A contributor here left a detailed comment on her experience with laparoscopic myomectomy and hysteroscopy/endometrial ablation so I’ll create two separate posts to start the discussion.
Mary: I just had a laparoscopic myomectomy and hysteroscopy/endometrial ablation two days ago.
Pre-surgical issues and diagnosis: I had a huge, slow growing external fibroid that was about 9 * 10 cm at its peak, plus several smaller internal fibroids that were the cause of my long, heavy, painful periods. My gynecologist referred me to a surgeon who is head of Ob-Gyn at a local hospital and teaches at a major Canadian medical school. (Very relaxed guy, easy to talk to, and well-respected.) He checked me out and declared that the internal fibroids could be taken care of with hysteroscopy and ea. He’s done over a hundred of these procedures and is probably the go-to guy in my city for this procedure. He also said that it looked as if the external fibroid was on a stalk and could be at risk of twisting, although he also said I wasn’t showing any of the signs of being at risk — no feeling of movement — so it was up to me whether I wanted to just leave that one alone or remove it as well. I decided to go for the laparoscopy because of the twisting risk (my sister went through the horror of an ovary getting twisted and i didn’t want to go through anything similar) and because it would be nice not to look five months pregnant.
Surgery: It was supposed to be about 2 hours, but turned into three as it turned out the external fibroid wasn’t on a stalk, but was embedded in the external wall. I asked my doctor after surgery about the risk of adhesions given that such a relatively large surface had been excavated, but he says that I should be all right.
Recovery: I was in the recovery room for an hour after surgery, then moved to my hospital room, where I was told I was staying overnight just to be cautious, given the extended work required for the external fibroid (we had originally discussed the option of going home the same day). The nurses had me up and peeing within a couple of hours. The first time out of bed was a doozie, and my bladder was tight, sore, reluctant and overfull the first time, so I didn’t get rid of two cups of urine until my second attempt. After that, I was up and down several more times throughout the day, alternately reading, napping, chatting with my husband, or having my vitals checked. By 8 PM, I was adept at getting myself out of bed on my own, unplugging the IV from the wall, and going off to have a pee. (They dumped a few liters of saline in me, so I was peeing like a racehorse all day.) By 11 PM, I got out of bed and wandered the halls with my IV because I was bored and wanted to move. The pre-surgical anti-inflammatory suppository took care of most pain except what I felt when I got out of bed and the gas pains in my shoulders.
They let me have jello, broth, juice and a few crackers for supper the first day, and a real breakfast of egg, bun and cream of wheat the next morning. I was discharged by 8:30 and home by 9:30, where I caught up with some clients for a few hours (self-employment isn’t all it’s cracked up to be sometimes) but I was sore by supper time and took off the rest of the day. Gas-X, naproxen and stool softeners were my friends, and even though I have percocet, I haven’t taken any yet. I did take some cough syrup to suppress coughing, which hurt yesterday, although much less today.
First bowel movement was late yesterday (first evening after surgery day), and there was no pain, although reaching to wipe was a little awkward. At my worst, my whole abdomen felt taut, swollen and sorte, with occasional gas pains on top. Today, I got up feeling significantly better, and my belly is less taut and numb.
I’d love to know how long it’s going to take all this swelling to go down. My face and eyes were very swollen the first day, I still couldn’t wear my watch and rings yesterday, although I can today, but my waist and belly are larger than they were than when I went in. (Gas? Fluid? Swollen tissues?) I have no idea how long it will take for those to shrink, as I would think that removing something 4 inches in diameter would make things smaller in circumference.
I’ll report back with anything else of interest.
Thanks Mary. Nothing more I can add except a couple of links for more information:
Laparoscopic Myomectomy (FibroidSecondOpinion.com)
Laparoscopic Myomectomy (Mayo Clinic)
Please post your experiences, thoughts, or questions.
——————–
Related Post:
How are you feeling after your Endometrial Ablation?
April 5, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Great thanks for the info. I also have some mild spotting, which again I assume if part of the recovery.
Carol- after 3 weeks, are you feeling almost back to normal?
I was also curious to know what the doctors have advised couples about trying to conceive after surgery. Mine told me we can start around the 5th or 6th month after surgery. I’ve heard many stories about women getting pregnant soon after surgery…
April 5, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Hi Christie, Bella, Beti, and all,
First off, I am happy to report that I am dong much better now than the last time I posted. I guess I did have a UTI because now I am on Day 3 of the antibiotic and the pain during urination is completely gone. In fact I would say today is the first day I feel NO after-effects of the surgery–no pain, no urine problems, no nothing. The only reminder is the ugly belly button and the couple other incision spots that still have very small scabs. The surgery was 3/17, so today is Day 19 post surgery. I would say that is how long it took me to get back to 100%. I actually was feeling pretty good by about Day 10 post surgery, but then on about Day 13 or so I started getting the UTI symptoms, so that set me back a bit. I think the recovery time varies depending on the woman and I think the post-surgery symptoms can vary as well. I did not personallly have spotting, but I’m pretty sure I recall my doctor saying that was a possibility and he also mentioned it was possible it would take up to 3 months to have normal (as opposed to long) periods again. ….As for when it is OK to get pregnant, my doctor said to wait 3 months before trying to get pregnant and to wait 2 weeks before having intercourse. Carol
November 1, 2010 at 9:45 am
Glad to hear you’re feeling better, Carol!
Scars are still fading and have maintained a regular cycle, post-op. But I’ve started experiencing the old “fluttering” sensation and soreness in my right ovary which is what I felt, pre-op. I’ve read that it could be just ovulation pains but it also could be a cyst.
I’m going to check in with my gyno, to have it checked out but was wondering if anyone else had experience with recurrence of symptoms, after surgery?
Thanks, Bella
April 6, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Christie,
. Now is waiting time to see if everything goes smoothly the first three months.
As mentioned by Carol, my doctor told me not to have intercourse (or bath, or use tampons) for 2 weeks, then wait 3 cycles (or three menstruations) before trying to conceive. I read somewhere the uterus takes 3 months to completely heal. I also think it depends on how much wall of the uterus was removed during the surgery, so that is specific to you and you should follow your doctors advice. I followed mine, and I got pregnant right away
December 12, 2010 at 10:41 am
i wonder if thats the same case wit me im 10weeks post-op after having a myomectomy and this month in dec i just started spotting… i wonder if thats normal?
April 5, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Hi, I have been reading this site for a little while. and posted on other sites. I really enjoy all the info.
Here is my story. I went to my first dr because of pain and bleeding. She told me I had and enlarged uterus. She ordered and ultrasound. It showed that I had 2 5cm fibriods and a cyst on my ovary. Well my regular obgyn sent me to a UFE dr even though I told her that i wanted children. She didn’t have a lot of info and told me to look up stuff on the Internet. For the UFE consult i needed to get and Mri done. I went and got the MRI. It revealed that i didn’t have 2 5CM fibroids but a 1 cm fibroid and a 8.5 cm subserosal one. The UFE dr told me that half of the doctors he knew woulndn’t remove my fibroid.
I needed another opinion. I asked a IR doctor to give me the name of a good dr that does myos. I went to her and she was great. We talked about doing an Abd Myo at first but after she looked at the MRI she thinks that she can do the lapro MYo. I am so hapy
I go in Wed April 7th. Im a little nervous but reading the blogs i know what to expect.
My doctor did’t put me on any bowel prep or diet restrictions. She told me and my husband that I would be able to walk around some and that it is good for the healing process . I think my husband thinks i will be back to normanl right after the surgery, cooking and cleaning. She also told us that it takes 2 weeks to heal. I will say though that she told me that I will have to listen to my body.
I guess you just never know till you have the surgery.
Also I’m not going back to my 1st Gyno. Im sticking to Dr. Lowder. Once you find a good doctor, you don’t let them go.
April 5, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Hi Rena,
I have a couple experiences that relate to your story. Mostly I was told I has one large (10cm) fibroid inside the uterus, but the last ultrasound said there were two fibroids. I’m still not sure, but the doctor did get it/them all. I got the name of two laparascopic specialists in my area. The first one told me there was “no possible way that this fibroid could be removed laparascopically because of the size and location” He told me he does 90% of them laparascopically but mine was in the 10% that could not be done and he even told me mine might need a vertical rather than a horizontal incision. Apparently the vertical incision carries even more risks and a a longer recovery than an abdominal horizontal myomectomy. Anyway, 5 days later my boyfriend and I went to the second laparascopic specialist. He reviewed my records and declared “I can help you.” I explained to him that the first lapa specialist said it could not be done and he said he hears that all the time because the number of surgeons who can remove big ones with the lapa and few and far between and you have to find one who can do it, and luckily he did. And I think he did a good job, except for my disappointment with my belly button.
I think it is very true about listening to your body. Based on how I felt there is no way I could have done much for the first 3 days because I was walking very slow (like a waddle) and had trouble even getting on and off the bed. But by Day 4 I started to feel semi normal and I think if I had to I could have returned to work after about 7-10 days. I was told by the surgeon the full recovery is 4 weeks but that it was OK to drive and do other things after 1-2 weeks, depending on how I felt. I think at a minimum you should expect to not be able to do much of anything for at least a few days and your husband should be prepared to do the cooking, cleaning, etc for at least a few days. Carol
April 5, 2010 at 4:51 pm
I guess my doctor wants us to wait a little long before trying as i had both a large fibroid and extensive endometriosis. I don’t mind the wait especially if my body needs the extra time to heal. Additionally i believe we will probably have to go the IVF route.
April 5, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Hi Christie,
I didn’t have endo, so maybe that is how my doc came up with the 3-month waiting period. He told me it would take 3 months for the uterus to be totally healed from the surgery–that was without the endo issue. Carol
April 5, 2010 at 10:38 pm
My doctor also told me to wait 3mon after the surgery. She also want me to take birth control for those 3 months back to back. No sugar pills.
How long did you wait before you started putting some kind of cream or oil on the scar?
April 6, 2010 at 8:34 am
Hi Rena,
Good luck for tomorrow, I’m sending positive thoughts your way, glad you have found specialists you are happy with.
I started using pawpaw ointment on my scars & belly button at around 7 days when I removed the dressings. They were a little too sensitive to touch any earlier and I wanted the coverage to protect against clothing. The belly button took about 3 weeks to return to normal looking.
I am 10 weeks post-op now; all healed up nicely and back doing everything.
April 6, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Rena,
I wasn’t allowed to touch the steri-strips for 2 weeks, no lotion allowed, and I had to shower with my back to the water, so nothing was hitting hard on the incisions. I actually had the stiches removed after 3 weeks, and they healed beautifully except the one that had a tiny flap of skin, because a tiny portion of the incision did not close properly. I think the least you touch the incisions, the lower the chance to get an infection.
April 5, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Hi Rena and all,
My doctor didn’t say anything about using a cream and he did not say anything about birth control either. I am wondering if I got good aftercare advice? Did others here use a cream and birth control as advised by their docs?
April 6, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Hi,
Could you ladies please let me know if you used scar creams post-surgery, and if so what kind and did it help? My doctor never mentioned doing that and it never occured to me. My scars don’t look too bad but I am 3 weeks post surgery now—-They are a little raised and red but they are so small that it is not too bothersome…..Is it too late to start a scar cream now and is it worthwhile to do so?
Thank you,Carol
April 6, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Hi
I forgot to as my doctor on my pre-op app, but i will try and remember to ask her before I leave the Hospital about the cream. I bought vitamin E oil and I already have mederma.
April 6, 2010 at 5:02 pm
I guess each doctor is different because I did not have steri-strips. I just had some bandages and the surgen told me to take them off the very night I got home from surgery and to rinse with hydrogen peroxide 2x per day for 3 days and also the hospital told me to shower the day after surgery–but I waited 2 or 3 days because I felt too weak. There is still one small stich sticking out of one incision (3 weeks post surgey)–so I have to ask the doctor when that is supposed to dissolve. My doctor prescribed Demorol as the pain med as well as prescription strength Motrin, but it seems most others here were prescribed Percoset for pain. I guess each doctor has some variations in the way things are done–I would think it would be more uniform/standard among the docs, but I guess not. Hopefully all the strategies work well.
April 7, 2010 at 8:35 am
I was told by my doctor to remove the bandaids after a week, which i just did and frankly my belly looks gross right now with the dried blood on the white strips. He also did not mention any cream to put on but i will ask him tomorrow as i have a follow up appointment with him.
April 8, 2010 at 7:54 pm
so i had my follow up today and my doctor thought i was healing just fine. i’m 10 days post surgery now. he also did not recommend using any cream so i guess every doctor uses different recovery methods.
April 10, 2010 at 9:17 pm
Carol,
I’m three weeks post-op. At my two week appointment after having a robotic assisted myomectomy my Doctor said to use NeoSporine on my incisions until the scabs were gone and then use silicone scar sheets. I found them at CVS. You cut them to size and reuse them several times. I have not started using them yet because I still have some scabbing, but he spoke very highly of them.
