|
Re: advise on a second Laparoscopy
From: Tara (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Mon Nov 27 20:31:43 2006
I just went on the CEC website and you are right they sound pretty
amazing. And still not out of my reach to travel to. I have been
journalling my syptoms keeping pretty good track of everything. I guess
tomorrow the next step is contacting my insurance Co to see where they
stand on all this. I may take you up on that offer to send you an
E-mail and chat. Thanks again for all of your help. Its comforting to
know that so many people care.
At Mon, 27 Nov 2006, anonymous@obgyn.net wrote:
>
>Tara, definitely something you need to discuss in detail with the
>specialist. If I were you, I would start journalling your symptoms and
>include types of pain/discomfort, where you are in relation to the
>cycle. One of the unfortunate realities of any surgery, be it
>laparoscopy or laparotomy is the formation of adhesions--like in my
>case. This is the body's natural way of healing and for many people
>that don't cause an issue. For others, it can be a real problem. In my
>case, endo was found in some adhesion tissues. Some of what you're
>experiencing could be attributed to adhesions, or it could more
>endometriosis has flared in those areas. This is your health, your
>life. I have felt so fortunate not to suffer as badly as some women
>with this disease. I hope that the courses I have taken are going to
>make it better, or at least not make it any worse. Endo can affect both
>the bladder and the bowel and this is why it's so important to find an
>absolute expert. You need someone who has a great deal of experience in
>diagnosing and excising. Have a look at the CEC website I mentioned
>previously. If I were back in the U.S., I would do whatever it took to
>see either them or Redwine. There are never any guarantees, but you can
>give yourself the best possible shot at managing/defeating this disease.
>Feel free to email me privately if you want to chat. Take care.
>
>At Mon, 27 Nov 2006, Tara wrote:
>>
>>That was another question that I meant to ask... My doctor said that
>>when she did the lap she did not notice anything that seemd out of the
>>ordinary as far as endo to bowels or anything like that "sticking"
>>together. But recently I have been having horrible bladder spasms,,
>>constant feeling for the need to urinate... as well as about 80 % of
>>the month terrible bowel movements. I also feel sometimes as if
>>something is being torn (ovary area) if I move to quickly... like there
>>is a string from each of my ovaries to my belly button and it's being
>>stretched, sometimes a feeling as though it's snapped. Do you know what
>>the possibility is that I could have Endo in/ on my bladder / bowels?
>>
>>At Mon, 27 Nov 2006, anonymous@obgyn.net wrote:
>>>
>>>Well, recurrence is always a possibility. Don't know if some was missed
>>>last time or it just came back. At the 2nd lap, 2 weeks ago they
>>>removed an ovarian cyst that had reformed (as big as the one removed a
>>>year ago) as well as anything that looked like possible endo. My left
>>>ovary was adhered to the bowel with a bit of endo (something that
>>>happened post-first lap). They cut away part of the ovary to free the
>>>bowel, but left it attached as the surgeon was concerned the endo
>>>adhering it could have penetrated the bowel. We're crossing fingers
>>>that it just remains there and becomes part of the scar tissue without
>>>causing future problems. The tissue that took out was a mixture of endo
>>>and scar tissue. He thinks he's pretty hot at what he does ;-) so I'm
>>>hoping chance of recurrence is less this time. Only time will tell with
>>>this disease.
>>>
>>>At Mon, 27 Nov 2006, Tara wrote:
>>>>
>>>>Thanks! Actually I was just searching and Dr Redwine's name did come up
>>>>quite a few times, as well as a doctor by the name of Reich, who is
>>>>right near me in PA. I want to do more research but apparently he also
>>>>does Excisions...
>>>>
>>>>Im sorry to hear you had a recurrence. Do they know why? What will you
>>>>do now?
>>>>
>>>>At Mon, 27 Nov 2006, anonymous@obgyn.net wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>Tara, you may want to check out the previous posts regarding the Centre
>>>>>for Endo Care in Atlanta (Dr Albee and Dr Sinervo), as well as those
>>>>>about Dr. Redwine in Bend, Oregon. I'm an American living in Australia
>>>>>and have just gone through my 2nd lap for excision. My first surgeon
>>>>>did the lap to diagnois and excise at the same time. Unfortunately I
>>>>>have had a recurrence (within the year). The new surgeon (only because
>>>>>I moved States) even commented on Dr. Redwine as the foremost expert in
>>>>>the field that boasts (and rightly so) a low recurrence rate within five
>>>>>years. Do a search on his name and you'll see various references to
>>>>>check out. It's unfortunate that you're having problems again, but not
>>>>>surprising since you said your first dr. only removed a small amount.
