Re: Day 3 of recovery - and What now? - To Sarah
From: Claire (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Wed Aug 31 15:41:33 2005
Hi Sarah
I actually live in New Zealand. I lived in London for 9 years and came
back to NZ in Feb 02.
I only have 3 incisions.
Are you sticking to some kind of endo diet then??? Is that why you are
losing weight? I don't mind if I lose a few pounds as I am getting
married in January so it wouldn't hurt.
I've woken up feeling quite achey today, I guess I shouldn't expect
miracles and feel brilliant just yet. My partner has taken the day off
work today to look after the children as they don't go to daycare
normally today - so its nice not to have to stress with them - they are
both under 5!
The more I read about endo the more I get worried about it that it just
doesn't seem to go away... My mother thinks its just a walk in the park
and everything will be right as rain and brushes how I'm feeling off,
whereas I'm taking it quite seriously that I probably have to make some
lifestyle changes. I'm going to see if I can find a good book on endo
at the weekend.
Anyway, hope you are in not too much pain today...
Keep in touch
Claire
At Wed, 31 Aug 2005, Sarah wrote:
>
>Hi Claire,
>
>I'm pleased your feeling a little better today, it does take time but
>you will get there eventually!! I have 4 cuts on my belly, how many do
>you have? It does seem like we have fairly similar endo, I only had my
>first Lap in Feb this year and i can't believe mine is already
>back...........great innit!!! It does seem like a never ending battle
>sometimes!!
>
>At my last appt my consultant said he wants me to see a dietician as i'm
>really losing weight and can't seem to put it on and getting regular
>diahhorea isn't helping!!! So i go and see this dietician on Sept 20th
>so we'll see what she suggests!!
>
>I'm sorry if i've already asked you this but where do you live, UK or
>USA?
>
>Take good care
>
>--
>Sarah - London
>
>At Wed, 31 Aug 2005, Claire wrote:
>>
>>Thanks Sarah for your reply.
>>sounds like our endo is very similar. I actually got the report today
>>from the obgyn and it was on both of my ovaries causing them to stick to
>>the pelvic wall and also all over my ureters, pouch of douglas and deep
>>endometriomas into the pelvic wall - goodness - what a mess. But for
>>now at least its all gone. I am feeling much better today, but am just
>>taking it slowly, I find I can potter around so much then I feel I just
>>need to rest. I get a very heavy feeling in the pelvis, and the odd
>>throb so I guess thats my sign my body is saying - rest!!! (I find it
>>hard to relax, I am quite a hyper person) So I've got used to laying on
>>the sofa flicking mindlessly through tv channels...
>>I will just sit tight until I have my specialist appt in 6 weeks, but in
>>the meantime I am trying to make the obvious dietary changes, no sugar,
>>no alcohol (except Saturdays) cut down on red meat and eat lots of fresh
>>fruit and veg. I haven't completely cut out coffee, but I have reduced
>>it. Do you follow any strict dietary plan.
>>Thanks for your post and I hope you and everyone are not suffering too
>>much with pain today.
>>Cheers
>>Claire
>>
>>At Tue, 30 Aug 2005, Sarah wrote:
>>>
>>>Hi Claire,
>>>
>>>Firstly i'm pleased your surgery went OK and your now at home hopefully
>>>recovering well...............I do hope you have someone at home with
>>>you nursing you back to health!! My mum was my little nurse and i don't
>>>know what i'd of done without her!!
>>>
>>>After my first lap i was also diagnosed with severe endo on both my
>>>ovaries, so much so they had both stuck to my pelvic wall and had to be
>>>cut free! It took me 3 weeks to feel back to "normal" so just make sure
>>>you make the most of the rest...............
>>>
>>>Its a tough question to answer as to what you can do now to stop your
>>>endo coming back, after my op my consultant told me he had lasered all
>>>my endo away and it shouldn't come back YET 5 months on and it has
>>>returned on my left ovary!! I think apart from giving you hormones to
>>>stop your monthly period or having a hysterectomy there really isn't any
>>>real quarantee that it isn't going to come back!! This is why Endo is
>>>such an ongoing battle and sometimes it feels never ending!! That said
>>>sometimes ladies have one bout of endo get it treated and it never comes
>>>back so you may be one of the lucky ones!!
>>>
>>>I'm sorry i couldn't be a bit more positive, lets just hope that this is
>>>it for you. I think the best advise i can give you is to try and stay
>>>positive and don't let this get you down. You know your body better
>>>than anybody else and if you think that your endo is back go straight to
>>>your doctor, don't leave it! Normally once you've had a lap the endo
>>>takes a while to come back (sometimes 2/3 years) so you should be pain
>>>free for quite some time!
>>>
>>>I hope this helps a little even though it wasn't the most positive news!
>>>
>>>Take good care
>>>
>>>--
>>>Sarah - London
>>>
>>>At Mon, 29 Aug 2005, Claire wrote:
>>>>
>>>>Hi everyone
>>>>I am now on day 3 of my recovery from my first lap. I must admit I am
>>>>surprised at home much I feel it has knocked me around. Still feel
>>>>pretty exhausted but feel pretty good with only mild discomfort from the
>>>>surgery, no severe pain, mild period type cramps occassionally. The gas
>>>>bubbles are still being a nuisance in the shoulders if I walk around too
>>>>much. So I am just taking it easy.
>>>>My surgery results were severe endometriosis on the left pelvic wall and
>>>>cul de sac (whatever that is) and my left ovary was starting to stick to
>>>>the wall, however my right ovary was stuck completley to the pelvic wall
>>>>which was causing alot of the pain. There were also alot of adhesions
>>>>on the right side which she said were part of or caused by 2 c-sections.
>>>>I have a follow up with my specialist in 6 weeks. But in the meantime
>>>>apart from taking it easy, what do I do now? As far as I know all the
>>>>endo has been removed? Will it come back? Although she has classed it as
>>>>severe endo, I had mild-moderate pains but not severe 2/4 weeks per
>>>>month, relatively normal periods like clockwork. How do I prevent it
>>>>from coming back, how do I make sure I can heal and remain healthy. I
>>>>feel like I need a direction, and I'm not sure I can wait 6 weeks to get
>>>>all the answers. Should I start the endo diet or something similar now
>>>>- straight away or should I just concentrate on getting well again
>>>>first. Many of you have been through this I know - so what do you think
>>>>I should do?
>>>>Look forward to reading your replies.
>>>>Happy pain free days
>>>>Claire
>>>
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