April 10, 2010 at 9:26 pm
Thanks Tina,
I’m familiar with those strips, as I used them on a a scar on my arm a while back and they did seem to help. I think I will give them a try on the scars from the lapa myomectomy. Thanks again. Carol
April 19, 2010 at 10:15 am
Hi ladies,
Well I am having my first period since my lapa myomectomy in mid March. I am sad to report that my period was still very heavy (not quite as heavy as pre-surgery, but still much heavier than it was years ago pre-fibroid) — and even more concerning is that I am now on Day 6 of my period and it has not stopped yet. One of the reasons I got the surgery was that my periods were lasting 20 days. The doc told me after the surgery my periods would be 3-5 days, but I am already on Day 6 now and it has not stopped yet. Also my menstrual cramps this month were very bad and lasted longer than usual. Usually I have cramps for about 2 -3 days but this time I had cramps (severe) for 5 days. I am hoping maybe this has to do with the healing of the uterus, but I am worried that maybe they didn’t get the whole fibroid out or missed some fibroids or that I have endometriosis. I have an appt with the gyn/surgeon this Thursday so I am waiiting til then to ask him all these questions, because it is easier to ask in person than when they are in a rush on the phone–and also by then it will be a few more days and I will know if the period has stopped by then….Has anyone experienced anything similar? Did your periods go right back to normal after your myomectomy or did it take a few cycles to go back to normal?
Thanks,
Carol
April 19, 2010 at 6:43 pm
Carol,
my second period after the surgery was medium to heavy for 9 days (so I ended up anemic), with a 20 days cycle. The following one came after 34 days, heavy just only one day, and much shorter. I do still have some portion of the submucosal fibroid that could not be removed, and at least one subserosal, and the intramural ones that were not removed to preserve the uterus for pregnancy. But I did not have pain, I felt in heaven (and I did not mind the bleeding).
May 16, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Hi Carol and all… I had a ABD laproscopic myomectomy on April 22, 2010 to remove one 10 cm intrauterine fibroid. All seemed to go well. Man…the gas pain to the shoulders and upper abdomen hurt way worse than the (4 smallish) incisions or my uterus. Everything was fine until day 19 post-op. That morning, I woke-up with a lot of low belly gas and incredible off and on pain. Also, I had started my period on day 15 post-op and it seemed to be going okay. But by day 19 (or four days into my period) the frontal pelvic cramps were also bad!! I typically did not have cramps with my period, onlya low back pain. I don’t know what has caused all this gas. Today I feel it back up into my shouders and upper abdomen. I actually went to the ER to make sure something hadn’t perforated. All is well according to x-ray and labs, just “moderate amount of stool”. My period is still with me (has been off and on) for 10 days. I’ve never had a 10-day period, typically 6-7days. Hmm..I wonder if this is just part of the healing or abnormal? I also want to encourage everyone to keep their stools soft and frequent after surgery. Maybe I could of prevented some of this pain if I had had more water and fiber, stool softener, etc. Can anyone tell me if their first period myomectomy was quite severe and longer than usual? Anyone with gas pain this far after laproscopic surgery? I would really appreciate any insight! Thanks~Vicki
May 16, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Hi Vicki,
Unlike most, I did not have much gas either after my surgery (3/17) or anytime after–so I can’t comment on that….. But what has been happening to me is that my periods since surgery have been very difficult–actually more difficult than they were pre-surgery. During both my April and May periods, (the May one is going on right now) the cramps were so severe (actually more severe than when I had the fibroid) to the point where I have had to pull out my leftover prescription pain meds on several days of the period. Also weird is that each day of my period, rather than having less cramps and less blood with each passing day of the period, it seems the cramps are more severe and the bleeding is heavier over the first 5 days until it starts to let up. The good thing is the April period lasted 8 days (as compared to 20 days that they were lasting pre-surgery). My surgeon said it will take 3-4 cycles to return to a normal period because the uterus is healing and cleansing, so I am trying not to worry about it too much yet. I guess everyone heals differently and I think you did the right thing by getting checked out–I have worried at times about perforations or adhesions or something too because I don’t know why the cramps are so bad–they are especially bad in the ovaries area, and I didn’t really get them that bad there before the surgery–so again I am just hoping it has to do with the healing process.
April 19, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Thanks Beti,
I am reading that 80-90% of women with fibroids and prolonged heavy bleeding do have that symptom resolve after myomectomy, but the other 10-20% can continue to have the heavy prolonged bleeding that can be due to numerous causes such as hormonal imbalance, ovarian dysfunction, endometriosis, ovarian cancer, and thyroid disease among other things. I am hoping though still that this is just temporary and after a couple cycles I will not have the heavy prolonged bleeding or the severe cramps. I will see what the doctor has to say this Thursday when I see him. He had told me to expect my period to be 3-5 days in length following surgery, so already that is not the case. I even had to take the leftover prescription strength pain meds because the cramps were so severe on days 4 and 5. I do not know what is going on and it is stressful. The doctor did say in my case he did remove the whole fibroid, so that is not the cause if he is correct about that. The weird thing about mine too was that for the first 2 and 1/2 years that I had the fibroid I did not have heavy or prolonged bleeding–I only had that the past 6 months and that was one of the main reasons I opted for the surgery–but also to avoid a full hysterectomy. So it looks like only one of my problems (avoiding hysterectomy) was resolved for now, but the bleeding at least at this point is not resolved–unless maybe it has to do with the uterus healing and maybe, hopefully, it will resolved over the next couple of cycles. Right now I feel very bummed that everything seems the same as it did before surgery–heavy prolonged bleeding, terrible cramps, blood clots, and huge stomach. Argh!
April 21, 2010 at 7:46 pm
Carol,
It sounds like my case, I did not have heavy bleeding (I actually had retrograde menstruation caused by the submucosal fibroid, and that was hell) but it was getting worse the last 4 months before surgery. I did have the thyroid a bit off, but that got better as well. So keep your hopes high that everything will be OK in a couple of cycles (my doctor told me it was normal to be off the first few cycles until the uterus healed completely). And hopefullly you don’t have to worry about endometriosis, your doctor should be able to tell you if he saw any during surgery.
good luck!
April 25, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Hi all. Just a follow up–My first period post-surgery lasted 8 days, which was a great improvement over the 20 day periods I had pre-surgery. It was however just as heavy and with just as many blood clots during the 8 days…. I saw my surgeon a few days ago and he confirmed that it can take 3 or 4 cycles post surgery to return to a normal period because the uterus is healing and cleansing.
On another note, I was wondering what does anyone know about the possibility of new fibroids growing back? My surgeon said it is a 10-59% chance of a different fibroid growing back. I hope it is more like 10% or less!
April 29, 2010 at 11:41 pm
Take a load off Mary! Succesful albeit… It hurts, you are sore and woozy. No pain meds? give me a break! No one should work on the day following this procedure!!! Find peace and heal!
May 7, 2010 at 11:54 am
I was searching the internet and came across this website. Great information ladies. I had a myomectomy on March 8th, everything is bad to normal for me. I am a little confused now after waiting for my 2nd period. I got my first period post-surgery on April 1, it was normal 5 days (my usual, nothing heavy). I saw my dr on April 15th, he wanted me to take Proven on day 17th. However, I had a family emergency and had to leave out of town immediately so I did not get the meds. Now, I was thinking my period would come again at the end of April or by May 1st. It has not, this week I have cramped very badly, knowing each day that it would come the following day but it has not. Now I have gone 37 days without a period. Is this normal after a myomectomy? My husband and I have fertility issues and have to have an IVF. He has low a count and I did not know I had any problems until the 3 small fibroids were found, a cyst on one ovary and learning one of tubes were damage. So after having all that removed, I am in good shape, but still told we need to do the IVF due to the low count.
May 7, 2010 at 8:23 pm
Shelly, after the myomectomy I had a first normal period, then one at 20 days, then one extremely heavy after 34 days, and finally a normal one (and then pregnant
). I had not had cramping though.
May 7, 2010 at 11:42 pm
HI Shelly,
I had my myomectomy on Day 3 of my period in March and my period stopped immediately then started again and lasted two more days (total of 6 days). The next month (after the myomectomy) my period came after 31 days (which is my normal length in betwen periods) and lasted 8 full days and was very heavy. My surgeon told me it can take 3-4 cycles to return to a normal period, so that may include lenghts of time between periods as well.
On another note, I previously wrote about my belly button looking deformed after surgery. Well, at about 6 weeks it started to look a lot more normal again–It went back to more of an inny and doesn’t have that asymetrical bulge anymore. It still doesn’t look like quite like it did pre-surgery, but it looks relatively normal now. It just doesn’t have as many tight creases going inwards as it used to.
June 5, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Hello everyone. I found this website to be very helpful prior to my surgery, so I thought I would write about my (ongoing) experience. I’m 12 days post-op from a laparoscopic myomectomy. I’m 34 years old, without children (although I hope to have them one day). I live in the Boston area and had my surgery with a surgeon from Brigham & Woman’s Hospital.
I had over 25 (yes, twenty five!) fibroids removed, several of which were pretty large (two were at least 10 to 12 cm). In total, they removed 3000 grams of fibroid from me (my doc said that is about 4 lbs). They could not complete the surgery 100% laproscopically, as about 4 hours in they still had the two largest to take out. They made a 5 inch incision on my lower abdomen (very low, like a C-section incision) to remove the last of the largest tumors). My doc tells me that the combo laparo / abdominal surgery allowed me to avoid a larger scar up the center of my abdomen, particularly since I had some fibroids very high up in the abdominal cavity.
The Good: All of my fibroids were on the outside of the uterus, which made it easier to remove laparoscopically (so my doctor tells me). Several doctors told me that these could not be removed laparocopically, until I went to my surgeon at the Brigham. I wanted laparoscopic surgery because I was hoping for quicker recovery time and less time out of work. I really liked my surgeon, was comfortable with him, he has a decent sense of humor and answered all of my questions (even the ones that I am sure were sort of stupid). Overall, I would recommend my doctor.
The Bad: I’ve had problems with my incisions since I came home. One of them is infected. It got bad over a weekend, which meant I had to go to the ER to have it looked at. The ER folks had to open the incision up, clean it out, and pack it with gauze. Luckily, the Attending at the ER called my surgeon, who had me come in right away that week. The “bad” news is that my surgeon looked at it, and determined that it cannot be stitched up yet due to the infection. I have to keep it “open” and packed with gauze for a week, at which time he will re-evaluate it. It is literally a hole in my side, about a half inch deep (if I had to guess), covered with a gauze pad. There is a strip of sterile gauze “packed” into it, which soaks up all of the gross infection, etc. I have to change the gauze packing daily, which is incredibly gross and downright freaky for me (I’m not a medical person). The doc sent me home with everything I need to do it. I’m super scared about keeping everything sterile, etc. (doing the best I can). I go back in a few days to see how it looks. They also put me on antibiotics as well.
My recovery: aside from the infection (which strangely, hasn’t really hurt), my biggest gripe is the C-section like incision I have, which I suppose wouldn’t really be applicable to the laparoscopic folks on this message board. It hurts! And it still occasionally bleeds. I’m getting around OK, but tire easily. I’m only taking the pain killers (percoset) once or twice a day (as opposed to every 4 hours like I did the first week out of surgery.) I’ll be back to work (or, at least trying to go to work) on Day 14 post-op, next week. It’s a desk job, nothing too strenuous, but I do anticipate that I will tire very easily (what with me not being able to have my afternoon nap!) At this point, I can’t quite bend over to pick things up off the floor yet, though I am able to get out of bed and walk around without major pain.
My biggest concern has been these incisions. In addition to the infected incision, I have another one that is looking strange as well now (oozing a bit, 12 days out). But I am on antibiotics so hopefully that will get everything. I am going to have my doc look at this second incision when I go in this week. If I have to pack this one with gauze as well, I may go off the deep end. When I left the hospital, the incisions were covered with a clear glue like covering (which had dried), and that is all. I was told that it would come off naturally in a few weeks, after the incisions had healed. I can’t help but to wonder if these shouldn’t have also been covered with gauze or something. They didn’t seem well protected, frankly. But my doc says this is how they do all the laparoscopic incisions (and its a BIG hospital and they do quite a few of them!) But the infection (and second oozing incision) has me nervous!
If anyone has any questions regarding my surgery, feel free to post. Thanks for listening!
Sara
August 13, 2010 at 11:57 am
Hi Sara,
I had the same surgery, where they cut me open like a c-section. Do you know how many days/weeks post op that you can have intercourse? My husband and I tried last night and I bled afterwards. Although it was light bleeding – I am concern.
June 23, 2010 at 4:18 pm
hello,i had fibroids operation on last week of april now i want to get pregnant,is it possible?
July 5, 2010 at 2:26 am
I had my laproscopic myomectomy on June 4th. I went through 4 cycles of lupron (last one in April). It took 3 hours to complete the removal of 12 fibroids including one large one that was within the uterine wall. My period just started on July 2nd. It is so heavy. I don’t have much cramping but I’m praying that it lightens up within a few days. I’m glad I found this website.
July 10, 2010 at 6:01 pm
did anyone have robotic myomectomy?
July 10, 2010 at 6:02 pm
did anyone have robotic myomectomy? i am having one in 3 weeks and i am scared
July 11, 2010 at 8:59 am
Hi Tamera -
I had a robotic myomectomy in January (DaVinci robotic) of this year — see higher up in the thread for an account of my surgery.
I was initially worried too; this was my first surgery ever. It really couldn’t have gone much better. I was out of the hospital the next day; the pain was minimal; the healing process was very smooth.
Now in July, you can still see scars from my surgery but they’ve faded a lot and expect that they’ll eventually be barely noticeable. My biggest challenge has been reestablishing a workout routine — I have a small “pot” that I blame more on portion control than on the surgery itself.
Happy to answer any specific questions you might have about the procedure, if I can.
Good luck and don’t hesitate!
Bella
August 26, 2010 at 2:17 am
Hi Bella
So are you 100% recovered now? are there anything need to be watched out after the surgery? i’m having the same procedure tomorrow. My first op ever, quite scared.
