diagnose what she thinks may be endometriosis but I am scared to get the surgery since I have never had surgery before, and I am afraid of the scarring. Anyway - can you tell me if you think these symptoms are similar to yours and if you were left with any visible scars post surgery? Thank you for this wonderful blog which is very informative!
Thank you SO much for this information! I finally found a doctor that takes my cysts and pain seriously, and even agrees with me that I probably have endometriosis. My lap will be in a month and this has helped alleviate my fears.
Hi,
Thanks for this information! I did have a lap. for gallbladder removal in 2007 so I am familiar with most of the procedure. And after a tonsillectomy last summer, this is a piece of cake!!! I am currently waiting to have a lap. done for endo. and am hoping it will work out with my schedule. I also loved the humor in your post about this topic! Thanks again for posting!
Hi,
Thank you very much for all the details about the Laparoscopy. I'll have one next week and I was looking for some useful information. Your blog helped me a lot . Blessings
I too am so glad I saw your blog. Thank you for doing it. I am going in tomorrow morning and am a bit nervous. I have a road trip 5 days later. Sounds like I will be uncomfortable, but will be able to make it. Thanks again for opening your life to all the women who needed some assurance.
I am so glad I came across your story and site. I am in the process of waiting for surgery to remove a chocolate cyst (5cm) ... after a year of tests and discussion. The step by step relating of your experience really has helped me understand what they're going to do to me. Thank you!!
Thank you for sharing your story, I am going to have a laparscopy in 3 days for the exact same reason as you. Reading this has calmed my nerves a lot.... I now know that I am not going to die or something : )
Hi again, I wrote you on June 9 when I first found out I should have the surgery. I'm having it done the day after tomorrow so I came back to read your comments. I really appreciate the info. I'm going to go buy stool softener!
For anyone feeling the pain from the anaesthesia: I've heard camomile tea helps a lot. I'm definately going to try it.
Take care.
hi my names lisa im 16 and ive had polistic overys for 4 years and last week they said that i have to have them surgicly removed and im realy worried about it i have to go for a pre opp next week ive never been put in hospital before and i thought ur web site was realy intresting and helpfull and im glad you got better lisa-marie fairclough
I had a lap 10 days ago now and found this site a few days before. It really helped to prevent serious panic!The op went well and was not as difficult to recover from as I'd thought, but I'm confused by the constant ovary and lower abdominal pain that I'm still getting nearly 2 weeks later, as I'd expected the endo pain to have reduced or gone by now. I have been told to just continue my contraceptive tabs and to take double dose if I get a break through bleed as its the first time I'm trying to suppress a period (I'm on a very low dose tab). The pain is better than it was, but its by no means disappeared. I'm nearly 39 and was married only 1 month when this all this started. My darling husband, bless him, has been incrediby caring and supportive. I'm quite confused generally about how to manage the future. I mean, to have kids you stop the birth control right? But then the endo comes back, so how do you fit in the kids thing? Anyway, your detailed site really helped me understand the lap procedure and I'm REALLY grateful to all of you who write in as well, as it has really helped reduce the panic and make me feel less alone in the process of managing this (I recently moved to a foreign country and am managing this in very unfamilar circumstances.) Thanks so much for helping.
Your blog is really great at making people feel comfortable! I have had four laparoscopies and I am now on my third round of depo lupron. It seems that my endometriosis and cysts just come right back after surgery and lupron treatment. I just want to tell any woman who has endometriosis to hang in there! It is a long and painful ordeal but with treatment it can be manageable. Just be sure to surround yourself with supportive people, that can make things much easier.
I just had surgery yesterday. Your info was helpful. I was just looking on the internet to see about painful swollen lips. My lip is swollen and hurts and there are a couple of cuts, which like you said is from the tube. So I know I am not alone. After having three periods of terrible pain where I couldn't walk or move and only thought about calling nine one one, I saw the doc. They found a cyst around my left ovary and susspected some endo. Well they took pics yesterday and gave them to my mom. My left ovary was so covered it was actually fused to the wall. I have a lot of inflimation inside too that he couldn't remove all of the endo. He also said it was attached to my bowel, which would make sense as to why when I get my period making a bowel movement was extreamly painful. I see him in two weeks and he wants to discuss lupron since I have a liver tumor I can't have hormones in my system, which rules out birth control. I have an iud though but it is the one with no hormones. well it is xmas so I am going to try to get up and move around a little bit. happy holidays to everyone. I feel your pain as I am in it right now on day two of recovery. People say this is a band aid surgery, but I would say it is more than that.
