#I had a year of relief after a laparoscopy

[marieaqua]

Endometriosis is a whole different kind of beast. A week or two each month you get hit with the worst pain you’ve ever felt for hours on end that not even opioid pain meds can truly help. You get stuck on the bathroom floor, unable to move or speak, while you go in and out of consciousness due to the pain. There’s no breaks or waves in the pain until it finally starts to slowly fizzle out.

[allsadnshit]

hey iz, i get debilitating cramps on my period a lot. i recently had an ultrasound and mri done for suspected endo but all of them came back normal. it makes me feel so discouraged because I don’t know what’s wrong, and it makes me almost feel a lil crazy. i do know surgery is the only true way but it scares me a lot. i just wanted to ask if you had any similar experiences with ultrasound/mri’s coming back completely normal despite the concerning symptoms you had? thank you!

to be very clear: I have never once gotten any pap smear, ultra sound, blood work, or exam of ANY KIND that in any way suggested I had endo. every lab I ever took came back totally normal. my pain was and is quite bad: horrible digestion, menstrual and pre menstrual pain so debilitating I could hardly stand at times, urinary pain, pelvic floor pain, etc. and every OBGYN I saw swore up and down none of my symptoms qualified me to be suspect for endo, and they urged me AGAINST seeking out further inspection in that direction.

For many years, since I was a teenager I had terrible terrible pms and was told by every single medical professional in my life that it was normal and I was just unlucky mine was so bad.

the only ONLY reason I got diagnosed was because after years of toxic birth control destroying my hormones and being gaslit and mistreated by doctors and nurses did I decide: wait! too many other people who DO have endo have a similar story to me! and i can't just keep getting "normal" labs back and living like this.

I had just met my now husband, and was going through an extremely raw life transition and was at a complete breaking point and decided: fuck my job, fuck my labs, fuck my fear... if i don't take a step forwards i think it's gonna crash me entirely. So I reached out to the surgical department of endometriosis in my local hospital system till I could have a consultation with a surgeon and told him my symptoms and that I wanted diagnostic surgery and he said ok let's do it. A few months later, scared to death and crying, against my family's advice: I got diagnostic laparoscopy with an endo surgeon specialist who did excision surgery and they did in fact find endo and cut it out.

Unfortunately for me, I'm someone who didn't have much if any pain relief from this surgery: but it did give me an answer which was that YES I do have endometriosis despite years and years of medical advice suggesting strongly against it. But there were absolutely no guarantees going in that they would find it. I just couldn't keep waiting, and I thought it was worth it even if it was just to rule it out.

[swaglet]

Did you get a bisalp? Would you mind sharing what the experience was like with surgery/recovery?

(Sorry if this is nosy, please delete if you don't want to answer)

i'm getting it right after i graduate college (very soon) ! i have an appointment ready with my surgeon and the only thing that has stopped me from getting it earlier is basically just like. recovery from any laparoscopic procedure is kind of gnarly and i don't want to be out of class for a month like i was for my gallbladder removal. i can't be trusted to not go back to class/work too early after surgery, i busted one of my incisions open like 2.5 weeks after my cholecystectomy because i was playing trumpet on campus like a stupid idiot who didn't listen to my doctor.

if my bisalp recovery is anything like my gallbladder recovery, it honestly won't be super bad. one of the worst parts for the first couple days was the throat pain and breathing pain as a result of being intubated, and it was just uncomfortable to stand up and walk after that. it probably would have been a lot easier if i had been given any type of pain medication... i had emergency surgery because i was about to go septic, and the hospital i got sent to had a no-narcotics policy so i got 1000mg of tylenol as my only post-surgery pain relief 😦😦😦 it was hard to sleep for about a week because i normally sleep on my stomach, and for the first 5 days or so i had to have someone help me get up from laying or sitting because of the pain, but it got less painful exponentially after the first week. if your surgeon isn't fond of medieval torture like my cholecystectomy surgeon was, and you end up getting any sort of real pain relief, it will most likely be way easier than i'm making mine sound. thankfully my bisalp surgeon isn't against narcotics for post surgery. i think in total for me it took about 2 months to feel normal again, which like. in the grand scheme of things after having your abdomen cut completely open in 3 separate places with no pain relief drugs afterwards, especially after you accidentally ripped open one of the incisions by being stupid, is pretty fast.

with any laparoscopic abdominal surgery, people always tell you you might feel painfully bloated from the gas they use to inflate you and see your organs better and it may even make you feel pain in your shoulders and chest for a few days, but thankfully i never got that. i wish i could explain how it feels tho.

the surgery itself was the easiest part. i had never been under anesthesia before and had never had a surgery so i was nervous, but they put you in your gown and have you lay on the operating table and then you breathe in the gas and ur just GONE. it was like i blinked and i went from being on the operating table to being in the recovery room. i did get really scared and yell for my mom because i was like Where the fuck am i but they had me doped up rly well so it barely hurt to move at all until like 8 hours after the surgery and i was already home and in bed.

afaik robotically assisted laparoscopy is like. the safest surgical procedure and i have no complaints from mine except for no pain relief. im not even worried about the surgery for the bisalp as long as they give me pain relief. if they give me pain relief that shit will be easy peasyyyy.

i plan on updating everyone on how recovery goes after i get it done :P

and just if yr wondering, this is what my incisions look like a year and 2 months after my cholecystectomy

[tenelkadjowrites]

I also had endometriosis, but had a hysterectomy due to it being debilitating and doing so many surgeries. So as someone who has dealt with it since they were 15 (now in my 20s) I hope that you will find comfort in knowing that you're not alone ♥

I hope you recovered well and smoothly from the hysterectomy and that your symptoms improved afterwards. I know some ppl had a wonderful ease of symptoms after and others did not, it's frustrating how there is definitely no "one size fits all" treatment plan. I've had one laparoscopy after I landed in the ER which is how I got formally diagnosed although I suspected for a few years that I had it. It's been a journey learning about it and managing my symptoms but it's also been a relief to know just exactly what's going on too. Thank you so much for the nice message 💜

[ms-hells-bells]

I saw that you have had issues with digestion connected to endo. I feel like I’m going through the same thing right now but they haven’t seen any cysts on my ultrasounds so I feel stuck in an undiagnosed state where I still can’t eat anything. My empathy goes out to you, and if you ever have any advice regarding what you’ve learned in your health journey, my poor belly could sure use it!

endo often does not have cysts, or they come and go. ultrasounds usually don't see endo unless it's severe. the best thing to do is keep pushing. if you have not had an endoscopy, ask for that first to rule out any other possible causes, like stomach ulcers and such. if it comes back clear, see a gyno, and keep demanding for a diagnostic laparoscopy. i also highly recommend reading this book, it's what convinced me to keep advocating for myself, and goes really in depth with symptoms that many people don't talk about, like nausea.

also, starting a symptom diary, where you write syptoms you'r experiencing, and when.

if you are experiencing chronic nausea, especially when eating, then ask the doctor for ondansetron, it's a powerful anti nausea drug that your body never becomes desensitised to, and it has very few side effect for how well it works. i was on it for about four years. changing your diet can also help. less sugar, fat, salt, caffeine, spice. more fibre, plants, and anti inflammatory foods. hormonal birth control is unfortunately a necessity no matter what, because it stops the continued growth of endo, even after surgery. i have found that mirena works best for me, but then you need to request proper pain relief, like nitrous oxide or cervix softener and maybe topical anaesthetic (or if it's too painful, then you may need it under general, like me. i got mine in during my laparoscopy).

it may take some time, but if you have had every other test under the sun, like a blood test, urine test, abdominal and vaginal ultrasound, endoscopy, etc. and you are still suffering even with birth control, then it is absolutely worth it to keep pushing to get a laparoscopy to see what's going on inside.