August 26, 2010 at 2:12 am
Hi Tamera, how did you go with your op? i’m having one tomorrow…..like you, a bit nervous!
August 26, 2010 at 11:22 am
Hi Sue -
I know I was very (underline underline) nervous the day before and mostly from never having been under anesthesia before. Breathing and relaxation techniques do help — as does realizing that this will improve your health and make your life easier. Reading calms me and they let me keep a book right up until they wheeled me in. And I told every nurse and doctor that I was nervous and this was my first surgery — it helps them to know where you’re coming from.
I didn’t realize how much I was being affected by my fibroid until about two months post-surgery. My periods had been crazy — couldn’t even get through a night’s sleep without changing pads, sometimes twice.
Now my period is completely normalized in comparison (set # of days and average flow). I realize that the endo and the fibroids may come back but we’re monitoring that and I’ll report back here if I have any developments.
Try not to worry and get ready to feel much better!
July 23, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Hi Ladies,
I am planning on having surgery in a few months. I went to one dr and she said she would have to do abdominal myo. I went to get a second opinion and the 2nd dr said she could to it laparoscopic. I know with abdominal they can feel around to see if any small fibroids are growing; can the same be done for laparoscopic? Will they be able to look around? I am kind of confused about which route to go. I have also read abdominal is better for future pregnancies.
July 26, 2010 at 11:35 pm
I just had a laparoscopic myomectomy done three weeks ago. I was sent to a fertility specialist 2 hours away by my regular doctor because she said this doctor was the best and he is very reputable in the field. To me, I thought it was all about his credentials and my own doctor’s recommendation. I would just research. He did tell me he might not be able to get really small ones when he went in but didn’t have any problem. I have to tell you that recovery has not been fun and I can’t imagine the recovery for the abdominal method. I definitely would say to do it laparoscopically.
I did have a question for those that have had the surgery done already. Did anyone else have irritations with their bladder after surgery? I had a fibroid pushing into my bladder that was removed so this might be the reason but it has been the most bothersome thing about the surgery. I feel like I have a UTI but tested negative. I have pinching and urgency and it gets worse at night or with more activity. Anyone have these same issues?
July 27, 2010 at 5:51 pm
My recovery went very well. I think because I had the oppoortunity to not move around much. But I did have the discomfort when I would urinate. My doctor told me to avoid caffeine because that contributed to the bladder contractions. Once I eliminated that it went away. I did notice that on days that I walked around alot I would have more sensations when I urinated.
September 25, 2010 at 4:01 pm
Ashley,
I just saw your post. Yes I had UTI symptoms on-and-off for about 2-3 months after the surgery. I tested negative though as well. One time my doc gave me antibiotics and that seemed to help. But after that when I would get those UTI type symptoms I took a natural product I bought at Whole Foods for UTIs that contains D-Mannose (I think it’s called Vibrant Health or something like that) and also lots of cranberry juice. That seemed to do the trick each time, and now for the last few months I have not had the UTI-type symptoms.
July 23, 2010 at 2:52 pm
I had surgery a month ago and I am doing very well. My doctor used laproscopic. I was on lupron for 4 months to shrink my 5-6 month pregnancy size uterus to 3-4 months. The laproscope does allow for the doctor to see everything (I even received a copy of the pictures). My doctor was fantastic because I did have many fibroids (12) and a very large fibroid that was within the wall. Most doctors would have stopped doing the procedure laproscopically and switched to abdominal. But he didn’t and I’m so grateful. I have to wait six months before trying to conceive and will have to have a planned c section.
August 26, 2010 at 2:10 am
very useful information
August 29, 2010 at 9:47 am
Hi there!
I’m actually from London and thought i should share my story. This website has been such a life line for me in the last month-both pre and post surgery- so a big thankyou to everyone for writing in. I couldn’t have been more nervous about my first general anaestetic and it was wonderful to learn about stool softener and the need to invest in jogging pants at least several sizes bigger. That can’t be over emphasized. At 12 days post opp I’m still suffering bad constipation. During these times I actually wish I had bought knickers and bottoms in size 20. (I’m size 12 to 14 )
Please forgive me if this seems excruciatingly long, but I think different parts of my story will help different people.
I’m on day 12 post surgery. I had a laparoscopic myomectomy and Hysteroscopy. The former was to remove several fibroids-1 little one on top of my womb that hadn’t shown on the scan plus a big predunculated one on the outside-8cm by 6 and a half -four half months ago. This was pushing on my bladder causing me to constantly go at hormonal stages of the cycle. (mid month and period) It also seemed to effect my Bowels-although they also discovered and destroyed moderate endometriosis throughout the pelvis region and a chocolate cyst in the ovary. So who knows what caused what symptoms?!
I also had a polip removed from inside the womb-hence the Hysteroscopy. But the surgeon spoke with me before the opp and we decided not to treat the additional 5 smaller fibroids(2 to 3 and half each) because I want to be able to have children and apparently the removal of 8 things would have risked weakening the walls of the Uterus and thus the ability to carry a child. Besides it is not certain these little ones gave any symptoms.
I first found out about this small batallion 4 months ago.
I’ve suffered moderate to bad periods on and off for over 10 years so never really questioned it until they became mostly bad. But even then, they had a sneaky habit of suddenly being o.k ish when ever I considered going to the doctors! Here’s the complication. I strongly believe/agree that stress has an impact on general health and certainly when I had been through periods of stress, the periods seemed to be alot worse.
you will appreciate then why I had ignored these awkward monthlies whilst going through a very sudden and traumatic divorce.(He ran off)
In the midst of trauma like that why would you even think about your periods? It really wasn’t a priority and putting symptoms down to such obvious stress is understandable. Perhaps stress of this magnitude causes conditions or perhaps it only exacerbates existing symptoms?who really knows?
My symptoms definately first came to the fore in this time and that was 4 years ago. Severe cramps seemed to involve the bowels. I would get a sharp crampy pain on day 2 to 4 of my period that often made it impossible to pass a bowel motion. When this happened, my body would be sore in this area for a good 5 days afterwards.My digestion became very stuck and the period came out in large clots rather than a flow. Also about this time I first started noticing how often i needed the toilet during a period. In the last 4 years this symptom gradually worsened. In the last few months I would sometimes feel the need to go up to 7 times in the night! I always managed to pass water although sometimes very little. The urgent sensation to pass seemed to be way out of proportion with the result. If I ignored it, I would get an awful pain that lingered for about half hour after giving in.It was very similar sensation to systitis.
My main other symptom was severe up and down bloating. By the end it never actually subsided. Even in my usual “reprieve phase” eating would set it off. I would typically get a reprieve for the first 10 days post period. But even mid cycle the body would bloat a bit- My consultant has since explained that the bloating corresponds with the fluctuating hormones in the cycle-hence ovulation and period. The difference to my size between 2 days after period and 7 days before were so dramatic that I had 2 wardrobes. I never ceased to be amazed at how slim I actually was when it subsided-the difference between pyjamas not fitting or actually tripping me up because they were dangerously loose. This of course effects ones mood. I felt very down at times. Typically I would be very bloated whenever there was a nice party or function to attend. I sometimes didn’t go. It was very frustrating having to find clothes to fit.
What I haven’t mentioned is that I am also an opera singer. When concerts or shows collided (as they inevitably did!!) with this excessive bloat, it became very difficult to nigh impossible to function. The bloat meant the purchase of larger concert dresses that invariably were then too big elsewhere. when the periods were very bad I simply couldn’t do an engagement. The pain in the backside!!-rendered me useless and kept me indoors. The swelling effected my vocal chords and I would lose my range. I was doing a massive amount of teaching in this period-the trauma of divorce having effected my confidence and stopped me singing full time. In hindsight it’s a good thing because I was able to teach with these symptoms except the extreme ones. But my pupils often asked me if I was o.k. It’s hard to conceal sudden pain caused by rectal cramping. It catches you by surprise.
My main other symptom was extreme tiredness up to a week before a period. It was so extreme it felt a bit like the anaesthetic 12 days ago.
All my symptoms are a mixture of an imbalance of hormones-Ostreogen to Progesterone ratio. I was diagnosed with a cervical erosion 12 years ago which is also due to this. Endemetriosis, Fibroids and Polips are all caused by this imbalance. It’s far more complicated than this but I will learn more in due course.
Consequently the surgeon inserted the Mirena coil during surgery. Apart from a sudden little acne outbreak, so far I’ve not experienced any side effects. But clearly in my case these hormones are being rebalanced. I’ve never liked the pill. I imagine that these contraceptives might unbalance the hormones of an otherwise completely normal person and therefore give rise to all manner of nasty side effects.
I’m 12 days post surgery and I’m thrilled with how it went.
My surgeon was terrific -very warm hearted and reassuring. He saw me a few hours before and answered my questions with all the time in the world and was so clear in his answers. He warned me that there was a chance he would have to cut me fully if the polip or fibroids bled excessively.
I wasn’t nervous after meeting with him and knew I was doing the right thing. I was so petrified of surgery that previously I tried to convince myself it wasn’t really necessary after all as my period pain was mostly very tolerable. In denial I seemed to forget all the other symptoms. I was scared off ,having read all the possible things that could go wrong.But advances in this sort of surgery have been so great and so cumulative in recent years that more and more things become possible with less and less trauma to the body. My boyfriend was so supportive and encouraged me to have the courage to go though with it.Two weeks prior to the opp I discovered from a consultant’s physical examination that the fibroid was putting pressure on my bladder and was also very near the top of the cervix-accounting for pain during intercourse etc.. But mostly I didn’t like the fact that it was pushing my womb to the right and was on a stalk. Apparently there is danger of that twisting. I also felt that having the whole array of foreign bodies couldn’t be helping my singing. My teacher certainly thinks that my health rather than the divorce might account for my general lack of stamina and loss of high notes.The muscles one uses to support the operatic voice are mostly in this area. I have lost half stone immediately post opp. so it seems that I’ve been used to supporting this extra weight in my singing too. We shall see!
I got a great adrenalin rush when I was called down to theatre. it was 3 hours earlier than expected and my boyfriend had popped out for a coffee! As luck would have it he got back in time.
The anaesthetists were great fun and made me feel very much calmer.Under the influence of the drugs I rambled on about my x husband which amused them and also about useless GP’s not taking me seriously. I was worried that my panic induced shallow breathing was a cause for concern until they pointed out that they would be manually taking over my breathing anyway. Hilarious that this paradox should amuse and calm me so. i had no moment of knowing I was falling asleep and no knowledge of having been asleep. It seemed 2 seconds later that I was reluctulantly waking from a wonderful doze. I felt so happy it was over and clearly didn’t need any further pain medication. My boyfriend was apparently quite emotional when I returned looking so happy albeit very drowsy-only one eye open. We were thrilled I had keyhole after all and the surgery seemed to take between 2 half to 3 half hours. I don’t know how long I was in the recovery room. I was very sick with my first sip of water. But this was so sudden and left no unpleasant taste in the mouth or usual watery eyes etc. after that I felt fantastic. I followed other people’s advice to take all available pain relief and therefore never experienced any! My only discomfort was the obvious soreness. This is still there a bit but is always managable with paracetamol. The only real blip was my bladder refusing to function after the catheter was removed. It was the worst pain I’ve ever experienced. If that were to happen again I wouldn’t wait so long to see if it comes alive. I waited 3 hours and the fullness of the bladder inflamed the whole area. you are obviously encouraged to wait, but the nurses don’t know how much pain you are in so don’t be a martyr. My pain went from managable to extreme in the last 20 minutes and the nurse was a little slow to catch on because I was too placid. The surgeon had expected me to stay in from the tuesday morning to the thursday anyway so I was confused by their removing the catheter in the first place.maybe this is procedure? Certainly I didn’t feel emotionally of physically ready to leave hospital the morning after. The surgeon visited me again which is when I realised my emotions were very up and down. I cried about the catheter incident and he was so patient and explained this is not uncommon. The next day it suddenly responded about lunchtime and I was free to leave.
I made rapid progress from my discharge until last tuesday-a week post opp. I had suffered from constipation from day 1 and despite taking lots of fibre this improved but then worsened again. I shall simply persevere and continue taking bowel softener. i imagine both the bowels and bladder are in shock from all that digging around and the large fibroid was resting on them.
I was warned that despite the keyhole method, I have had major surgery that takes generally between 2 to 4 weeks recovery. so I am making myself be very patient. Sadly singing is the last thing I will be able to do properly because those muscles have been cut. But I expect to be singing in a week to 10 days. The constipation does make movement sore because of the weight and bloat putting pressure on the wounds.
But apart from that I’m during amazingly and I should mention that I really enjoyed the first 5 days of copious sleeping.
I have had many hormonal, teary moments and I have expected too much of myself at times. It can be very frustrating to feel so well but with bowels not functioning naturally. You make plans for your first big outing and then realise it’s too sore and impractical. Also-don’t listen to anyone who says they were back to normal within a week. It puts pointless pressure on you and sets up unrealistic expectations. Recovery so obviously depends on the individual and there are no prizes for beating expectations. I thought last sunday that I would be completely back to normal despite being told 2 to 4 weeks. Now on day 12 I feel slightly more sore sore than day 6 due to constipation issues.
I was told by my surgeon that hysterectomy was very likely on the cards within 10 years (i’m 37 and imagined I would have had had 2 children by now) We will discuss all this when I’ve fully recovered. He also mentioned the possibility of further hormone treatment. I assume this is to stop everything growing back.
