Scared about more surgery

[orangeflutie]

I've just been to the hospital today for a follow up appointment, as in October I had an ultrasound and a 6cm ovarian cyst was discovered.

I had one removed in April this year privately and was told it would be advisable for me to have an ultrasound six months on to check for any more.

Anyway I spoke to the gynaecologist today and she has said that it is the same cyst that was removed in April and that it has reformed. She has said I will need surgery. I was expecting this but not for her to tell me it might not just be a laproscopy but could be a laprotomy (a much bigger incision), and also my left ovary may have to be removed.

Right now I feel really upset and I think I'm going to take a while to come to terms with this news. Luckily I've had my DC, but I still feel quite shocked. She also did an internal exam which I'm fairly used to by now but I think she could've been a bit more gentle. It hurt and now I'm not sure I want her doing this surgery.

The trouble is I probably don't have much choice as it will be on the NHS.

Please help I feel really shaky:( I'm currently on ADs and was feeling much more optimistic about things and this has really set me back.

Anyone? I've also got about eighteen weeks or more to dwell on this:(

Bump

I don't understand why the oophrectomy can't be done laparascopically. Ovaries are pretty small.
I imagine if you asked nicely and pointed out the recovery time will be less your consultant would consider it.
I know it is possible, my niece had hers done that way at the age of 17.
Good luck.

Kreecher I'm not exactly sure why the cyst can't be removed laparoscopically either. I had a lap earlier this year. I had a lovely gynae whom I trusted to do a good job. Unfortunately he doesn't work for the NHS. I've had to go to the NHS this time as I no longer have BUPA.

I saw a new gynaecologist yesterday at my local NHS hospital. She had no bedside manner and has basically said that as it is the same cyst that has reformed, she might not be able to get it out laparoscopically. I would have to consent to a possible laparotomy so wouldn't know until I'd woken up which op had been done. This worries me greatly. I have three DDs and no family nearby so would need to have things in place so that I have time to recover.

I also have a feeling she might not even give keyhole a try. Due to how I felt about her when I left hospital yesterday, I think I will have to get a second opinion.

Can I refer you to another post that I left for a different mumsnetter:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1100419-Anyone-else-agree-with-me-that-bleeding-every-damn-day-for-3-1-2-years-is-a-problem

I don't know if any of the things that I say will help you but I have had several gyne operations that are very similar to you.

Your last internal examination may have been more painful due to where the cyst is lying-it could maybe be pressing on a nerve or in a more prominant position-there are many reasons that this examination may be more painful than the last so please don't worry about that.

There are also many reasons why your op might not be best as a laparoscomy.The surgeon may need access to remove the cyst whole ( is it bigger than your previous cyst?)and clean the area properly and this would not be possible via keyhole.

Please ask for ask for a second opinion-they may be able to expain your situation more clearly to you and advise you as to why it's best that you don't have the operation with keyhole surgery.

I don't know if any of this has helped but please ask me any direct questions that you have and I will try to answer all that I can.It's a worrying time for you and of course you will be concerned.

I wish you the very best of luck Orange. :)

Minnerva thank you very much for your reply.

I've just read the other thread. I remember it because I commented on it. This was before Wednesday. I've known about my cyst since October but was really not expecting the gynaecologist to talk about such major surgery. I think I got myself in a state on Wednesday because it was unexpected. I had thought she would just say 'Oh we'll book you in for another laparoscopy' which I was prepared for and could deal with.

I've been doing a lot of thinking over the last few days. Unfortunately my sleep is really suffering:( because of it. I obviously do need to have the cyst removed. I'm seeing my doctor on Monday and will see if she can refer me to someone else. I would so like this operation done by someone I feel I can trust to look after me. The gynaecologist I saw privately in April was brilliant. He just made me feel safe. The difference between the two of them is very noticeable and I either need to see someone else on the NHS or see if there is any way I can sort out something with BUPA. I'm kind of hoping there is because then I can have the operation on a convenient date and be fully prepared for it.

Sorry about the long post. Thanks again:)

I am sorry to hear that your suffering during the night-are you in a lot of pain and if so have you been prescribed painkillers?Or are the sleepness nights because you are worried about an operation.