[gemcuare]

Mama of Two

Every year on the first Sunday in May, International Bereaved Mother's Day honors mothers who have lost a child. It's also a day to recognize women who cannot be a mother due to infertility or other health reasons. One of the hardest days for many women around the world as Mother's Day.

TRIGGER WARNING mention of loss

So I will carry you While your heart beats here Long beyond the empty cradle Through the coming years I will carry you All my life And I will praise the One Who's chosen me To carry you

It’s been a little over four years now since I started this motherhood journey. Even my last proper blog entry here was about Maternity... an experience I wanted to write about in a series. But obviously, four years have passed since and my son has now grown into this wonderful, cheeky big boy (family also moved from Korea to New Zealand)! I just wrote about the second trimester the last time I sat to blog here and now I am at this stage of getting him his first soccer shoes and having his primary school enrolment lined up. Time sure did fly!

But as the title of this entry suggests, I also have a second child. And that, after gathering some courage, I promised myself to write. Nothing inspiring or interesting like that. But still something I hold close to my heart and will read back in years to come. Anyway...

In September 2020, after a year or so of anxiety from secondary infertility (my hormones have always been at odds with me for forever) while trying to conceive Baby #2, I received the miracle of an answered prayer... and that was the wanted pregnancy. 

It was the 7th week (October), instead of an ultrasound to confirm a heartbeat, I found myself waking up from an emergency surgery. While I was in bed, the surgeon stopped by, showed me photos of my uterus, the right fallopian tube where the fetus was in, the beginning stages of internal bleeding-- the cold clinical diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy, and the successful laparoscopy. From a medical and moral standpoint, the pregnancy was not viable, the internal bleeding was life-threatening, so termination was inevitable.

Compassionately, the doctors expressed their sympathy and added a hopeful “Next time we hope to see you in the maternity ward (to deliver a baby)...” I sighed a sigh of relief, thanked them for saving my life, and got myself ready for the road to recovery.

Or not. 

It didn’t take long from the “I can’t believe it, we’re gonna have another baby!” to turn into “I can’t believe I lost a baby.” 

Just as two lines on a pregnancy test could easily lead to a future family of four... until something goes wrong and your worst fear is realised.

From Congratulations to I’m sorry.

From dream come true to living a nightmare.

From exciting to traumatic.

From thanking God for an answered prayer to being angry at God for the tragedy.

Grief. Yes, it has become very much a big part of me since that day of my surgery. Since becoming a mother. Of. Two.

6 years ago, when I lost my father at 52, grief entered and changed me and scarred me for life. Then...

It happened again. 

Not long ago, I was happy and hopeful... now I’m walking this sometimes painful, sometimes numbing, always lonely road of grief. My incision scars have long faded and all. I even forget that I had a body part gone. But not the part of my Mama heart that died.

I often listen to Bethany Barnard’s song, Tears on Your Face. A raw and beautiful song coming from grief... one of my go-to songs for comfort to ride a wave of grief or anger that knocks the wind out of my faith.

You don't fast forward me through this And I've gotta reconcile that You want to know me when I'm like this And I've gotta reconcile that You didn't change the diagnosis And I've gotta reconcile that You've reconciled it all in Your flesh

And like her, I’m still trying to make sense of my life post the loss. 

It’s now 2022, I’m living through a global pandemic, inflation, and war but I’ll shamelessly admit that I’m still hung up on losing that baby. There was even a phase... whenever I heard someone complain about something, and while listening, looking like I was empathizing, but mentally I was raging. So? But I lost my baby...

The weather sucks. So? But I lost my baby.. 

Traffic sucks. So? But I lost my baby.. 

The housing market sucks. So? But I lost my baby..

COVID sucks.  So? But I lost my baby..

The government sucks.  So? But I lost my baby..

Everyone around me moved on in life. And to me, that felt wrong. But that was just my grief. 

I couldn’t stand pregnancy and baby related posts on social media. But that was just my grief. 

I gave my son extra hugs thinking bitterly that he might be an only child. But that was just my grief. 

I stopped praying. I was scared that instead of giving, God will keep taking away from me. But that was just my grief.

On better days, I find comfort in knowing that my baby is Home in Glory, like my Papa. That she (or he) won’t have to experience the struggles of living in this fallen world, she was spared of suffering and evil. And that I will meet her. Even if it’s for the first time. Because God made her soul, she exists. I’ll always be her mum and she will always be my child. God is good. I’m gonna be okay.

On difficult days, I am far from okay. Hours of stuffing my face in a pillow, stifling the ugly bawling. Here I go again, mourning...

I know that I’ll be brokenhearted for a very long time... I’ve read so many stuff coming from mothers who lost children from every stage of pregnancy or infancy... In Reddit, Facebook groups, Youtube’s comment section. Mothers mourning for 10, 20, 50 long years. Crying about someone they’ll never know in this life but alive and loved, forever carried in their hearts. So much grief and pain.

This is the world of bereaved mothers. A place no Mama deserves to find themselves in. A life I didn’t want to know and am crippled with.

I am all here to celebrate my son’s milestones. Absolutely! but also a part of me will grieve for the other one who didn’t make it... 

Knowing what I know, I hoped to go through it all again, you see.  Having been through pregnancy, babyhood, and now childhood through raising my son... I was going to be an improved version, not like a first-timer. But instead, I am in a loop, hounded by what-if’s and could be’s... I never thought it’ll be silently devastating. The trauma is so sneaky, out of nowhere it messes with me.

I wasn’t prepared for it-- the unbearable thought of never knowing.

The sound of your heartbeat.

The sleepless nights. The cuddles and kisses.

What you’d look like. Your smile. Your frown. 

What you’d sound like.  When you call me “Mama.”

I wasn’t prepared for it-- the guilt.

I was supposed to keep you healthy and safe and alive. But instead, from the womb, I couldn’t. For all I know, you were a perfectly healthy baby, but to preserve my life, yours was cut short. I gave up my right tube for my right to live. For my health and future’s sake. While you were just getting started, cells still multiplying, your tiny heart still beating. *SNIP* Tube removed. That was it?

I feel like I should be very sorry. Why, my poor baby, you had to go that way?

I wasn’t prepared for it-- a future of missing someone.

When we take a family picture, Christmas, New Year, birthdays, and every June. I can just see you there, you were going to turn 2.

So it’s just right to not ever forget you. I can’t and I shouldn’t. I’ll make sure your brother knows you. But even if it’s just me, I’ll cry when I think of you, when you were given to me and when I lost you. I’ll still imagine you could have been my little girl or boy, someone to cherish and be proud of. Always part of the family I’ve always wanted... 

You belong here.