Hi, I just wanted to say thank you for posting this. I've been having pelvic pains for 3 years now and have finaly been given the chance of a laparoscopy.
I've never had surgery before and was worrying about it a lot.
After reading your post I feel much calmer and found out some things I was never told by the nurse at my pre op appointment....like the tube down your throat thing! Arghh!!
I'm glad you're all better now and just want to say thanks again for helping out. :)
Thank you so much for post. I had lap surgery yesterday and was looking online for information on how to alleviate the pain from the CO2 still in my abdomen. Just learning about endometriosis and I really appreciate the resources you have provided on your blog. Thank you!!
Thank you so much for this post. I had my op on tuesday (today is thurs)and i was feeling like i was abnormal (according to alot of the info i was given i should be fine by now.. running marathons even, (not that i could do that before) and not be on the couch sleeping for most of the day. Im from Australia, so i dont know some of the meds you were given, and i didnt have a lot of the pre op stuff that you did (i didnt drink any thing, or have blood taken and i only had my drip put in just as i was about to go in, they did the heart monitor on the day, also missed out on what sounded to be some exciting socks). My op took longer than they thought and i had to stay in over night (which looking back was a god send, because i doubt my hubby would have known what to do with me on an hour and a bit long drive back from the hospital with me vomiting constantly). When im still i dont feel too bad, its just when im walking or moving aroud a bit i get very tired, nauseated and dizzy.
Enough about that, Thank you again for this post and letting me know im not alone, or lazy as i felt before.
Your account was great, thanks! I had an l-scope 3 years ago to both diagnose and treat my mild-moderate endo. I will be having a 2nd l-scope at the end of November because my symptoms are back, and my doc tells me that the lasers have really improved in the last 3 years, such that now they can even get some microscopic endo, whereas before they couldn't. I also experienced the lack of bowel movements for days, and in my case, also some urinary retention, both of those went away within 4 days. My pain level was about a 7 for the first 3 days or so, but that was mostly because I cant tolerate Vicodin which was the only pain killer I was offered by my doctor. The pain level was mid to high, and I walked around bent over at a 90 degree angle for several days, but that was only because I was limited to over the counter pain meds. This next time, I know to ask for Keterolac, which worked very well for me after other surgeries, and my doc said that even though Keterolac normally increases bleeding somewhat, that the 2 surgical sites should still heal normally. My wounds took about 2 weeks to heal, and I was back at work on the 7th day after my surgery. I wish I had seen this posting before my 1st l-scope! I will be much better prepared for my 2nd l-scope. The best part of the l-scope is once you are no longer in pain, and feeling back to 100% normal (in my case that took about 3 weeks), my symptoms basically dissapeared for 6-9 months, but they slowly crept back, which explains why I'm going in for a second one. Good luck to everyone out there having surgery!
I read this before my surgery which took place on August 27, 2008, just about a week ago. A lot of things were similar but I guess I must have taken the surgery a lot harder. My surgery started at 7:30am and I didn't get out of the hospital until 4pm due to just not feeling well enough to even get out of bed. At one point while I was in the restroom and blood came gushing down my legs while standing I thought I was going to pass out and die. My body reacted really scary to the anesthesia and the pain.
After I got home, I couldn't keep a simple soup and water down, I was throwing up, I was in a lot of pain. I couldn't even walk to the bathroom by myself.
Now a week later I am still having a hard time going up the stairs, bending, turning etc.
I really thought this surgery wouldn't be as painful as it was. Not that I am trying to scare anyone, everyone's body is different in the end.
I thought I would share my experience with you, even thought it's not a good one.
