I'm 22 years old, and after 6-7 years of chronic shoulder pain, I was going in to hospital for my first Lap to locate and hopefully remove diaphragmatic Endometriosis. I was due to have my first lap over a year ago, in 2011, but could not go through with it due to personal reasons at the time. So I went back to the GP in late 2011 to be put forward for the op again. This time round, they decided to skip the ultra sound scan, and put me straight through to a consultation and pre-op assessment. At the consultation, the surgeon was quite abrupt with me and said " I don't think we will find anything anyway, so we can fit a coil for you and just stop your periods. Its very rare in someone your age". I was not happy about this but put it down to the fact that as I had cancelled my previous date, he didn't believe I was telling the truth. Then Tues 17th Jan 2012 was the date set.
I suffer from anxiety attacks quite severely, particularly in medical situations as I have a phobia of being sick. After some CBT I have become better at managing this problem, and i could prepare myself for what was one of the scariest things I had ever done.
So on Tuesday, I had the time off work set, and I attended hospital for my first Lap. They allowed my Mum to stay with me, when she was not meant to be on the ward as I was very anxious, but after speaking to the nurses and surgeon and anesthetist, I began to feel more relaxed. I was going to be put through first.
As I walked in to theatre, I really felt ok and the team was great and I thought in a short amount of time, this will all be over. I would know more about my situation and they may have even got rid of any Endo that was currently there! I went under anesthetic fine, and what felt like 2 minutes later I was opening my eyes again.
The first thing I said was "I did it, i actually did it". At this point I couldn't actually see and was slurring. I then asked how long I had been in for and they replied 45 minutes. I thought to myself, YES, that is the right amount of time for them to have a look, and do something. they must have removed some.
I then realised I wasn't being left to slowly come round in recovery, I was being wheeled straight back to the ward. I was then sat up and left with a cup of water and some custard creams (which was the absolute last thing I wanted) and left on my own. My legs were trembling, I didn't feel great, and I began to panic that I was going to be sick. I sat there trying to breathe through it and calm myself down. I thought that coming round from the anesthetic would be a much slower, more gradual process and that I would feel relief that it was all over. Off course I expected to feel groggy, but this was just anxiety and weakness.
After about 10 minutes the nurse came over to take my blood pressure and told me she had called my Mum and asked her to come back in 45 minutes and then the surgeon would come and speak to us both. I thought it was a bit odd that he had to talk to us both but presumed it was because I was a bit out of it. I felt slight annoyance that I had to sit there, mumless, for 45minutes when I knew if she had arrived I would have calmed down, but hey ho. Everyone else had to, so why shouldn't I!
The nurse returned again, 15 minutes later, me still obviously panicking, and she took my blood pressure again, and told me to eat a biscuit. I couldn't.
I began to press lightly around my belly button and stomach to feel for the dressing, but couldn't work out if it was the gown or not. I noticed it didn't hurt, it was not sore at all. I though it must just be all the drugs. Despite all the panic, I kept telling myself, Its done. You did it, you went through with it, and now its over!! But I just could not calm down.
The nurse returned again, 15 minutes later, to check my blood pressure again. She asked me how I was feeling. I told her, very anxious. She replied saying well your mum will be here soon, so try not too worry. She then told me to try to sit up and moved the bed up some more. This wasn't helping! I went to pull myself up delicately, so as not to disturb any dressings etc when she turned to me and said - "You do know you didn't have a Laparoscopy right?"..........
I just stared at her blankly. I quite obviously replied "no". I mean how the hell would I have known that!!
She then said "Oh, well they didn't do a laparoscopy, but the surgeon will come and speak to you about that once your mum has arrived", and off she went.
