My TAHBSO Experience

In my previous blog, I talked about the main reason why I decided to have TAHBSO (Total Abdominal Hysterectomy with Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy). You can read it here: Endometriosis and Pelvic Infections and Abscesses: Why I Decided to Have TAHBSO.

In this blog, I will tell you about my TAHBSO experience. 

I was admitted to the hospital on December 18, 2019 because my TAHBSO was scheduled for the very next day, December 19.  Before getting myself admitted to the hospital, I already went through all the needed laboratory tests. I also checked with a heart doctor, and if I remember correctly, I even had lung x-ray. That night, I was given a laxative, and I was told not to eat or drink anything after 12 midnight. 

The very next day, December 19, I was wheeled to the operating room at around 7:30AM. I was given a sleeping pill so that I'd just sleep through the surgery. I thought the surgery was going to end in three hours but I was wrong. There were complications in my surgery that it lasted for SEVEN HOURS. 

When my OB-GYN opened me up for the surgery, she told me that she could not "get through" my intestines because they were all "glued" together.  In fact, she used the term "cemented together". One of the consequences of previous surgeries and endometriosis is pelvic adhesions. In my case, the adhesions were so severe that another doctor who specializes in gastrointestinal surgery had to be called to assist in my surgery. It took the gastro surgeon 4 and a half hours to separate my intestines.

In fact, I woke up in the middle of my surgery because, I think, the effects of the sleeping pill wore off. I could actually feel that my insides were being moved around though I did not feel any pain. I could hear the doctors talking, and I had this urge to get up (I don't know why). There was a hollow feeling in my stomach that I felt I had to vomit. My anesthesiologist put me back to sleep. This is the creepiest experience I ever have in all my surgeries (I have a total of five surgeries in my life so far). During the surgery, my impacted appendix was also removed. 

I was wheeled out of the operating room at around 3:30PM. I stayed in the recovery room for two hours and was sent back to my hospital room at around 6:00PM. 

Days after the surgery, my stomach was still not doing so well. I felt discomfort in my stomach that I vomited a few times a day. My doctor and I thought that these were just normal reactions due to the stress that my intestines went through. My hemoglobin levels were also low that I had to have a hemoglobin transfusion.

I thought I would be discharged in 4 days but I stayed in the hospital until December 25, Christmas Day. I was discharged in the afternoon with a lot of prescribed medicine for my pain and stomach discomfort. 

Since it was December 25, my maternal family had a little get together at my brother's house. I decided to go to the get together since I could already walk around a bit. I thought everything was going to be okay. But I was wrong. My body took a turn for the worst!

More in my next blog. 

REFERENCES:

UNC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. (2021). Pelvic Adhesions (Scar Tissue). UNC School of Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.med.unc.edu/obgyn/migs/our-services/what-kinds-of-problems-do-the-doctors-in-this-group-treat/pelvic-adhesions-scar-tissue/

Endometriosis and Pelvic Infections and Abscesses: Why I Decided to Have TAHBSO

I had my TAHBSO (Total Abdominal Hysterectomy with Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy) last December 2019, and, before my surgery, a few of my friends and colleagues were asking if it was really necessary to undergo TAHBSO. The most common reasons they gave to convince me not to undergo TAHBSO were I was still young and I still had a chance of bearing a child; and TAHBSO has several side effects that will surely cause the deterioration of my health. These are valid reasons but in my case, I reached a "point of no return". It was a point in my life when my Ob-Gyn said that there was no other choice but to have TAHBSO. 

It happened in October 2019, my birth month. I cannot even remember what happened that week.  All I can remember is that I suffered from a high fever on October 25, Friday. I had fever several times before but it was the first time that I felt that there was really something wrong with me. Usually, I would suffer from a fever from too much stress but then, I knew I would just get well the next morning. but the fever that I felt that day was different. 

I went to my Ob-Gyn the following day, October 26, Saturday. I had my CBC and ultrasound in different clinics. Since it was a Saturday, most clinics only have a half-day schedule. I got my results at around 3:00PM and my Ob-Gyn's clinic was already closed. Worse, there was a system interruption with our telecom service, and I could not contact my doctor. I decided to just go home and wait for Monday. 