 And on That Day, when I face you, I can say that in my life, in my own way, no matter what, Mama’s here and I love you.

Helpful Links:

13 Things You Should Know About Grief After Miscarriage or Baby Loss

Things Not to Say to Someone After a Miscarriage

The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust

Pregnancy/Infant/Child Loss Support

An Unexpected Family Outing

P.S.  To family and friends and co-workers who have been there for me, and prayed for me, I also want to say THANK YOU again. I may not be in a better place yet emotionally, and even my faith walk has nothing to show for it... Two years on, know that I’ll always be grateful.

[lachlanwrites]

The delay in endometriosis treatment is unacceptable. Why are women in the UK still suffering in silence?

On Christmas Day in 2012, I got my first period. At age 12, I didn’t realise that this would be the start of a five year struggle to get a diagnosis of endometriosis. Endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb is found elsewhere in the body can cause excruciating period pain, infertility, back pain and vomiting. For some sufferers, it can also cause depression. 

In my case, it meant that for four to seven days every month, I was often unable to get out of bed, unable to focus on work and unable to talk to friends and family. On some occasions I passed out. 

It took me nearly 2 years to realise that the level of pain I was feeling wasn’t normal. At age 14, I paid my first visit to the GP. The appointment took all of five minutes. The doctor poked my stomach and, since he could not feel any lumps, told me to keep taking painkillers, and to come back if it got worse. At this point I was taking well over the recommended daily limit of painkillers to simply be able to go about my day. But I was young. I had a blind faith in my GP to find out if something was wrong, and I didn’t have the medical knowledge to request a referral to a gynecologist instead. 

This dismissal of women's pain is not unique to my experience. In fact, it reflects an alarming trend in the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis in the UK. In the UK, on average, it takes around 7.5 years and 5 GP visits to get a formal diagnosis of endometriosis. These statistics come despite the fact that endometriosis affects an estimated 1 in 10 women in the UK. 

Diagnosis times for endometriosis are globally dismal. A 2019 article by Agarwal et al. estimated that while 4 million women in the US are currently diagnosed with endometriosis, 6 in 10 cases are not. There was also a wait time of between 4 to 11 years for a diagnosis. Endometriosis is a debilitating condition for a large number of women. So why is nothing being done about it? 

Historically, women have been sidelined in medical research. The associate professor of human genetics at the University of Chicago noted that researchers prefer single-sex animal testing groups, as “it reduces variability and makes it easier to detect the effect that you’re studying. The downside is that if there is a difference between male and female, you’re not going to know about it.” This scientific laziness extends to human trials as well. It was only in 1993 that the F.D.A lifted a ban on women in drug trials.

As a result of the lack of testing on women, knowledge on conditions only affecting women is scarce. Female pain is not taken as seriously as male pain. Historically it was dismissed as ‘hysteria’. Now this bias is shown in our pain relief, with women being prescribed sedatives and men being prescribed painkillers. It is shown in our A&E waiting times, where men wait an average of 49 minutes and women wait 65 to be seen. Endometriosis is no exception to this. 

Another hurdle that women face in getting their diagnosis is the attitude of GP’s. Half of women need to visit their GP 10 times before their diagnosis. Some were even told that it was ‘all in their head.’ 

GP’s, often the first trusted source for women experiencing pain, are letting their patients down tremendously. A nationwide lack of sympathy and specialist medical knowledge delays women from being referred to gynaecologists who could help them manage their pain. 

This lack of knowledge is not unique to medical professionals, however.  A study by Endometriosis UK, for Endometriosis Awareness Month, found that 33% of women and 74% of men were not aware of the condition. 

 In order to improve these waiting times and ensure that all women are getting the care they deserve, we need to increase overall awareness of the condition, and learn to recognise what the symptoms are. In my case, I believed for many years that my pain was a normal level that everyone else dealt with, and that I was simply being weak. 

Once women have managed to obtain a diagnosis, they are then told that “there is no cure for endometriosis, and it can be difficult to treat.” Apart from painkillers, many common treatments used for endometriosis are hormone based treatments, such as birth control, and surgery.  For many women birth control is unsuitable, as it can come with side effects like nausea, weight gain and headaches.

A 2016 study by Skovlund et al. also found links between hormonal birth control and depression. For those who can’t take hormonal birth control, and find that over-the-counter pain medication is not enough to manage their symptoms, surgery is another option. A laparoscopy is often done to diagnose endometriosis when an ultrasound scan cannot detect tissue. If necessary, this is followed by a minimally invasive laparoscopy to remove excess lining of the womb. In severe cases, a hysterectomy is performed instead.

 However, even these surgeries are only performed for pain management. They are not a cure. The trouble with tissue growing outside of your uterus is that removing the uterus itself does not always remove the tissue with it. 

However, attitudes towards women's pain are improving, driven by a push for better education around the condition. MP’s have begun an inquiry into the condition after a 13,500 strong study by the BBC. Some high-profile celebrities, such as American singer, Halsey, have come forward to speak about their experience with the condition, advocating for greater education and research into treatment. As society becomes more open about topics such as women’s health and menstruation, endometriosis sufferers are being taken more seriously, and their condition is being treated with more respect.

[coridallasmultipass]