I am thankful my doctor was able to save my ovary :) Unfortunately any sexual activity is not allowed for at least 2-3 months and therefore we will have to wait to start trying for a little while longer.
When I learned that I would need to have an immediate laparoscopy to remove an ovarian tumor I went into a slightly controlled panic. Having no one in my life who has gone through such a proceedure has left me with no idea of what to expect (a rather terrifying predicament!) Thank you for your post... it is the only article I have found that answers REAL questions from a patient's standpoint. You have lowered my anxiety levels enormously!! - I can handle this now.
Hey Thanks for putting this blog up. I just found out today that I have a very large cyst in my right Overy. I think she said it is 16 cm in diameter... :S anyways my Dr. is going to get me in the Op room As soon as she can to remove it and my Overy...but I'll still have my left one. I'm 21 So when I heard all that... I was totally freaked out. I got home and googled and I came accross your post. thanks. Hopefully I can find out soon if it's cancerous or Binane.
I am having laproscopy for my ovarian cysts on the 22nd of July. I too have a large 8 cm cyst on one ovary and a golf ball sized one on the other. Plus additional cysts - we lost count. My doctor is pretty sure my problem is endometriosis and I can't wait to get rid of all this junk. I just canceled a complete hysterectomy with one doctor and got a second opinion. Glad I did, what a difference in the procedures! I have had chronic pain for the past 3 mos. because of these cysts. Thought I was having bladder or kidney infections and IBS. Hope my procedure is as successful as yours was. Thanks for helping me prepare - I will know what they are talking about at my pre-op appointment tomorrow!
hi lynn,
thanks for this post. i'm going in for surgery next week and was a lil' worried. it gives me strength to know it's not that bad :)
Yay! I'm so glad to hear that all went well.
Thanks for the update!
Hi Lynette-
I am 6 days post op and I am feeling great...Your blog was right on!!! Thank you!!! :-) They ended up finding the Cysts were in fact endomitriomas (Chocolate cysts) I have stage 4 Endometriosis and my right tube is completely blocked. Also the Rt tube, Ovary and Uterus were all attached. So they removed the cysts, most of the endometriosis and re-contructed the rt ovary. The Dr. said that I will still have cronic pain but it should not be as severe as it was. The fertilitst says that I can start treatment after my post op. Best regards, Victoria
I have had some pain in my pelvis...I had a appointment at hospital yesterday and the reg thinks it might be endmetriosis and i need a laparoscopy to confirm/treat...the thing id i dont really want it done...My pain is not constant and only when someone pushes a place rigt up inside either through sexual intercorse or examination i dont have constant pain...so i was thinking to just leaving it for now??? What do you think???
HI Lynette-
Tomorrow I am going in for my surgery...I am very nervous!!! I came back to your site to read it again...Thanks again for posting your experience. Any last minute tips or advise?
Thank you!!! I'm going in on Friday for my first laprascopy, to remove a cyst and see what else they can find in there. I am very scared. But it helps to read positive experiences from women who have had it done and lived to tell about it. I'm staying optimistic but I'm definitely intimidated. So thanks for sharing your experience.
nice write up
hey, thank you so much for writing this. i'm 16 and have been diagnosed with endometrosis for over a year now. and after no medication has stopped the pain it's causing...i just found out today that i am going to need to have a laparoscopy. my first reaction was saying no, no way would i ever put my 16 year old tiny body through this... and although reading your story made it even more fearful... i'm glad i actually got the worst details out of the way. :]
Thanks so much for this info and especially for the links to the funny radio show. I came home today stressed - I just found out I have to have the surgery - and now I am laughing out loud about the 'tilted uterus' song (which I *also* have!) and the woman with the perfect uterus who has a guy come in to clean twice a week. Classic. thanks again.
Hi Lynette-
Whew! I was starting to scare my self! I also have Two Cyst's in my Right Ovary. One measuring 4cm and 3cm... They are Endometriomas "Chocolate Cyst's" I have also been diagnosed with Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome. In addition to seeing my OBGYN, I am also seeing a Fertility Specialist. The Fertility Specialist would like to do an HSG (X-Ray of the Fallopian Tubes) to make sure they are not blocked or damaged before the Surgery but I am just not up for it. I am about done with all of the testing, poking and proding. So I am waiting to here back from my OB to see if that is something they can take care of during surgery and I am out for the count! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I can only hope that my results are good like yours... The only surgery I have had is my Toncils were out at 7 years old and that is it. I have also not had children yet. Best regards, Victoria
PS. Does anyone have any advice on the HSG X-ray, PCOS and Endo?
