Ladies question - Endometriosis and laparoscopy

[ChrisnSteph]

Does anyone here have endo/ovarian cysts or have had a laparoscopy to treat it?

I had a lap back in 2001 to remove an endometrioma cyst on my ovary. While in there the doctor found and removed some endometriosis. Other than a few cysts I get from time to time, I haven't had any more pain or symptoms until just recently. A while back I started having constant gas and bloating/pressure, and at first I chalked it up to the tummy tuck I had a month ago. But my TT is mostly healed, but now I'm pretty sure it's another cyst or endometriosis acting up again because the symptoms are almost the same as they were the last time, and getting progressively worse. My doctor told me after my first lap that if I continue to have these problems with my ovary then they'll probably just remove it next time. So my question is, does endometriosis normally come back after being removed? I'm so scared of having another lap, because you never know what they might find. The last time I was terrified I had ovarian cancer because my ovary was so enlarged, and though it ended up benign, I can't help but worry how this one will turn out. Please help calm my fears!

 

[Rella Bella]

Hey Steph,

Wow... life just doesn't get less complicated does it! I'm so sorry your feeling poorly... no fun I know.

Yep, been through it, and yes it can & often does come back. BUT the chances of it being ovarian cancer are extremely slim... especially since you've had children. They can treat endometriosis with drugs instead of surgery... they did mine that way for a while. But if you have problems with recurring cysts, you might rather give up one ovary... unless it effects both. Mine was just one.

Personally, I'd like to be done with the whole plumbing system (can't talk Dr into it)... but you're a little young to consider that.

Sending good thoughts, prayers & pixie dust your way!

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Hey Steph,

Wow... life just doesn't get less complicated does it! I'm so sorry your feeling poorly... no fun I know.

Yep, been through it, and yes it can & often does come back. BUT the chances of it being ovarian cancer are extremely slim... especially since you've had children. They can treat endometriosis with drugs instead of surgery... they did mine that way for a while. But if you have problems with recurring cysts, you might rather give up one ovary... unless it effects both. Mine was just one.

Personally, I'd like to be done with the whole plumbing system (can't talk Dr into it)... but you're a little young to consider that.

Sending good thoughts, prayers & pixie dust your way!

Thank you! I really hope that if this does turn out to be another cyst/endo (and I'm pretty sure it is just based on my symptoms) then I'm going to tell the doctor to just take the ovary out. My right one is always the one that gives me problems. After 4 children, I think I could let go of just one ovary and even my uterus if it would make life less difficult for me!

 

[Jpgirl]

My dd had a lap done for probable dx of endometriosis. It ended up being a HUGE cyst on her ovary that had wrapped around the ovary and killed it. She ended up in emergency surgery to have it removed. She had been in terrible pain off and on since she was 12-with irregular periods. Kept taking her to the GP and kept getting dx'ed with bladder infections (there was bacteria). Finally he sent us for sonograms and then referred us to a OB/GYN. She was only 16, the cyst was the size of a softball but didn't show up in the sonogram as it "floated" all over her abdomen. She's ok now but we watch her very closely in case it happens to the other ovary. My SIL (dh's sis) was dx'ed with polycystic (can't remember the rest of the name) syndrome, so I'm concerned about that for dd. The lap wouldn't have been a big deal to recover from compared to the emergency surgery. Hope everything is ok for you.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Shameless bump....

 

[beavismom]

Well, it could also be adhesions, especially with an earlier lap. I thought I was going to lose an ovary years ago to what they thought was endometriosis, but it turned out to be an adhesion between my bowel and ovary that was pulling and causing all the pain and discomfort. I had a repeat episode several years later and my doctor said that it could have occurred naturally or may have been due to scar tissue from the earlier lap.

I would have the lap. They are fairly easy to recover from and not knowing what is going on in there won't make it go away and could make it worse. I would rather be a little scared for a few days than be in pain for the long term.

 

[luvwinnie]

There is no cure for endo, so yes, it comes back usually. Mine was back in full force just 8 mths after my first lap. Birth control pills keep the pain at bay for me.

 

[Ms. Belle]

I had a LAVH - lap assisted ******l hysterectomy - 5 weeks ago. I decided to have it after years of pain from endometriosis. This was my second lap procedure; the first was to remove endo. The endo came back and I used birth control pills to control the pain. Finally, I was having pain all the time, before, during and after my periods I decided to have the LAVH. I can't really put a positive spin on it. I've had a really hard time recovering and the pain after has been worse than what I was dealing with the endo. I never felt right after surgery - was having pain all the time - and I went back to the hospital 1 week after surgery with 102 temp. I received antibiotics. Two weeks later, still have constant pain. I went back to the hospital and had to have another lap; I had adhesions which had connected my bowel to my ******l cuff, causing pulling, and also had a pocket of infection.

I am two weeks second post-op now and I'm healing better; I'm not having as much pain. I hope that nothing else happens! Given what I know now, I would have to think very hard about having this done; I'm not sure how other people have healed after surgery, but my doctor assured me that I would be feeling fine a week after surgery and back to work in 3 and this hasn't been the case. The lap was supposed to be an easier healing than an abdominal incision.

This has been my experience and, hopefully, your doctor can assure you that your surgery will be fine.