But instead of being upset by this I am grateful that nothing sinister was discovered. 3 relatives on my maternal line had cancer of the womb; 2 in their 30′s. So it was always a worry for me once I discovered there was a problem.This is despite me not really knowing if there’s any connection between this and my conditions. But at least I’ve been investigated and know exactly what’s in there. if anything, going through all this has given me the access to consultants and the assurance that I will be put on screening programmes etc.. I’ve never achieved that through 20 years after discussing this with GP’s. I’ve discovered that as soon as you get put into the hospital’s hands, things begin to happen as they should or certainly move in the right direction and more urgently.
All the best
Joanna
September 24, 2010 at 4:14 pm
I had the lap myo about 4 weeks ago. I’m still having a lot of cramping and was told that would last only about 1 week. I’m not bleeding. I did have a normal period with cramps 2 weeks ago and now I’m midcycle & still cramping. I’ve been taking 600mg of ibuprofen around the clock, ultram, & using heating pad with only a little relief. Bowels are moving well w/ use of stool softener. Anyone else had cramping last this long?
September 27, 2010 at 11:33 pm
Hello there.
I’m so glad I happened upon this site. I saw another “Lisa” on here a while back, so figured I should add the “2″ to my name. I’m having a laparoscopic myomectomy in a little less than a month. I’m 38, single, (straight), no kids, live in the Chicago area, and am finding myself pretty scared and…some other feelings I’m still trying to identify.
I’ve also been unemployed for 21 months, and have somehow remained on Unemployment, but I think it’s because I’ve been working part-time (it’s allowed in my state, up to a certain amount) and qualified for another different claim after the extensions. Mortifying after years of being able to bounce back as an educated professional, in hard times. But relieved that the extensions exist, in these troubled times. I have an individual insurance plan which I chose in January of ’09, based on my previous good health. Didn’t have to use it all last year except for my annual exam. But the premium went up after a year, this past January, and again in July. After my surgery, this January, I shiver to think what the premium will go up to. All this time, I continue to work part-time, and since it doesn’t pay enough to live on and won’t get me off of Unemployment, I continue to look for another full-time job just the same.
Mostly I guess my fear comes from the expense (until the day of, and days following the surgery, of course, when I feel the effects of it on my body). I hope I don’t grow another one from the stress of paying for this procedure! (Sorry, a little fibroid humor. Sort of.)
I was diagnosed in March, first with an ultrasound that showed I had 2, then my doctor wanted to make sure it was all benign, so ordered a CT scan: “I want you in for this test TOMORROW.” 24 hours later, thankfully he said they were “good test results.” Except they found *4*, including a large one that was 8 cm. He said, “there is even a note here that if we wanted a more detailed look, even though the CT is very detailed, we could get you an MRI. But to me, based on your exam and these tests, if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it’s a duck. You have fibroids.” I said, “please don’t tell me there’s also a duck in there!” No room. Gah.
This was all very alarming though, because as of my last annual exam, in August of ’09, there was NO sign of any of this. I had had a peri-menopause scare back then; that was it. My periods were late for about 3 months, but my doctor did the hormone test at the time and assured me I am not yet in peri-menopause, and that my periods would regulate. They did. No problem.
Then in February, while in my Bikram yoga class one day, a weird thing happened: While in Bow pose (you’re belly-down on the floor, reaching back and holding your ankles, stretching your spine in a “raindrop” type of shape. One of my favorite, healthy postures, by the way), I had a bit of…incontinence. Very. Very. Slight. But weird, and scary. I thought my bod was pushing on a weird angle on the laces on the front of my shorts. I excused myself to use the washroom, and resumed the class. Later that weekend, I had another atypical experience: constipation all weekend. I made fruit smoothies in the blender all weekend, took one acidophilus tablet for a couple of days before breakfast, and all seemed fine by Sunday. I was rubbing my sore belly one night before bed, and felt…a hardness in my abdomen. At first I thought, “well, maybe my tummy’s distended from all the irregularity this weekend.” I waited a few days, but still felt it there a few days later, started to get nervous, went to the doctor, she ordered the U/S, sent me to my GYN, and there we are.
He recommended surgery right away (of course–pshaw, surgeons). He’s a kind, nice, smart doctor, and I trust him. But because I was 15 months unemployed at the time, and didn’t relish having anyone cut into my fertile, single-with- no-current-prospects, heretofore un-pregnant abdomen, I wasn’t jazzed on the idea. VERY scary, very stressed. Then some friends, plus some of my yoga teachers, came out of the woodwork with their “female” stories and recommended a very longtime knowledgeable Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor around here. I started on Chinese herbs, setting out to shrink the buggers.
I had been reading about massage and acupuncture helping to shrink fibroids, so I got a few massages, but took a break for a bit due to cost. Within a few months on herbs, I did feel them working, not specifically on the fibroids, but on my usual PMS symptoms, which weren’t all that severe, but have had it most of my adult life: the queasiness and minor cramping I have always felt in the first two days of my period subsided, and more significant, the breast pain and bloating slowly faded away, too. Some of the food cravings let up a bit, but I still have them a little. So I kind of felt good about it, thinking, “well, the herbs are working on my other “female” symptoms, so they must be slowly working on the fibroids!” I knew it would take many months, even a year. That big one, the 8cm one, was a challenge for all concerned and I was cautioned not to get my hopes up, but it felt like things were on an upswing. It was a few hundred bucks a month, but a far cry from a $15-20K surgery.
The herbs were for regulating/cleansing the liver of excess estrogen and other toxins, as well as improving and regulating general circulation in the body. I didn’t think I’d need such things, since I’ve been a Bikram yoga practitioner for over 4 years and that’s a big part of the benefits, but I apparently had a congested liver. Heck, the herbs were working, so it’s no lie. Feel good that it wasn’t a waste of money, at least.
I started acupuncture about 4 months in, to give my bod a bigger jolt in the fight to shrink the fibroids, but stopped last month after my annual exam and follow-up U/S showed the large one GREW–to over 9cm. A second small one grew to 2.5 cm or so. I guess they’ve now determined there are 2. So–the herbs didn’t work on *those*. I stopped the acupuncture last month, after about 2 months of it. It took me several days to get my head around the fact that my GYN was more urgently urging me to see his mentor, an uber-specialist surgeon known all over the world for his special expertise and skill (and conferences and surgeries in other countries, and writing chapters in books about lap. myomectomies and other related surgeries), and pursue the surgery.
I got my head around it after crying for a few days. That is–being single, living alone, under-employed, under-insured, not dating anyone at the moment, having a strained and/or broken family relationship depending on which persons we’re talking about–it was SO overwhelming. I’ve been living with the discomfort on my bladder, occasionally on my intestines, occasionally having it disturb my sleep and have to get up to use the bathroom, feeling it on the front of my abdomen (thankfully I look normal and not “pregnant,” since I learned it is actually located posterior), taking epsom salt baths, using castor oil packs to sooth the more uncomfortable days, doing the herbs and acupuncture…trying all these holistic methods, and could have gone on til about the 1-year mark, this coming March, before re-assessing. And hoping I’d have a job and proper insurance by then. But it grew. It f’ing grew. I feel like a failure for not being able to kick this thing naturally, on top of everything. And my doctor knew I was trying so hard. But he was alarmed at the growth in such a short time, and so was I, and neither of us want it to adversely affect other organs or damage my uterus, or grow in such a way that, if I waited longer, could cause me to lose the uterus altogether.
I can’t believe I’ve been single this long, let alone the overwhelmingly devastating possibility of never being able to have kids, if I wait on the surgery. So after those first few days after he told me the updated ultrasound results, I suddenly switched into “fighter” mode, wanting the buggers out of me, already. Then I had a really good yoga class the next day and they weren’t bothering me so much (I kind of gauge how I’m doing by my yoga practice), and became undecided again. But then I thought about the “what if it grows, the longer I wait” thing, again. So I’m having it.
My sister and my aunt, a nurse, will somehow be helping me through this, but I don’t even know yet who is taking me to the hospital, who is taking me home, if the lap. surgery will go as planned or if they’ll wind up needing to make an incision, causing an expensive, painful hospital stay and longer recovery, and if I’ll need to put them out by either staying with me or me staying with them. (I can’t ask my parents and don’t want to, long story). I have friends, but half of them somehow don’t know what to say to this news, and I don’t feel comfortable having them feel obligated to help me in place of the bad family situation, even though many have offered. I’m scared of being here alone 24 or 48 or 72 hours after the procedure, with a sore, scared abdomen and…what if I can’t get up? What if that gas causes pain in other parts of my body? They said I can shower, but can’t take a bath for a few weeks due to the special Tagaderm bandages or whatever. What if I can’t pee, or carry orange juice from the store by myself?
I’m sure this looks high-anxiety and silly and weird. But I’m tearing up as I’m writing this, which tells me to acknowledge how scared I am, and about all the implications that go along with it (regarding my future, my relationships, feeling like I don’t have a 100% support system, no boyfriend or husband in the house to help me through this, my job situation and maybe being in debt seemingly forEVER), and how uncertain this kind of surgery can be until they get you on the table. I’ll be asleep when they make any unexpected decisions. I’m finding myself thinking things like: “I’ll have to clean, buy groceries and do laundry before the surgery, in case people come over to visit or to help me do…whatever” since I’m alone. My sister and/or aunt will have to take half or the whole day, or two, off, to help me, and I feel grateful but guilty. I just got my instruction packet from the surgeon’s office today: The clear liquid diet and bowel-prep the night before. The pre-op blood work and transfusion donation. The birth control pill to line up my cycle with the surgery. The pill the day before to “soften the cervix for surgery.” OMG. What if I bleed. What if I get infected. What if I need help and everyone’s at work and can’t come. When can I go back to yoga. What if I don’t get a job since the recovery will move me right into November and the holidays, and no one hires over the holidays. What if I’m 2 years unemployed (late December ’08 was my layoff)???
I’m usually an in-control problem-solver type, who prefers to stay away from drama. It’s doubly-overwhelming to see myself thinking like this!
I know the surgery is meant to help me; that is, barring complications, it will. I go to yoga class several times a week and wonder what it will feel like to feel like myself again, without the extra compensation, moving around to avoid the extra internal mass in my middle that makes regular poses more difficult, after so many months of getting in a routine of doing modified poses to feel more comfortable. I’m quitting the horrid retail “interim” part-time job effective in a couple weeks, so I have time to hopefully line something up for good, upon my recovery in late-October. Even though I got some charity assistance just from the hospital for the two initial diagnostic tests, and may have to ask for more (they said “we budget for that, just re-apply!” O-kay. Hm.), I’m going to need a job to afford to fully pay for this thing.
I hate being an American cliche’–under-employed, under-insured, with a health problem, scared–a combination I’ve never had to deal with before. I have savings, but not much, and the point is to save it, not spend it. When I meditate and pray, I recently happened upon a perspective that my fibroid is a “big ball of trouble” that, when removed, may permanently let me rid myself of all my family and employment and money troubles, and start anew with good things happening, after it’s over. I hope so. It’s so much bigger than just the “physical,” for me. I need something good to happen. Soon.
Sorry this is so long. I haven’t really been able to get all my feelings out about my individual situation until now. We all have a story. Thanks for reading and for your thoughts.
October 3, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Hi Lisa 2,
I’m sorry life has been so stressful for you lately.You sound very anxious and I was similar. I now appreciate that i simply wasn’t well!!! I too like to feel in control and it’s alarming feeling you have these things growing inside causing all sorts of problems-seemingly with a mind of their own. But you are in control in your decision to treat them-in your case by getting rid of them. I also get a feeling that you feel bad for having got the Fibroids in the first place? Yet if you were told for example that you should have a Gallbladder removed;I think you would not be so hard on yourself. There should be no guilt attached to having Fibroids. I think ironically, having the choice to wait and see can encourage some of us to put up with far too much-as women we are used to a bit of pain every month and this acceptance can warp our reasoning.
if it’s any consolation-i’m now almost 7 weeks post opp and I feel amazing.I’m less on the high I was when I wrote my story a month ago, but I feel terrific. The Fibroids etc.. effected me in so many ways I wasn’t conscious of at the time-particularly emotionally. you can’t divide everything that we are. The physical is utterly connected to the emotional/mental self. I felt so drained by losing half the month to health issues and worrying about them-and worrying about sounding like a hypocondriac.I always made excuses and thought I was being weak when I couldn’t cope.It was exhausting planning around pain, constipation and severe bloating. I was too scared to stay over at friend’s houses-too much trouble with the getting up to go etc.. i couldn’t dress up anymore and sometimes I felt faint with cramps and bleeding.Like you, my large Fibroid (8 by 6half by 6half) was pushing against my bladder. But I didn’t suffer the incontinence.-just constant need to go. Having that over with is a dream- so you will feel an enormous difference!
I feel positive in a way I’ve not felt for ages because I’m not so tired and I’m sleeping through the night. I also feel I can make plans again and be ambitious about my career and relationships because the scary thought of the looming operation stopped me functioning and i couldn’t think beyond it.
I think the natural fear associated with surgery can get one stuck!
It’s funny;I was very swollen, yet I could never feel my fibroids. Yet, like you i also felt they were “great balls of trouble”
The high I felt post opp was incredible. I felt so relieved and i felt their absence immediately-it’s the first thing I said apparently.
It’s been amazing suddenly losing all the weight too!
you will feel much lighter physically and emotionally.
Don’t feel bad about asking friends and family to help out. you would want to help a friend in a similar situation? infact you would enjoy helping a friend? Try to let go and accept their giving-if that doesn’t sound corny!
in terms of being scared about the actual surgery-I was amazed by what a breeze it was. Just make sure you take all the pain medication they give you before you feel any. I was given this advice and felt none. your stomach will be very swollen but mine didn’t hurt with all the meds. it was just the first few days of beginning to move around that was sore-again meds really do the trick. buy tracksuit pants and pyjamas 2 to 3 sizes bigger and enjoy seeing your waist shrink!!