Tmi / personal / endometriosis and menstrual issues / surgery / long post / venting ... I finally had a laparoscopic surgery done yesterday and they were able to confirm for me that i have endometriosis and it feels like a huge weight has been lifted! All my fucking life ive dealt with excruciating cramps and heavy bleeding during menstruation and i just wish i could go back in time and give a big 'fuck you' to everyone who ever told me "cramps are like this for everyone!" Or "just exercise, it helps!" Or "orgasms help with cramping!" Like hooooooh boy I knew it and im so glad to have all the cysts out of me now. I had previously tried numerous birth control options to prevent cramping and bleeding and got excruciating cramps with literally All of them and constant bleeding with the depo shot. (I had a very painful internal ultrasound done, to hopefully diagnose endo by that route, but it was inconclusive - variations in the thickness of the endometrium, which could be endo or it could just be normal...) Most recent birth control was an iud and i had to go to the er the same evening because my body couldnt stand to have it in there causing so much pain, i couldnt stop screaming and it sucked. The iud was a few weeks ago ((and the proceedure to insert it was the worst pain ive ever felt in my life, and the same sharp pain continued through the following days until i got it removed) and i havent been able to sit straight since, i have to keep sitting to one side in order to not feel like having an ice pick jammed in me. Its gotten better since the iud was removed, but i still get a sharp pain when i have to sit on something hard. My doctor recommended me to have a diagnostic laparoscopy with cystectomy ASAP because of the iud problems and all my failed birth control attempts. Everyone in my family freaked out and kept pushing me to not go through with it, but I knew i needed to know what was causing me so much pain, like tbh, as a trans man, id prefer just a straight up hysterectomy, but yknow either way this is a step in that direction anyway. I have an aunt who had to have the same proceedure twice because of complications, and kept telling me her horror story about how painful recovery was and i was like 'trust me its not going to be worse than an iud because i thought i was dying' and she blew me off like 'its going to be wAY worse' like uh no bc an iud was 666/10 on the pain scale for me, i genuinely thought i was dying or would have a heart attack with how bad the pain was; plus ive had surgeries before and was completely fine after... Anyway fuck what my family said i went through with it anyway and it wasnt that bad of a proceedure to wake up from! My first thought was 'oh no, did they hospitalize me? I feel like ive been asleep for weeks!!' But it was just the recovery room. Ive usually done pretty well with recovery, and this was no different. The worst part of the recovery room was the sensation of needing to cough from where they had inserted the breathing tube for anesthesia. (Today my throat is still a bit sore, and my voice hoarse, but warm mint tea has been helping a lot for that.) I was also feeling cramps similar to mild-moderate menstrual cramping, (no where near the sharp shooting pain of the iud, and no where near my normal, unmedicated cramping which has had me doubled over screaming in pain until the medicine kicks in in the past), and of course a bit of soreness from the incision sites and the general soreness of having gas trapped in my body. (They have to pump a bit of gas inside you so its easier to look around, and some of it stays trapped in you after.) Its a pain similar to what ive felt before just from my fibromyalgia in general, so i was very relieved for the most part. I also felt myself bleeding a bit while i was still in the recovery room. (Gross and tmi, but im still having a spot of blood only when i wipe today, so thats a relief after having been bleeding a majority of the days over the past few months trying different BC options.) Strangely, when i got home i didnt feel groggy or in need of a nap like i have for surgeries in the past. I was also warned of having nausea from the anesthesia, but i had none at all!! And i was warned by multiple sources that i wouldnt have an appetite, but boy i ate almost Everything in the kitchen yesterday im pretty sure ive gone through a whole box of protein bars since yesterday too. Multiple sources (including my family member who had the same proceedure) warned of a sudden bad mood drop immediately after the proceedure, And i dont wanna jinx it, but I have been in such a good fucking mood since i got home yesterday, but maybe thats just the painkillers talking, but still I was at a total low point, like, cant-get-any-lower low point in terms of mood, but i just... feel so good (besides the aching and incision site pain lmao) On to the pain now... The worst of it was waking up this morning after the surgery day. I had quite a bit of the trapped gas pain when i first lied down at night (and when i tried to lie on my side) but the feeling doubled when i tried to get up. Im very bloated still. While the bloating itself isnt very painful, it feels like the stretching of my stomach is pulling at the medical tape covering my incisions which is making them hurt. Im not getting the trapped-gas-roaming-my-body feeling As Often, but its obviously still trying to dissipate. I feel it most while trying to take a deep breath like a bubble pressing against my ribs, but easing a deep breath slowly in and out moves it around and makes it less uncomfortable. Light exercise, like slow walking, is supposed to help your body absorb/dissolve/release the trapped gas. So i did 5 minutes on, 5 off for 3 times on the slowest treadmill setting earlier and im going to try again tomorrow for the same. (I feel like it made my bloating worse, so i had to go back to resting after, but ive been getting up and down to get food for my insatiable appetite lmao) Now the actual tmi and gross stuff: It is really fucking hard to pee. Straight up i have to concentrate so hard. Normally i lean over on my arm to help push it all out at once, but i cant do that with the incisions over my belly lmao. Shitting is just as hard, but the Shit Gods have blessed me with the Antibiotic Runs this morning so im all set for today lmao. Im really bummed tho they put a bandage over where my belly piercing is supposed to go, so i couldnt put it back in after the surgery. The whole, not being able to bend over thing, is reminding me of what its like to have a fresh belly piercing, and im groaning bc im gonna have to go thru with it again to get it back.... and i feel like i jUSt got it done... (it was summer last year) ughhhhhh.... oh well, like at least this time it should go in straight i hope? Also, obligatory vent that... having a fucking uterus does not make me a woman i wish doctors and nurses would use gender neutral language... TLDR; had a laparoscopic surgery to diagnose endometriosis and remove the uterine cysts caused by it, having a great recovery so far!! Still waiting on follow up from the doctor for my next step, but im feeling a lot better than when i was suffering cramps from every birth control i tried to get Rid of cramps

[endo-warriorrr]

Hey guys,

So quarantine has me having too much time on my hands so I figured I start a blog about my journey and daily struggles living with endometriosis.

Everyday is different, no day the pain is the same. Endometriosis is a very exhausting disease, and I had only recently been diagnosed. I went many many years without a diagnosis. I’ve had severe abdominal pains for as long as I remember. Honestly since I was a young child, but NO ONE listened to me. I was just a little kid trying to cut class (I mean of course sometimes yes 🤷🏼‍♀️) but that’s wasn’t the case for the most part.

Living with the pain and having no one believe me, started to make me believe that maybe I was just crazy, that I was imagining this pain or just making it worse. I had one crisis after another during my adolescence years, self harming for years, in and out of mental hospitals. People thought I was crazy, I was just doing anything possible to numb the pain. When self harming wasn’t enough, I started resorting to drugs. And the nightmare just became more real.

After years of drug abuse, using sex to not feel real feelings and abusive relationships. I finally met someone who woke me up, who made me realize life was worth living. & she helped me get the help I needed.

After many many episodes so severe, and I mean on my knees screaming in pain she convince me to go the er. Where they gave me morphine and ran many tests. Long story short, they found multiple cysts on both of my ovaries. The largest one measuring at 8x5 cm. They immediately got me into a obgyn and within one month I was getting my first laparoscopy to have the endometriosis removed. They found it multiple of my organs including my bladder, and most of my organs were stuck to my back wall of my abdomin.

I had a few months of relief and no pain. But soon it returned, and gets worse on the daily. COVID is making it impossible to get any help right now. So it’s just a day by day struggle. I just need somewhere to let it out 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️ if you read this far thank you 😘😘😘

[goddammitstacey]

Ooft, do I have OPINIONS on this.

So I have endometriosis. I was diagnosed in 2016 and over the next four years my ability to function degraded so much I was unable to work or — at times — walk.

I was in constant pain. Levels varied but there was never a time I was completely without pain - except when I had access to opioids.

I did everything else possible. Heat therapy, tens machines, neuropathic pain meds, physio exercises, meditation, ketamine infusions, steroidal injections – you name it I tried it.

I only ever used opioids when absolutely necessary. When it came down to a choice of needing a break from the pain or…. Yeah, we won’t get into that.

Even with my sparse use of opioid medication I developed a tolerance. I do with most everything I take - it’s just the way my body works.

So any time I found myself in hospital, I had to double and triple check that my specialists (gyno and pain specialist) had told the hospital staff I’d be dealing with about said tolerance. Because having ME tell them, “hey, you can’t just give me Panadol or Codeine - it won’t work, I need something stronger” would go down like a lead fucking balloon every time.

Around 2020, after two laparoscopies, my gyno and I agreed that I should have a hysterectomy*

I went into the same hospital I’d been in before, dealt with the same anaesthetist etc so I thought I’d be okay.

I woke up in the absolute worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my life. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t even make noise. I was convulsing.

The nurse came over and told me to, “breathe, honey”. She made no move to give me medication. No move to call a doctor.

I don’t know how long I was in that state before my anaesthetist happened by and blew a gasket - asking why I wasn’t on morphine or fentanyl. He’d prescribed it but I’d just been allowed to wake up from major surgery with ZERO pain relief.

