NE1 have laproscopy done before?

I have to make a decision whether to deal with the pain from the ovarian cysts I have and "wait and see" if they go away on their own or go ahead with laproscopic surgery to have them biopsied and removed. I've been waiting for a few months now to see if they would go away, but they haven't. I had to go in yesterday for another sono because the pain has been unbearable and they wanted to make sure they weren't growing more or wanting to rupture. Neither was the case, thankfully, but they gave me my options yesterday. On one account I'd LOVE to get rid of this terrible pain NOW, but the surgery scares me. I also don't have 1 to 2 weeks right now to be down for the count if I did the surgery.

I am just wondering if anyone else here has had it done and how was it for you? I've heard it's not bad on one hand, but on others the things people describe to me about it doesn't sound fun at all. I also hate to wait too long and still find I have to go in for the surgery.

ETA: I think I'm also a bit scared that they go in and decide they have to take the ovary(ies) as well. They said they can't tell until they go in there and explore and find out exactly what kind of cyst it is and how much damage it has done already.

This post has been edited by coasterqueen on Feb 5 2009, 06:52 AM

Karen that sounds miserable. You've been through quite the ordeal this past year with your health. I hope the laparoscopy takes care of it for you.

I had one done in 1997 for my endometriosis. I was scared, too. They had to give me the worst case scenario (hysterectomy), but all was fine. Recovery was only a couple of days. It's a pretty non invasive procedure. They cut a tiny incision next to your belly button and one a little lower that looks like a cross, then they go in with a scope. They record what they find (and will probably show you later.) I was able to make a decision afterwards, based on what they found, whether or not I wanted everything removed. In your case, since the cysts are pretty bad, they may have to go ahead and remove them during the surgery.

The worst part about the surgery was the anesthesia. That, and I started my period a week later. It's actually kind of funny b/c that's when Scotty proposed to me and I was sooooo doped up on pain pills.

Anyway, good luck--keep me posted on what you decide.

Thanks, Aimee. I'm glad to know someone else has gone through this.

Question for you - how did they know it was endo that you had? They told me they probably wouldn't be able to tell if it's an endo type cyst until they go in and explore and do a biopsy. Also, when you went in for the procedure and was given the chance to decide before having anything removed does that mean you went through the procedure twice? Wasn't there more recovery time with that? The doc basically told me to make ALL decisions before going in there and having it done - be prepared for anything - i.e. removing the cysts (which will be done of course), but possibly ovary(s), etc. as well.

Yeah and anesthesia and me do NOT get along so I know that will be the worst part for me

I go back to the gyn on the 16th to talk to her more. They may do another u/s then, but will definitely do a pelvic and decide from there again if we keep waiting or not. I hate the pain, but I lived with migraines all my life (until recently) so I know I could deal with it if I had to, but it sure would be nice to know if it was going to go away or not, kwim? Because if it's NOT going to go away then I'd rather just do the surgery now.

Megan may have to have tonsil surgery and so I told DH I should schedule mine at the same time (if I go through with it) and he could take care of both of us. He didn't think that was a good idea.

And that's hilarious about you and Scotty. Maybe he thought it was the best time to propose because you couldn't say no. j/k.

I had to make all decisions beforehand, too. They also told me to be prepared for the worst case scenario. BUT, he told me that if it wasn't bad, he would leave it alone and not burn it off and if I decided at a later date to have it removed then I could (like if I had trouble getting pregnant or experienced more pain.) The laparascopy was indeed to diagnose me with endo--you're right, there's no way of knowing until you have the scope done. I didn't have any cysts (but I'm pretty sure I do now.) And fortunately at that time, the endometriosis hadn't grown enough to burn--my cramps would tell a different story. I didn't have trouble getting pregnant, so I've left it alone. But I do blame it for my horrible periods, migraines, mood swings and hormone problems.

If they do any removal of cysts, it will add to your recovery time, but I imagine you still would be up in a matter of days. When I read LeaAnn's post it reminded me that they put that gas in you for this surgery too. They warned me that I might have pain in my shoulder b/c of this. And I did, but it was very little. Nothing like LeaAnn is experiencing.

I will be praying for the best possible outcome for you and a speedy recovery.

I'm glad you were able to get rid of your migraines. I'm not getting them as often and bad as I once was, but I still have a headache pretty much everyday. This past summer I got an ulcer from the tylenol/advil I was taking so I try not to take anything unless it's unbearable.

I had laproscopy when I had my tubal, it really wasn't bad at all. I know what you're talking about is a much different scenario, but the actual procedure and recovery wasn't nearly what I'd thought it would be. The worst pain I had was a sharp pain at the incision for a day and a little general soreness, some of it related to the gas that follows most surgery.

I hope this comes to resolution for you somehow, living with pain is no fun

Well hun, do you want to know what? I was where you were and my life changed in September of last year. I reluctantly went to a compounding pharmacist per my friend's request and had saliva testing done. The results came back that my cortisol levels (which helps you deal with stress) was almost NIL, which is why I was tired all the time (literally falling asleep anywhere), severe headaches/migraines, feeling low, etc, etc and that my hormones showed I was estrogen dominant (from BCP). He started me on an herbal vitamin therapy and within 2 months I was an absolute NEW person. I wasn't tired anymore, I wasn't snippy at the kids for nothing, I enjoyed doing things with them now, I wasn't feeling low and BEST OF ALL....the migraines/headaches were disappearing. The only time I experience them now is during that TOM. They are pretty bad at that time, but I'll take that over a headache/migraine every day. It took a couple of months and working with the pharmacist to tweak my meds but it was SO worth it. Expensive, though, as insurance doesn't cover it. And best of all it's all natural/safe stuff. Oh and some get their hormone levels in check just by adjusting cortisol levels. I was amazed at the level of detail he gave Ryan and me regarding cortisol, hormone levels, etc and how they are all intertwined.