Hi Victoria,
Have no fear... Yes, they remove the bladder catheter before you wake up. (And the put it in after you're asleep. )
I never even knew it happened. Whew!
Thank you, for posting your experience. I am also having Laparoscopy on June 26th and I am scared to death. Do they remove the Bladder Catheter before you wake up? I am scared of that. Gosh I hope so!!! :-)
Thanks for the help, the weeping stopped after a few days, apparently it happens a lot, it's just the wound healing itself and getting anything out that may have got stuck in there (belly button's aren't exactly the cleanest things are they?)
But it's all fine now, still don't know why I have 2 entry points and 2 lots of stitches in my belly button but one lot has fallen out now and the stitches at the bottom are healing nicely and falling out now :)
Thanks so much for all your help
Hi Leann,
No, my stitches didn't weep, leak, or ooze. Then again, I didn't look. I kept the bandages on until the very last minute (probably longer than I should have -- because they probably needed to air out). But I just couldn't bear to look. I figured the less I knew, the less I had to worry about.
I'm not sure what you mean about "2 lots"... If you mean 2 entry points at my belly button, no I only had one there. Then 3 others down below that.
Personally, in my opinion, oozing would not be a good thing. At least it's something worth calling the doctor & asking about. I know that my doctor was very receptive to phone calls after the surgery. (Actually, you had to leave a voice message. Then the doctor would review it and have her assistant call you back with the answer later that night.)
Hope that helps some...
Just want to say thanks for someone finally putting up their experience on the internet, i just wish I'd found it before I had my lap to see if I had endometriosis (luckily I don't but now they ca't do anything for the pain I have when I'm on my period). I had my lap 13 days ago and I'm feeling so much better but I have had some weeping from the stitches in my belly button, I have one at the bottom of my navel and one right in the middle... did you have 2 lots or just the one? I'm a bit confused as to why I had to have 2 when they only mentioned one! Did you have weeping at all? I'm not sure if it's normal or not, can't find any info on the net :-S
I too googled "laparoscopy for endometriosis" and came across your site. Thanks for the usable knowledge! I feel much better being more informed from a personal standpoint. You helped my nerves! Thanks again!
That was a very good account of what you went through. I'm a 25 year old nurse with no kids and was told i could have endo but i need to have a lap done. I just so happened to google the procedure and endo and found your site. You certainly are helping lots of curious and concerned women. thanks.
Hi Lynnette,
Thank you so much for the detailed account of your surgery. It was very helpful and reassuring. I wanted to know if a hard knot, the size of a huge grape, under the incision by the belly button is normal? It's been two weeks since my surgery. Also wondering about the constant pain in my middle back; right below the rib cage (pain pills barely help). Is that common? I think my doctor is getting tired of hearing from me! Thanks for any reassurances you can give me.
Thank you so much. I also go in on May 8th. Im not afraid of the surgery itself but the recovery scares me a lot. I have a 3 year old and can just see him trying to jump on the bed next to me :))
I do feel better after reading your story, Thank you !!!
Thanks so much for the great, detailed information. I go in for lap next week (May 8) and loved your fantiastic info and details. I'm so glad to know what to expect!