So that sucked. But mistakes happen, yeah?

Only I had to be in hospital for a few days, which meant that afternoon, night, and the next morning was another lesson in awful.

When I got to my hospital room the nurses gave me a button that, when pressed, would deliver a dose of what amounted to liquid Endone.

I asked how much the dose was and they waved away an answer. It soon became clear that it wasn’t enough to tackle my tolerance to opioids. What’s more, any time I fell into a doze, I obviously wasn’t pressing the button, so I would wake up in excruciating pain.

I tried telling three different nurses the situation wasn’t working and I was brushed off every time. So I stopped asking.

The next day my mum arrived to see me and I broke down the moment she stepped through the door. I just remember saying, “they won’t listen” over and over.

She patted my hand, stood up very calmly, and went and asked who was in charge. She never yelled but the nursing station was right outside my room so I heard everything.

Mum: “My daughter is in a lot of pain”

Head nurse: “Well, she didn’t look like she was in pain”

Mum: “That’s because she’s been in pain for four years straight. She’s used to it. But she told you and your staff - over and over - and you didn’t listen.”

Head nurse: “I can’t give her anything that hasn’t been prescribed - I’d need to call her doctor”

Mum: “Then call her doctor”

My gyno and my anaesthetist were called. I was put on a new, consistent regime of pain relief. It wasn’t even stronger than what I’d been on before, it was just coordinated enough to overlap and give me the relief I needed.

My gyno came in on his day off that day to see me. We’d built up a pretty solid relationship over the time I’d been seeing him and I could tell he was furious with what had happened.

To this day I’m petrified of both hospitals and asking for pain relief. All it takes is one person in a position of power to label you “difficult” or a drug seeker and you’ll be powerless and in pain with no way out.

I was lucky. I had my mum to advocate for me when I couldn’t. Not everyone has that.

I understand the absolute havoc the opioid crisis has caused. I also understand that using them comes with risks (addiction, over sensitisation, etc). But they were the only thing that kept me alive during one of the worst periods of my life. The stigma against chronic pain sufferers for using opioids safely and in accordance with professional guidance needs to fuck right off because it is actively hurting people who are already in a place of suffering.

* To be very clear, a hysterectomy DOES NOT CURE ENDOMETRIOSIS.

My two previous laparoscopies were gold-standard excision (not ablation) and, had I been a straight-forward case, they ought to have given me back my functionality.

I had a hysterectomy as a last resort due to a combination of factors that are too many to list here on this already monster post. I STILL have endometriosis and there is every chance I’ll have to have more surgery should more growths occur.

If a doctor offers you a hysterectomy and tells you it will fix your endo run far the fuck away because they don’t know what they’re talking about.

some nurses I work with and get patients from give me the impression that they think a patient is opioid addicted and they need to be weaned off, and like even if that is the case 1) I'm not a addiction specialist, I'm their night nurse and their doctors have prescribed pain medication to be available to them, 2) day nurses I think can be more flippant about pain at times because during the day you have things that can distract you while at night, all you get to do is lie in bed and think about how much pain you're in, 3) I don't think a hospital stay for like heart failure is the best time to detox someone, 4) pain is incredibly subjective and I trust patients who've been living in their body for their whole lives more than I trust myself who has been talking to them about their body for five minutes, and 5) some nurses will be like "I don't offer pain medication unless the patient asks for it" and then the patient will ask for it and then it's all "this patient requested pain meds..... drug seeking behavior" like okay wtf are they supposed to do then? Stoically cry one tear down their cheek when I come to check on them so I can benevolently grant them 5 mg of oxy? 6) enduring pain doesn't make people better people, it actually makes people angry and tired and sad, so good luck building your therapeutic rapport while you make them beg for pain medication, maybe all your patients wouldn't be so mean to you if they weren't all suffering the entire time you're responsible for them, 7) if you aren't gonna give opioids and you're also not gonna page the doc for other meds and you're not gonna get ice packs and you're not gonna reposition your patient and you're not gonna ambulate them when they say that helps their hips and you're not gonna talk to them for a while to distract them and you're not gonna get them a jello cup to eat if they want, then literally how are you better than a little roomba with a med cup full of Lipitor scooting into their room?

I'm aware of the risks of opioids, I don't give them when it isn't safe or indicated, and I'm also aware that opioids aren't even good for all types of pain, but they can be an absolute gift to patients who need them. They aren't inherently evil. We don't have to make people suffer to improve their character. Even if suffering did that (it doesn't), improving character is outside my scope of practice. Here's some morphine.

[kaayj92]

Real stories from Endo warriors.

This is...

Rachel’s story....

‘My name is Rachel and I have recently been diagnosed with Endometriosis, I am a long term sufferer starting with very painful periods at quite a young age. Just over 3 years ago I was hospitalised with excruciating pain in my stomach and ovaries, an ultrasound was done and I'd had bloods taken as well as urine samples/tests. But nothing abnormal was found, which of course lead to nothing and me being sent home. I was always in pain but only went to the hospital when I knew I couldnt handle it. A year later exactly the same thing happened, I'd had blood tests, urine samples and ultrasounds again and again and nothing was showing up, so after numerous hospital appointments, doctors appointments and different types of pain relief and a nearly 3 year wait my doctor suggested Decapeptyl(going through the menopause) this was a 6 month treatment and helped very little. Then they suggested a laparoscopy to give a definite answer as all of my symptoms lead to endo. My laparoscopic appointment was July 27th 2018 and I was diagnosed with endometriosis the same day. While under the anaesthetic the doctors punctured my womb and had to burn it closed, this lead to a 5 day course of antibiotics and I now can't get pregnant for 2 years and unfortunately I can't give birth naturally. I was healing okay and my wounds were looking well, then around 2 weeks after my laparoscopy my body decided to reject my stitches and cause me pain and discomfort, and I had to get them cut out. I am now all healed and taking every day as it comes.

My average week consists of around 4 out of 7 sick days, it changes from migraines/headaches to pain around my whole body to stomach pains(my right ovary hurts most) and sickness. I have to try and manage the pain myself as prescribed medication doesn't do much at all. The only good thing about the Depo injection is that it has stopped my period, other than that it's pretty useless.’

💛

#endosisters #wewillstandbyeachother

Rachel has been suffering since her first period, just like most females with Endometriosis.

Rachel was only diagnosed with Endo at the age of 22.

Rachel is now 23, trying to live with this incurable but debilitating disease.

Follow Rachel on - endometriosis-andme.tumblr.com

There needs to be quicker diagnoses.

More knowledge, information and understanding.

There needs to be more research done.

And hopefully soon in the near future....

A cure.

[endometriosis-andme]

My name is Rachel and I have recently been diagnosed with Endometriosis, although I am a long term sufferer starting with very painful periods at quite a young age.

Around 3 years ago I was hospitalised with excruciating pain in my stomach and ovaries which of course lead to a few blood tests and an ultrasound, nothing cane up so I was sent home the next day. A year later exactly the same thing happened, I'd had blood tests, urine tests and ultrasounds again and again and nothing was showing up. So after numerous hospital appointments, doctors appointments and different types of pain relief and a nearly 3 year wait my doctor suggested Decapeptyl(going through the menopause) this was a 6 month course and helped very little. So then they suggested a laparoscopy to give a definite answer as all of my symptoms lead to endo.

