Lifetime of Endometriosis

by Karen
(Ottawa)

I have suffered from endometriosis all my life along with my Mother and sister. I had a partial hysterectomy 11 years ago removing my uterus and cervix while in my thirties. Four years ago the symptoms came back fast and furious. I complained to my family doctor, who didn't think it was a re-occurrence of endometriosis, she sent me to a GI specialist.

After almost two years of seeing the GI specialist I was told I had IBS. A year and a half ago I had to stop working because of the symptoms and I just couldn't function. I started having anxiety attacks in October of 2012 which caused me to leave my job.

My family doctor prescribed cymbalta for the anxiety but did not address my concerned about endometriosis. Not being able to put up with the severe pain I visited the local emergency room at least three times from January to March of 2013. On my first visit to the ER I was told, after undergoing numerous tests and receiving pain medication, that it could be my endometriosis or diverticulitis. I was given a prescription for antibiotics and pain meds and told to come back for a ultrasound the following Monday.

In between getting the ultrasound results and an appointment with my family doctor I was back to the ER. I told the doctor what had been happening and that I had an ultrasound done. I was given meds for the pain while he went to retrieve the results of the ultrasound. He came back in the room a while later and told me I had a endometrial cyst which was the cause of all my symptoms. I was so relieved that someone was finally confirming it wasn't all in my head. He spoke with a gynaecologist and make an appointment for me. He also scheduled another ultrasound beforehand.

After discussing the situation with my gynaecologist it had been decided that a laparoscopy would be performed to remove the ovaries and clean up any endometriosis. I had the surgical at the end of June 2013. The surgery lasted over five hours and my husband was told I had stage 4 endometriosis and my insides were a mess. The gynaecologist had a general surgeon and a urologist assist with the surgery due to the extreme amount if endometriosis over my bowels, bladder, pelvis, etc.

Two days after surgery I was back to the ER because during the surgery two day prior my bowel had been perforated and I was sent by ambulance to the city hospital to undergo a bowel resection to save my life. I spent 10 days in the hospital and it took months to recover. In August 2013, two months after the two surgeries, I started experiencing endometriosis symptoms once again. I was sent for a CT scan and a ultrasound shortly after. During the ultrasound I was asked if I was sure they removed both ovaries. Off course I said yes or I was told it was. It was confirmed by my gyno that I had another cyst and when I asked her to confirm that both ovaries were removed she did.

When I first went into see my gynaecologist she told me the ultrasound showed I had a cyst on my ovary. Shocked I told get my understanding was both had been removed. She referred to the pathology report and said yes they had.

In February 2014 I underwent my third surgery in less then eight months to remove the cyst, clean up the adhesions and repair the terrible scar left from emergency bowel surgery. Now here I am not quite three months after my third surgery within the last year and once again I am in severe pain with it being hard to stand or walk for any length of time. I was sent for another ultrasound this week and once again was asked if I was sure my right ovary was removed!

Having seen the same tech a few times over the past year I was told that there is ovarian tissue remaining and I had another cyst almost twice the size of the last one. Now I'm not sure what step to take next. I just want my life back.