Recovery continues: 18 days after abdominal myomectomy

Have you ever experience something with your body and just cant figure out the cause? Tired of visiting the doctor with every little issue your have?
That is how I feel today. Last night was terrible. I had low back ache and even worse cramps in my left thigh. Normally I can pinpoint at least a cause, but having done a surgery that not only removed fibroid, but endometriosis and ovarian cyst I am bit confused. Even more so, I took my lupron shot 7 days ago and I am not sure if the leg cramps might be a side effect. The back pain  was easily to deal with, once I lie down it gets better, but the leg cramps WOW!!! Very difficult to sleep with and I dont know what you so would love some suggestions. I have tried massaging, alcolado (I know it is an Eastern Caribbean thing that most persons do not know, but it is like rubbing alcohol with a better scent), and I took ponstan forte. I got to sleep after taking the Ponstan but I woke with the pain. I would appreciate any suggestion on what can be used for leg cramps keeping in mind that I am not yet in a position to do stretches.

Help for women with fibroids, endometriosis, PCOS etc.

Whenever you have a situation, be it fibroid, endometriosis, PCOS, ovarian cyst etc you always wonder what is working for people and what can work for you. In fact you find yourself trying a lot of things once people says it work
I remembered the first thing that was dealt with by the doctors was my heavy menses...Ponstan Forte. Did it work? Well it reduce the clotting, the pain and even the length of my period and i was glad for that. Recently, someone commented on my blog page about Fibrovan. I dont know much about it but i am sure it is something you can asked your gynae about.

What else did I try? I went to see a herbal doctor and tried some Chinese medicine for about 3 months. It was however too short a period to say if it works. From what I read though, herbal medicine works very slowly and over a long time and they are effective in shrinking small fibroids. I had a fibroid that was 8cm and would have considered to be too big. Here is an interesting article, which speak to fibroid and endometriosis: https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Treatment+of+Endometriosis+and+Fibroids+with+Acupuncture

If I did not decided to do the surgery I would have continued on the Chinese medicine for longer.

I also bought a book online that is suppose to assist you with fibroid. Hmm!! It did not help much. I guess to avoid being sued the author wrote that you have to follow the information exactly at  it is. The problems with the book is that it is very wordy, some of the information are things I knew from just googling information and finally and most importantly, what you ought to follow is too complex. For me I was more frustrated then than before and it felt like a waste of money. My warning: there are many things on the internet on what to try and what can help and in our quests for answers we have to be careful that we are not being scamed.

REQUEST: I am asking persons to respond to this blog by stating what they have been trying for their fibroid, endometriosis, heavy menses, ovarian cysts, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome etc. Please write what the doctors advise you to try and say if it has help in anyway. Your comments will go a long way in supporting other women.

Recovery: Includes Pictures before and after surgery

Before the surgery: Fibroid size of a 5months pregnancy

After the surgery

I choose for this blog to put up a few pics of my before and after situation. Words says a lot, but so does pictures and I am hoping that you can get a clear idea of what fibroid does. Carrying around the stomach was not difficult, although sometimes I found myself sitting like a pregnant lady and there came a point that I had to asked my husband to buckle my shoe because the tummy was in the way. That's the fibroid that was however responsible for my heavy period, my frequent urination, my backache and possibly my pelvic pain. Finding out after the surgery that I also had endometriosis and ovarian cyst made it difficult to determine if the pelvic pain and some other symptoms were from the fibroid.
Today, I can say I am glad I have the surgery done. But I did not take the decision lightly and it should not be taken lightly. I waited 3 years before doing the surgery. Today I am 16 days post surgery. How am I feeling?
I am going to get my CBC checked soon...I am not as fatigue or weak so I think my blood count is normal again, so going to verify that.
There is little burning at the cut
My main problem back pain. My pain killers are finished and so I figure its time to try and go without them but I am considering getting some. If I stand to quickly my knees buckle in pain in my back. I have to rise slowly and slowly straighten myself before I begin to walk. I can however walk for a little longer than usual though slow pace.

How is recovery? Slow!!! Another reason why I would advise you not to take the surgery lightly. If you are as independent like me, it is not going to be easy. Sometimes I cried having to call my husband for what I believe is too many things. There are times I wake up and want to sweep/clean the house and cant and between my husband working, hockey, cooking, washing...it is hard for him and hard for me watching him and knowing that I cant help.
Now I am on lupron and sleeping is not as easy as before :( I stay so long to fall asleep, get some hot flashes now and then and sleeping on my back is so difficult so sometimes I switch from side to side and that is not easy either. So yes, I am glad I had the surgery done, but if you so choose remember that recovery is one day at a time for 6 weeks and sadly not one week at a time.