My laparoscopic appointment was July 27th and I was diagnosed with endometriosis the same day. While under the anaesthetic the doctors punctured my womb and had to burn it closed, this lead to a 5 day course of antibiotics and I now can't get pregnant for 2 years and unfortunately I can't give birth naturally.

I was healing okay and my wounds were looking well, then around 2 weeks after my laparoscopy my body decided to reject my stitches and cause me pain and discomfort and I had to get them cut out.

But now here I am 4 weeks post op healing well. I decided to create this blog to receive and give advice to fellow endo sufferers, but I also created it to express my thoughts, feelings and daily struggles.

Thank you for reading and I'd love to hear others stories.

[nursespoonie]

I haven't posted in a while. But I had my second laparoscopy a few months ago to have Endo excised. I'm healed up great from that, but my pain has been off the charts. I am now the proud owner or two new prescriptions, a PT referral, and my new friends adenomyosis, pelvic floor dysfunction, vaginismus, and vulvodynia. So that's a fun time.

I'm still working with my surgeon about getting a hysto, because I'm honestly exhausted after 8 years of this (happy birthday to me!), but now I have to worry about insurance and time off work. One step at a time. That's all I can do.

In the meantime, I'm going to try to focus on being healthy in other ways, despite my body being a jerk most of the time. Hopefully moderating stress and feeding my body better than I did in college will help me to throw off some of the worst symptoms. I'm mad I have to wait for relief, but I'm going to just keep swimming 🐟

[populationpensive]

Endometriosis: A Quick Lesson for Medical Practitioners

I learned a lot on my OB/GYN rotation but the thing that stuck with me the most was the general inability of practitioners to recognize endometriosis. It made my blood boil to see patients be dismissed for YEARS and get a diagnosis later in life after a lot of pelvic damage had been done. This is a relatively quick and dirty guide to endometriosis and why it should ALWAYS be in your differential in women with pelvic pain.

What is Endometriosis 

Endometriosis or “endo” is when the uterine lining, the endometrium, finds its way out of the uterus and into the pelvic and/or abdominal cavities. There are many conflicting theories as to HOW this happens which is beyond the scope of this quick and dirty guide. 

Some Statistics

An estimated 1 in 10 women have endo. 

On average, women will see 5 different providers and take 7 years for their endo to be diagnosed. 

Women whose mother’s have endometriosis have a 90% chance of having endo as well. 

Risk factors: nulliparity, prolonged estrogen exposure, early menarche, Mullerian defects, DES exposure 

Why Recognition is so Important

Endometriosis affects fertility. The implants cause significant scarring in the pelvis and can clog up the uterine tubes from scars or clots. This makes it increasingly difficult for ovulated eggs to get where they need to go or for sperm to even reach them. Every single menstrual cycle that endo goes unrecognized causes damage to a woman’s reproductive organs. It’s also a huge quality of life concern. Women with endo often modify their lives around their menses, missing work, social gatherings, and life in general because their best friend is their heating pad. 

Symptoms to Ask About

Full menstrual history to include: menarche, regularity of menses, flow, pain during menses (location and character!), number of pads or tampons pts uses during menses, use of birth control and if symptoms improved or not, pain management, use of heating pads during menses

Obstetric history, especially if pt has been trying to get pregnant unsuccessfully. 

Family history of menstrual disorders. Ask about whether the pt’s mom, grandmothers, or aunts had hysterectomies and WHY. Ask about mom’s periods and pain levels. 

Pain with intercorse. This is huge and very specific to endo.

Pain with defecation. Also very specific to endo. 

Have you had to miss work or cancel social outing because of your pelvic pain and if so how many times?

Common Symptoms

1/3 of patients will actually be asymptomatic. The other 2/3 will have the following:

Dysmenorrhea, heavy bleeding

Pelvic pain, bloating, inguinal pain, pelvic pressure

Pain with exercise 

Dyspareunia

Pain with defecation 

Nausea, vomiting

Increased urinary frequency, pain with urination

Lower back pain and abdominal pain

Physical Exam Findings 

Exams are obviously variable by patient; however, there are certain things that should ALWAYS make you at least consider endo. 

Pain with speculum insertion. Speculum exams aren’t comfortable but they shouldn’t be PAINFUL. Women with endo often do not tolerate these exams well. 

Pain with bimanual exam. Again, not comfortable but in “normal” patients this should never be a painful experience. 

Exquisite pain with palpation of the uterosacral ligaments: ALWAYS check here EVERY time, even if endo isn’t high on the differential. The uterosacral ligaments connect the uterus to the sacrum and can be felt if you palpate deeply on bimanual exam at the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock positions just posterior to the cervix. This is a VERY specific exam finding for endo and pain here correlates to a 95% chance of seeing endo on diagnostic laparoscopy. 

Diagnosis and Moving Forward

Diagnosis of endometriosis requires a laparoscopy when clinical suspicion is high. On laparoscopy implants often have a chocolate cyst appearance. However, there can be scarring from long term implants or vesicular appearing implants. They are usually small, only a couple of mm. Sometimes endometriomas are seen where there is a large cyst of endometrium attached to the ovaries. 

Diagnosis is a relief for patients. Honestly, the patients we diagnosed where relieved that their pain was real and wasn’t in their head. They were relieved that they had an answer to how they felt. And they were relieved that they could finally receive treatment. They sobbed. Every last one of them. Because they finally had affirmation for what they knew to be true: that their pain wasn’t just “part of being female” and it wasn’t obscure bowel pain. It was real and undiagnosed. 

Treatment and Management Options

100% dependent on the age of the patient, ability or desire to conceive, and tolerance of medications. 

When the patient has had a diagnostic lap, the OB/GYN will use electrocautery to burn away existing implants that are in accessible areas. Implants on the ureters, bladder, colon, uterus, tubes, or ovaries cannot be burned away.  Remaining implants require medical management.

Conservative management is centered around ovulation suppression. This is done with OCPs or some kind of hormonal contraception. Lupron is often used to temporarily induce menopause and kill off existing implants since they need estrogen to grow. 

Surgical management is done during the diagnostic lap. Women of childbearing age will then receive conservative management. Women who have had all the children they desire can opt for definitive management which is a total vaginal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophrectomy. Some women elect to keep the ovaries if they are younger, others do not. The only definitive management is to remove both the uterus and the ovaries. Women that elect to keep their ovaries will need Lupron post operatively to kill remaining implants. 

I’m in family practice or discover this in the ED or urgent care- what next?

Refer them to an OB/GYN, particularly one that is known for diagnosing and treating endo. Please look into a provider you can trust. So many Ob/GYNs are guilty of not accessing this problem appropriately. It may take some asking around but you’re better off sending them to someone you trust. 

If after explaining how endo is diagnosed your patient is unwilling to do a diagnostic lap or can’t afford to see an OB/GYN, do conservative management. Odds are Lupron will not be covered by their insurance unless they have had a diagnostic lap. Make sure the patient is aware of this and aware of the damage endo can do the longer it goes untreated. 

