Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Following Up

I went to see my doctor today for my surgery follow up.  It all went fine, and yet I ended the appointment in tears.  So... you know... good times.

I have been bleeding for the last two weeks, even though they did a  D&C while they were in there so I could skip this period.  Along with the bleeding (not spotting, this is period style bleeding for two straight weeks) I am having cramps and back aches.  I am emotional and I don't feel well.  I was hoping for answers, I was hoping for a way to make it stop.  It at least got the answers.

Apparently the Mirena can make you bleed.  And it can last for.... wait for it.... six months.  SIX MONTHS.  Although, to be fair, my doctor did say that in most women it stops by eight weeks.  So, you know, fingers crossed. 

I don't know how I didn't know this.  I don't actually know how I didn't even expect it.  I ALWAYS bleed on birth control.  It is the reason I have been on basically every pill known to man.  I should have looked in to it, I was just in so much pain and I wanted to do SOMETHING to treat my endo.  This was the only option.  So I just have to trust it will eventually stop and wait it out.  The doctor seems to believe it will get better.  That I will EVENTUALLY feel normal.  I am just so tired of hurting.

I also talked to him a little about the pain I am still having, especially on the side where I had the large cyst.  He says it isn't surprising with all they had to do.  He then dropped in that he did partially remove my ovary and that needs to heal.  Excuse me?  I lost part of my ovary?  Seems like key information.  He also told me he removed a polyp.  Good to know I grow those now too. 

So, all in all it went fine.  Basically he said I am healing, and I will continue to heal.  He hopes this IUD helps treat my endo.  He seems to believe it will.  I want to believe it too.  I just want to feel normal. And that is why I cried.  Because his statement at the end of the appointment was "do you feel better than before the surgery?"  And I said yes... but what I really wanted to say was "Is better the best we can do?  Better than really really bad isn't that hard. Can't I hope for normal?"

I have a new post up at Bloggers For Hope about managing pain with endometriosis, and since it is National Endometriosis Awareness month, we are also doing a give away!  Come by and leave a comment for your chance to win and adorable bracelet!

7 comments:

  1. Oh man, I'm so sorry you're still bleeding, and may continue to do that for a while. That's horrible.

    Um, it definitely would have been nice for the doc to mention that they removed part of your ovary. It's like during my last lap I didn't find out I had a hematoma on my colon (because the surgeon almost nicked it) until my follow up.

    I'm so hoping and praying for you to feel NORMAL very, very soon my friend.
    xoxo

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  2. So many hugs, I wish I could take your pain away. xo

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  3. Hey Sarah, I am a fellow Endo girl, stage 4 as well. I recently had my Mirena removed as it didn't help me and the bleeding was awful..But I also remember the cramps in the beginning are so bad because your uterus has to get used to something in there..I know that it helps many of us sufferers, and I sincerely hope you are one of them! Take it easy!!

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  4. Oh, that's no fun... I hope that you will be able to feel normal pretty soon. (((hugs)))

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  5. oh my gosh, I clutched at my uterus when reading your post. OUCH and ugh!

    sorry, Sarah.

    PS my friend (hysterectomy because of the endo) had to have more surgery yesterday to remove a ginormous cyst!

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  6. Oh sweetie, sorry I missed this!

    I bled heavily for about 5 months solid after I had a Mirena inserted during my first lap. It was hell and I almost had it taken out several times. BUT after that I had 2 years totally symptoms free and then even though I started spotting and getting mild cramps, I never had full on bleeding for the 3 years extra I had prior to TTC. So if you can bear to wait those months out it might be worth it.

    Saying that, I know how hard it can be and it is why I have been so reluctant to have a new one since giving birth. But my periods returned in January and I've had 3 so far, but the last one I was premenstrual for 3 whole weeks and then it started and stopped 3 times before finally coming. And I have been nauseous since December. Every single day. So I think I'm going to have to give in and have another one put in soon. So I may be regretting my "words of wisdom" soon!

    Been thinking of you sweetie, just sorry I haven't been able to comment as much as usual x

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  7. Forgot to say: the Mirena didn't stop Endo regrowth (my second lap was 4 years after my first and I'd had 2 years symptom free, and just under 2 years with mild cramping and spotting and still had stage 3 Endo when they did my second lap!) So the symptoms were far less severe than they would have been without it xx

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