I can only say Thank you cuz now i know what to expect. cuz nobody tells you all those things.. Now i'm looking forward to my lap.Thanks again and good luck
Hi Lynnette,
I have this surgery on May 6th and I'm so nervous. I had my pre-op yesterday and couldn't sleep last night. Thanks for your info! I don't know yet if I have Endo. But I DO have VERY painful periods. Sometimes I can't even walk. T3's don't work sometimes, especially when I'm near cold water! HEAT is the ONLY cure for these painful cramps. I'm hoping they'll find something and be able to fix it!!! Thanks again!
your description of what a lap is like is so spot-on it's incredible. this is coming from someone who just had one this afternoon. i hope you never take this site down! thanks so much for laying it all out for people like us. it's helpful to know what to expect (wish i found this yesterday!) :)
-lisa
Hi Lynnette, I just want to say thank you for giving me a good summary of your surgery, i am scheduled to have lap surgery in a couple of weeks and i had been trying to find reasons to cancel. I am so nervous and scared, i have never had any surgeries in my life and i dont have any children either. I am only 28 years old and the prospect of not being able to concieve is scarry! Ultimately i realized that i can't live with the debilitating pain any longer. I have not been officially diagnosed with Endo but I have experienced about 90% of all the symtoms associated with Endo. So the surgeon is going in to see if he can find any lesions and if so remove them. I have been so nervous about this but reading your personal story has given me a little peace so again thank you so very much!!!!!!!
Hello Lynnette,
I appreciate you writing your experience and posting it online for all to see and use as a reference. A lot of the details pre-surgery did help me to prepare for my laparoscopy. However, I have to say that my experience was a lot worse - or you just made it sound better. :)
I think it is important to note that every woman is different...as is their case of endometriosis. After my surgery, I was not able to move or even talk because of the pain. My husband took me home and put me to bed, while getting my percocet from the pharmacy. Upon waking, I couldn't even think about pizza due to the nausea. I was unable to sit up in bed because of the intense pain in my abdomen and pelvis. My husband had to sit me up so that I could throw up in the pail we took home from the hospital (apparently I was throwing up as we were leaving - but I don't remember).
The first night was the worst, with pain and sickness. I couldn't even walk to the bathroom on my own. The pain felt when walking was as if my uterus was going to fall out. The pressure was even more tremendous when using the bathroom.
My surgery was done on a Wednesday morning, I was not able to walk or eat 'till Saturday (and I'm using the term "walk" loosely). As I write this, it has been 12 days since my surgery, I am still hurting tremendously and questioning the hell of it all. The pain is better now though, as it is not constant but rather "on and off". I go for my post op appointment in 2 days. Prayerfully, I won't have to go through this again.
Again, I do appreciate you sharing your experience. But I just wanted to note for the other women who may read this, to say "it's not that bad" is clearly one woman's opinion of the experience. My experience was hell to me - and that's coming from a 25 yr old woman diagnosed with endometriosis, who was a Marine and NCAA ice hockey goaltender, and is now a personal trainer.
Thank you so much for this posting. I had my surgery last week (I'm 6 days post-op) and having read about your experience helped me anticipate what was in store for me (and relieve alot of anxiety!)
My surgery went pretty much as you described with a few small exceptions (I didn't have to drink magnesium before the big day.)
I planned ahead and had my supplies at the ready: Colace, x-tra large bandages (knee & elbow size was perfect), Advil, and a couple of videos.
You were so right about the pain felt from the carbon dioxide - I still have pain in my upper back and under my right ribs - but between the Advil and walking around more, it's tolerable.
Anyhow, thanks a bunch.
This is the best thing I've come across on the internet. I am scheduled to have the surgery next week. This article should be given to every woman scheduled or thinking about the procedure. Thanks!!!
Thank you very much for posting this information! I am having a laparascopy next week and have been looking online for information when I stumbled upon your site. I have not yet been diagnosed with endometriosis (the reason I am having the procedure is partially so that they can give me a diagnosis and also so that they can clean out any endometrium that has built up), so the reason for my procedure is different from yours, but it was still very helpful to read your account. I have not had many medical procedures before, so I was feeling really nervous about this one. I was also having a hard time finding information that didn't freak me out and make me reconsider having the procedure until I found your site. After reading about your experience and tips, I now feel much less anxious about the whole thing. So thank you very much again for the info! It has certainly helped to calm my nerves. :)
Thanks for posting all of this. I have surgery in two days, I'm nervous, and geez - you've written about things nobody has mentioned to me. I do feel a bit better prepared, and annoyed with my doctor for not telling me more. Yay you.
thank you very much for posting this!
i have a laparoscopy on dec.12th and, after reading this, it seems much more managable and less foreign.
it is wonderful to see women sharing their experiences and thoughts, thanks everyone!