>>>>>Any amount left in is bound to cause problems again. Sounds like you're
>>>>>on the right track though and definitely search out the best. The two
>>>>>places mentioned above are also very much about trying to conserve
>>>>>fertility.
>>>>>Good luck to you!
>>>>>
>>>>>At Mon, 27 Nov 2006, Tara wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I definitely feel that it's time to start reconsidering having a second
>>>>>>lap, I guess I'm just a little apprehensive. I really want to make sure
>>>>>>that it's a doctor who is highly recommended..no matter how far I have
>>>>>>to travel... We've been trying to get pregnant for almost a year and a
>>>>>>half now with not even the slightest bit of hope. I'm just really
>>>>>>getting to the point where I find myself unable to control the tears
>>>>>>when people ask or talk about children. After getting married everyone
>>>>>>starts in with the "when are you going to have children" and a lot of
>>>>>>people especially at work dont know what I am going through so I cannot
>>>>>>expect then to understand the sadness and pain I am going through...
>>>>>>anyways I guess its time to seriously look into this huh?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>At Mon, 27 Nov 2006, Alyson wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Tara,
>>>>>>>The endo could absolutely be ab issue in your trying to conceive. It
>>>>>>>can create chemical imbalances, block ovaries and tubes, etc. I know it
>>>>>>>is nerve wracking to consider a second lap when you worry that nothing
>>>>>>>will be found. I had my second lap only a year following my first. My
>>>>>>>original doctor insisted doing another lap was pointless because there
>>>>>>>was no way endo could have grown back in such a short time and while I
>>>>>>>was on meds. I sought a second opinion, he did the surgery and found
>>>>>>>extensive endo- considerably more than my first doctor had found a year
>>>>>>>earlier. It is important to remember that this disease tends to be
>>>>>>>progressive. Each person progresses differently. Not everyone will
>>>>>>>have the kind of rapid progression that I did and some women here have
>>>>>>>had even more rapid progression of their disease. I talked to my doctor
>>>>>>>about trying to coceive before he did my lap (the 2nd one). He said
>>>>>>>that data shows that the best success for getting pregnant with endo is
>>>>>>>within 4-6 months follwing a laproscopy for the removal of endo. Kind
>>>>>>>of makes sense...get everything cleaned out and get busy before it has a
>>>>>>>chance to really get going again.
>>>>>>>Obviously having surgery is a personal decision. I am not trying to
>>>>>>>talk you into it, but just ease some of those "what if" concerns. Also,
>>>>>>>if you really trust this doctor, I would take her advice. Unfortunately
>>>>>>>it can be rare to find a doctor dealing with this disease who is willing
>>>>>>>to suggest that you seek someone with more knowledge of endometriosis. I
>>>>>>>meantioned in my previous post (re: Endo and pregnancy) that a
>>>>>>>reproductive endocrinologist might be helpful. That was at my docs
>>>>>>>suggestion after she said that she was at the end of her expertise in
>>>>>>>dealing with this disease.
>>>>>>>Alyson
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>At Mon, 27 Nov 2006, Tara wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I'm just looking for some advise...
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I was diagnosed with Endo three years ago with my current Doctor through
>>>>>>>>a laparoscopy... at that time she was able to remove only a small
>>>>>>>>amount of my endo. Directly after my surgery my DR suggested Lupron for
>>>>>>>>6 months, which I did and though the pain subsided for 4 of those months
>>>>>>>>they returned almost immediately after my injections stopped. For the
>>>>>>>>past two years pain meds have done nothing to help... and my Dr is out
>>>>>>>>of suggestions. She thinks I should see a new specialist. She informed
>>>>>>>>me that the new doc will probably want to perform another Lap to make
>>>>>>>>their own diagnosis. I see many of you have had NUMEROUS laps and was
>>>>>>>>just wondering if they were only able to see and remove a tiny amount
>>>>>>>>the first time, is there any real point in going through that again?
>>>>>>>>Have any of you had better success on your second, third...etc? Or do
>>>>>>>>you have any other suggestions as to another treatment I should talk to
>>>>>>>>my Dr. about? A big factor right now is that my husband and I are
>>>>>>>>trying to get pregnant... will that be an issue?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Thanks for any suggestions, advise you can give.
>>>
>>>--
>>>Bula
>>>
|
|
![[ endo@obgyn.net ]](../../images/endo_at_obgyn.gif)