Has anybody been advised against a laparo... - Endometriosis UK
Has anybody been advised against a laparoscopy due to previous stomach surgery and the high risks? But been diagnosed based on symptoms ?
Hi Olivia. I had diagnosis & excision at lap so I can't offer any personal experience but it might be worth considering whether your surgeon is saying this based on his personal skill level / limitations or whether you are genuinely too high risk. Are you seeing an endo specialist skilled in laparoscopic surgery? If not it might be worth doing a bit of research into other surgeons to seek a second opinion. Endo can be suspected from symptom history, scans & physical exam but can only really be diagnosed through a lap and preferably a laparoscopy rather than laparotomy as it gives the surgeon more visual accuracy ( as well as a more quicker recovery for us) Also, excision surgery is considered the best treatment so if your surgeon didn't feel happy diagnosing via a lap he presumably wouldn't be happy to perform excision via a lap either so you'd also be steered towards medical drug treatments rather than the opportunity to have the endo physically cut out. Theres a list of all the accredited endo centres on the BSGE website bsge.org.uk Hope this helps.
Thank you Petunias, the consultant in gynaecology and obstetrician I spoke to said he wouldn't be confident doing a laparoscopy due to me being too high risk, but would discuss this with other surgeons to get there opinion. He then sent me a letter explaining that he is going to presume a diagnosis based on my physical examination, and history. He would like to proceed with the coil, but im not really sure how this will help the damage that may have already been caused, because I can't have the surgery to remove the endo areas. If the mirena coil doesn't work then I'll need GNRH analogues with add back as the next option. Xxx
Hi Olivia
You just described my situation exactly!!. I had 3 ops on my tummy last year due to hernia repair going wrong. The result of this is my consultant is very reluctant to do the lap due to the risks involved so she started me on the prostap injection. She said if the injections got rid of the pain then I most likely have Endo, I jus had my 3rd injection last week and I'm due back next month to discuss a plan of action with the consultant, whether she feels I need a lap weighing up the risks etc.
Sorry about the long winded reply!
x
Hello, bmh1980, oh it's interesting to to speak to someone who also has this issue, as most people are able to have the laparoscopy but unfortunately due to previous abdominal surgery we can't :(. At least your consultant is coming up with an action plan that's great! my consultant has basically said he will not do the surgery at all. And has advised I try the coil for 6 months then visit him and if my symptoms have not improved he suggests I have the GNRH analogues with add back as my next line of treatment. I'm just concerned that I can't have the endo actually treated, and the damage may already be done as I understand these treatments don't help what has already happened, they just help the symptoms. And the injections are only 6 months at a time? Take care, Olivia 
x
Hi Olivia
I know exactly what you mean. I keep being told the only way to 100% diagnose is to do a laparoscopy but like you, my consultant won't do it. I had a coil last year so it looks like I'm 1 step ahead. Just had my 3rd injection with add back last week.
I worry what will happen because as you rightly said there's only a limited amount of time we can have the injections so what then?I'm still getting some pain and will see my consultant on 21st July to discuss everything and she will look at my scans etc then.
It is very confusing because I'm sort of being treated and don't know if I actually have endometriosis, it just looks very very likely at the moment.
If you find any info out re laparoscopy and previous abdo surgery please let me know and I'll let you know anything I find !!
Best of luck & take care
So the coil didn't work for you? And is the pain reduced with the injections? Oh that's great your not too far away from some answers then hopefully.
I've had my scans and they all look normal (no cysts) so that's good.
Do you have any children? As that is another concern of mine with the endo I know I makes I harder to conceive? Especially if we can't have the surgery for the endo.
I will definitely keep in touch and let you know If I l learn and new information that will be helpful for you too
Take care. X
I'm really lucky as I have 2 children, my consultant did ask if we want any more children and said I need to discuss it asap with my husband which freaked me out a bit.
The coil made no difference to me and I was admitted to hospital last week as my pain was so unbearable
Oh wow you are very lucky! I don't have any children yet, my partner and I would like to start trying at the beginning of next year. Which was also encouraged by the consultant, So I'll start with the coil and see where I go from there I guess, just seems like a waste for six months if it doesn't help. I'm sorry to hear that, hopefully you'll get some answers next month
Unfortunately for us, because we're being diagnosed on our symptoms alone, we have to go for the injection & add on.
My consultant said that the scar tissue in my abdomen would possibly cause problems.
Well hopefully you'll conceive with no issues, I told my consultant that if I can't have another baby that I am so grateful to have my daughters.
Well I hope your consultant helps you as much as he can because this is probably one of the hardest things I've gone through in life & I'm so glad I found this group!!
Keep Smiling x
Thank you Petunias, the consultant in gynaecology and obstetrician I spoke to said he wouldn't be confident doing a laparoscopy due to me being too high risk, but would discuss this with other surgeons to get there opinion. He then sent me a letter explaining that he is going to presume a diagnosis based on my physical examination, and history. He would like to proceed with the coil, but im not really sure how this will help the damage that may have already been caused, because I can't have the surgery to remove the endo areas. If the mirena coil doesn't work then I'll need GNRH analogues with add back as the next option. Xxx