I want Kids: The support and love of a husband

The first time I was told of my fibroid, I was told that my options were to have a child or surgery. I mentioned in an earlier post the circumstances surrounded that. Of course I wanted children, I believe most ladies do especially those with husbands. However, kids really was not in the equation for me at the time and I didn't know when it would be. Even after i got married I was unsure as to what to do although I tell myself I am going to start right away. I have been hearing all my years in church that it is good to at least have 2 good years with your husband, just enjoying each other. I was also reminded of that by a doctor when I returned to Jamaica and after I was married. She expressed to me the responsibility of a child and how it can ruin your marriage. I knew I at least wanted one child in my life at some point, while my husband number was a bit higher :) But then you are in a position where even though you might not be financially or mentally ready your issues are some what forcing you to, it becomes a very difficult decision. When you are in a position where you can start trying now but you are not succeeding or you are in a position like me that if you try and get pregnant, you chances of miscarriage is close to a 100%, it is even worse. According to my last doctor when he saw the size of my fibroid, which doctor could have asked you to try with a fibroid of that size? Yet many others express to me how they deliver babies with mothers who had fibroid the same size or bigger...the baby just went on the other side, put the cake in the oven and see how it bake etc etc CONFUSION!!! That is how our minds are sometime and there is where our husbands come in.

I pray and trust here that when you got married it was for the right reasons and it was with the right person. The support of your husband and loved ones, but mainly your spouse is of utmost importance in this situation. I can personally talk about my situation before and after the surgery. I needed him to feel what I feel emotionally and understand me. I needed him to direct me in the decision about surgery. I needed him to assure me that when we are ready for kids, we would have them. I needed him to be stronger than me. Even after the surgery, my husband was there to meet my physical and emotional needs. Getting up was a problem, lying down a problem, lifting things, bathing., walking, cooking...I can write a list of things that you are going to find much harder to do or your are going to be asked to desist from doing after your surgery. If you are not close to your parents and other family members like me, your husband becomes your EVERYTHING.

Many times during my ordeal I was ask how your husband feel? Or statements were made...boy fibroid can prevent you from getting pregnant. Have you ever hear those things, which can make you cry if you are not strong enough because NO ONE seems to understand what you are going through. As innocent as these statements may be, it deposits different negative things in your mind. You might find yourself frustrating your husband with little things you say. Again, the relationship with your spouse is extremely important. If you are a praying woman, you need a husband who understands the reasons behind your prayers and would join you. My husband is all that and more. I can COMMUNICATE with him about EVERYTHING and I hide NOTHING. I believe that is a principle we all should utilize. Don't carry this burden alone. Don't keep what you are feeling away from him. Question him about his feelings and thoughts. TALK TO EACH OTHER!!! The outside world can never give you the love and support that your husband can. If you do not do these things, you will get frustrated when he looks another couple with their kids or you may take a simple friendship with his lady friend to mean something more than it is because you are now putting yourself in a vacuum where you are the unattractive, non reproductive/unfruitful, fill with sickness woman that you have established in your minds. While dealing with your issues, live your life, but most of all enjoy it. It helps to reduce the STRESS that is detrimental to our health and only help to intensify our situations.

Accept the help and love of your husbands. Cherish him, thank him and praise him. Don't do it in your minds or with gifts but rather with words. Don't ever start looking at your age and giving up. Look at Sarah in the bible...90 and was pregnant with her first child. The doctors would say what their scientific knowledge give to them, people would say what they feel and think and then GOD will remind you of what he says. Be optimistic and refrain from negative thinking and listening to negative sources. I delight myself in the will of the Lord knowing that I am going to get my children when I am ready. Ill be sure to do a post telling all my followers about it and you will rejoice with me. Are you going to have your children when you are ready?

What are you eating?

When i found out I had fibroid, I went on a reading rampage. As a researcher, I took pleasure in finding out all I can about fibroid and reading many different blogs. One of the many things that interest me was diet- what am I eating? I remembered i came to Jamaica in 2005 for undergraduate studies with my flat tummy, no more of my mom pot food. What changed? My diet changed tremendously. This is in no way stating a cause for uterus problems but simply a factor that may contribute to it. Learn from my experience.

