June 1st cannot come quick enough... I have been sick as a dog this past week. The pain and nausea is just getting rifreakindiculous! Add migraines to the mix today and I think I've probably seen more of the toilet's insides this week then ever before. Zofran isn't cutting it 100% of the time anymore... what?!?! That was like my miracle drug when I had to give up on Phenegran. NOT cool.
*sigh* 10 more days to go...
Friday, May 22, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Why I love my doctor
He's just the greatest! I went in today for my annual/pre-op and as those are usually pretty painful for us Endo sistas, I was really apprehensive... He worked his super quick magic and it was done before I could even get all worked up and ready for the pain! That man is a genius, seriously. My hero.
So I got all the pre-op questions out and we came to a nice little agreement: 1) No surgical glue!!! After my rash last time, NO WAY. Phew! 2) He'll leave the catheter in for me this time (yes, per my request) since I had such a horrible experience last time with not being able to pee for HOURS and it hurt soooooooo bad! He may even let me come home with it and just teach me how to take it out myself so that I don't end up having to go back in to get one placed if I had problems at home. 3) He's going to work his magic with the hospital red-tape and code my Mirena insertion a different way so that they let him place it during the surgery. (It's a Catholic hospital and they don't allow birth control) Thankfully, Mirena is used for stuff other than BC (like bleeding and pain) so he thinks there should be no problem.
I got my scripts for the cytotec (to dialate my cervix since he'll be doing a hysteroscope, HSG, and D&C) and my little behind-the-ear-nausea patch that I loved so much last time! So yup, I'm all set! June 1st is the big day, so less than a month to go. I'd been dreading today, but I'm all sorts of optomistic right now, after that visit. My nurses were just great and so very comforting. If I ever move away from here, I'm gonna have to pack him and his staff all up in a suitcase and take them with me! :)
So I got all the pre-op questions out and we came to a nice little agreement: 1) No surgical glue!!! After my rash last time, NO WAY. Phew! 2) He'll leave the catheter in for me this time (yes, per my request) since I had such a horrible experience last time with not being able to pee for HOURS and it hurt soooooooo bad! He may even let me come home with it and just teach me how to take it out myself so that I don't end up having to go back in to get one placed if I had problems at home. 3) He's going to work his magic with the hospital red-tape and code my Mirena insertion a different way so that they let him place it during the surgery. (It's a Catholic hospital and they don't allow birth control) Thankfully, Mirena is used for stuff other than BC (like bleeding and pain) so he thinks there should be no problem.
I got my scripts for the cytotec (to dialate my cervix since he'll be doing a hysteroscope, HSG, and D&C) and my little behind-the-ear-nausea patch that I loved so much last time! So yup, I'm all set! June 1st is the big day, so less than a month to go. I'd been dreading today, but I'm all sorts of optomistic right now, after that visit. My nurses were just great and so very comforting. If I ever move away from here, I'm gonna have to pack him and his staff all up in a suitcase and take them with me! :)
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
T minus 40...
...Days that is. My Lap has been scheduled for June 1st @ 7AM. Not so much looking forward to it, especially since I've been in the ER twice in the past 2 weeks (for completely non Endo related incidents) and I'm sick of the hospital. Oh wells... c'est la vie!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Lap#2, here I come :(
Here I am 4 days into my mega-pain incident and I just had a nice little conversation with my doc. Looks like Lap#2 is in the cards for me. The pain has been increasing for the past 2 months, what with the "sitting-on-a-knife" feeling, then my bladder problems, horrible super clotty/excrutiating AF's and now this stupid ovary... *sigh* Is it psycho of me to actually be relieved that this surgery is coming? I'm just so at a loss as to what else to do. I can't take the pain meds that work b/c they knock me out but I can't function without them either because the pain is so great it makes me throw up throughout the day... It's not good when you look upon surgery as a joyful event, but what can I say... what else is there to do?!?!