I was gobsmacked. What the hell had they done then?! I thought, they couldn't have done open surgery, as to discover they needed to do that, they would have needed to do a laparoscopy. I felt my tummy and felt no wounds or dressings. I knew I wasn't pregnant, and had passed all the required tests so of course, I immediately think the only explanation is some form of complication. So now I'm sat there, entirely alone, trembling, and even more anxious than before, thinking what the hell is going on!! In the mean time, my mum has received a call saying, they haven't done the Lap, but the surgeon will talk to you about that and ask you some questions, could you come back in 45 minutes. My mum is about 5 minutes from the hospital at this point so could have easily come back straight away, but instead was sat worrying for 45 minutes, of course, thinking the worst!! (apologies for the longness of this story, it makes me feel better to get it all out!!)
So, about 20 minutes after the nurse dropped the bombshell, the surgeon arrived to speak to me. My mum was still not there, but he went ahead any way. He said they had put me to sleep and began an external examination, only to discover a large swelling near my ovary. He did not feel confident about continuing surgery without knowing what this was, so he got a specialist in to do a thorough internal scan to find out. It turned out to be a large cyst on my right ovary (which they could not even see) that was about 13cm in diameter. You can actually see it when I lay down etc. Now I had thought previously that something was a bit out of place down there, but never suspected something this large and thought I had a prominent bladder!! This was a lot for me to take in and I was in a bit of shock. He said they could not continue with the surgery as this was in the way. I first asked if it was a tumour. He said in their language a cyst is a tumour but not the sort I was thinking. I then asked if it was cancerous. He said there was nothing to suggest it was dangerous, but they will obviously have to test it. He suggested it could be endometrial which is the most likely and what I believe it is. He was looking very apologetic when explaining and he then said "This is my fault, I feel bad, as I should have done an examination during our consultation in October, but I didn't. If I had, I would have felt it and we could have removed it. So I really apologise for that."
I was just still in shock. He said he would return once my mum had arrived and explain again. I just wanted my mum. Then finally, I heard her asking where I was and then she appeared in front of me. I burst in to tears and she hugged me asking what had happened. I couldn't talk properly so just told her not too panic. Then calmed down a bit and explained the situation. Then the surgeon returned and explained everything again, and once again said he should have checked me at the consultation. He wanted to fit me in ASAP for the operation to have it removed and said I would have a hospital stay of a few days and a longer recovery time as it would be open surgery. I think he knows that me and my mum could kick up a fuss about this if we wanted, and maybe we will. If it bursts, I could be in trouble, but this is unlikely. But right now, I just want this thing out of me as now its all i can feel!
I began to get dressed and had some juice. They then took some blood from me and said I would be given a consultation appointment on Monday and again, were very apologetic. I was allowed to go home.
Now although my story is not would you would call a good one, the only really bad part of it was after the op, because of the way I woke up and the news I received. Usually, you would have more time in recovery to wake up gradually, but as I had actually been operated on, I didn't need this.The actual time before the op, and being put to sleep was ok. The team were great and really made me feel at ease, and I am not worried about going through that again. So if your due to have a Lap, I don't want you to worry that it will be a nightmare. I just wanted to share my experience.
I was out of hospital the same day on Tues, and by Weds morning, my letter for my consultation had arrived. Then this morning (thurs) my appointment for the operation, 7th Feb, arrived. So, because the surgeon messed up, I think I'm now being given star treatment, and me and my Mum are quite confident he won't be doing that again. So in a way, it has had a positive result for others I guess, and I hope he will be more careful in future and maybe believe his patients a bit more!
So now I await to have this removed, and I hope it is not anything more than endometrial, as I'm sure its not. Then once recovered, I will have to return again, to have the op I was previously meant to have to treat the endometriosis!! I have a long way to go, but at least now I am being listened too, and am having something done about it! Its just a shame it took this much to get there! So If you have a rather large swelling, that you might think your being paranoid about, MAKE them check it!
Thank you for taking the time to read this! I shall be writing another one following my next op so wish me luck!!
Scoones!
Lap three weeks ago, consultant today......
Lap results 
Diagnostic Lap 
First Lap: Stage 4 Endo