[vinstamil]

Best IVF Center In Coimbatore/Best IVF Doctor in Coimbatore-Vinsfertility

IVF TREATMENT-In Vitro Fertilisation

 Sperm collection and processing are to be done with great care to avoid infection. Before this IVF Treatment is designed, the husband must have a trial preparation of sperm to see the integrity and biological nature of the sperm and their survival hours. Now after egg pick up the husband is asked to give the semen sample within 2 hours. If he thinks it might be a problem in these tense hours, he must have done it during earlier days, which could be cryopreserved. The same applies to husbands working abroad or undergoing surgery/radio, chemotherapy. The husband could be given a non-toxic condom if he is unable to produce the sample by masturbation. The specifically prepared sperms and the incubated eggs are combined in a test tube or petri dish in a prescribed number ratio and left for a few hours for them to unite. The culture dishes are kept in a modular chamber which holds the gaseous environment very strictly and these are kept in turn in a CO2 incubator. Our IVF lab utilizes a TRIGAS (O2, CO2, N2 mixture) incubator instead of CO2 alone since the presence of 5 % O2 improves the culture Conditions and integrity of embryos. After 18 hours, they are examined under a stereo zoom microscope for fertilization which is obvious if two pronuclei are seen clearly. Each pronucleus denotes the decondensation of a male and female nucleus (DNA). Once they are identified, fertilization is confirmed. This day could be accounted as Day 1. After 48 hours, properly growing embryos show 4 cells inside, and after 72 hours they show 8 cell divisions. Only then they are considered as good embryos. Once the cell division seems to be insufficient and the embryos have the odd number of cells and unequal cells they are considered to be “blocked” ones and they have meager chances to make blastocysts at the end of Day 5. Depending on the number of 8 cell stage embryos available on day 3, the type of embryo transfer and the day of embryo transfer are decided. The success rates are also determined according to the number of 8 cells staged, grade I embryos available in the culture system for that particular couple.

 Below is the list of IVF Centers in Coimbatore;

1, Sudha Hospitals Coimbatore

2, Sri Ramakrishna Hospital (Multi-Speciality)

3, Genesis Advanced Fertility Center

 1, Sudha Hospitals Coimbatore

 Sudha IVF is India's leading chain of fertility centers, providing world-class fertility treatments. We believe in evidence-based treatment and transparency in all interactions with patients. Sudha Hospitals Coimbatore has one of the best IVF centers in Coimbatore that aims at providing rapid solutions and result-oriented services to its patients. Ensuring genetic health care of all its patients, this hospital has treated over 150000 patients and continues to spread the joy of parenthood among people. The medical experts and team of researchers are thriving to move forward and improve the existing reproductive techniques to make it much easier and simpler for the patients. To provide the right guidance and treatment, they also offer counseling sessions with trained IVF experts and counselors that believe in honest report analysis. Sudha Hospitals is a leading chain of fertility centers in India, known for its commitment to excellence and patient-doctor transparency that provides the best IVF treatments with promising results. Parenthood is an astonishing stage in one’s life, and to make those dreams come true – the team here at Sudha Hospitals ensures to put their best foot forward.

 2, Sri Ramakrishna Hospital (Multi-Speciality)

 Sri Ramakrishna Hospital treats thousands upon thousands of patients each year. The most advanced oncological procedures to treatments for everyday ailments, we bring relief to patients from all walks of life. We use state-of-the-art technology and cutting-edge surgical and medical techniques to deliver outstanding outcomes. The original hospital is an imposing 1000-bed edifice where top-flight consultants and expertly trained staff offer advanced treatments and procedures ranging from advanced neurosurgery to chemotherapy to stem cell transplantation to organ transplants and so on. Here, driven by our founding motive of providing accessible healthcare to society, patients receive the very best of care at virtually nominal costs. With a host of ‘firsts’ to our credit over the years, we have consistently stood at the edge of medicine in the nation. We are the rare exception to the rule – a private hospital driven by motives of empathy, service to society, and excellence. At our new 230-bed super-specialty block, world-class physicians and surgeons treat patients from across the globe in more luxuriously appointed surroundings. With a high staff-patient ratio, individual attention is at its highest. Equipped with space-age medical technology and exceeding global standards, the super-specialty block outshines many of the more celebrated ‘chain hospitals’ of the metros. We’d go as far as to say it has redefined ‘corporate’ healthcare.

 3, Genesis Advanced Fertility Center 

Genesis IVF is an extremely distinguished medical clinic for Infertility with all facilities under one roof. It has come a long way since its inception as a pioneering institute in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu in 1996. It has taken giant steps to become a center of excellence in all facets of infertility and IVF treatment options, which are offered at an affordable cost for the public. The success story of Genesis IVF & MMCH in infertility treatment is largely due to the support of an extremely dedicated and experienced IVF team led by Dr.Nirmala Sadasivam, who has invaluable experience due to pieces of training she had at various world-class institutes overseas, since 1991, and has pioneered in Blastocyst Culture technique since 1998. She was recognized by the National Academy of Medical Science and offered MNAMS – membership. With their vast knowledge and experience in Blastocyst culture technique, she has utilized the data of more than 4000 infertile couples treated in her center. She could do a Ph.D. in the same specialty. This institution was endorsed in its nascent stage at the National ``Art” Registry of India and is now a prestigious senior member of ISAR, India. Another feather in their cap is the inclusion of the center as one among the esteemed early participants at ASPIRE – Asia Pacific Initiation of Reproductive Endocrinology, Hong Kong, in their academic events. This institute is accredited to ICMR through the Indian Society for Assisted Reproduction.

 Best IVF Doctor In Coimbatore

1, Dr. S. Dhanabagyam (MBBS, MD - Obstetrics & Gynaecology)

2, Dr. S Pradeepa Sudhakar (MBBS, DGO, DNB - Obstetrics & Gynecology)

3, Dr. Nirmala Sadasivam (MD. DGO.)

1, Dr. S. Dhanabagyam(MBBS, MD - Obstetrics & Gynaecology)

Dr. S. Dhanabagyam says "To establish a Woman Care & Infertility center and to provide world-class treatment at an affordable cost to all levels of people was my long-cherished dream and when I look back on the achievement of Sudha Test Tube Baby Center I am very comfortable and feel my dream come true. First Tube baby in Erode district at the time quality infertility treatment was available only in Chennai like a metropolitan city, was no mean achievement and when we cross the milestone of 10000 Test Tube Babies I am extremely rejoiced. I thank god, my family, colleagues, my staff, and well-wishers who have helped us to achieve this. I commit myself for the rest of my life to help this society as much as possible to overcome the stigma of infertility.

2, Dr. S Pradeepa Sudhakar (MBBS, DGO, DNB - Obstetrics & Gynecology)

Dr. S Pradeepa Sudhakar is a Gynecologist, Obstetrician, and Infertility Specialist in Purasawalkam, Chennai, and has 19 years of experience in these fields. Dr. S Pradeepa Sudhakar practices at Sudha Hospitals - Women, Child Care & Fertility Centre in Purasawalkam, Chennai and Sudha Hospitals - Women, Child Care And Fertility Centre in Siddhapudur, Coimbatore. She completed MBBS from The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University (TNMGRMU) in 2002, DGO from The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University (TNMGRMU) in 2006, and DNB - Obstetrics & Gynecology from National Board of Examination, India in 2009.Some of the services provided by the doctor are Vaginal Hysterectomy, Female Infertility Treatment, Antenatal, and Postnatal Exercise/ Physiotherapy, Gynae Laparoscopy, and Male Sexual Problems, etc.