Hi Becky,
I don't really recall any drainage issues. But I left those thick band-aids on way longer than I was supposed to -- just because I didn't want to "see" what it looked like.
But when I took them off, there were no real drainage issues to speak of. Supposedly, had I taken the bandages off sooner, I would have healed up a bit faster. Air is good...
P.S. A year after my surgery, all is well now. Zero scarring. Zero pain. Absolutely no evidence that I even had the laparoscopy. I'm still on the birth control pills -- again, a confusing issue for me. Supposedly, they play a small part in keeping the cysts from reoccurring.
I should have had my follow-up visit a couple months ago, but (like many women) I dread those visits, so I'm pushing it off as long as possible -- until my prescription for the birth control pills runs out (in a couple months) and I HAVE to go back in to be examined & get another year's refills. After that visit, I'll post an update here regarding what the doc says about my progress...
Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories!!!! We can ALL learn from the experiences of others -- especially things like this that are so difficult to talk about.
I am recovering from lap and am on day 3 for recovery. Your post is so very helpful! I was expecting more "drainage" and you didn't mention that in your post, and I was wondering what to expect as normal? Now that you are a year away from the surgery hows it going? Thanks for your info!
Hi Lynnette, my procedure is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 8:45 and I came back to read this over again for reassurance because right now I'm close to the panic stage (I've never had surgery in my life!). My doc had also wanted to do the Lupron shots last year, but after I researched it, I was horrified by the stories I read about this drug and cancelled the shots. If you do decide to do the Lupron in the future, please research it first!
i love you. i just came back from the doctor and i will be getting a laparoscopy in two months. and of course i am asking myself "why me"....thank you very much for all that detailed info. i will be referring back to it when the time nears. thanks again.
I am going in for this surgery in 7 days, and it was wonderful to get a play by play from you. It answered a lot of my questions. Thanks for sharing your story!
Just read your story and wanted to tell you how glad I found it (I googled Laparoscopy). My doctor told me yesterday he wanted to schedule the surgery for me because of my progressively worsening periods. I have never had surgery before, not to mention the fact that I've never had general anesthesia and have been quite nervous about the whole procedure. I wasn't able to get alot from the pamphlet my doctor gave me! Now I know what to expect and what to look forward to ; ) Thanks for posting your experience!
I found out today that I will be getting this surgery soon, im sixteen and it freaked me out so bad I hung up the phone on my mom. thank you so much for posting this, it really makes me feel alot better. im really worried about the scaring but as long as every thing is taken care of I think I can live with it
-lauren
Lynnette,
I am so glad you posted your story. My symptoms have run the gamit between severe to non-existent (that is how I feel right now). It started in July after a bad period. After my period was gone, I still had pain like I had my period (cramps). I went to my gyn and he told me that according to my latest ultrasound, the cyst on my left ovary had grown. He attributed my pain to the cyst. Then he put me on birth control pills (I told him that I can't tolerate birth control pills, but he said that this new pill YAZ was diffrent). Well, I was on YAZ for 1 week and I had cystis like pain and I was verrrrrrrrrrrrrry irritable. I cried for anything and my anxiety was out of control. My cysts rupture while on the pill, but I still had pelvic pain. Then he refers me to a gyn surgeon to discuss endo. I have had heavy periods for a long time,lower back pain but no pain during sex. The pelvic pain is new. I don't know if I should go through with the laporoscopy. I can't take birth control pills, so if it comes back (endo) I will have to have another laporoscopy, I am 42 years old and don't want more children. I have spent 3 months with pain, but now feel good. The only reason I would think of having the lapoporscopy would be to find out where my stomach problems are coming from (I have IBS-C). I love your input, please write back. My e-mail is kisebl65@hotmail.com
Hello Lynnette,
Thanks for putting up all of these details, even the gory ones. Taping eyes shut during the operation was a new one, lol! Well I am 27 and recently found out I have a plum-sized cyst on my left ovary that the radiologist believes is caused by endometriosis (a "chocolate cyst" if you will). So I have been told that I will be having surgery sometime soon, and of course have been nervous because I've never had surgery before. So I've been googling info and I even watched the video of someone else's surgery....yuck. Did they give you a video of yours?