The swelling is only out front. You will be amazed at the difference above this area and even on the tops of your legs and muffin top.
don’t waste time on imagining the worst. the medical staff can deal with the unexpected. focus on what you can control and plan an enjoyable recovery.
Tidy and clean your home before you go in and prepare an area by your sofa with things like DVD’s and books-later for medication etc.. I even bought face wipes to hospital just to feel fresh. Little things make all the difference.
I was surprised how I was able to (slowly!)climb 3 steep flights of stairs to my flat on day 3 without pain and I even made it down again fairly quickly within half hour of my arrival due to a fire alarm going off and causing an evacuation!
I think you’re doing all the right things already and Karen’s advice was fantastic. Just think how wonderful you will feel in a few months!
Joanna
October 4, 2010 at 1:19 am
Thank you so much for your kind words and empathy, Joanna! It sounds like we are in a similar boat, in terms of age and child-status (none). At least you seem to have a supportive boyfriend who is helping you get through this.
I’m a little bummed to hear that your recovery isn’t as quick as they told you, or what they told me. But we’re all different. After my last day at my current hateful part-time job, later this week, I look forward to trying to get some kind of workout, including yoga once or twice a day. (Never did that before, but am trying to motivate so that I can be strong for the surgery, hopefully influence quicker recovery, and maybe even develop some good new habits for when I’m up and around.
The surgeon said, assuming all goes as planned with the lap. method, recovery is “7-10 days of taking it easy. You can go out to dinner or movies with your friends, and drive, unless you’re on narcotic pain meds. And when you’re tired, you SLEEP.” Definitely looking forward to that!
I have to say, on that note, after not sleeping for much of this past week, upon having more involved conversations with the surgical coordinator, I had a gig scheduled for yesterday (in addition to being an out-of-work media professional, I’m also a freelance makeup artist), but it was canceled, so I napped for 3 hours, went to yoga, cleaned up and went out with friends last night. Slept in today and hung out with friends, too; I conveniently wasn’t scheduled at the part-time job all weekend, mainly because I had requested off yesterday for the gig. I feel more refreshed yesterday and today than I have in…longer than I can remember. One more week of the crazy hours of this job, and 2 more weeks of resting and working out and getting a few things done, and then…eek, I guess I’ll feel worn out and drugged up and sleep a lot. I hope the doctor is right about the 10-day thing; I hope to be up and around for Halloween! Not that I want to go crazy; I never do that anymore. Too old. But I love being with friends and getting creative and dressing up. So if I can dress up for a few hours, stand up at some party or bar, and have a beer with friends and come home and sleep, just to have a taste of getting back to a normal life, that would feel nice.
Of course, if I could line up a job for November, that would be the best. I can’t afford to be off much longer, even with still collecting Unemployment from the state. (Another contact who I’d interviewed with, several months ago, finally called me back now that I have more retail experience thanks to the hateful part-time job. But, it’s at a better store with more money and better insurance. So maybe I’ll get another interview with her, this week. It’s not my lifelong primary career field, but in this economy, I can’t afford not to do it, if she offers something to me.) I’m nervous as to when I could possibly tell her I could start, based on you saying you needed 4 weeks until you got back to work. But I have a music and theatre background like you, and understand that directly using the ab muscles would make it harder for you to get back to work straight away, after this kind of surgery.
Thanks for the tips about prepping for post-op. I have already made notes to cook and clean beforehand, because it’s obvious I won’t be in the mood, and possibly not able to! The face wipes is a nice tip.
I have yoga pants to wear loosely on my abdomen, so hopefully that will be comfortable enough. The surgery is supposed to be Outpatient–23 hours or less. It sounds like you were in for a night or two, hm? I’d almost not mind if they needed to keep me overnight to watch out for infection and such things. But the cost, even with my insurance, because he’s such a specialized out-of-network surgeon, would be crazy. I shudder to think what my bills will be like when they start coming in. Glad to know you were leaving your flat within 3 days, even if it was slightly difficult. Glad I live on the 1st floor. 
I am nervous about a catheter; you have reminded me that I keep meaning to ask them if I’ll have one. Ick. Ouch. There are so many notations about bowel or bladder discomfort, post-op, after all. I am encouraged by what you said about “feeling great in a few months,” and comparing it to a gall bladder or similar issue. I’d probably find a way to feel guilty about that too, but you are still correct and I am glad you brought it up! It is interesting to observe that, similar to what you said, we get used to feeling pain or discomfort on a certain level with regularity. I have wondered what it will be like to suddenly not feel pressure on other organs, or the nerve my leg that gets pushed on, sometimes. I wonder why all this trouble has come to me, when I already have enough problems, with under-employment and mounting debt, after managing to keep it at bay, all these months. I hope I feel “empty” but in a good, freeing way, not in a “they cut me up” way. I hope I feel as much relief as you seem to.
Thank you again! Are you back to work full-time now, at 7 weeks post? It which point did you start feeling up to exercising, either walking, aerobics, yoga, or…whatever you do?
September 29, 2010 at 11:39 am
Hi Lisa 2,
I am so sorry to hear about your difficulties right now. I too was unemployed for a stretch of time and I know how scary it is.
Continue doing what you’re doing with looking for a job. Maybe you can volunteer your way into a job? The market is hard but I know that organizations such as non profits consider volunteers before outside prospects.
You are not a failure quite the opposite. I hear a very strong courageous and humurous voice coming from your posting. Stay on track with caring for yourself and use rest, water, herbs, yoga and accupunture as much as you are able to pre, during and post surgury.
Remember meditation and breathing are key right now for easing your anxiety. Having a hard time doing either right now. Take a bath and start slow. You will get back on track and I will be keeping you in my prayers and routing for you.
Your soulmate is just around the corner take care of your self and gain some help for your surgery and afterwards. You will get through this with flying colors. Just be kind to yourself and have faith.
Drop me a line to let me know how things go with your surgery and the job search. Two great job sites to check out are:
http://www.indeed.com (for profit, government and non profit jobs)
Take care,
Karen Maricheau
(I’m on Linked In)
http://www.idealist.org (non profit jobs)
September 29, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Hello Karen,
Thank you so much for your kindness. That is exactly what I’m trying to keep in mind and exactly what I needed to hear.
Funny how the people closest to us, while they make efforts to be supportive or encouraging, don’t or can’t say the things that show clear understanding and validation of our feelings, and point right into your soul to make us feel uplifted, but a stranger can. (I’ll refrain from pouring out other insecure, high-anxiety doubts about my relationships, on this site.
) I’m so sick of being scared. About everything. It is said that G-d doesn’t give us more than we can bear, but I’ve hit my limit. I hope you are right and that good things are around the corner. Lord knows I’ve been trying to make it happen.
Thank you again, and I will keep you posted.
September 30, 2010 at 10:04 am
I guess with family its more complicated based on our past experiences with them. I can relate because I’ve been there. Start breathing and get your body to relax as much as possible. You might want to say something to yourself internally when you notice you’re feeling fearful that helps you calm your emotions. I say “release” and “bless” to my thoughts that cause me negative emotions. It helps over time.
September 30, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Funny, I have started to do things like that more and more, lately, instinctively. Still working out a mantra that works concisely enough, for me. I have sooo many thoughts, visualizations, words, writings…my head’s all over the place, what with the existing part-time job, seeking more gainful, enjoyable employment, and getting my head around this upcoming surgery. I have turned more to yoga, and yoga publications and sites, for inspiration and calm lately. Clearly it’s not working, yet, but better to be seeking it than not.
I have a part-time job that SO has not been worth the low-pay, and I am still somehow on Unemployment. So I put in my notice and my last day will be late next week, giving me a couple of weeks to get centered, breath, rest, hopefully practice LOTS of yoga classes, and get the pre-op bloodwork and other stuff done, for a couple of weeks prior to the surgery. Sigh. Breathing.
Thank you again. Are you the “Karen” above who had fibroid surgery this summer?
October 1, 2010 at 10:41 am
Lisa2,
It sounds like you have a good plan. Following your instincts seems like it’s helping you take steps to gently move through these transitions with your work, health, and relationships.
No, I am not the “Karen” that had my fibroids removed. I am working on trying to shrink them naturally but I may be getting surgery if that proves to be unsuccessful. I have an 18 year old and my husband is leaning more towards not having (more) kids. I am undecided. I am 44 this year so that may just be what we decide. I understand that the fibroids usually shrink just prior to, during and/or after menopause. That may just be the solution that my body needs. Take care, Karen
October 4, 2010 at 12:51 am
Hi Karen,
Thanks again for your kind words and ideas.
May I ask what you are doing as you try to shrink them naturally? Like I said, I tried herbs and other energy healing methods. I also tried a bit of diet change (less meat and more soft proteins, like lentils and lentil soup. Not that I’m a big red-meat eater, but mostly turkey and chicken. I’m finding myself more nervous about chicken due to the mass-production and hormones and drugs injected into the animals, which we end up eating. Lots more homemade fruit smoothies–including throwing greens in there. It looks funny but you can’t taste any difference due to all the fruit. And, oh yeah–I put chocolate sauce in it anyhow.
). I didn’t deprive myself of junk like cookies or brownies a few times a week, if I was in the mood, no more or less than before.
Do you think you’re close enough to menopause to take the “wait and see” approach? Really? I’m sorry to hear that; I remember being scared last year at 37, thinking how I’m single and with no children (and yeah, had no job back then, either, same as now
), and might be going through it. But it sounds like you have a child from a previous relationship, and you might have the chance to have more!
Thank you again, best of luck, and we will keep in touch.
Lisa
October 4, 2010 at 6:34 am
Hi lisa,
Where are your fibroids located? Mine were outside and on top of the womb. I had a Hysteroscopy as well to get rid of a Polip-plus cyst on ovary and quite a bit of endometriosis. I was told to expect 2 nights in hospital from the start as that is alot of work-amazing they could do all that with just 4 incisions!
10 years ago, a friend had several fibroids removed from outside the womb including a giant one that had to be shrunk from 17cm to 10 with drugs in order for her to have easier surgery. she is also a singer and recovered so quickly that she did a concert 10 days later!!-I think she was out patient too.
I could have easily done office work etc.. 10 days after surgery.
But in my case-singing was out of the question. it hurt to attempt to stick my stomach in. I think the endemetriosis has caused the most discomfort as it was apparently throughout the pelvis. I did however, manage to do loads of filing and cleaning, my tax and a million other things. Plus-the energy I felt after all that winding down was remarkable.
I imagined that one would feel a horrid stinging pain-from being cut open. i can honestly say that i never felt anything that one would associate with the actual cutting etc.. The thought of being opened up petrified me and in my case I was warned they might have to do abdominal half way through if it took too long.
I was amazed from the moment I came round by how little sensation I had from this operation. I was more scared about being put to sleep-but I never felt aware of falling asleep. The hardest it was walking down to theatre before I had any injections. But apparently you can request a calming injection or something?
i’ll never worry about an opp again.
It’s uncomfortable to move obviously. But you’re preoccupied with wonderful sleeping anyway! And this discomfort only lasts a few days. Then it’s more about needing to sleep and walking very slowly and supporting your stomach.I also thought sleeping on my back would be horrendous-but it was fine.I was so-o relieved it was over with!
I also went mad with fitness right up until the day before. It definately helped. I felt i’d done my best to be fit etc.. and i felt really happy within myself-and ready for a rest. I do Pilates and i run. I started back at pilates after a month and I’m going to go for my 1st run tonight. But I probably could have started back before.
incidentally, i hoped to shrink them naturally by food and exercise like you. I did this for 4 months and upsettingly, the fibroid grew. but I felt great in other respects so don’t regret it.
The actual insertion of the catheter is done when you are asleep and the removal is painless-honestly!
Plus the other thing that surprised me is how I was completely happy to let the nurses assist me and give injections etc.. without it bothering me or making me feel shy. You have so much pain medication and non stop supervision. I cried alot because it’s quite overwelming and I had had the Mirena coil inserted. So that’s quite a hormonal upset! But the nurses were brilliant.
I think that all my worries about exercise and pain etc.. all became irrelevant after the opp. I know longer thought about these things. It felt right to relax and I felt very proud with myself for having got through it all-again it’s about being kinder to yourself. When I was in the hospital i met 2 ladies(sisters) who had children in their 40′s-one had 3! that really cheered me up!
they had both suffered from all these things.
October 3, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Has anyone besides me had fibroid(s) grow back after laparascopic myomectomy. For me, just 5 months after the surgery to remove one 10cm fibroid, I had an ultrasound showing two fibroids–each just under 2cm. I am wondering if my surgeon made an error (left some in during the surgery) or it is simply my genes/environment. I would be interested to know did you have any regrowth or did any of your surgeons tell you the percentage chance that new fibroids could grow back? Thanks. Carol. You can also email me directly at perfecthealth100@aol.com if you don’t want to answer publicly. Thanks.
October 5, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Hi Joanna,
The smaller fibroid (2.5 cm, last I heard) is located front lower right, and the Big One, as I call it (over 9 cm, as of U/S in August), I have learned is actually posterior left, but is so large that it is the main one that I feel and see slightly protruding in my belly. It’s not visible to anyone who doesn’t know, and isn’t even visible with clothes on. When I get in the shower though, and look at myself from the side in the mirror in the bathroom, the left side of my belly is slightly raised from the other. Apparently it’s the size of a 4-month pregnancy, but because it’s in the back, I thankfully don’t look pregnant! Some women do. (One must be careful asking certain women, “when are you due,” as they may simply have very large fibroids, and are not pregnant. Yowza.)