I am on shedloads of pills-I have gone from avoiding even basic paracetemol to swallowing precription painkillers like they were sweets. Hope that I don't suffer too much with withdrawal but it can't be helped-I need these tablets just to alleviate the pain enough so that i can sleep.

I hope that you will be comforted by your doctor on Monday and that a second opinion can be sought-it is your right as a patient so I'm sure there won't be a problem.

No I'm not in any pain at all which makes it difficult to believe I have anything wrong with me. I suffer with back pain but I don't think this is connected. I hurt my back two years ago and it hasn't been quite right since.

It's worry keeping me awake I think.

Sorry to hear you're in so much pain:( What painkillers are you taking?

My painkillers were upped last Friday and now are:
Tramadol (up to 6 a day)
Solpadol(8 a day)
and huge bloody pink pills,I can't remember their name -like horse tablets! (3 a day)

My pain started with back pain.Originally I thought I had been gardening too furiously but as the weeks went on I began to think I had hurt my back or that the back pain I experienced during and after my last pregnany had returned.It turned out that as the cyst grew and space became more limited it started to press on my bowel and a nerve and this reflected itself as pain in my lower left back.These bloody buggers are quite tenacious!!

Try not to worry too much.I know that you probably will but honestly it's not so bad.I am dreading the operation on Monday but that's mainly because of the timing (so near to christmas)and the other horrible posibilities that could occur and yes, it does put you out of action for a while.

Having any operation is scary especially if you have not been under a general anaesthetic before-I am presuming that is your situation?.I know I was really scared.But as I said before these little buggers can be a bloody nightmare so best get it sorted and get on with your life.

I will send you lots of good thoughts on Monday morning as I drift into my anaesthetic induced sleep...................

Merry Christmas Orange!

I had a 9.5 cm dermoid (i.e. solid) cyst and ovary removed when I was 23. They told me it would definitely be a laparotomy, but when I woke up they had done it by laparoscopy. In my case, I think they just hadn't wanted to even suggest that keyhole might be possible. It was the same deal you're being offered -- consent to laparotomy but only find out what happened when you wake up. I think that's a pretty normal scenario.

I agree that what you need is absolute trust that the person doing the op will do the best thing for you, but from what you've said she has said she will try to do it by laparoscopy. Lack of bedside manner is not great but why do you think she won't even try to do it like that? You sound so nervous , and as if you are partly in shock at the idea that thsi might not be possible by keyhole. I do think most surgeons are very keen to avoid the longer stay and bed time that bigger ops require unless it's the only way, and getting consent for the laparotomy is just what they have to do. It sounds like your worries are all magnified by the 'what if' aspect of this. Do you have good back up for your DCs?

Hello again

Minnerva Poor you having to take all those tablets. I remember when I had my op in April I took co-dydramol afterwards as it was the only drug that properly controlled the pain. The trouble was it caused other problems... so then I had to take industrial quantities of movicol (joy!) I did have a GA for this op and I was initially very frightened about it but actually it wasn't that bad. It was more the managing things afterwards for me. It was a relatively minor operation aswell which is why I'm worried about having a major one.

Hope everthing goes well for you on Monday. Try not to worry too much. I hope you have a lovely Christmas:)

WintervalPansy your cyst was quite a big one. I feel better for reading that they removed yours by laparoscopy. Mine is 6cm and I'm not sure if it's solid. I may ask my doctor on Monday if I could have my cyst monitored for a while, rather than rushing into surgery. I've been reading a lot about cysts and often they do have to be removed but as mine isn't causing me any pain I'm happy to leave it for a bit.

I don't have trust in the gynaecologist I saw on Wednesday sadly, so will see if I can see someone else. Also I will find it difficult to get enough help after surgery with the DDs so need time to work things out.

Hi Orangeflutie,

Yes, it was big. I think whether they can do it laparoscopically is very much a matter of what they find on the day. They told me that things like your weight also make a difference (i.e., to put it crudely, it affects how well they can manoeuvre through keyhole). Hence them not liking to make promises. My op was also quite long, and I wonder if it would have been quicker to do it as a laparotomy -- obviously they might have various reasons for thinking you shouldn't be under for too long etc. etc. I imagine the decision is quite complex and can only be made once they've investigated.

