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Laprascopy experiences...
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For those who have had procedures done laproscopically, what was your recovery like? When could you return to running/riding/etc.? I've heard everything from "Three days later I was out for my normal run" to "HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, MY STOMACH REACHES MY KNEES AND I COULD NEVER EAT RIGHT AGAIN."

some background:

I've had "issues" forever...said issues have gotten worse lately. Although never had heavy periods/cramping as is typical of endo. Cysts my whole life, pain with sex/feminine product useage, bloating, fullness, blah blah blah...but never heavy periods or cramping. Hell, most of teh time, I've not had periods at all. Last few months there have been several times where i thought I'd barf b/c of left side pain. THOUGHT it was diverticulosis, as that is rampant in my family.

Gyn exam felt "a mass"... who doesn't like to wait a week to find out what THAT means? :D

Finally got ultrasound results back... basically dr says, chocolate cyst (endometrial ovarian cyst) of 6x7x4 cm. May be more endo elsewhere (probably). She recommends laproscopy. She said she'd try and just take the cyst and any other endo she sees, but to be aware it may involve taking the whole ovary.

Alternatel, she Said I could just deal with it instead, but at that size, the risk of complications (like torsion, etc) are much higher. That and it makes for uncomfortableness all the time.

Everyone I know, including my mom (who had an double oopherectomy about 15 years ago; my grandma also had a hysterectomy and oopherectomy b/c of endo) was like "DOOOOOO IT!"... but I am a bit unsure. I'd hate to go through it and be like...this just made shit worse. I mean, I don't spend every day in agony. I'd say yes, I have discomfort, and probably things probably have not been "normal" for my entire life...but is that enough to warrant it? OTOH, I knew I had had pain my entire life in my leg--but until I had the DFO, I didn't realize how MUCH it had bugged me.

So...more or less, the procedure would be removal of a large cyst, and possible oopherectomy, and then taking out naything else they find. She said it would probably be belly button and two side ports.

Any input from folk who've had it done? Holden Cain, are you out there?


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Re: Laprascopy experiences... [mmrocker13] [ In reply to ]
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Best thing I've ever done. I had horrible uterine fibroids for years. GYN said the only way to get rid of them completely and forever was a hysterectomy. Had a partial laparoscopic hysterectomy (uterus only) on Thursday afternoon. Home on Friday afternoon rested over the weekend and back in the pool and the office on Monday. (FYI - I was competing in Masters swimming not triathlons at this point.) Felt a little funny - like something was pulling a little, but no pain at all. I never had any pain meds after I left the hospital. I had 3 very tiny incisions (belly button and two below my bikini line) which they stitched closed on the inside and then covered in glue. No suture removal and they were waterproof with the glue.
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Re: Laprascopy experiences... [iswimslo] [ In reply to ]
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Is it worth doing if the bad pain is intermittent, but the annoyances are frequent?


mmm-mmm-Momo Charms
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Re: Laprascopy experiences... [mmrocker13] [ In reply to ]
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Personally, yes. I had at least 2 VERY heavy periods every single month for about 2-3 years after I stopped using bc pills. Sometimes the cramps were bad and other times not so much. I was just really tired of dealing with the almost constant bleeding. I was in my mid-forties and already had a college-aged child so not planning on any more. Due to the size and location of the fibroids he couldn't do an ablation. And there was no guarantee they wouldn't come back with a fibroidectomy. I felt like I got my life back after the surgery! In fact, it was shortly after that I ventured from swimming into triathlons/running.
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Re: Laprascopy experiences... [mmrocker13] [ In reply to ]
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I have no experience in this but I just want to say good luck and I hope you make peace with whatever you decide and feel better soon!
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Re: Laprascopy experiences... [mmrocker13] [ In reply to ]
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I had an emergency appendectomy over 10 years ago. Docs took their sweet time to get to it so they had to clean a lot up. The surgeon used three ports, one on the side, one at the navel and one below bikini line. I honestly couldn't remember the day after I was discharged but 3 days after I was in the pool and 5 days after I was pool running. By two weeks I was light cycling and a month after I was doing high impact martial arts, albeit starting in slow. The surgeons said I would need a month before attempting high-impact work. I probably could have cycled earlier but I didn't have a trainer and needed to feel well enough to deal with traffic, unclip in a hurry, etc.
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Re: Laprascopy experiences... [mmrocker13] [ In reply to ]
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I would do it. You might also check this thread:

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...;;page=unread#unread

clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com
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Re: Laprascopy experiences... [ironclm] [ In reply to ]
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I pm'ed you, too, but thought I'd contribute to the public that I had it done 13 months ago and sailed through.

No complications or reactions to the anesthesia. I had three days of degassing (!) during which I had some pain and no appetite. It wasn't awful, but I was tired and had no desire to train. When my appetite came back I started in with gentle movement, like yoga and walking and probably stationary biking, for about two weeks. After two weeks I began to test more vigorous movement, like swimming. At the end of four weeks I was completely back in action. I felt good sooner, but friends had wanted me to be careful about coming back too soon. (I am fifty plus and so have plenty of friends who have had GYN surgeries.)
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Re: Laprascopy experiences... [mmrocker13] [ In reply to ]
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My surgery is next week - 02/12, next Wednesday - it's a partial (keeping my ovaries unless, he finds something catastrophic and needs to remove them). I'm actually looking forward to this surgery, everyone has told me I'm going to feel 110% better. I'm extremely worried about my recovery, but it can't be any worse than my appendectomy, I haven't been able to do anything for the last 5 weeks (this surgery was a little more complicated due to the laparoscopic incision points, due to the massive fibroids in my uterus) All this is just so absurd, because I'm one of the the healthiest people, nothing ever happens to me....well, clearly not the case. I thought my horrifically painful and murderous periods were due to the fact I was getting older, I just turned 42. I thought my stomach was getting "bigger" because that's what happens when we get older. My uterus is the size of a woman who is 8 months pregnant and my stomach pops out like I'm 6 months pregnant. NO woman wants to be told she looks preggo when she's not. I'll be having my last period EVER this week...I cannot tell you how excited I am about this..I never have to worry about this again!! Wooohoooo!!

So, although I haven't had it done, yet...I'll update you next week after my surgery.



"Though she be but little, she is fierce" ~Shakespeare | Powered by HD Coaching | 2014 Wattie Ink Triathlon Team | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
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Re: Laprascopy experiences... [kmh1225] [ In reply to ]
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Speaking of which, I had totally forgotten about looking pregnant for about a week after the surgery (gas/swelling). I had a fun time embarassing the heck out of my poor mother by me rubbing my belly, using it as an armrest and beaming. May as well make post-op recovery fun!

If you pedal your feet like using the gas/brake pedals, it can help get the gas out.
Last edited by: PumpkinEater: Feb 3, 14 17:42
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Re: Laprascopy experiences... [mmrocker13] [ In reply to ]
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as an update, my surgery is scheduled for February 28th. I am hoping to be back up and training again normally within a month so that's not too bad compared to some of the surgeries I've had. of course, other things could always happen, but that would be my goal based on everyone's feedback. I'm okay wIth taking it slow, though!


mmm-mmm-Momo Charms
Handmade beverage charms, jewelry, and miscellanea

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Re: Laprascopy experiences... [mmrocker13] [ In reply to ]
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Good Luck. I'm sure you will do great!!
HC

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Holden Cain, ObGyn..."People pulling people out of people"
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