Thanks for telling me more about your story. I’m afraid of the anesthesia and of falling asleep, too. And now, with stories of people waking up in surgeries and feeling everything, but being unable to alert the doctors due to the paralytic they also give you…oh my, SO scary to think about. So I try not to.
I have had surgical procedures before, but never quite as significant as this. It’s weird…you made a remark about realizing it is “major surgery,” yet all the talk about it being “minimal” due to being “laparoscopic,” hasn’t made me view it in that way. I was in a car full of friends over the weekend, heading to a festival for the day, and one of the friends, a guy, asked, “is it major or minor surgery?” I said, “um…middle.” Any surgery on the uterus is “major,” is it not?
Ugh. I know my sister will be here with me, and one of my aunts, a nurse, will help out in some capacity as well, yet I feel so alone. (Finding folks on here with related stories helps a little.
) At least you have a job to go back to, and a boyfriend who is helping you. I have some insurance, but it’s an individual plan, not normal “group” coverage, and the surgeon is out-of-network, anyway. I wonder how I’m going to pay for this. Slowly and over a long time, I guess. Everything is starting to add up already: consultation with surgeon; hystero-sonogram ($1200-1800 or so, not sure what assistance they’re giving me with that, yet); one month birth control pill supply to line up my cycle with the surgery date; upcoming prescription for *cervix-dilation pills* prior to surgery (OMG); food for liquid diet the day before, and presumably days after, surgery; surgery, assistant fees (my gyn), anesthesia fees, pathology fees, hospital fees. It will be over $20,000, and at least the insurance will pay some, but still, my job situation will stress me out after I come out of the druggie-haze after the first few days, post-op! But I suppose I should do as you say: enjoy the “days of wonderful sleeping” in the immediate aftermath. Ugh, so much to worry about. A couple more days left of this hateful part-time retail job, then I can go great guns like you did, Joanna, with working out, and yoga (in my case)!
When did the catheter go in–after you’re sleeping, I hope?–and when did it come out? They don’t send you home with it, do they? My mother had fibroids 20 yrs ago and had a hysterectomy, but she had tons of bleeding–which thankfully I do not have AT ALL–and us 3 kids by then. I remember hearing about her catheter, and I think she even had it had home for a while, but back then a hyst. surgery was 6 weeks recovery, minimum. Times and technology are different now, and I’m thankfully not having that procedure, as you know. I’m a bit disheartened to hear that you just started running last week after 7-weeks post-op, when I hope to get back to at least some basic yoga within a couple of weeks, then the more strenuous Bikram or aerobic stuff in about 4 weeks or so. But then again, it sounds like you had other issues and procedures, too. I will have a hysteroscopy too, but that mainly refers to the equipment and camera they use, not any extra incisions (as I understand it). They also did find that I have “adenomyosis,” which is some kind of irregularity in the texture in the inner lining of the uterus, but they aren’t removing anything with regard to that. They kind of…can’t. Just the fibroids are coming out, to my knowledge. Are you doing singing gigs again, yet?
Oy, I’ve got to get off this computer and get some stuff done on my day off. Getting a much-needed pedicure and going to the suburbs to visit my declining grandfather. Never a dull moment…
October 5, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Oh, and I meant to ask you…how soon did you get back to feeling up to eating normal meals…and how is, um, getting back to using the bathroom normally, since that is kind of…necessary once you start eating again? (Sorry.
And thanks.)
October 5, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Hi Lisa,
I could have run after 4 weeks but I had a nightmare time with constipation!! The bloat made everything sensitive inside. When my stomach was normal I never felt anything inside. It’s strange because with keyhole, the wounds on the outside heal much quicker that those on the inside.As for this constipation;I’d never suffered from this before so I thought it was swelling from the opp. It was finally sorted this week after speaking to my cousins who are surgeons/doctors. It turns out that this is very common after any surgery involving the stomach area. But I made it doubly worse by eating too much fibre and caffeine. Isn’t that crazy?i thought i was absolutely doing the right things. I was eating brown bread, wholewheat rice/pasta and All bran cereal.But as soon as I started having white bread and no bran cereal, my stomach stopped swelling. The swelling was so dramatic that it irritated my incisions -stopped one closing quickly.
If I had to do it all again I’d take Linseed(1 dessert spoon) after my first bowel movement -3 times a day, I’d have both kinds of breads etc..and keep off the all bran and caffeine. I was being too extreme because my bowels were so sluggish. But i then got a rebound effect- All this fibre did the trick, but then immediately irritated the stomach and therefore bloated it again. Apparently I’m not unusual in my mistake. The nurse told me to take the all bran! I was doing a daily walk from the 5th day. you will feel very sleepy. but you can do anything but jump up and down, run or lift things. I stopped taking codeine from day 5 too and took paracetamol for about 2 weeks but not as much as i was perscribed. I presume some people require more.
I regained my appetite from about day 5 but the swelling stopped me eating big meals. I usually eat big portions. Actually the coil made me ravenous which was amusing. But i ate little and often and made sure I had treats like a little bit of chocolate
or something every day.
Unfortunately it took until 5 weeks for me to feel it was completely safe to sing. Before that I got this strange pulling sensation whenever i sang in the higher register. It scared me and my teacher said it wasn’t safe. He’s had operations in the stomach area so it was great knowing he’d been through it.
since last sat i feel nothing at all when I sing a top C so I’m completely healed. it was only the swelling that stopped me running before because you wouldn’t run if you were bloated anyway-last thing you think of doing.
My first Pilates class was 4 weeks after but I was fine-I just did very easy things-avoiding stretching that area. I felt great afterwards. I couldn’t believe there were so many things you could do that only slightly use the core. Just make sure your instructor knows. You could try earlier if you feel good.
As for the catheter; it happened when I was asleep and you don’t feel it at all. I enjoyed not having to go to the loo! After my drama with not being able to go, the surgeon was really sweet and told me I had drunk too much water. He told me to ignore the nurses who were encouraging me to do this and just to behave normally. In hospitals in England you are woken at 6!
so i was constantly drinking cups of water from 6 to 11 and then couldn’t go. He advised me to drink just a few cups he following morning instead-instead of my usual 2 cups of tea. that worked a treat. It’s good to know because you feel very numb down there-not pain. It’s like the bladder has got used to it’s rest. I guess we rely on sensations for all these bodily functions and when they’re not there it’s quite wierd.
This operation completely got in the way of auditions and planning etc.. so besides a bit of teaching, i’m relying in savings to get through this bad patch. But health has to come first!
the wonderful news is that despite being out of practice(had 6 weeks off!) it’s never felt so effortless to sing. I have got back all the high notes I’d been struggling with in the last 4 years. It’s astonishing! I wish I had realised there was a reason for it. i’d been tearing my hair out thinking that the stress of my divorce had caused me to lose my singing ability. I even spent £1000 seeing a speech therapist because my vocal chords were so swollen.They put it down to voice overuse as I had so much teaching. Turns out it was this bigger fibroid all this time.The change is dramatic- The high notes all came back the first time I sang and the voice sits 3 semi tones higher and is more even. i have much more air and and don’t have to worry about running out of breath.The surgeon said it was deeply embedded in the muscle-so i guess this was quite a weight to haul up when I tried to support the voice.
I wonder if anyone is interested in this for research purposes?
It would really have cheered me up if I had been told this 7 months ago.
By the way-there is no reason for you to have any of these problems and they are quite trivial really. It just would have made a difference to my sanity if i could have got back to singing sooner. i’ve lots of auditions i’m waiting to hear from in nov and dec so fingers crossed. But it could have been alot worse. I was originally given dec onwards as an opp date, but someone cancelled and I was allowed to go in 4 to 6 months early! I also finished my last contract 2 just 3 days before the opp. So That was amazing timing!
I told the anaethetists about all those story’s and they seemed genuinely amused. They think it’s rubbish. Who knows. But i was super confident as soon as they put the drip in my arm because i felt slightly drunk and happy. And after that you really do lose time. But you wouldn’t be human if you didn’t find the thought of it a bit disconcerting. we can;t imagine what it’s like for others to be in control of our bodies I suppose. But of course they are doing it because we are asking and wanting them too. They will look after you beautifully. Just be sure to tell them how nervous you are. I did and apparently every woman that day had been nervous.
October 6, 2010 at 12:40 am
Hi Joanna,
Haha, I’m starting to realize that “creative” people…talk a lot.
I suppose it’s not a new realization. And I realize I forgot to include one part, following my anxiety-filled list of upcoming expenses: I was going to say that I should just start paying whatever the insurance doesn’t pay on my mileage card and take a big trip when I feel better! I have relatives and friends in Europe who I have never gotten to go visit, especially in this job limbo I’m in.
Anyway, I have to get to bed early for an early day tomorrow at the hateful retail job (2 days to go til I”m off and can prep for all of this stuff!), so I’ll be quick for now. Yes, it’s funny, I was reading what you were saying about being a musician and wondering if medical personnel would be interested in your experiences, since the abdomen is so central to singing! Your posts have also made me miss theatre; I’ve been singing since I was 11 (and am a sop like you), but not professionally. I went into the media and have traditionally done radio and voiceovers instead, but community theatre, on the side! Like so much else that is “on-hold” in my life since losing my job 21 months ago, I have held off on doing any theatre on the side since I didn’t want to make a commitment like that (for no pay, but lots of fun) if a job came up that would need me to prioritize my schedule, for actual money, again!
It makes me wonder if you were fortunate to, say, be in “Wicked” when Idina Menzel was in London. Yes, I naturally follow that stuff. 
Best of luck on all your upcoming auditions! That’s really interesting that you thought your difficulties were caused by any number of more obvious things, but it sounds like your fibroids were pushing on organs adjacent to the diaphragm, which makes sense, in hindsight. As my work schedule has not solely depended on my voice and lungs of late, my main issues, as I’ve said, have been the bladder, intestines, and, when I’m seated for long periods of time or in the car for a lot of the day, like today, since the Big One is posterior and pushes on a nerve in my leg, well, that hurts and is uncomfortable. While I’m nervous for the surgery and the unpredictable nature of what actual happens while you’re sleeping on the table, and recovery, it has occurred to me that, “hey, in a couple weeks, this pain in my leg will be gone!” Hopefully. If there’s no nerve damage. I’ll just freak if I have to go to a neurologist after I recover from the myo. if the nerve is damaged. Oy vey.
Linseed oil for any constipation that results afterward, hm? Funny, I would have tried bran or caffeine to relieve that after a few days, too. Always lots of peppermint or ginger tea, which stimulates the intestines, but linseed…thankfully I’ve never had to try. Acidophilus tablets work pretty quick for me on those rare occasions, too, so maybe I’d try that first. “Regained appetite at day 5,” check. So, I’ll stock up on jello, apple sauce and soup til then, hm?
Interesting that you said you were scheduled for December but that “someone canceled” and you got to move it up to September. So…on socialized medicine, are you beholden to *their* schedule but do you have the entire thing paid for?
Btw, if you want to chat more and if anyone else is bored (though I don’t see how they could be, since your experiences would seem to be very helpful to others), my email is ChgoGrrl@hotmail.com. You too, Karen. Cheers and sweet dreams for now, everyone, and thanks so much for your encouragement and sharing experiences!
October 18, 2010 at 5:13 am
Hi everyone
Just thought I’d drop in and share my experience and news … I had a laparoscopic myo in November (after lupron therapy) for a large (8cm – reduced from 12cm by the lupron) subserosal/intramural fibroid. I found this site to be an absolute godsend of emotional and practical support at the time, and remember feeling so angry, frustrated and terrified about the procedure and the future.
I found it especially inspiring when I heard that other women had gone on to get pregnant after a myomectomy, as that was my main reason for having the op – I had a miscarriage last year (before the op) and was so sad about it and worried I’d never get pregnant again.
Anyway, long story short, I am pregnant, nearly 21 weeks now, and it happened as soon as we started trying in May this year (6 months after op). So, it is possible, and does happen! I’m absolutely not trying to rub your noses in it, I’m genuinely just hoping to give someone a little light at the end of a very dark tunnel – as I remember someone did for me last year.
The operation is now a distant memory, and so is the recovery. I can’t guarantee that there wont be problems with my scar during this pregnancy – or indeed other problems with the baby (have my anatomy scan on wed – very nervous about it!!), but the point is I was able to get pregnant after a significant myomectomy – and you more than likely will be able to too.
I really hope your ops and recovery go well – if you have any questions at all about it, please just ask here and I’ll respond as soon as I can.
Best wishes ladies!
October 28, 2010 at 12:51 am
Hello, ladies.
I am 6 days post-op after my laparoscopic myomectomy. I meant to write earlier as I started coming out of the medicated haze, but am now able to, probably much better and much more clearly, anyway. Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your experiences, in the days before my surgery. It served as a great comfort to my anxiety, fears and concerns beforehand. I am happy to report that the procedure went well and successfully, and I am recovering more, physically and emotionally, every day.
