how many laparoscopy's can you have? - Endometriosis UK

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how many laparoscopy's can you have?

alexmcd profile image
9 Replies

i was diagnosed in feb 2010 by laparoscopy but weeks later was getting pains back and now am even worse than before, i have had the mirena coil but in but i wanted another laparoscopy before-hand to clear it all off before i had it fitted but was told i can only have 2 in a lifetime. i've read that other women have had many of them and was wondering am i going to have to save up to get private health care to have anymore or is he just giving up on the surgery idea straight away. he said it didnt work the first time so it wont again but he never gave me anything to keep it at bay afterwards does anyone think its a good idea to get a laparoscopy then get the coil in so there isnt anything there to grow and it just stops it completely ( well atleast till i get the coil out)

thank you

alex xxxxx

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alexmcd
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9 Replies
isax profile image
isax

hi alex,

i dont think there is a limit in the number of laparoscopy you can have but this is a surgery still and some doctors will not think the best would be to have surgery after surgery as this can cause other problems too.

your plan to have a second laparoscopy then have the coil fitted sounds reasonable and you could go back to your consultant again to agree with him the best course of action. If you are in pain there are other treatments available too to try keep symptoms and pain at bay, so ask again about your options for treatments.

i had a laparoscopy 2 years ago and saw my surgeon on monday for follow up and as the endo has shown on the mri he has said straight away that i had the choice between conservative treatment (ie no surgery) or surgery. he did not think twice about the fact that this will be my second laparoscopy and this was clear to me that this was my choice not his.

do speak to your consultant again this is your body and your health.

all the best x.

Kaye_Sedgwick profile image
Kaye_Sedgwick

I agree with "isax", I do not believe there is a strict limit, but like most surgery's it comes with a degree of risk so they will not want to keep doing it. There is also a chance of a build up of scar tissue and adhesions.

However, a second lap does not sound unreasonable and I think you should ask your doctor again about all your options.

Hope s this helped. xxx

distressed profile image
distressed

Hi alex..i just had mt lap almost 3wks ago..though i was not given an assurance by my gyne that pain will be relieved 100%,with her experience most of her patients were relieved from pain..but not me..am still on pain management but still in the ordeal of pain.our doctors just did what they had to do but if it didnt work d first time,why not try other treatment options?isax and kaye were right..surgery has risks..ask ur doctor about lupron.i had it before and was relieved from pain.i just.considered surgery hoping to see that there are no other problems inside so i can conceive..goodluck!

BelfastRach profile image
BelfastRach

Hi Alex, I'm waiting on my fifth so there is definately no strict upper limit. 1st was diagnostic (2003), 2nd for endo, 3rd was an appendectomy, 4th for endo (2009) and this next one (in 6 weeks) I'm getting is also for endo. The surgeon did say he wouldn't be doing any more ops on me after this one because a lot of surgery can do more harm than good, I am now riddled with scar tissue too. I don't know a lot about the coil as I've never had it, but it in itself may cause the symtoms to settle, deffo get all the info you can from the specialist first!!

alexmcd profile image
alexmcd

Thanks guys the advice is appreciated and I think I will have to see how this coil goes and if it doesn't work try other options, has anyone had.a coil fitted and does it work. It seems to just make me bleed painfully and cry is this normal for the first couple weeks? Thank you

Alex xxxx

chatterboxcharlie profile image
chatterboxcharlie in reply to alexmcd

Hi alex,

Sorry to hear what you are going through. i like you was given the same advice off the doctors about having too many laps. However i am now awaiting my 3rd as i had my endo and an ovarian cyst removed when i underwent my 2nd but unfortunately it came back along with another 3 cysts.

I was shocked to find this as i too had the mirena coil fitted as my body rejected the pill after having my little boy in 2010. Unfortunately due to other problems i had the coil changed 3 times but it never worked for me :-( but i too suffered with the painful bleeding for around 3 months but it did stop after that and i had no periods.

Everybody is different though and it may just be that your body needs to get used to it being there. However when i had it my doctor advised that if bleeding does not stop after 6 months sometimes 12 months, then it may be that it is not right for you and it may be that you need to try something else.

If you are not happy with the way you are being treated then request another doctor. They cannot refuse you. at the end of the day its your body and your life not theirs and some doctors can be ignorant to what we go through.

I hope this helps and good luck for the future xx

heidi30 profile image
heidi30

Hi I've had 3 laps in the last 13 mths so I don't think There's a limit x

ginger83 profile image
ginger83

I'm booked in to have my 3rd and probably last laparoscopy. I've also had 2 c-sections so am now considered high risk for surgery.

endo22 profile image
endo22

Heya, Endo will spread with or without the mirena.

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