How much do they check around during a lap? Can you ask to have your operation notes like you can see your GP notes?

[memyselfi]

I've had three laps. The first was a couple of incisions, the next three incisions and the last one was four incisions, so you'd think there was no part of my abdomen that hadn't been inspected.

Anyway, I had an ultrasound today because I am in pain and they wanted to check the Mirena wasn't twisted (it isn't)

I've lost count of the number of ultrasounds I've had, but during this one she asked what people had told me about my left kidney. I said nothing, but that I have endo on the tube to/from one of my kidneys but I don't know which. She then told me that I have a duplex kidney with two tubes instead of one.

Now this is interesting, but why has no one told me before? What else haven't they told me about my insides? I'm not worried about it but I'd really like to know every fact there is to know.

I know you can request medical records from your GP, but these often don't include any detail from ops. Can I request to see the notes that the surgeon has made in the same way and actually see the notes rather than have someone 'interpret' them for me? Anyone ever done this?

[jojo777]

Hi

After my first lap I got pictures that they took during lap, and after my second (latest) lap I got both DVD and notes. I got both pics and DVD straight away without requesting them and I asked for the notes of the whole procedure, findings etc during the lap and these were given to me too.

You should request all the material you need, as you have every right to get your medical record. Make sure the procedure of the hospital you were in, some of them take pics others dvd etc. Both laps i had were in private hospitals.

Jo x

[memyselfi in reply to jojo777]

There are definitely lots of pics as I was shown them after the ops and I can see them on the screen when I go for my check ups, but no one has given me any copies.

I'm particularly interested now in exactly where the endo is that that they can't remove. I have this vague idea that if some of it is on the duplex kidney rather than the other one, then maybe they could remove the whole thing as I would still have the equivalent of one kidney and one tube left on that side! Probably not that simple, but I want to explore every possible way of resolving this pain. I'll request my notes after the holiday.

Thanks for your help

Px

[zara19]

They discovered I have a left duplex Kidney a year before my lap through an ultrasound. I asked around but its seems pretty common - 1 in 3 people have this (most don't know it) and it doesn't seem to have a huge effect on the body apart from maybe needing to pee more than others lol. I also had endo on the uretha's although maybe because we have 3 instead of 2 our chances are higher. I think we're at higher risk of Kidney infections though. Mine are pretty scarred apparently but my GP doesn't seem too worried and I've gone 30 years without knowing about it so I'm not going to worry too much either x

[memyselfi]

Thank you,

I do wonder if some of my pain is kidney infection. I just assume it is endo and try to ignore it. Appt booked with GP for Monday as I really feel properly ill now, not just in pain.

I'm not really worried about the duplex kidney thing, just that you would think someone would have thought to tell me before now as I have had 3 laps and numerous ultrasounds. It makes me wonder what else they haven't told me, or have they not actually explored enough during the laps to notice it, in which case they could have missed significant endo too...

Also made me realise that I don't even know on which side the endo they said they couldn't remove is. Have decided to be a little more demanding in future as regards information.

x