Endometriosis and thoughts post excision surgery

To fully understand how I was diagnosed with endometriosis, check out my blog post here https://www.sulyslifeinablog.com/post/livingwithendometriosis

In two months, it will be one year since being diagnosed with endometriosis. My heart goes out to the women, that it took years to get a proper diagnosis or have still not received a proper diagnosis. Endometriosis can go unnoticed, since the only way to diagnose is through laparoscopic surgery. unfortunately, diagnosis can happen until infertility presents itself.

The process of being diagnosed is outlined in the first blog post. This post is intended to outline what has happened since April of 2023, which is when I posted the first blog. Since then, I had excision surgery to assess the left fallopian tube and identify other areas of endometriosis for removal.

Surgery

This surgery was planned; therefore, I knew what to expect. There was a 50/50 chance that the doctor could save my other tube. They did not know how damaged it truly was until they actually performed the surgery. This surgery was a robotic assisted compared to the first one which was not. The surgery was scheduled at a hospital in Deer Valley at 11am on June 13th. My husband and parents were there with me through the entire process. I was checked in to pre-operation around 10am. I remember feeling very emotional since the reminder and trauma of the first emergency surgery kept coming to mind. I remember being wheeled into the operating room, going to sleep then woke up a bit disoriented which seemed like a short while later.

Surgery was about two hours long. The first thing I asked when I remembered what had happened was "did they save my tube?". The nurse told me no. At that point, my emotions took over and I started crying uncontrollably. Then, I started shaking, don't know if it was from the medications or extreme anxiety. My entire body felt tense and it would not ease up. Then they gave me medicine to help control the shaking (I don't remember what). A little while later, the shaking went away but the sadness was still present.

I was able to go home that same day after making sure I was okay. I don't remember much else of that day, I was still having the effects of anesthesia and under heavy medication.

Post operation and recovery

I was ordered two weeks of no work and on bed rest until I could slowly walk on my own. My post-operation appointment was on July 6th, so I had to wait a bit to find out the details of the surgery from my doctor. Recovery went fairly well, it was similar to the first one but slightly different. I did have the bloating, gas pains, emotionally, it took me a while to process everything and a few days later I broke down completely.

Fast forward to my post operation appointment. The doctor showed me the pictures of surgery and told me I have stage 3 endometriosis. Stage 4 is the most severe.

I was speechless when I saw the pictures. There were so many black spots, my other fallopian tube was completely enflamed and filled with endometriosis. There was no way to save the other tube.My doctor cut and burned off as much endometriosis as she could including some on my intestine. I do not have any fallopian tubes now and that means I cannot conceive naturally. The only option would be IVF now. The doctor told me that I have to take progesterone birth control for the rest of my life until I decide to go through with IVF. Being on birth control means my cycle stops and the endometriosis cannot progress.

So what is next?

At this time, I am still focusing on recovery. It has been a quick time frame of being diagnosed, to losing two fallopian tubes. This means that my only chance, at this time, at having my own kids will be through IVF. "In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a complex series of procedures used to help with fertility or prevent genetic problems and assist with the conception of a child." (Mayo Clinic, 2023)

Click here to learn more about the procedure:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/in-vitro-fertilization/about/pac-20384716

With that, come tough financial decisions. I am taking one step at a time to understand endometriosis more and the impact on my life.

Many days are a mental health battle more than others. But the important part is that I am alive and well. I highly encourage anybody out there to continue advocating for themselves and taking care of their bodies, mental health and staying safe. There is a plan out there for all of us. I have yet to understand mine, but that is part of being alive.

Be well and stay safe.

-Suly