In the pre-op literature and counsel I got from the surgical coordinator, it was my understanding that, generally, the procedure was to take “1-4 hours, 1 hour in recovery, then 1-4 hours in Outpatient holding” where my family could sit with me, then get me ready to take home. I had to check in at 8am for a 10am procedure, and my sister took me and my aunt met us there. The whole staff was caring and great. Though I had been able to take those few weeks to get my head around my anxiety and get into “fighter mode” to get the buggers out of me, already, and thought I had my “game face” on, one of the nurses said, “you look so nervous!” My aunt (also a nurse by trade) said, “yeah, she is.” They had done the IV, given me the gown and those oh-so-fun socks with the tiny rubber pieces on them so that you don’t slip, and a standing order from my surgeon for the blow-up compression boots that go around your shins and massage you so that you don’t get a clot, from all the sitting still before, during and after the procedure. I had to pee twice before the surgery, since they took me in an hour late, which meant getting out of the boot contraptions and someone walking you into the restroom and standing there with you, because you’re wearing socks and strapped to an IV! They finally brought me to the OR around 11am.
I had some complications afterward, but by most standards, were comparatively minor, I guess. I remember most of what went on, but with a hazy veil around it, since the pain was managed with meds from the get-go. I came out about 1:30pm, according to a clock I noticed in the recovery room, past the curtain of someone else in a neighboring bed. It seemed loud and with lots of commotion, but who knows…maybe it was just the result of anesthesia. I was coughing a lot, and they determined I had some fluid in my lungs; it felt like I had a cold or sinus infection and I remember feeling the sensation was weird, since I did not come in with one! Apparently, they tip you backward a bit during the procedure, so that may have contributed to the fluid. My aunt told me later that my fae was “puffy” in the recovery room. They gave me a nebulizer and told me to breathe. Then my anestesiologist came by to check on me, and me a diuretic for the fluid. “My” nurse also reported that my oxygen was low. Then I had tubes in my nose. As a result of the diuretic, I had to use a bedpan a couple of times, for the first time in my life! Fun-fun. (Gross.) Good thing I had previously dove into additional and intense yoga practice to clear my head prior to the procedure, because it was a weird realization to feel myself using my arms and legs to hold myself up to pee in a bedpan, so as not to be messy, nor to disturb my just-operated-on abs, in a drug haze just an hour or two after surgery! At a certain point, I couldn’t go like that anymore, and begged the nurse to walk me to the restroom I spied just across from my recovery bed. I remember hearing her tell the anesthesiologist that she’d be right there with me, slowly walked me in there, and of course, stayed there to watch me pee (wearing my little socks, momentarily released from the compression boots and oxygen contraptions, connected to the IV, squatting away). What a sight…I guess they see that every day, though. Considering that I remember that sensation and that experience…the staff was great.
Again in the haze, I noticed that the wall clock said 5pm, and had a vague awareness that I had been in recovery for 3.5 hours, not the expected 1! I asked for my family. They brought my sister and aunt in, and the anesthesiologist goes, “I think we ought to keep her overnight for observation.” I sat up and said, “WHAT??” My family was like, “it’s ok, it’s for the best, they’ll take better care of you with all the stuff you’ve had going on, today.” Even coming out of the anesthesia and being on new pain meds, I had a thought that my unemployed self would now have “more meds, more treatments, probably food, new doctors checking up on me” for my overnight stay, which would go on a bill. Grrreat. But I had to do it. They moved me to a room on the surgical GYN floor, in my own room, and my relatives stayed til 7pm. It was cool that they were able to stay 11 hours with me. Unbelievable. So grateful. What an exhausting day for those who are waiting for us during surgery! But they both claimed they got a lot of work done, and said the hospital staff was great about keeping them updated about what was going on with me, all day.
At some point, they let me have some broth and apple juice, I watched “Grey’s Anatomy” and some other TV, and at some point, they turned off the lights to let me “rest.” Ha. Every two hours or so, some machine would go off beeping and need to be turned off, the nurse would come in to give me pain pills or take blood, or help me go to the washroom (which, by then, I had much more trouble doing, hours after that earlier diuretic wore off. Then: a bit of a sting from the catheter that had been in place during the surgery). So–you get the least amount of rest at the hospital! They told me I could order solid food in the morning, and if so, would let me go home. I guess if it’s 23 hrs or less, it’s still considered “Outpatient.” I had tea, a bagel and some yogurt, and kept it down, and around 11am, my sister came back to get me. We took a trip to the pharmacy, and armed with a prescription for Norco (tylenol plus codeine-derivative), a high dose of ibuprofen, and iron pills (apparently I was found to be anemic in recovery as well), I went home. They gave me a scrip for nausea and Colace, but elected to wait to fill those.
Funny, people kept calling Friday and Saturday, and it was like, “how are you? Get some rest.” Next call. “How are you? Get some rest.” Next call.
I had to use my arms and legs to compensate for my abs, of course, to roll off the couch or bed when I needed to get up. My best friend came over that night to just watch TV with me. So between that, and my sister going above and beyond, shlepping me around, and the calls, I didn’t feel alone, like I thought I might, prior to the surgery, considering my dicey family situation and other concerns detailed in my first post. So, that continued through the weekend. Each morning, I awoke and noticed that I physically felt better and better. I didn’t necessarily sleep so great at night, perhaps as a result of the hectic night at the hospital the day or two before, and had a dosing schedule with the pain pills, so if I woke up, just took the appropriate one.
On Saturday morning, I took the Norco, Ibuprofen and Iron pills all at once, but with a bowl of cream of wheat with strawberries; I figured it was light enough, as I had had a couple of meals of light solid food like noodles or toast since leaving the hospital the day before, so figured I was ok. Well–I got sick a few hours later. So, I took another look at the drug side effects and dosing info, and found that they *all* had similar warnings of drowsiness/nausea/vomiting and stomach upset–grrreat. So I resolved to just stagger the pills a bit, and that seemed to work. To be on the safe side, I went back to broth and jello for dinner on Saturday night, though. The Iron pills in particular said to not take it with any food, just with a large glass of water, while the other pain pills recommended taking with food. I learned to take the Iron with food, too, and have still woken up with a but of a sour stomach and have to eat right away with my morning pill dosage. I did get off the “fuzzy” Norco as of Saturday night, though, as my pain was being managed well from the get-go, switching to regular Tylenol as needed, while continuing the Ibuprofen and Iron. It took a few days before the constipation wore off, and I used some Dulcolax that I had in the house, instead of filling that other prescription. I only used it for two nights, and don’t need it now.
My abs were very bruised from the procedure, and have been healing nicely every day. I had tegaderm tapes over the laparoscope punctures on either side of my belly button, and my original dressing over my belly button was changed a few times at the hospital, for extra bleeding. They sent me home with a giant gauze pad and medical tape over that spot. I just kept it on until the first day that I ventured to shower, which wound up being Sunday (day 3 post-op). (I was told I could have showered the next day after surgery, but was tired, didn’t have to be presentable for anyone, and was worried about getting the wounds wet.) They instructed me to “blow dry” my belly button afterward to keep the area as dry as possible to prevent moisture or infection, and to NOT put anything like Neosporin or even dab alcohol on the wounds. Then I could just put fresh gauze and tape over my belly button, which was no longer oozing or bleeding. Yesterday, my left puncture wound got too wet with the gauze under the tape, so I called and they said I could put gauze and tape on that, too. Tomorrow (Thursday) will be 1 week post-op, when I can remove the third and final tegaderm tape on the puncture on the right, and go with band-aids for all three wounds, like I’ve done with the left side since yesterday, until it all heals up. My belly was swollen those first few days, looking scary with all the purple bruise marks, but again, it’s looking less “colorful” each day, only hurts now pretty much if I sneeze or cough, and my belly doesn’t feel or look swollen anymore.
I’ve been spotting all week since the surgery, but haven’t had to use more than a few panty-liners a day. I’m told that my periods may be weird for a few months, as my “uterus is a bit cranky right now,” according to the surgical coordinator. My abs feel a bit crampy now that my period technically should have started today, but is still heavy spotting like earlier this week. So it’s hard to tell, other than the newer cramping sensation to replace the old fuzzy “pain” sensations from post-op, whether I’m actually having a period or not.
My sister came on Sunday to help me get a few groceries, just because I’m instructed not to do any heavy lifting for a few weeks. I drove for the first time post-op yesterday, to run some errands. I had a job interview today, bandages on underneath, and moved around and felt just fine, and concealed! I ran some errands, including getting more groceries, but I dropped them into my apartment at the back door before parking the car, instead of carrying them all at once, which I’d normally do. And, I’ve been so HUNGRY for the past couple of days! I’ve been devouring some combination of filling bread, toast, peanut-butter-and-jelly, turkey sandwiches, and craving protein! For dinner I’m able to have nice lean chicken, vegetables, rice, salad…and today when I came home from my the interview and errands, I had my pannini for lunch and devoured three cupcakes. (I’d normally never do this, but heck, Halloween stuff was in the bakery department at the grocery, and did I mention I’ve been hungry, lately? I treated myself.
) Then, I sacked out on the couch for the day to watch old movies and rest, which I really hadn’t made a focused effort to do since the weekend. My aunt, the nurse, said it’s because I’m getting back to eating a normal diet after the liquid diet the day before the surgery, the non-diet the day of surgery, and that my diet is seeking to get back to normal. Makes sense, I guess. So I’m not really holding back. I’m craving good stuff like protein and vegetables, and candy and cakes, too. I’m indulging on filling up for now, but when I start working out and getting back to yoga in a few weeks, I imagine my diet will regulate back to normal and a bit more restricted. 
The most interesting thing has been: I’ve been on such a “high!” Does anyone else have this experience, post-surgery? I believe Joanna alluded to it above, a few weeks ago, and I wasn’t sure what she meant. All I know was, come Monday, after my recovery weekend, I sat down at the computer and resumed my job search (22 months un- and under-employed). I found myself gaining greater clarity and renewed ambition about what jobs I can and should go for, now that this physical and emotional turmoil of my “year of fibroids” and impending surgery is fast getting behind me! It feels so nice to be healing in such a way that I no longer have to worry about the buggers and alternative methods of taking care of them, as they (the final count was 3, when the surgeon got in there) have been cut out, hopefully never to return. Here’s to “goodbye to the big balls of trouble,” and to me getting on with my life, finally being able to fully focus on what’s important, like getting a job, new health insurance, and hopefully find Mr. Right and have a kid in the next couple of years, so that the uterus-saving surgery I just had can be fully worth it, as well. I need a job in any case; aside from the last lean 22 months, when the bills start coming in, I’m going to need a way to properly get that balance back to “0,” pronto. Anyway, as a friend said to me yesterday, when she called to check on me and was pleased to hear my positive report, “peace of mind is everything.” Maybe it’s that simple.
Thanks SO MUCH to you ladies for your stories, encouragement and support. Sorry this post is, again, so long. I hope my story provides the same, and some information, as well. Best of luck to all, and continue to keep us posted!
October 30, 2010 at 11:25 pm
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for such a detail write up of the pre and post surgery. Hope u r feeling better each n everyday. My surgery is this tues.. Nov 2. Kinda nervous… Please pray for me…
October 31, 2010 at 4:29 am
I am…and I sure will!
The bruises and incisions heal more every day. My friends are shocked that I’m up and around, less than a week and a half after the surgery. Me too, but I’m going with it! I ran around all day getting finishing touches for Halloween today, and bent over my project on the floor for an hour and a half with no problems. I went out with friends tonight with no pain or discomfort, and I hardly needed any ibuprofen today, so the ‘weaning off the drugs’ has been a fairly easy transition, too. Cheers to laparoscopy.
The only time I feel a strain is when I carry too much stuff or groceries, and have to remember the “no heavy lifting” rule more diligently for the next few weeks.
You will do great!! Keep us posted, and feel good!
November 1, 2010 at 9:30 am
Hi Lisa-so fantastic to hear how well it’s all gone. You sound like a different person-so positive and happy.
The fear of things is always so much worse than the reality.
Good luck with your job search. I can see things happening quickly for you now because you’re not anxious anymore. You sound really excited and ready for new adventures!
I completely forget I had an opp now. Friends I’ve not seen for a while ask me how I am and it takes a few moments for me to remember that I had this huge event happen 10 weeks ago!
Just another observation-I don’t feel the cold in the same way and I never get what I thought was normal indigestion!
I am so happy with the results. It is like a different life now. My stomach is really flat-flatter than I thought normal. (despite eating like a pig as usual)I don’t remember it being so slim. My back never aches at all!
sorry for overuse of exclamation marks. But these symptoms were things that I never associated with anything out of the normal.They certainly weren’t symptoms I told the doctor. It makes me wonder how long these Fibroids had effected my health. I did have the Mirena coil inserted during the opp-so clearly addressing my hormone balance has done wonders.Apparently you can concieve without difficulty a month after removal because the hormones don’t play around with the whole system. They are just produced locally into the womb. it will help stop everything growing back. Good luck Michiko-you’ll be as happy as Lisa and I in 48 hours. It’s normal to be nervous-but just try to focus on the fact that these horrible things won’t be interfering with your life for much longer!
Lot of love,
Joanna
November 8, 2010 at 6:20 pm
It has been really helpful reading everyone’s experiences. I had a laparoscopic myomectomy on October 28, today is my 11th day of recovery.
I too was extremely nervous for the operation, I had never had on or ever stayed in a hospital. Although its scary, don’t spend your time worrying about that, your procedure will go fine.
I underestimated how limited my movements would be after the procedure. I was unable to get into bed for the first 5 nights, the mattress was too high and leaning back was impossible without using some abdominal muscles. Get your couch set up with lots of pillows and a blanket with a table for water, books, remote control, etc within easy reach.
My main reason for posting is to inquire about the mood swings I have been experiencing. They started around day7 and I find myself crying instead of being excited about resuming my daily activities. Has anyone else experienced this and if so, how long can I expect this to last? I will have to go back to work this week, I am certainly physically ready, but mentally I feel very fragile.
