Laparascopy next Friday: advice

[DanielleFL]

I am going to have a lap done on the 19th to check for endo. The doctors want to see if my pain could be endometriosis as my pelvic pain and painful intercourse are my main symptoms.

I told him that I do not want him to do any "additional" surgery should he find a large amount of endo. i.e. I don't want to wake up with a larger abdominal incision as I work full-time and would need to plan for something like that.

He said I will have three small incisions. One in the belly button area and two on each side of my pelvic area.

He said if there is a small amount or endo or amounts he can get to with those three incisions he can remove it. He told me he cuts it away rather than burning it as he has found this method to be better.

He also needs to know if I authorize him to remove an ovary if he were to find one overtaken with endo. How can I decide this?

Anyway...enough rambling on...

Please let me know your experience with post-surgery. How long before you were back to work? How long before you were back to 100 percent? What should I expect?

Thanks so much!

p.s. I see a group of doctors at pelvic pain department at university and I see a doctor for the pelvic pain as well as an IC specialist who work together.

[ABliske]

OH NO! Sounds like you have a lot to think about. I had the laparoscopy but didn't have endo (except a couple spots). I am sure that my pain is all IC related. I also had painful intercourse but that hasn't been as much of a problem for me in the past few years. I had soooooooo much pain in the pelvic area and kept going to OBs until I was finally referred to a uro.
Now, I am on painkillers daily. Hopefully, you do not need anything to be removed!!!! Although, if that would help with the pain I'm sure it'd be worth it. Have you had an ultrasound. I think they can see the ovaries through that as a starting point.
My recovery was about 3 days! Best of luck to you. I hope you are better soon.

[ICNDonna]

The only abdominal laparoscopic surgery I have had was for gall bladder removal. I was back at my desk eleven days after surgery.

Donna

[Smokey]

i have only had my gall bladdder removed by key hole surgery same as donna it took around two weeks to recover.

may i ask do you suffer bad and heavy period pains? have you had a cysto/hydro done to rule out ic?

if you dont get pain with your period i wouldnt think it would be endo and personal i wouldnt get the lap done. ic can also cause painful sex.

[DanielleFL]

i have only had my gall bladdder removed by key hole surgery same as donna it took around two weeks to recover.

may i ask do you suffer bad and heavy period pains? have you had a cysto/hydro done to rule out ic?

if you dont get pain with your period i wouldnt think it would be endo and personal i wouldnt get the lap done. ic can also cause painful sex.

I suffer from average periods as far as I know. Not particularly painful.

I have had a cysto/hydro done and I do have IC.

I've had many treatments for IC with little sucess on the pelvic pain (including a year of pelvic floor therapy) so the doctors want to check for endo for good measure.

Plus, I had a trans-vaginal ultrasound done last year and the doctor thought she saw signs of mild scarring so...

[Cassaundra]

I had my laparoscopy on 1/20/2009. They found moderate to severe endometriosis and two polyps and mild scarring on my uterus (removed via D&C).

I was off of work for one week and a half. After two weeks to three weeks I was feeling pretty normal.

You will have constipation and a lot of bloating/pressure from the C02 that they use.

I told my doctor that if my ovaries were covered (they were clear thankfully) that only one was to be removed but if they needed to remove my appendix, then go for it. Good luck.

[DanielleFL]

I had my laparoscopy on 1/20/2009. They found moderate to severe endometriosis and two polyps and mild scarring on my uterus (removed via D&C).

I was off of work for one week and a half. After two weeks to three weeks I was feeling pretty normal.

You will have constipation and a lot of bloating/pressure from the C02 that they use.

I told my doctor that if my ovaries were covered (they were clear thankfully) that only one was to be removed but if they needed to remove my appendix, then go for it. Good luck.

What do you mean they removed it via D&C?

My doctor said if an ovary is covered it's not working anyway. I might say they can remove one but not both. I'm still unsure.

How long did you have constipation and did you have any problems urinating after?

[DanielleFL]

I read you will have constipation after.

I also read some people say they had problems urinating. This gives me a lot of anxiety thinking about it.

What is your all experience?

[Cassaundra]

Danielle,

A D&C is when they remove some of the lining of your uterus. I needed this to help stop my constant bleeding, which were caused by the polyps (growths). A D&C and a lap are two different things.

The reason you have constipation and some difficulty urinating is due to the amount of anasthesia/drugs you have in your system. Give it a day or so and you will be peeing normal. It took a couple of days for the constipation to wear off, but I was eating prunes (not always an IC safe food) and taking a lot of Colace and I think I took a laxative. Check with your doctor before doing this.

All they are going to do is go in via your belly button and two other incisions, look around, take out tissue that's not supposed to be there and biopsy it. If you are worried about organs, give your doctors explicit instructions.

I do not regret having this surgery and feel all the better for it.

[Smokey]

Hi Danielle,

my friend had mild scarring and she got the lap surgery done and now she does not have pain ful sex anymore. i dont know where she had the scarring. what is a trans-vaginal ultrasound ? is that a internal ultrasound done down there or is it a special ultrasound? where did they see the scarring?

[DanielleFL]

Hi Danielle,

my friend had mild scarring and she got the lap surgery done and now she does not have pain ful sex anymore. i dont know where she had the scarring. what is a trans-vaginal ultrasound ? is that a internal ultrasound done down there or is it a special ultrasound? where did they see the scarring?

The trans-vag ultrasound is the internal one done down there. The doctor who did it didn't say where she saw it. I asked what my chart said the last time I was at the doctor and she noted "patient may have low grade endo." So I am hoping if I have any it's mild.

That is good to hear about your friend. I hope that if I have any they can get rid of it and after I heal I will have less pain.

[Cassaundra]

Good luck and feel better.

[Smokey]

good luck danielle and can you keep us posted?

[DanielleFL]

good luck danielle and can you keep us posted?

Yeah. I will post an update here next weekend after I have the procedure. Yikes!

[Smokey]

hi danielle,
if your scarring is in the cervix, just becareful because your cervix on a side view angle is right near the bladder.