Laparoscopy pain?

[sal20]

Hi All,

I have just discovered this site and reading all your posts, helps me feel 'normal'.

I was diagnosed with endo on the 18th October, the day after my mum died. I didn't even know I had it. I just thought painful periods were part of being a girl/woman. My first laparoscopy was in Feb 2013 after an MRI showing I had a 15 cm cyst. My second was in May 13 to remove the cyst. Unfortunately I lost my left ovary with it, but I had, had my family by then.

On the 13 March 15 I had another laparoscopy as I will still experiencing pain, bleeding for 2 weeks off for 1 week. Sex was definitely a no no, couldn't wear tampons. They said they found lots of scar tissue and a tiny bit of endo behind my bowl. I am now almost 7 weeks post op and the pain is unbelievable. I have been to my own GP and another GP, who just say, some people just take a long time to heal. Take paracetamol! I have been munching co-codamol, ibuprofen and paracetamol (not all at the same time) for weeks and it does not help the pain I have at all. I don't want to live on a diet of pills! The pain I have is mainly in my right side, like something sharp is trying to escape and almost feels like the point of a knife just stuck there giving me pain all the time, this radiates around the right hip and round to my back. I have a hot water bottle constantly attached to me even at work. Is this normal to still feel like you have just woken up from surgery? When will it go, I never experienced pain like this after my last surgeries. I have the mirena coil fitted in 2013. I feel silly going to the doctors and almost like I am wasting their time.

Can anyone help/give advice on what I should do. Work are being ok at the moment but can tell that they are not happy. I work T, W & Thur, 8:30-4:30, but have asked if I can temporarily work 8-4, which I know they are not keen to let me do, but by 2:30/3pm I am shattered. (I work as an administrator).

Any help to any of this is I am grateful for.

Thanks x

[var1987]

Hi Sal,

What a dreadful situation to be in, my heart goes out to you.

The only advise I can give that may help is to go to another doctor, get another opinion, insist you are referred to a specialist, and insist on stronger pain medication. A GP can prescribe something more effective than co-codamol for sure. You are not wasting their time, if you are in pain and struggling, but it is my experience that sometimes the NHS needs to be pushed to get things done.

Best of luck,

V

[sal20 in reply to var1987]

Thanks Var1987. I think I will try and get an appointment tomorrow. I am totally fed up of pain now. I think I find it hard that others think because I have my 'smile mask' on all the time, the pain really isn't that bad, but how I would really like to behave at work is curl up in a ball and whale! I have to keep thinking about funnies, otherwise I will go insane.

thanks again x

[Tboag in reply to sal20]

Hi, I would Defo go back to Gp and get something stronger, when is your follow up? What did they do, did they remove the endo, and the adhesions,?

Xx

[sal20 in reply to Tboag]

Hi Tboag

My follow up is 15 May. Yes removed endo. and adhesions. Will try and get appointment today but unless you are at the beginning of the phone que you don't get appointment. Thanks x

[Tboag]

Hi Sal, do you know who did your op, was it a general gyne surgeon or a ENdo specialist, only a general don't really understand the complexity of endo, and all so often leave endo behind, is the pain the same or different from before the op?

Hope your feeling abit better today, xxx

[sal20]

Hi Sorry for the late reply. I feel like I have baby brain at the moment. Got into work this morning, ready to phone the doctors and next time I looked at the clock it was 9:15 unless you phone at 8:15 forget any appointments for that day and they don't let you book in advance either. Anyway,

Mr Ben O’Sullivan

Role at hospital

Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, April 2000

Specialist interests

Sub-fertility: investigation and treatment

Gynaecological endocrinology, especially polycystic ovary syndrome he is my main consultant. The other surgeon that operated on me was called Mr Lowden? unsure of spelling. He came to see me before the operation to tell me that he was brilliant at his job and he would never leave any endo behind. I thought what a smarmy git!

The pain is the same, but like 10x worse! If I had known I would be in more pain I would not have had the laparoscopy.

My GP works part-time Monday Tue Friday, so will have to wait till Friday to be seen, but I may try and see another doctor tomorrow, as I need to sort this pain out, with something stronger than paracetamol, like another doctor at the surgery told me to take, stupid woman. Sorry I shouldn't be nasty, but if they helped with my pain control, I wouldn't have to keep going back and taking up someone elses time with the doc.

Rant over, sorry having a bad day. My working pattern is 8:30-4:30pm and for two weeks my manager allowed me to do 8-4 which was brilliant for me as less traffic and I get tired so quickly. Today she said I had to revert back to my original working pattern, I do understand but knocked me a little. Sorry defo rant over xx