I've been in such a bad state the past few days that I seriously started considering getting rid of that ovary... Thank goodness my doctor was able to talk some sense into me and remind me of our hopes and dreams of children some day. He's gonna check it out and do as much repair work as possible (with that wrap stuff that prevents further adhesion build up) and drill the cysts out, etc. but is very weary of just cutting it out. We're gonna talk more about that at my appt in a few weeks for my pre-op etc. I have to get with my boss tomorrow to solidify a date but right now we're thinking end of May/beg of June.
He's calling me in some Zofran, Tramadol, and more Ibuprofen 800mg. I'm gonna keep up with my Yoga, relaxation breathing, and health(ier) eating in hopes to make it through these next few weeks as sane as possible.
Have I mentioned how much I HATE Endo?!?!? :(
I've been in such a bad state the past few days that I seriously started considering getting rid of that ovary... Thank goodness my doctor was able to talk some sense into me and remind me of our hopes and dreams of children some day. He's gonna check it out and do as much repair work as possible (with that wrap stuff that prevents further adhesion build up) and drill the cysts out, etc. but is very weary of just cutting it out. We're gonna talk more about that at my appt in a few weeks for my pre-op etc. I have to get with my boss tomorrow to solidify a date but right now we're thinking end of May/beg of June.
He's calling me in some Zofran, Tramadol, and more Ibuprofen 800mg. I'm gonna keep up with my Yoga, relaxation breathing, and health(ier) eating in hopes to make it through these next few weeks as sane as possible.
Have I mentioned how much I HATE Endo?!?!? :(
Monday, April 6, 2009
Nothing like a trip to the ER to start off your week!
I woke up this morning with some of the worst pain (in my right side, of course) I've had in a long long time. I also had the pukes because the pain was so intense. I eventually called in sick and called my doctor's office. He was in surgery so I spoke to my nurse, who called him, and then called me back with the news: "Go to the ER and have them do an ultrasound right away!" They wanted to make sure my ovary wasn't about to explode (haha) or twisting on itself.
I'm so glad my doc took my appendix out with my Lap because as soon as I said "lower right quadrant pain and nausea" the nurses and doctors started going into appendicitis mode, talking about abdominal CT's and white blood cell counts. Once they were satisfied that I wasn't about to die of appendicitis, we got me prepped for an u/s and they put in a line for blood and meds. I'd already taken Percocet and Phenegran at home for the pain and nausea but was still doubled over, so they gave me some Toradol. The u/s tech asked me if we were doing IVF this cycle, which was confusing to me in my drugged up state, so I said, "no" and left it at that. Later on the doctor came in to discuss the results of what they had found, and that question finally made sense. Apparently my ovaries (particularly my right, go figure) were covered in so many cysts that it looked like I was being stimmed for IVF. I thought that was hillarious, since I'm on BC pills to keep the cysts to a minimum, but I guess that's not working, huh?
Fortunately, no blood in the belly and good bloodflow to both ovaries, so no signs of torsion there. They paged and talked to my doc to give him the results and I have a follow-up scheduled in a few weeks. They gave me more meds, tried to convince me of the benefits of a hysterectomy, and sent me on my merry way. I came home and slept for a few hours, courtesy of all the pain meds they'd given me and now I'm up again feeling slightly better but very miffed. I can't believe they were seriously trying to talk me into "taking it all out!" I'm only 28 years old, and haven't been able to have children yet! Seriously?!?!?!
