Endo/lap/work vent

[gwen80]

Hello

I'm really sorry - I just need to vent. I feel awful. I've had fatigue and nausea all week. Today it's been awful. I don't know how I've gotten through the day at work. The pain has also been horrific. As well as the normal, my upper abdomen has been hurting - just below my ribs. Has anyone else ever had period pain just underneath their ribs? It's very weird.

Otherwise, I went to see my new consultant y'day. She wants to do another lap. I'm not surprised and think it's for the best, but now I'm stressing a bit about it. I'm having evening surgery (private), so will stay overnight, but I'm worried they won't let me out without someone with me. I live on my own and there's not really anyone who could come and get me. I'm also worried they might not give me a sick note. If I don't have one I'll have to call work every day. I had to do this last year when I'd fallen down a flight of stairs and landed head first onto concrete. It was awful to be feeling rubbish, but constantly trying to reach my manager - I had to keep calling back if she wasn't ast her desk.

I've advised ladies on here, worried about their laparoscopy's, a few times, but now it's me, I'll admit I'm worried. Mostly it's logistics, but I think it's hard going in for an op with no idea what they'll find and hence what will happen.

I told work today and although my manager was good about it, I'm worried they might get difficult. I'm currently working my backside off to cover for someone else who's off sick, but this seems to be the way it goes - FFS.

Sorry - as I said I just needed to vent.

Thanks for listening

Gwen

[Hannah27]

Firstly - big big cuddles!!

I get aches near my diaphragm on the run up to my period, I think you can get pain anywhere with this horrible illness! Also lower back etc, but I get upper stomach pain too. so not to worry, there are other out there I promise.

After surgery you should get a sick note anyway, if they don't give you one privately I would go to your GP and ask to be signed off for a while, even If you get a note for a week and then ask for it to be extended. Your work should be ok with this, but even if it takes a few days to get a note they should be able to backdate it so you are covered. I don't know what your GP is like but mine has had to do this for me in the past. Can mean the mission of getting this point through to the receptionists at the surgery.

Is there a friend or relative that could come and get you? I plan on getting a taxi home after my procedure as I am pretty sure it will fall when my partner is away. Sometimes they give you a number to call if there is any problems so they can triage if there are any problems, maybe see if there is that option?

Big big hugs and sending you lots of love and positive vibes. It's good to have a rant - get it all out sister!

Hope you are ok, try not to worry - although that's a really annoying thing to say! But I really hope you feel better soon xxxxx

[gwen80 in reply to Hannah27]

Thank you. It's not ideal that my hormones are all over the place and I feel so rough at the moment. Every month seems to bring a new symptom and I'm working my backside off at the moment (late every night) to cover things because my director is of sick, but I'm worried they're going to make my life difficult me with this op. I hope I'm wrong.

There's only my Mum who could possibly get me, but she lives 2.5hrs away. She'd have to travel down to where I live, then into London to meet me, but she's 71 with health problems on my own. I really don't want to have her do that. Like you I'm hoping I can go in a taxi on my own - I was just worried the hospital might have some sort of policy that meant I couldn't. I'll try and find out.

I also wouldn't be so worried about the note, but it's nigh on impossible to get an appointment at my GP. I might call my GP to see if they would be able to arrange a note over the phone if needed, so I feel like one base is covered. In theory, the logistics of getting this op shouldn't be difficult if the operation itself is straightforward, but experience tells me this often isn't the case.

Thank you for the cuddles and for listening

Gwenx

[Hannah27 in reply to gwen80]

Hi Gwen,

For the GP thing.. if you have your date for your surgery I wonder if you could book GP appointments in advance? So book one for a week after the op and one for 2 weeks afterwards? Or something like that, then if you don't need the appointments you can cancel them. Or just beg and plead with the ward to make sure you get a sick note, its usually just a form the nurse would hand to the Dr.. but I know everywhere is different.

I always describe each month as an amazingly crap game of russian roulette! What symptom will it be this month?! Nausea? Fatigue? Pain? Sore boobs? Bleeding? Maybe some diarrahorea just to make me feel extra fabulous! Seriously though, its a nightmare! If you ever need to talk just drop me a message

Hope your surgery helps, maybe the unit can arrange hospital transport for you if they are concerned about you going home alone?

xx

[gwen80 in reply to Hannah27]

Thank you. I'll try to get a dr's apt in advance. I just fear work being difficult - I hope I'm wrong.

Yes, it's difficult to know what's in store each month.

Thank you for the support I just feel incredibly alone with this at the moment.

Gx