I am currently working with him on natural progesterone but having a heck of a time getting doses right, etc, but I think it's because of the pain from the cysts making it hard for me to be really in tune with my body.

I don't know if you remember my stomach/gi problems a couple of years ago due to all the motrin I was taking for headaches, but it was a terrible situation and one my stomach/gi system has never fully recovered from.



This post has been edited by coasterqueen on Feb 5 2009, 02:32 PM

I'm intrigued, how did you find this pharmacist? And just out of curiosity, what does he have you taking, vitamin wise?

I know where I can find a compound pharmacist. I wonder if they would be able to do this? I guess calling would be the first step, huh?

Thanks for that info. I'm not clinically depressed or anything--I just have very little energy and I never ever feel well. I've always known I was estrogen dominant--I just don't know how to get it under control.

I would love to feel like a new person.

I too had the lapro for a tubal but ended up having a cyst as well - I too was sore, etc. mostly from the gas and some from the incisions, etc. but overall it wasn't too bad - within a week I was fine and that whole week I wasn't down and out for the whole count - really only a couple days and then I was up and at em' I actually had more trouble with the anestia (sp?) than anything....for some reason it took me longer to recover from it and I have had surgery before - like 4 times....I am a fan of being proactive about health matters rather than reactive KWIM?

Good luck -

Well I actually found the guy through a friend (old co-worker). She had to have a hysterectomy and was going through menopause and everything medical doctors were doing was not working. Somehow, not sure, but she found this guy. He runs a well known pharmacy on the north end of town, a great guy! She went to him and told him her problems and he did the saliva testing and voila! Put her on the vitamins she needed and she was a whole new person. She's still dealing with a naturopath for some issues, but life is so much better for her and not on all those drugs docs give you. This is the place: http://www.wellnessstorespi.com/retailer/s...8391A92AB36535B

I also did a lot of research online about saliva testing, etc before going to him. She had begged and pleaded with me for months before I actually went and when I finally did I wanted to kick myself in the bum for not going sooner.

It took a while to tweak my meds, but right now this is what I take:

8 am - 1 Migramaxx (for preventing migraines), 2 Adrenal Comps (pills) and 20 drops of Adrenal liquid (tastes like licorice root, nasty, lol), and 1 DHEA tablet.

Noon - 1 Migramaxx, 1 Adrenal Comp pill, and 10 drops of Adrenal liquid.

Evening - 1 Migramaxx

Oh and I take a tablet that I call the "broccoli" tablet 2x a day because I HATE veggies.

In the beginning I also took 6-8 drops of Headache HP for when I felt headaches coming on. I took it a lot in the beginning until things started working well and now I don't take it unless it's that TOM.

I wasn't clinically depressed either. I mean I was starting to get really down because no one could help me with my headaches and no one seemed to know why I was so tired all the time. I was starting to think I was depressed because I couldn't understand it. My cortisol levels (which your adrenal glands make the cortisol) just was nothing. It's the stuff that makes you handle stress. The adrenals make the cortisol and when you are stressed (even complete minor stress) your adrenals make the cortisol that gets depleted when you get stressed. Mine was not recovering each time. It's really hard for me to explain because I can't understand all the chemistry crap that he explained to us. DH could, though. After I got my results he sat down with us for 1.5 hours explaining a women's chemistry, the hormone balance, how adrenals and hormone balances effect each other and if your hormone levels are off your adrenals can be as well and vice versa.

Well my estrogen dominance was coming mainly from BCP, but if I remember correctly you take progesterone, right? Unfortunately we get estrogen from our water, our foods, the air, environment, chemicals, etc, etc. So if you are ED you are probably getting it more from your environment and such. Both the pharmacist and the gyn said that me taking progesterone won't completely rid of ED, that being more healthy and the environment around you is what will help that. Unfortunately we can make our home environment and healthy choices at home, but the world we can't.

And I do feel like a new person. Dh was kind of weirded about it, because I was so tired all the time and then one day it was like WOW, like I woke up from a coma. And getting my adrenal levels in check rid of my migraines as well.

Now all of this is great, but we've spent a LOT of money to do this, but like Dh said it's well worth it. It angers me that insurance doesn't cover it because it's "natural".

I used that Arbonne hormone cream for awhile, but I didn't see that it made much of a difference. However, I wasn't eating healthy or exercising at the time. Maybe I should try it again. I haven't taken BCP in 10 years--I was really sick when I was on those.

It takes a lot for me to feel healthy and it's so hard to maintain. Proper diet, exercise, vitamins, etc. The first moment I get sick or get off track it takes forever for me to get back into routine. The stars have to align. But I feel great when I do all these things. This may be the only option for me b/c I really can't afford to have a lot of testing done right now. I definitely will keep this in mind though--maybe one day I can have it done. In the meantime I really need to start taking better care of my body.

Thank you again for the information. I'm so glad to know these things and to talk to someone that it has actually helped. I'm all about going the more natural route.

Thanks Karen, I may have to look for that around here. I am in the same boat as you and Aimee with being tired and zero energy...I went the traditional route and all those tests (thyroid, etc) came back fine so I felt blown off by my dr. whose only suggestion was depression I did take the anti depressant for awhile out of sheer desperation but the side affects were just awful and since I know that isn't the problem anyway didn't want to continue.