 3, Dr. Nirmala Sadasivam (MD. DGO.)

Dr. Nirmala Sadasivam The success story of Genesis IVF in infertility treatment is achieved by the IVF team led by gynecologist Dr. Nirmala Sadasivam. MD. DGO., who is trained at various world-class institutes overseas, since 1991, has pioneered in the BLASTOCYST CULTURE technique since 1998. Dr. Nirmala Sadasivam’s vast experience and consistent willingness to treat high-risk Infertility treatments, history of high success rate in a healthy pregnancy, and healthy relationship with patients have made Genesis IVF the highest choice of preference for Infertility treatments in South India.Infertility though, not life-threatening, causes intense mental agony and trauma that can only be best described by infertile couples themselves. At some point in their lives at least one in six couples will experience some degree of infertility. Established in 1996, Genesis IVF is one of the world’s leading, most experienced, and most successful fertility care institutes.

If you want to have any information related to IVF Centres and IVF Specialists, Raipur, contact us;

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[macabre-megan]

It’s been awhile...

It’s been awhile since I’ve really used my tumblr account. I pop on every now and then to scroll through stuff, but I really haven’t been active in....a couple years? I feel the need to ramble a bit and right now this seems to be the best place to do it. So here is my venting. I have rambled about it a million times to people, but being able to get everything out in one go just seems therapeutic to me right now. So here we go... the past two years have been strange to say the least. Both involved lots of weird shit, but this past year was hell. It is the year I learned what it’s like to be passed around and ignored by doctors and other healthcare personnel. Back in May I began developing a weird pain in my right upper abdomen. It started one day out of the blue and progressed over a week and got stronger and more intense. I also began to feel chronically nauseous. That’s when my whole life was put on pause. First my gallbladder and appendix were checked out. Everything came back normal. Then my stomach. I was given extra strength ant acids and told to watch my diet and that I’d probably feel better in a few weeks. I began to feel worse. I fought with my own primary doctor to refer me to a gastroenterologist, she finally agreed and I had an endoscopy done. Everything from that was normal. I was growing increasingly concerned because no matter what I was still in near constant pain and could barely eat due to nausea. By the end of summer, I had been to the ER 3 times, had 4 CT scans, and endoscopy, every other GI imaging test that was available, only one ultrasound, and all with normal results. I grew frustrated because scans revealed a kidney stone and a small ovarian cyst, neither of which i was informed about. I was angry because I began to hear eyes rolling when I called my doctors office with concerns and bringing up that I was still in a lot of pain and could barely eat. I basically was at a point of giving up trying to figure anything out after my 3rd ER visit in august....when I was told nothing was wrong and that I should follow up with my “psychiatrist.” While this was going on, my manager at work luckily believed me and was on my side. Which was good because a couple co workers decided I wasn't really sick and was clearly faking it. Or that I was just going out and getting drunk every weekend, then complaining about being sick at work. I began to trust them less and less. I stopped talking about my personal life at work and began just hiding my pain from them all. Even the ones who weren’t causing problems. I just couldn’t deal with the drama that came out of nowhere and that had no reason to it ( it literally felt like I was in high school or some shit. I knew the specific people were constantly whispering behind my back and I could feel the vibes in the air. especially on days where I was really hurting and couldn’t do much more than sit at the computer and do clerical work) But my manager suggested things I hadn’t thought of because of the location of my pain. She mentioned ovarian cysts and endometriosis. I was skeptical at first, but when I kept running into dead ends, I looked into things more. That’s when I started keeping better track of when my pain was worse and what accompanied it during those periods of time. She mentioned my symptoms to a couple of the pathologists we work with (I work in the histology department in a hospital laboratory, as a lab technician/histotechnician and diener) and they both said it was very possible that endometriosis was the culprit. My doctor didn’t agree and chose to not look further into my pain, saying it was probably somehow a muscular thing and basically just completely wrote me off. Jump forward to the end of September.....I was having a horrid couple days of pain. I came into work and could barely stand up straight due to my lower back and abdomen hurting so much. I couldn’t lift anything, the fact that I even got to work that day was a miracle. My manager was not working, so I didnt really have a safety net either. I was told there was an autopsy that no one else could cover so I would have to assist. I began crying. Just flat out bawling. I couldn’t hold it back. I was told to just do what I could and let Dr. T. (the pathologist who does all the autopsies and has worked there for a super long time and was the head of the pathology department and lab director up until he partially retired recently) know what was happening. I still couldn’t hold back tears and began crying in his office trying to explain that I was in too much pain. He told me everything was okay, he told me to not worry about the case. He felt so terrible and I felt awful for making a scene because it was the last thing I wanted to do especially with the on going scrutiny from my co workers. He said something along the lines of “I’m going to make a phone call for you. I will talk to you after I’m done with the case. You will hear back from me and I’ll let you know what to do. Just hang tight.” He got me in that same day to see the top gynecological surgeons in the area. The doctor who specializes in fertility problems and reproductive disorders. I still to this day can’t thank Dr. T enough for that phone call. Every time he asks about progress or anything involving stuff with that doctor, I tell him how much I appreciate what he did. That day I went home with an unofficial diagnosis of endometriosis and was told surgery would be the best option due to how extreme my symptoms where. I agreed. I didn’t question it. I wanted a definite answer and I wanted this shit gone from inside me. I was desperate. Now fast forward to last Thursday (January 11th). I went in at 9 am for a diagnostic laparoscopy. I had so many fears....that they wouldn’t find anything....that things would be worse and they would have to take more out....that I’d lose my uterus or some other extreme situation. When I woke up from surgery.....when I was taken to the recovery room and wheeled in to see the faces of my husband and mom, I heard the most relieving thing in the world. They found endometriosis. They found it scattered right around where all my pain was. It was removed. I had an official diagnosis and a name to put to what has made my life a living hell for nearly a year. My appendix was also removed, along with an abnormal lymph node. It seems weird to be so happy about it, endometriosis is a chronic disease and it can very likely come back any time. Surgery is not a cure......there is no cure. I now am labeled with this for life and everything from here on out is anything to try and suppress the tissue from growing back and managing any symptoms that pop back up. And it is possible that I may have to have surgery again at some point in life. It’s hard to predict. But I have an answer. I have a reason for why I was in so much pain. Why I felt so awful all the time. I have an answer. I no longer feel like I’m crazy and I can look doctors right in the eye and prove to them it’s not all in my head. I have a endometriosis. I have a chronic illness. It took just about a year to be listened to and diagnosed. I missed out on so much. Slept so much. A lot of strain was put on my marriage and on friendships because I just couldn’t do the things I used to do. I came close to giving up so many times. The frustration, anger, tears, arguments, loneliness, pain, depression, doubt......here I am on the other end. Still recovering from surgery, but I’m optimistic and filled with just so much relief, I can’t stress that enough. This experience has been a roller coaster.....and it felt like I was never going to be able to get off of it. I have Endometriosis. I have a chronic illness....