November 9, 2010 at 1:32 am
Hi Emily,
I’m so glad you are up and around. You had your procedure exactly a week after me. However, it almost doesn’t sound like you had a laparoscopic procedure–did you? I am surprised that you are still feeling such a strain in your abs at 11 days post-op, but perhaps other women have had that experience, too. I had discomfort and had to be careful getting in and out of bed (or, rolling, in some cases, as it were, in the beginning!
), for the first several days, then it just…got easier one day when I woke up in the morning. Probably less than a week after. But then again, I don’t have as high a bed as it sounds like you have. In that case…pillows and couch, it is!
The one thing I was going to say is, if you are feeling mentally/emotionally fragile, do NOT go back to work yet. Take a few more days. Not sure about the mood swings; I am pleased that I have had a resurgence of energy and a lighter feeling, since my procedure. I had all of my moody/dark days, as you might be able to find and read above, BEFORE my surgery! Perhaps talk to your doctor or surgical coordinator about this and see what they say is typical, or what they recommend. Not sure of your job situation. (I don’t have one at the moment, so you taking a few extra days may be ok. I mean, life is short, take care of YOU.) But, do you have insurance? Maybe go to a therapist and talk things out before going back to work? Read, journal, meditate…I know we can’t exercise just yet, but breathing and doing the above things may help you get mental clarity, the way that others were recommending to me, prior to the surgery day.
@Joanna: THANK YOU, girl! Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. My belly is no longer purple and bruised, I am up and around, off the meds (except the iron pills for anemia, apparently), driving, running errands, carrying groceries (still may be carrying too heavy, but it’s not like I shop every day or something), and have been doing freelance jobs where I’m sitting a lot, and using my brain. I’m down to one band-aid (of the three)! It’s on the puncture incision on the left, that has taken the longest to heal because it was a deeper cut, I think, and oozed more in the beginning. With the other two, I can dress for the day and go without bandaids and let things continue to heal with air and dryness, which is what my surgical coordinator stresses. It’s all healing nicely, thankfully, and I still dab a bit of alcohol on each site after a shower, just in case.
The only other limitation I’m experiencing, other than the “no lifting heavy stuff,” is the exercise. I tried to bop around last week while “Dancing with the Stars” was on, and got up for a few minutes to move a bit, and felt a tiny pull in my abdomen on the inside. I thought, “ooh, ok, THAT is why they tell you to wait” on “exercise-y” types of things! “I think I’d better sit back down.” So, I did. I don’t like feeling like my shoulders and neck are a bit sore from all of the laying/sitting around, but I try to gently stretch my neck, arms and legs, while not using the abs as I did in yoga. A couple more weeks, and I should be good as new to get back to that!
And I’m still oddly hungry! And my weight is down about 6 lbs. Maybe when the body heals, it needs calories?? Like you, I feel like my tummy is flatter than ever…not that it was ever literally “flat,” as I have some curves, but, it’s certainly flatter than it’s been in a couple of years. This fibroid issue was diagnosed earlier this year, and appeared sometime between last August and this past February. I wonder also if, with any abdominal growth, if there is extra water-weight gain just as a matter of course, the development of which, we don’t notice and it’s gradual, or if there are stress hormones like cortisol, in the belly, and when it’s all removed…it all dissipates? Maybe that’s why I’m looking and feeling smaller/ I went to my high school reunion over the weekend and my slacks were loose and I kept having to hike them up! I hope it continues, but I’ll have to be diligent about not eating everything under the sun, when the hunger pangs subside, probably soon. Maybe my weight is also down because we can’t work out after the surgery for so many weeks? Do we lose muscle weight that soon, for lack of activity?
Best to you, Emily, keep us posted! Thanks again Joanna and Karen! Wonder how our friend Michiko is doing…
November 9, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Thanks Lisa,
I certainly had the laparoscopic procedure, maybe I was unclear, but I am not experiencing much physical pain anymore and have much improved mobility.
I am insured and employed. My employers have been great and I’m sure I could extend my leave, but I think it is a good idea to give it a shot and go back tomorrow. I’m sure I will be able to take off early if I start to get too tired or upset.
So far, today is better than yesterday. It just seems to come in waves and not last very long.
The weeks preceding the surgery were tough, in the beginning, my GYN told me I had to prepare myself because it looked like LMS to her (95% chance in her opinion). So, I was just trying to make it to the surgery and get through it hoping there wouldn’t be a cancer diagnosis with a full Hysterectomy. Fortunately, my surgeon wasn’t as convinced as my GYN and was able to ease my fears a bit. Also, fortunately, it turned out to be benign.
Maybe I’m just emotionally exhausted, I know I’ll bounce back.
Thanks!
Emily
November 13, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Hi Lisa and ladies,
Sorry for the late report back.. my PC has been acting up the last few days
My AM was on Nov 2nd, 8:30am. The whole procedure last around 2.45 hours. It took longer than expected as 15 fibroids were being removed instead of 8 from ultrasound. The 3 largest ones were the size of grapfruits! My waistline has reduce 1 inch surgery and hopefully it will continue to shrink
Day 1 after surgery was kinda blurred. All I remembered I was super tired and sleepy. My blood pressure was low 85/57 and hemoglobin dropped from 144 to 72. I almost had blood transfusion.
Day 2 was not much better. I kep vomitting and Grovol and some other medications did not help stopped the vomit and nausea. Then the nursse removed the morphine pump and the vomit magically stopped
I was so glad to be discharged from the hospital on Day 3. I have never felt so weak before. Every step I walked and every word I spoke took a lot of effort and energy.
Today is Day 11 post surgery and I feel a lot better! I was able to walk around in the house and appetite is back. I have lost 6 pounds so far and hopefully more as the healing continue.
There are a few things that bother me…
1. Every now and then my stomach feels funny. It feels like something is pressing on it. Also sometime is hurts a lot, a sharp pain comes from nowhere.
2. Sitting is not comfortable either. I can feel discomfort on my right stomach when sitting down.
Does anyone has the same symptoms?
I am so glad that I have the AM done and I can now concentrate on healing
Michiko
December 14, 2010 at 12:26 pm
I am 2 months post-opt after having a myomectomy with laparoscopic surgery. I am doing okay expect for the severe lower back pain that I am continuing to experience since 2 wks right after my surgery. Has anyone else experienced back pain after surgery? If so, what seems to work for you? At my post-opt appt. the Dr. recommended that I continue to take the Ibuprofen; but I don’t want to continue to take drugs that’s only relieving the pain temporary; so I haven’t been on the medication. Please advise; I appreciate any and all comments!!! Thanks…
December 14, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Hi. I did not have back pain but following surgery I had strange pelvic, abdominal and urination issues that lasted about 2-3 months. At first the surgeon put me on antibiotics and that seemed to help but then those pains came back. So then I took a natural UTI remedy from Whole Foods and that helped. But again it came back and I did the remedy again (along with a lot of cranberry juice) and bottom line is about 2-3 months post surgery (my surgery was March 2010) that pain stopped and I have not had it since. So I guess although our symptom is different, this could be an example of something that is just temporary but lasting a little longer than one would expect.
July 5, 2011 at 4:05 am
Hi Michelle B
How are you doing now? It’s been a while and I’m wondering if your back still hurts.
After my endometrial ablation in ’04I had back pain for a long time! (6mo- a year! I don’t really remember anymore!) After a lot of chiropractic sessions and lots of massages, I moved beyond it… but I’ve always blamed the position I was in during the procedure.
Now, years later I finally had my laparascopic myomectomy on Tuesday and I specifically asked the doctor to allow me to put myself into the stirrups and find a semi-comfortable position before putting me under. The bad thing was, as soon as I came to, I had really bad back pain and a horrible nurse in the recovery room who didn’t recognize my back pain and was just trying to get off her shift. However once I was sent to my room, my boyfriend and the only nurse there (it was supposed to be an outpatient procedure) slowly moved me into a fetal position and I finally had some relief. They ended up giving me morphine and keeping me overnight…. The good thing, is that my back didn’t hurt once they shifted my position. I suspect after the procedure, I was moved to the gurney and not placed in a good position…. If I ever have a similar procedure, I’m going to ask that they place a pillow or two under my knees to prevent this pain.
December 14, 2010 at 1:19 pm
im doing much better still have some discomfort wit my stomach…the only thing thats worrying me now i had my cycle about 17days ago and now im bleeding again…i dnt know wats that about…but i made an appointment to see my gyn doctor… its been 11weeks me being post-op from having c-section myomectomy.
December 14, 2010 at 1:54 pm
This is my 7th week after and I haven’t had any back pain. I also haven’t had a cycle yet. From what the Dr. told me, everyone is different and you really can’t predict how your body will react. I am having digestive problems and was told to keep taking laxatives-not happy about that.
December 14, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Hi Emily,
I had digestive problems for the first several days, but that mainly was because of the painkillers I was on, plus a prescription for Iron, as they found I was apparently anemic. (I did not have a transfusion, but I was off my multi-vitamins for several months prior to surgery, hoping to avoid surgery originally with Chinese Medicine, which did work to a degree but just didn’t shrink the fibroids. But that is another story.)
But if you’re 7 weeks post-op and still having digestive problems, that does sound unusual, but everyone’s different. I had a laparoscopic procedure, and some people posting on here have had a regular invasive abdominal fibroid removal surgery, so if that’s you, your body is taking longer to recover. I’d say just try to eat more fruits and vegetables (if you’re eating anything junky or out of the ordinary that could be affecting your digestion) in your diet. And also, you might try Acidophilus for digestion, instead of a laxative. It works just as well but is an herbal supplement. It’s found in yogurt but I’m a gal who can’t have much dairy anymore, so Acidophlilus supplements, once a day as needed, helps me get things moving, again! You could try it.
December 14, 2010 at 4:27 pm
Hi Emily,
I was frustrated with digestive problems for about 7 to 8 weeks after my opp. It turned out that the fibre i had needed at the beginning to wake up my bowel; actually began to irritate it instead. So paradoxically I cured the bloat etc.. by re introducing white bread ,rice etc.. and taking it easy on the fruit and veg. i stopped taking bran altogether. This worked immediately for me-my cousin is a consultant and advised me of this as it is apparently very common.
As for periods, I had the mirena coil fitted so that alters things alot, but I’m having 2 tiny periods a month at the moment! (almost 4 mths post opp) But apparently the womb is still healing. I had quite alot done so I guess the womb would take time to repair.
I hope that helps!
Joanna
December 14, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Hi Joanna,
That is very interesting. As it is, I follow a GF diet as wheat products tend to bind me up. Before the surgery I was taking a lot of fiber and actually just started taking it frequently. I avoided it early on because any time I get gas pains (especially the 1st month after) the pain was excruciating and I didn’t want to tempt fate by taking too much fiber. I still get some sharp pain, when I really have to urinate or have gas. I’m getting about 5-6 servings of fruit/veggies per day, not as much as I usually do, do you think I should cut back even more and get more rice?
I have been relying on the laxatives because they are the ONLY thing that helps. I am usually 100% committed to taking the natural route, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do! I see a nutritionist and am very familiar with all the natural remedies.
Yes, it was a laparoscopic procedure and I was also prescribed iron, but won’t take it because of the side effects and haven’t taken pain meds in over a month. I had a 14cm x 12 cm x 2 cm intramural fibroid so I think like you said, its just going to take a while for things to completely heal.
Thanks!
Emily
December 14, 2010 at 2:36 pm
HI. I have asked this before but not gotten any responses. I had uterine fibroid laprascopic procedure in March 2010 for a 10cm fibroid. Five months later, in August 2010 I had ultrasound which showed 2 small (1-2) cm were in my uterus. The doctor said new fibroids had grown back but I wonder if maybe he didn’t get it all out in the surgery. In any case, it seems to be a failed surgery as far as I’m concerned because my periods remain extremely painful and difficult with very heavy bleeding. The only differences is that the periods now last 8 days, whereas before surgery I would bleed for as long as three weeks (although the last 10 days of that would be spotting only). I also no longer have urinary urgency so there was some positive–but the main things I wanted was to relieve the difficult periods and create the possibility of conceiving a child easier (I am 43 with no kids), and it seems my results did not help me achieve these results. Has anyone else had anything similar?
December 14, 2010 at 5:22 pm
I am sorry to hear that. My surgeon said he left 2 tiny ones that would of taken a very long time to get out. If I end up conceiving, he said they will come out with that. Are your doctors offering any other solutions?
Emily
December 14, 2010 at 7:54 pm
I think it’s worth a try. When my cousin suggested it I was seriously doubtful because it was the opposite advice of the nurses!!-but she is a consultant and deals with this frequently-specialises in stomach area. I don’t know the medical term! I was convinced all this fibre was good for me precisely because it feels good temporarily-it actually helped alot in the beginning and still did in the short term but I didn’t realise it was having a rebound effect. After talking to her I reintroduced white bread and pasta, I cut out brown bread, wholewheat pasta, cereal and ate less peas, potato carrots etc..(the more fibrous veg)
nothing drastic. But I think it worked because it was more gentle and natural after 7 weeks of trying to re activate a shocked bowel!
But I would ask the doctor again if this opposite approach doesn’t help. Incidentally it’s a horrible pain also because of the wounds inside. We only see the outside. i felt the bloat pull on my incisions and it stopped me walking far. and the bladder feels sensitive after all that cutting and stitching nearby. I felt like I would never return to normal digestion but after 9 weeks I couldn’t believe the difference-all discomfort gone