As a student cooking is not at the top of your list, at least not in between classes. Weekends might be the only time you cook  up yourself something. Another thing is around exam time you find yourself eating a lot of junk because you get hungry quickly all in the night. I fill myself up with a lot of Jamaican patti and coco bread, KFC, ice cream, caffeine, sodas, FRENCH FRIES etc etc. Some persons might not be students, but WATCH WHAT YOU ARE EATING FOR A MOMENT. Drinking alcohol regular, smoking, hate vegetables, not a big fan of water but Pepsi and coco cola and other sodas is it...am I talking to you? You eat out. How much of these food are organic? These days some of the the chicken contain  so much hormones. I often wonder how the young girls in today's generation mature so fast. I asked myself could it be what we eat? Pork and red meat sweet, but again you will read that they all contribute to our issues. It is not for me to say STOP eating this or that, but I will advise that you eat whatever in moderation and if you are desperate for health then eventually you will cut it all out.

It wasn't easy for me. Today I get through drinking 8 glasses of water and might keep it up for 3 days, but then I am back to my old self, no water for sometime days but I pack up on sodas. I started by giving up the things that I felt were easier...namely some snacks, caffiene, beef. I was able to give those up totally without feeling much of a desire for them. Then I minimize the sodas, slowly replace it with juice and then with cranberry water and then water. I love any vegetables from as far as I can remember so it was easy eating those, but the CHICKEN...woosh. Not an easy one. I started to cut down on the amount of pieces on my plate and how often I had it in a week. Then I moved towards just the gravy, which is where I am at now. I can tell you though from the beginning of this year I have been meat free and soya products free, I only have fish...I drink almond milk, soda free, caffeine free and many more. I am not where I want to be but I am well on my way to a healthier life style. The exercise is off and on but i intend to maintain it.

At the end of reading this, you should know these things. What you eat is extremely important, but changing your diet is not easy. It is a battle between what taste good and what is good. You would need to strengthen your minds by reflecting on your situation and your goal and your dreams. You will also need to seek comfort and encouragement in reading other persons blog, knowing that they are trying as hard to. What work for me also is thinking of famous singers and models whose main goal for working out and eat right is their job. They are NOT SICK, have NO HEALTH ISSUES. Yet they stick with it. Yes they have professionals to assist but at the end of the day, they themselves must WILL it. The professionals just aid. Have a blessed day.

Paying Attention to your body

I am 13days or so post surgery. Yesterday I took my first lucrin (popularly called lupron) shot to prevent the endometrioisis from coming back. Apparently this injection puts your body in a menopausal state and so you experience hot flashes etc. So far i am good, no hot flashes, but its just one day passed. Ill keep you updated. Today, I dont feel as fatigue, but i have been having some back pain on my lower left side that is especially excruciating if i stand to quickly. Generally though, it is a good day.

While going through my ordeal, I remembered that different doctors asked me different questions. Many of them wanted to develop a medical history of me. I remembered being unable to remember certain things and could simply say I was not sure. What was interesting though is when they asked about my heavy menses? My response was for years I had at least two heavy days but I thought it was normal. It is important that we pay attention to our bodies. More importantly, it is important we take nothing for granted. Many persons have been recognizing  changes with their body, but PRETEND they are not there and go on living with a condition that what be corrected easier if its deal with early and the reason why? Scared!!!  It is OK to be scared but it doesn't make the issue go away.

In today's world, majority of ladies like myself focused on their education and career. It means that having children early was not an option, but that doesn't mean you do not want and when you are mentally and financially ready, you really don't want to have complications. In addition, you don't want to be forced into having children. So what do we have to do? PAY ATTENTION TO OUR BODIES. Things to look out for:

• Extremely heavy and painful menses so much so that you are on prescription medications or you find yourself increasing the strength of the medication
• Clots in your menses
• Mid cycle pain- this happens around your ovulation. It feels as if you having cramps. It can be normal but the intensity might means something
• Higher than normal tummy 
• Pelvic pain or pressure
• Pain radiating down any leg
• Period lasting longer than normal. Some persons period go passed 5 days up to all 13 days
• Irregular periods. You have your period this month and then its gone, you don't know when again. This might be a wonderful experience, all of us needs a break sometime, but that can never be normal.

This list is not exhausted and does not in anyway replaces what the doctors would say. If however you are paying attention to your body when you visit the doctor, there are many things you can tell them you are noticing. 

