Thursday, July 28, 2011

Can't it just go away?

I have been hesitant to write this particular note because of the sensitivity of the subject. So if you are opposed to reading about female issues , now is the time to exit and go to something new. For all of you that have asked about how I am doing post procedure, here it is. The procedure was horrific in itself but I was feeling much better the next day. My instructions said I could resume normal activities the next day but I took it easy for the next couple of days after that to be on the safe side and because I was so incredibly tired.
     The post procedure instructions also said that I could expect some pinkish discharge for 6 to 10 days and then profuse and watery thereafter for up to two to 3 weeks. Basically they are torching the inside of my uterus so at some point it scabs over and just like with any other burn weeps fluid. I had miniscule amounts of discharge for 5 days, none for the next two and then the profuse watery stuff began. By Monday of this week the color f the discharge was darker . By yesterday I had began to be uncomfortable and was very tired.
     One of the reasons I had this procedure to begin with was the hope that most of my exhaustion was hormonal related and would be fixed.Once my body got over the initial shock of the procedure I did indeed seem to feel better. There was several times last week in fact that I woke up before Eric went to work and made it through the whole day without feeling like I needed a nap. I was much more alert and had more energy than I have had for a long time. So me feeling tired yesterday was an indication that something wasn't quite right. I mentioned to a friend of mine last night at church that I was gonna call the Dr's office and ask some questions.
     I didn't make it that long. When I got home from church I started bleeding heavily and passing huge clots. I called the after hours emergency nurse line to find out if I needed to visit the ER.I was told to stay off my feet and to call back first thing this morning to make an appointment. Staying off of my feet slowed the flow and I was able to sleep well.Once my feet hit the floor this morning though it started all over again. Its pretty scary stuff. The being uncomfortable had become pain and I just in general felt bad.
    So the diagnosis is infection and antibiotics are on board. It may be another two weeks now before I see the end of some kind of fluid draining from my body. I am so frustrated at this point. The day of my procedure I was on day 19 of a period so today is the 34th day of having to wear a pad or a tampon with another couple of weeks before it may be over. I just want it all to go away so I can hopefully return to some kind of normalcy.


Friday, July 15, 2011

That hurt

     Way back in April I saw a gyno/obgyn for some female issues . At that point in time we discussed treatment options and he did a uterine wall biopsy. Now I have had a lot of unpleasant procedures performed on my body but that biopsy was by far the most painful experience I have ever had. Its kinda like a labor contraction but with a few differences. The intensity is the same but unlike a labor contraction that lasts approximately a minute this lasts as long as there is an invader in the uterus. Also unlike a labor contraction its not one long tightening and then relaxing of the uterus. This is the uterus madly going into spasm after spasm.
     I decided upon a procedure called Novasure , which is simply burning the lining of the uterus. He explained that it was in effect the same procedure as the biopsy with the only difference being the instrument used, the length of the procedure , and the fact that there would be pain meds on board.. He said I could choose to have it in a hospital setting and essentially be knocked out or in an office setting with serious happy medicine on board. Most insurances do not cover the hospital setting because of the length of the procedure and the extra $10,000 for knocking you out. He assured me that the office procedure was the way to go and that it wouldn't hurt like the biopsy. Well, he lied.
      I had 4 prescriptions with me yesterday when I arrived at the office. I had a valium, some vicotin, some 800 mg motrin, and some phenergran. About 30 minutes before the procedure I took the valium, a vicotin, and received an injection of toradol. I was feeling pretty good by the time my legs were put into those dreaded stirrups. As he injects some numbing meds into my cervix (ouch) he assured me that this is the worst part. He lied.
     I did not feel the burning of the lining of my uterus. However just as with the biopsy , my uterus begins the mad spasms that would make anybody curl up in a ball and cry like a baby. This goes on for 3 minutes which feels like 3 hours when you are the one lying on the table paralyzed in pain and squeezing a blue rubber ball. I tried desperately to go to my happy place but to no avail. I did not cry nor did I yell or curse although I wanted too. And then it was over.It was only then that I could find my voice to whisper, " Thank God I had c-sections." Again he assures me that the contractions are different and that I did well and he thinks I would have done excellent with a vaginal birth. No matter, that part of my life is over and I will never find out.
     The ride home is uneventful, just some mild cramping . Upon arriving home the toradol apparently wears off and I am slammed with this horrific pain that does not subside. This time I did curl up in a ball and cry, for 40 minutes. At the end of the 40 minutes I could take another dose of pain meds but it was another 30 or so before the pain was tolerable and I was able to fall into a coma like state and escape my torturous day. \
     It is morning of the next day now and I haven't had pain since that first dose of pain meds yesterday afternoon . I feel fine right now . I have a few restrictions but they aren't too bad.. I can expect some messy drainage for anywhere from 10 days to 3 weeks. I won't know for awhile how successful this was but I am praying that it will be worth what I had to go through yesterday.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Finally

     The day is almost here. Tomorrow I am taking a huge leap of faith that hopefully will change my life. I have waited for this for so long. For almost two years now I have battled a hormonal hell that has wreaked havoc with my every day. For two weeks out of every month I am tormented by extreme exhaustion , wild mood swings, depression, and horrific periods. Its almost over. Tomorrow I am taking my life back. I am having an outpatient procedure that literally burns the lining of my uterus and can potentially fix everything .
     As scary as that sounds, I am willing to do anything to fix my body. This issue has affected almost every other single part of my life and I am sick of it ruling me.In many ways I dread tomorrow and however long it takes me to recover.I am nervous but excited all at the same time. I want to just get this over with and start a brand new chapter.