ENDO Messages for November, 2003: Re: ? about Lap?

Re: ? about Lap?

From: Kate (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sun Nov 16 12:12:29 2003

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Hi Valerie, your doctor sounds like he doesn't know very much about endometriosis. What has he done in the way of diagnostic tests? Has he done a intrauterine ultrasound? If he hasn't, he should before you ever have surgery. If he has, he should have a better idea of what's going on than it sounds like he does. The reason that gynecologists start with a diagnostic laparoscopy without the option of doing more major work is because it is cost-effective - if they have to remove anything bigger than a small fibroid or something like that they need two surgeons, more time, etc., so the idea is that they are saving you money. The problem is that it can take you months to recover even from a diagnostic laparoscopy, although they say it is only 4-5 days, the more usual experience is that it takes a lot longer than that to fully recover and you often have really, really painful periods for months afterwards. They should tell you so that you can be prepared, but they don't.

Lupron is a popular cure-all for doctors but not for women. If you check out on-line surveys of different treatment, Lupron is about the least effective. It has a lot of side-effects; you get thrown into premature menopause; your endo starts to come back after the three months you're allowed to use it; and it's expensive. If your doctor thinks Lupron is the drug of choice, that is a big red light, or should be.

It's not worth having a diagnostic laparoscopy done by a doctor who doesn't really know what he's doing. He might be great at delivering babies and doing hysterectomies, but endometriosis sufferers need specialists who are up to date with all the progress that's been made in the last three or four years. Listen to your doubts, and go somewhere else. Tell your doctor very courteously that you've decided to look into things a little more, and then run like hell. Check out the Endometriosis Association webpage, get one of their books, and find a competent specialist. This might sound kind of strong, but my own experience was very similar to yours, and I wouldn't like to see anyone else go through the same if it really isn't the right thing to do, and you don't feel good about it.

-- Kate

At Sat, 15 Nov 2003, Valerie wrote: > >Wednesday I am having mine. My doc said he is just going in to see what >is going on (diagnostic laparoscopy) This really bothers me!!!!!! Does >this mean he is just going to leave everything there all the endo and >what not? I have this possible endometrioma between my bowel and uterus, >There is a mass there, golf ball size but he said he is not sure about >it? it causes horrble pain with my period and when I don't have my >period it just feels like there is literally something up my ass! Sorry >but it does! I asked him if he was going to remove it and he said "We >have to see what it is first, if it's endometrioma we will take care of >it with Lupron". My question is why can't he remove it? Then he said to >that it could be that me bowel has adhered to my uterus. I am confused >I mean why does it sound like I am getting nothing done with this >surgery!!!!!!!!

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