I had an abdominal myomectomy

Just about two weeks ago, I had a myomectomy. If you are keeping up with my blog you would gain a greater understanding of my story up to this point. I remembered being brought back to my bed following the surgery, cant explain how they get me on the bed, but it was smooth. I was glad to see my husband and his mom there. The surgery was over and I was alive. I was so high on morphine, I wasn't feeling pain but I was stiff and could hardly move my body from my abs down.

Each day I had to take at least two injections. I got them on my thigh, butt and hands. I had in IV for the duration of my stay. I lost all pride. My body belong to the nurses and doctors. I had vaginal bleeding which continue for up to 10 days and for my time in the hospital there were nurses who asked to see the pad I was wearing so they can analyse the amount and know I am not bleeding more than I should be. I forgot how to be embarrassed. When it was for time for my first bath, I could not get up without the help of the nurse. While I sit wiping my skin, I could not reach my feet, my bottom and most of all a very important organ that must be washed :) You know who had to help me there lol I lost all shame. The nurses were very nice and helpful. By day 2 after the surgery, they removed the catheter that was in me to assist me urinate after the surgery. Yes I was peeing through a tube into a bag and for the first day I did not even know. There was a slight pressure removing it but not pain. As they allowed me to have my first drink of liquid on day 2 after the surgery, I had to pee in a bed pan so they can measure it also. Again, this surgery can humble anyone fill with pride lol.

On day 2 also the nurse helped me to sit in a chair and to do my first walking. I was a child again, relearning how to walk. It was not easy. I was very fatigue and had to rest immediately afterwards and get on the bed was a drag. The doctors came by to see how I was doing. Two including the main surgeon informed me how my surgery went. He did not do a hysterectomy lol. Thanks to God, but this is what he found that I did not know. The last ultrasound had said I have multiple fibroids. It was WRONG. I only had 2, the same 2 from the beginning, but he also found endometriosis at the back of my womb that extended to one ovary forming a cyst on that ovary and the other ovary also had a cyst. Yes the surgery revealed I had endometriosis, a cyst on each ovary and fibroids. When I prayed for God to reveal all the things wrong with me, he did. The surgeon removed it all. God has been really good. The doctors also revealed that due to my blood loss I was now anemic. My blood count before the surgery was about 13 and it was now 7. They wanted to blood transfuse but I wasn't keen on it so they sent me home with my iron tablets.

I am at day 13 post surgery and the worse pain I have had is GAS PAIN. My goodness it is terrible!!! Apparently its from the Carbon Dioxide they pumped into you so they can see your organs clearer and from then to now it still hurts. I remember one Asian female doctor told me it gets better when I start walking. In her words, she said I should "Walk Till I Fart" I love to laugh so I wanted to badly but again you know what muscles work the most when you do that. Some of the things I found hard to do were laughing (for those who know me you know it was war, every time i give my husband a joke he starts to laugh, I would laugh and moan and he begged me to stop), coughing, getting out of bed and walking upright. They say hold a towel at your belly when you want to cough or laugh but who feels it knows it, it really helps minimally.

Ill keep you updated with my progress as time continues.

Admitted to the Hospital: Experience continue

11 April 2012, I was admitted to the hospital for surgery. Originally, I was booked for May 16 for the surgery, but found another doctor courtesy of one of my lecturers, described as one of the best in the Caribbean (finding that doc by itself is a blog but I believe it was Gods intervention). I remembered when I visited him prior to being admitted, he told me that if i allowed a junior surgeon to do this surgery i might end up with a hysterectomy because of the size of the fibroid. My belly was now the size of a 5 months pregnancy and the last ultrasound stated I had multiple fibroid including the huge 8.2cm one, my ovaries could not be seen and my endometrium lining could not be identified. Was I scared? Of course I was. I went on 3 days juice fast with my husband for the surgery. I had to deal with the fear of anesthesia and the outcome of the surgery. Can you imagine waking up and hearing you can no longer have children because do to complications they had to remove your uterus? Yes I had much to fear but I also had God. During that time of prayer and fast, I claimed my uterus and complete healing and I asked the Lord to be in the room with the surgeon even though he was said to be one of the best. I asked that issues I might have that did not show up on my ultrasound show up then and I asked for a smooth surgery with no complications. Yes I pray night and day with my husband reading as many healing scriptures I can. Different people chose different ways to deal with things, I turned to God and indeed it helped.