I'm glad my doctor isn't cut-happy, like those doctors. We've talked about a hysterectomy before, but only as a last-ditch effort, and definitely NOT anytime soon. He's very hopeful that we'll be able to get pregnant at least once, even if it does take IVF. He's just not a fan of doing something that radical in someone as young as myself, unless it is of absolute necessity and there are no other options. I'm sure we'll talk about it some more in a few weeks, but I'm glad he's got such a conservative attitude when it comes to cutting stuff out. To be completely honest though, I wouldn't mind parting with my right ovary... this little stinker has caused me more pain and trouble to last me 3 lifetimes... *sigh* Well, pain-meds are calling... I'm starting to ache pretty bad again. :(
I'm so glad my doc took my appendix out with my Lap because as soon as I said "lower right quadrant pain and nausea" the nurses and doctors started going into appendicitis mode, talking about abdominal CT's and white blood cell counts. Once they were satisfied that I wasn't about to die of appendicitis, we got me prepped for an u/s and they put in a line for blood and meds. I'd already taken Percocet and Phenegran at home for the pain and nausea but was still doubled over, so they gave me some Toradol. The u/s tech asked me if we were doing IVF this cycle, which was confusing to me in my drugged up state, so I said, "no" and left it at that. Later on the doctor came in to discuss the results of what they had found, and that question finally made sense. Apparently my ovaries (particularly my right, go figure) were covered in so many cysts that it looked like I was being stimmed for IVF. I thought that was hillarious, since I'm on BC pills to keep the cysts to a minimum, but I guess that's not working, huh?
Fortunately, no blood in the belly and good bloodflow to both ovaries, so no signs of torsion there. They paged and talked to my doc to give him the results and I have a follow-up scheduled in a few weeks. They gave me more meds, tried to convince me of the benefits of a hysterectomy, and sent me on my merry way. I came home and slept for a few hours, courtesy of all the pain meds they'd given me and now I'm up again feeling slightly better but very miffed. I can't believe they were seriously trying to talk me into "taking it all out!" I'm only 28 years old, and haven't been able to have children yet! Seriously?!?!?!
I'm glad my doctor isn't cut-happy, like those doctors. We've talked about a hysterectomy before, but only as a last-ditch effort, and definitely NOT anytime soon. He's very hopeful that we'll be able to get pregnant at least once, even if it does take IVF. He's just not a fan of doing something that radical in someone as young as myself, unless it is of absolute necessity and there are no other options. I'm sure we'll talk about it some more in a few weeks, but I'm glad he's got such a conservative attitude when it comes to cutting stuff out. To be completely honest though, I wouldn't mind parting with my right ovary... this little stinker has caused me more pain and trouble to last me 3 lifetimes... *sigh* Well, pain-meds are calling... I'm starting to ache pretty bad again. :(
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Rethinking this Mirena thing....
Since my last post the pain has continued to increase in frequency as well as intensity and duration. My migraines are still being held at bay (thank goodness for that at least!) but man, the pain is killing me. This is all starting to feel uncomfortably too familiar. It hasn't been 2 years since my lap and here I am again feeling very much like I was months before I had it. I feel myself slipping with regards to energy and how much I have to give to my everyday responsibilities... With work, school, hubby, and church callings I'm beginning to feel much like Bilbo Baggins, "like not enough butter spread over too much bread."
The plan was to get the Mirena next month, but I wonder now if that will even be worth it when my pain (especially with regards to my bladder and bowel movements) has increased this much in just a span of a month and 1/2. I know the Mirena helps with not letting the Endo progress as well as with the bleeding, but will it even touch my other symptoms? Why put myself through a painful insertion and 6 months of crazy bleeding when it may not even help? Does that make sense or am I just panicking?
I think I need to have a good talk with my doc and explore other options. I know this sounds insane, but I want to have another Lap. I figure if we go in and do some more work on those adhesions and endometriomas, perhaps I can have the Mirena placed during the surgery and we can start from a better place... I'm not sure if this is possible or if my doc will even go for it, but I don't really know what else to do/try/think.
On another note, I've taken up yoga and am working on cutting out wheat from my diet. I've increased my flaxseed intake and am thinking of adding fish to my diet. (I was allergic to it most of my childhood and just never learned to like it.) I know this won't make all the pain go away, but at least its a start, right?... I hope?
Tonight is going to be another Lortab night... *sigh*
The plan was to get the Mirena next month, but I wonder now if that will even be worth it when my pain (especially with regards to my bladder and bowel movements) has increased this much in just a span of a month and 1/2. I know the Mirena helps with not letting the Endo progress as well as with the bleeding, but will it even touch my other symptoms? Why put myself through a painful insertion and 6 months of crazy bleeding when it may not even help? Does that make sense or am I just panicking?
