I don't remember how much I've posted about the pain I've been
experiencing, so my apologies if this is duplication. I'm too lazy right
now to go back and look. :) I will say that if you don't want to
hear about woman-ly issues, please stop reading....now. Otherwise, know
that I'm posting this b/c a) I think it's important information to consider if
you are going through a cancer surgery and treatment, and b) b/c I consider
this a living history of my journey, and I want it to be truthful and honest.
History: since I started getting my period, it's been pretty
irregular. Until chemo was complete. Now, you can set a freaking
clock by it. The typical signs and symptoms of a menstrual cycle are
really evident, too. I don't know if that's from the consistency of it,
from the fact that I'm more in-tune with my body, or a little bit of both. And
with what I've been through, I've learned to listen to my body - when something
doesn't feel right, I know to do something about it.
In June, I started having pains when I was ovulating - I usually
feel when that happens (a certain percentage of women feel this happening
- others do not). It feels like a single sharp pain on either side, and
usually goes away after a few minutes. Over the past couple of months,
though, that single pain has been getting progressively longer and
significantly worse. This pain absolutely accompanies ovulation, since I
can still feel the egg popping out. However, the pain that follows is
almost unbearable. It starts out as a mild cramping in my lower pelvis
(like menstrual cramping), then progresses into about a 4-hour cycle of
completely incapacitating pain in the same area (and always on the right side,
and now radiating around to my back), alternating between an ache (topping out
at about a 5-6 on a pain level scale of 1-10) and sharp shooting pains (8 or 9
on the 10-pain scale). It literally takes me down, and I can't do
anything but focus on the pain for hours on end. It's awful. Once
the cycle subsides, it becomes an ache at about a 3-4, and the sharp shooting
pain of about 6-7. It's not much better, but I can function. This
lower-level cycle lasts for about two more days, then starts to back off for
good after about another 2 days. It's physically and mentally exhausting,
and leaves me completely worn out.
Last month, when this happened, I was at work and almost went to
the ER. I was concerned that this might be ovarian cancer. Okay - I
was more than concerned. The symptoms were pretty conclusive. But,
since I had just had my PET scan and bloodwork, and the month before the
gynecologist had performed an external and transvaginal ultrasound, I knew
going to the ER would only subject me to more duplicative tests. I called
my primary care physician and he agreed that the ER probably wasn't a good
place for me to go - they would likely do the same tests, pump me full of drugs
and tell me to go see my doctor. Hmmm. Luckily, Dr. Thompson agreed
that something was wrong, and sent me off for a contrast CT. Ick.
Once that came back clear, I knew it wasn't cancer. So, what the
hell is it?
I went into my gyno this week for a routine annual exam, and
peppered him with questions. Based on what he knows, the tests that were
run, and my history of abdominal surgeries (2 C-Sections, gall bladder surgery,
and colon resection), plus the fact that my body makes an excessive amount of
scar tissue led him to believe that the scar tissue is what's causing me the
issue. Basically, it sounds like the scar tissue may have fused my right
ovary to another organ(s), and when I ovulate, that causes me to be in extreme
pain.
When my gyno did my exam, he could actually feel the scar tissue
from the outside. Holy cow - that explains it! I had discomfort and
pain where I've never had that before in a previous exam, and those all led the
dr to one conclusion.
My gyno agreed that I can't live my life like this (one week out
of each month, I'm completely incapacitated because of this pain, and another
week, b/c of my period), and said that he wants to do a hysterectomy.
Never before have I been so excited to have surgery. He's going to
try to remove my uterus and right ovary via laproscopic surgery, but if that
doesn't work, he'll go in through an incision in my abdomen (where my C-Section
scars are). He's going to bring in a general surgeon as well as my GI dr
to be in the room when he performs the surgery. If the scar tissue has
fused itself to my intestines, they are going to have to take more of my colon.
Good times. And, they won't know just how bad it is until they get
in there, so he's going to go in with all cylinders firing, rather than making
me go through this more than once. I like that.
If he can do the surgery through the four small incisions, the
recovery time is pretty minimal - 2-3 weeks. If he has to go in through
the traditional cut, it will be a bit longer (4-6 weeks). Either way, it
will eliminate the issues I'm having, which I like. I can't keep going
through this pain and suffering. It's to the point that my back
aches ALL THE TIME, and I'm on a constant regimen right now of ibuprofen every
4-6 hours just to stand up straight. This is all consistent with what
I've been going through, and consistent with the signs of built-up
endometriosis/scar tissue. Unfortunately, b/c of this pain, I'm not able
to workout. I can't even stand up for more than 15 or 20 minutes at a
time without collapsing in pain. SO not cool.
Needless to say, they can't do the surgery soon enough. I'll
keep you updated on timing, etc., but at this point, it looks like it's a few
weeks away.
More
surgery. My poor husband should have gotten a return receipt. Hell
- I feel like *I* should have gotten a return receipt. Can you exchange
your body? Probably not. So, instead, I'm going to take this as a
good thing that I listened to my body, and I'm going to continue to eat better,
work out (once I'm physically able to), and remember that this is the only one
I've got. Good lessons, whether you're in pain or not. :)
Comments:
Do
you have adhesions? Or something else? They can be horrible. Anyway, I had a
traditional hysterectomy five years ago. While it took a while to get back on
my feet, I am much better for it. Go to www.hystersisters.org for help and
support with a hysterectomy. Its a great message board. Good luck to you! (and
no more menstrual pain!
September
29, 2011 at 4:59 PM
I
have been having a horrible time with my cycles and a hysterectomy is in the
talks with my Dr. I wish you success.
September
29, 2011 at 11:12 PM
I
understand the need for the surgery. I wish my surgical oncologist had agreed
to a hysterectomy during my last procedure but he did not. Since chemo my
periods have been very irregular. I have always had pain during ovulation. Some
as bad as you describe. If it continues I plan to get my gyn to do a
hysterectomy.
September
30, 2011 at 4:11 PM
keira said...