My mom told me that sometimes the more you know, the more nervous you might become. I think that may be true but I am still curious.
I guess I am very concerned right now that my cyst may rupture or twist around before I am able to have it removed. Was this a concern of yours as well? How much time elapsed between your diagnosis and the surgery?
Thanks for sharing again, and also for showing us your belly marks. I was very curious to see what those looked like right afterwards.
Also, I have 2 jobs and one of them is cashiering at a grocery store. Do you think asking for one week off of work is enough time? I know you're not a doctor but just wanted your opinion as you've been through it already. You stated that you were able to return to work in 3 days...did I read that right? Wow!
Thanks very much,
Jill
Hi Liza -
You said that "BC pills almost always make cysts grow larger". I haven't heard that before. But I know there are pro's and con's to everything, so there is probably evidence in support of and against BC pills.
There is obviously no 100% right thing to do when you've got ovarian cysts... or any medical issue for that matter. We all do what we think would be best for us -- based on our own research, word of mouth, and conversations with doctors. In the end, it's up to each one of us, individually.
As for the ovaries... Nope, mine weren't removed. Still fully intact. Just the cysts are gone.
My surgery was a huge success. I couldn't be happier.
BC pills almost always make cysts grow larger. Docs should stop acting like they don't! I had pain after lap upon urination, because of the catheter. Did you have your ovaries removed? Ladies, if you don't want them removed, they don't 'have' to be. The cysts can be removed, and the ovaries re-formed.
Hi Julie,
Thanks so much for the kind words.
It's not a pretty story, but I'm happy to be able to give others some realistic idea of what to expect. Because I know before mine... all I had was the doctor's word.
For what it's worth, it's been 8 months since I had my surgery and the 3 scars are gone. They've disappeared completely. (I thought I would always have some scars at the bikini line.)
And of course the belly button one -- it never even scarred at all.
I think all evidence of my surgery went away by about 6 months.
I wish you all the best with your laparoscopy!
It's not bad at all... really.
Hello,
Thanks so much for posting the story of your endometriosis laparascopy. I found your blog by Googling "magnesium citrate." I am having a laparoscopy on Monday and am getting ready for my charming "bowel prep." I also have cysts on my ovaries, bad endometriosis on my uterus (and possibly appendix, liver, bowels, and bladder), and a tilted uterus. I tried birth control for 5 years and it's only gotten worse so at this point, surgery is my only option.
I liked hearing the HONEST story of how it's going to go and what it will be like afterward. I am going to get some Colace right now (while I shop for magnesium citrate and enema kits - ew). I just wanted to thank you for posting that. I can also guarantee you that I will not look nearly as cute and put together as you did before (and after) your surgery. I think I will be banning cameras from the room. :)
Thanks again,
Julie
(27 years old)
Well...I'm a guy, and I just read the whole page! Besides...I'm bored by sports anyways! I just stumbled upon your site after looking for laparoscopy photos. I just had an appendectomy last night. The reason I read your page was because my surgery was an emergency, and I had a suspicion that they tubed me in a couple of different holes. And I was right! My throat was sore, and it burns to urinate, thanks to the catheter I didn't know I had!
And, my wife had laparoscopy for her endometriosis about 3 years ago. Her Ob/Gyn told her that the only real "cure" for endo is to have a baby. So that's what we did. It took a while after the surgery for us to get pregnant, but it happened, and now we are pregnant with our second child. And she's had no more complications with the endo since then.
So...I enjoyed your page, and I think its great for guys who don't know about this stuff!
oddly everything u have said in this procedure and such is my condition up and down. i only have one cyst on my left ovary that is the size of a baseball, i also have a tilted uterus. the reason i went to the dr is bc i thought i was pregnant. my monthly was 7 days late.
Thank you so much for this information; it is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Now I know what to expect!
You answered all the questions I have for now - and then some. The tips and inside info are really helpful - thanks.