I think I need to have a good talk with my doc and explore other options. I know this sounds insane, but I want to have another Lap. I figure if we go in and do some more work on those adhesions and endometriomas, perhaps I can have the Mirena placed during the surgery and we can start from a better place... I'm not sure if this is possible or if my doc will even go for it, but I don't really know what else to do/try/think.
On another note, I've taken up yoga and am working on cutting out wheat from my diet. I've increased my flaxseed intake and am thinking of adding fish to my diet. (I was allergic to it most of my childhood and just never learned to like it.) I know this won't make all the pain go away, but at least its a start, right?... I hope?
Tonight is going to be another Lortab night... *sigh*
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Whoops, I sat on a knife!
Or not...more like my Endo giving my intestines a really hard time this week... *sigh* Ever since I started on this new "mini-pill" my head has felt a whole lot better (hooray for no daily migraines!) but a lot of my "old friends" (as I cynically call them) have resurfaced. Before I had my Lap I suffered from a lot of intestinal pains that I had a hard time convincing doctors of. The best way to explain the pain would be to compare it to what sitting on a knife might feel like. Sharp stabbing pain whenever I'd sit down too quickly, and especially during BM's. Horrible, tearing/pulling type pain. After my Lap I was told that my intestines (both small and large) were just covered in Endo and it was the primary location of most of my adhesions. Lovely! Finally an explanation for all that pain! Turns out it wasn't IBS and/or my imagination after all! Grrrr....
After my Lap those pains disappeared for a considerable amount of time. Recently they've started resurfacing, but this week has been just ridiculous! I've been in constant pain for about 5 days now. Ben says, "Have you gone to the bathroom today?" I just roll my eyes as I know I'm not dealing with constipation here... if I were to eat any more fiber I think I'd explode. :)
So this is exactly what I'd feared it would be... a simple trade off of pain. I can either deal with the migraines (which we've established isn't very safe for me at this point) or deal with the Endo pain because my meds aren't really suppressing it worth 2 beans! Along with my intestinal pains I've also been reacquainting myself with my other "old friends"- bladder pain and that randomly wandering side pain. Oh the joys... I've missed them so much! NOT...
This past AF was atrocious and I'm dreading my next one. My only consolation is the hope that when I get the Mirena inserted in May/June things just *might* start looking up. I've also been seriously contemplating doing that drastic diet overhaul that's supposed to be really effective at relieving Endo symptoms. I've been resisting that because giving up wheat, sugars, dairy, and red meat leave me with little to no palatable choices, as I am NOT a very big veggie eater. I may have to take it one food group at a time, but I'm reaching the point where I'm just about ready to do/try anything.
Anyone have some good recipes? :)
After my Lap those pains disappeared for a considerable amount of time. Recently they've started resurfacing, but this week has been just ridiculous! I've been in constant pain for about 5 days now. Ben says, "Have you gone to the bathroom today?" I just roll my eyes as I know I'm not dealing with constipation here... if I were to eat any more fiber I think I'd explode. :)
So this is exactly what I'd feared it would be... a simple trade off of pain. I can either deal with the migraines (which we've established isn't very safe for me at this point) or deal with the Endo pain because my meds aren't really suppressing it worth 2 beans! Along with my intestinal pains I've also been reacquainting myself with my other "old friends"- bladder pain and that randomly wandering side pain. Oh the joys... I've missed them so much! NOT...
This past AF was atrocious and I'm dreading my next one. My only consolation is the hope that when I get the Mirena inserted in May/June things just *might* start looking up. I've also been seriously contemplating doing that drastic diet overhaul that's supposed to be really effective at relieving Endo symptoms. I've been resisting that because giving up wheat, sugars, dairy, and red meat leave me with little to no palatable choices, as I am NOT a very big veggie eater. I may have to take it one food group at a time, but I'm reaching the point where I'm just about ready to do/try anything.
Anyone have some good recipes? :)
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