Re: Endometrial Ablation - reply to Linda
From: Ann (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Fri Jan 1 17:32:12 1999
hey linda,
i had an endometrial ablation done as well as a lap,which they found 2
bloody cysts,adhesions,scar tissue etc.after the ablation i continued
to have severe pain which ended in my having a full
hysterectomy,(uterus,cervix ,rt.ovary and fallopian tube removed)my
rt. side is great now my left side is a horrible issue.thank god i
have the worlds most patient and understanding dr. in atlanta,ga.he
has done wonders for my total well being.please let me know your
story.i would like to help any way i can.i am here for you
ann barber
anonymous@obgyn.net wrote:
>
> Linda - I had an endometrial ablation in January 1998. I have endo
and also
> had a large fibroid tumor. I had very heavy periods with huge
clots, and lots
> of pain. My doctor was not sure whether she would be able to
successfully
> remove the fibroid, since none of the tests really show exactly
where it is.
> She recommended doing an ablation at the same time to improve the
periods.
>
> Essentially, an endometrial ablation removes the interior of the
uterus - the
> endometrial lining. It's not the same as a D&C, which just scrapes.
This
> procedure actually removes the endometrium - which is what swells up
and
> bleeds every month. No endometrium, no bleeding. In theory, at
least. And
> until it grows back. The procedure did nothing for my
endometriosis, nor did
> my doctor say that it would. She did say that some of the cramping
was coming
> from the amount of blood that I was passing, so to the extent that I
would no
> longer be bleeding in the uterus, the cramping and pain would be
reduced.
>
> It turns out that I had both the endometrial ablation and she
successfully
> removed the entire fibroid. AND IT WORKED! Yes I still have endo
pain and I
> still have periods, but the actual bleeding is more like spotting -
I guess
> it's impossible to get it all, and it's probably growing back
anyway. The
> doctor mentioned something like two years to grow back the
endometrial lining,
> and it's been nearly one year so far. I was just about hemorraging
every
> month so now at least I am just dealing with the endo pain.
>
> I think that this procedure is somewhat experimental - it's rarely
mentioned
> in books. As for the surgery itself - you will go under general
anesthesia
> which makes you very sick for a couple of days, but it's an outpatient
> procedure. I had a diagnostic lap, the fibroid removal and the
endometrial
> ablation in one session. I was under for about four hours - a
record, they
> said! - and the endo was too far gone to remove any of it. I felt
like I had
> been kicked in the stomach for about 3-4 days but then I was back to
work. I
> was at the gym on day seven - not moving very fast - but I was real
proud of
> myself.
>
> Good luck if you decide to do this. I do think it helped, and every
little
> bit means a lot.
>
> Maureen
>
==
--
Ann Barber
annmbarber@yahoo.com
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