While in the hospital, I have persons on the outside who were more scared than I was. Fear left me when it should be there. I listened to the different doctors come by telling me what to expect, the risks etc I signed whatever was to be signed. I was told my surgery was a major surgery for some reasons I had a minor surgery in mind in spite of all I read, maybe that was my own way of getting through.  I looked at all the ladies on my ward, apparently that was the ward for surgery and not just surgery, myomectomy. So many of us were there for that and though we hardly speak I believe we understood each other quite clearly. I started to wonder how can people make it in the hospital without God? He was my hope and as far as I was concerned, the only hope.

I was allowed to eat everything except from midnight before the surgery. I could not eat or drink then. In the night after 12 I was so thirsty, I wanted to take a sip of water. I had to be encouraging myself constantly. I remembered the words of the anesthesist, it would be a lovely sleep and when I wake up it would be over. Not only that, it would appear as if I was sleeping for a few minutes. The morning I took my shower, which I didnt realise would be my last one for a little. I was to put on a gown, just a white surgical gown and nothing else. I was taken to the operating room by bed. I continue to speak to my mind. I didnt think about the cut or me being opened up but rather the restful sleep. I was placed on a bed, guess the operating table while the different nurses getting themselves ready. My pulse rate was slightly up, guess I was anxious because I wasnt scared. The anesthesist came in and begin speaking to me, he was letting me know everything he was doing. I felt the medicine gush through my vein from the needle where the IV was attached. It was a bit painful but not unbearable. I remembered chatting with him but as he said to me early, it was a restful sleep and within what seems a few minutes, I heard my name being called. I looked at the face of a nurse who was blurry, telling me the surgery it was over. I was relieved, although still greatly tired, but then I being feeling some sharp cramps almost like contractions. They were possibly 40 secs apart but terrible. I would screamed every time  I felt it. The nurse asked me what is it and I remembered myself saying cramps. I heard them discussing giving me more morphine on top of what they have. They got the approval needed and within no time the cramps were gone. Telling you about my recovery is another blog by itself and so Ill leave that for tomorrow.

Dealing with fibroids: my first encounter

In 2008, I visited the doctor simply because I was tired of looking at my high tummy. Having had a flat tummy for years i felt that something was wrong. It couldnt be all the junk food i ate while studying. My belly was also stiff, i thought maybe my skin was just firm but i was still bothered. My regular gynae was on vacation so I visited another. He said he didnt feel anything so I should increase my water and fiber intake. I bought up some fiber the same day and changed up things, but i was still uneasy. In a week's time my main gynae returned and i was able to convince her to send me for an ultrasound having had ovarian cyst before. I returned to her office to ind out that i had a 5 cm fibroid and a little one. She also pointed out to me with little explanation on what fibroids are that my options were pregnancy or surgery and I was to return in 3 months time to tell her my decision. Imagine my confusion and shock and all the other feelings I could not explained. Pregnancy, a christian without a husband? Surgery, in all my life that never sound like something good. I was depressed.

I returned to Jamaica for further studies and sought different opinions. They were pretty much the same thing, except the pregnancy was now at the top of the list. I knew a lot now about fibroids having read extensively but was still scared. I figure then I'll just wait till I got marry and start for kids right away. However, in 3 years, the fibroid has grown a cm a year and was now 8.2 cm in size. Almost every day, I had to answer the question are you pregnant. The fibroid distorted my endometrium, my first 2 days of period were so heavy and clotted I was changing pads at least 4 times per day. Sometimes when I visited the bathroom to urinate it would appear as if i was peeing blood, how my period was so heavy. I ws now using the super, long overnight pads, moved from taking paracetamol to ponstan forte prescribed by the doctor for the cramps. It worked, no longer had to coil up on the floor or roll till I find a position that didn't hurt no matter how awkward it was. Moreover, was the bathroom frequency; I was visiting the toilet so often especially at nights I wanted to cry. It felt like i was never emptying my bladder fully and as soon as I left the toilet and lie on my bed, within a minute I wanted to go again, no exaggeration. I had a constant lower back pain and a constant discomfort in my pelvic. There were moments of sharp pain that caused me to scream and a pain that radiates down my left leg. I also noticed a discoloration in my left leg. What was just a small spot, had spread on my thigh and I believe that it was only because of my black colour why it was hard to describe. But I had all these symptoms and no straight answers from the doctors. I knew I had to find a doctor who was following my history and the decision for surgery was up to me.