Mine wasn't causing me any pain, but when I said this to a nurse she seemed to think I was in denial . If it was solid you'd probably know about it and have had to have it removed already, because they can't know for sure that they're benign without getting them out. I did lose the ovary, but that makes no difference to periods etc.

Do talk to your GP, and tell her about your childcare worries. That's a concern for lots of women and I think GPs are pretty sensitive to it. Stressing about that doesn't help you go into it in the best possible state, and you need provision in place for every scenario. Good luck .

Thank you:)

Just got to get through this weekend and then I can see my doctor, unless of course there's a load more snow!

It's a scary time, I remember it well. Keep posting -- I think I didn't talk about it enough at the time, because it's hard when you don't want to make other people worry .

Well I was supposed to see my doctor today but didn't go in the end because my DD3 has a temperature and felt sick this morning. I was worried about her being sick at the doctor's surgery so cancelled my appointment.

I ended up having a phone call from my doctor instead. This was OK and she thinks there are no problems with my gynaecologist's surgical skills. The problem was I had so much to tell her about my feelings/mood in general. She explained what would happen with the surgery and tried to reassure me but I forgot to ask about being referred to someone else. She's left for today now so will have to speak to her again tomorrow. Meanwhile I'm not coping very well. I had another bad night last night and feel tired, shaky and tearful today.

She's suggested upping my ADs which I will do but really I just long for a RL cuddle and a good cry. I just want to feel better sooner and my DH still isn't home from Dallas. He's been away for nearly three weeks, so it's just me and my DDs and I feel very alone:(

That's crap, that you are dealing with this alone OF. No wonder you're so stressed out. I think it's probably a good thing that you told your GP more about your feelings and mood, because the decisions they make need to be about you as a whole person and not just as a set of body parts. I really think this will all be fine, but I know why it's upsetting. Do you not have any friends you can call on? It sounds like you're under a lot of pressure to 'keep it together' when you really need to talk .

WintervalPansy thank you.

I have spoken to my sister today on the phone and talked with a couple of friends up at the DDs school.

The problem is now the children have broken up everyone is busy getting ready for Christmas. Also most of my friends live over the other side of town and because of the snow it's difficult to get to me and vice versa.

I think everything is overwhelming me at the moment and bothering me more because I'm not sleeping properly. Tonight I'm going to up my dose of AD and see if it makes any difference.

DH's flight got cancelled yesterday. He was supposed to be home today but should now be home tomorrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

.

Glad you spoke to your sis and that DH is heading back .

The sleep thing is probably really important. Do you have any good routines for trying to relax or clear your mind before sleeping? Lots of them work quite well. The main aim is to shut out the worries by making your mind work on something else it's almost a kind of self-hypnosis. One technique is to imagine a place you were very happy in every single detail, e.g. it's a house thinking about what's on the walls, the floor, little things. Or you could use somewhere you went on holiday, or any happy memory. Others will have better tips on sleep you could maybe start another thread? I think you'd get lots of answers. Take care of yourself.

Hi I'm feeling calmer and a little happier today. Knowing that DH is on his way back helps. My period has also started which usually means I feel less anxious as my anxiety becomes a lot worse just before.

I wrote a letter to my doctor last night asking to be referred to someone else for a second opinion. However I'm getting my head around the surgery now and I'm beginning to wish it could happen sooner, so this is definitely an improvement:)

Thankyou for your sleep tip I'll give it a try:)

Nice to hear you happier, OF. I also get very anxious and weepy before my period -- my pooer DP is on the other side of the world and I cried down the phone at him the other day over nothing.

Letter to doc was a good idea. I must say that, however scary the surgery is, it's so good to get it over and done with. You sound like you're doing really well in a difficult situation.

Enjoy getting your DH back! [smile}

Of course I meant 'poor' DP, not 'pooer DP'! Though doubtless he does poo...

!

DH came back yesterday at half past two in the afternoon. DDs and me really pleased to see him:) I'm going to focus on Christmas now and try not to think about anything else for a bit.

Minnerva how are you today? Are you out of hospital? I hope everything went well.

This sounds good OF. Hope you have a lovely Christmas .

And yes, hope you are OK too Minnerva.