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Re: advise on a second Laparoscopy
From: anonymous@obgyn.net
Mon Nov 27 21:29:15 2006
Hi Tara:
I'm actually surprised that the current group here at the endo forum
doesn't know of him -- he is the master of endo excision surgery. I
just happened to pop in to the forum for the first time in several years
-- every now and then I feel a need to pop in and give back since this
forum helped me so much (guidance, advice, friendship, support) when I
was going through my own endo "hell".
You live in NY! Several years ago he operated in both NY city and
Scranton, PA -- he may still operate in Manhattan, I don't know.
Yes and yes. I've met him and used him. He is just such a nice down to
earth guy (ALL the expertise without the arrogance -- just a super nice
guy -- I'm not kidding though, he really is the master!). You'll see
what I mean when you talk to him.
At Mon, 27 Nov 2006, Tara wrote:
>
>Hey thanks so much for the confirmation, i came accross that page and
>send him an e-mail earlier today. It's great to hear that someone has
>heard of him. How is it that you did? I live in NY but PA is definitely
>a "do-able" trip to getting this taken care of :-)Have you met him? used
>him???
>
>At Mon, 27 Nov 2006, anonymous@obgyn.net wrote:
>>
>>Dear Tara:
>>Hi. I've been reading your forum posts and just noticed that you
>>mentioned you live near PA -- you mentioned Dr. Reich. If endo is your
>>problem, smile Tara! Tara, Dr. Reich is world renowned -- he truly is
>>the "BEST" -- read his resume; search his name here on the endo forum;
>>google his name; read about him at http://www.adlap.com/reich.html (
>>http://www.adlap.com ) or http://www.womenssurgerygroup.com and to top it off, he is
>>the nicest guy. You literally could not be in better hands -- he is
>>"the Master"! Just read about him and you'll see.
>>He even provides his email address if you want to email him! Read this
>>page (his email is listed on this page) http://www.adlap.com/reich.html
>>
>>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
>>>>>
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