When I went back to my Ob-Gyn that Monday, October 28, she was shocked to see that my WBC was 16,000 or 16 thousand/mm³. Normal WBC ranges from 4.5 to 10 thousand/mm³. My Ob-Gyn decided to have me admitted to the hospital right away. Unsurprisingly, I did have an infection in my fallopian tube which was already suffering from hematosalpinx. I already talked about my hematosalpinx in my previous blog "Endometriosis and its Complications"

I needed to have dextrose and antibiotics. Other than my Ob-Gyn, I was also co-managed by a doctor who specializes in infections. I stayed in the hospital for 4 days and even celebrated my 40th birthday there. 

And then, the bad news came. My Ob-Gyn said that I could not wait for another year or two to have my TAHBSO. It was a necessity. I had to have it scheduled that year (2019). I had no other option.  My Ob-Gyn explained to me that once pelvic infections occur, it will keep on recurring, getting more severe each time. I knew that having TAHBSO was inevitable but I always thought that it will happen in the future. And at that time, that "future" was "now".

The occurrence of endometriosis progressing into infections and abscesses is rare but it does happen. In fact, endometriosis can result to another condition called Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). You can check the references below to know more about PID. 

Is TAHBSO dangerous? Will it cure endometriosis? What are its side effects? I will answer these and other questions on my next posts. 

References:

Elizur, S., et.al. (2014, February 20). Pelvic inflammatory disease in women with endometriosis is more severe than in those without. Wiley Online Library: Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Retrieved from https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajo.12189

Illinois Department of Public Health. (2020). "Endometrial Cancer" Retrieved from http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/endometrial-cancer

The Institute for Study of Urologic Diseases. (n.d.) Laboratory Testing Normal Values. Retrieved from http://www.imop.gr/en/urotools-normal-values

Endometriosis and its Complications

 In this post, I will discuss the complications that I experienced due to endometriosis.

The first complication that I experienced was difficulty in conceiving. I was ovulating but cysts, scarring, blockage, and adhesion caused by endometriosis made conception very challenging. I discussed this at length in my previous post "Endometriosis: Married with No Kids".

Another complication I experienced was cysts and myomas. I had two previous surgeries to remove the cysts but because of the endometriosis, they kept on recurring. After my second surgery in November 2010, I also started having myomas. The difference between cysts and myomas is that cysts form inside or outside the ovaries and are filled with fluid; while myomas form in tissues around the ovaries (usually the uterus) and are actually composed of muscle cells and dense tissues. In my case, only the cysts caused so much pain and heavy bleeding, but my myomas were "harmless". 

I also experienced bowel problems. I had difficulties with my bowel movement. I had to have yoghurt at least once a day in order for me to move every day.  It was only during my third surgery in 2019 that I and my doctors discovered that I had extreme intestinal adhesions due to endometriosis. 

Around 2012 or 2013, I found out that I also had hematosalpinx after having my bi-annual pelvic ultrasound. Hematosalpinx occurs when menstrual flow gets clogged up in the fallopian tubes instead of completely being excreted by the body. This causes the fallopian tube to inflame. I think the biggest size of my hematosalpinx before medication was 12cm. 

Another complication that I had was adenomyosis, which was only discovered when I had my TAHBSO (Total Abdominal Hysterectomy and Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy) in December 2019.  It never came up in all my pelvic ultrasounds, and I was surprised that it was listed down as one of my conditions in the Surgery Report. I never asked my Ob-Gyn about it after my surgery (I kept on forgetting, honestly).  Adenomyosis occurs when endometrial tissues grow within the uterine walls. Adenomyosis usually remains undetected. 

Other than the major complications I listed above, the other common complications are constant pelvic pain, fatigue, abdominal pain, back pains, and heavy bleeding. Bleeding can occur anytime and not only during menstruation. In my case, I experienced bleeding if I had physically exhausting activities during the week. 

If you have friends and relatives who are diagnosed with endometriosis, be more understanding of them. The pain and stress caused by endometriosis can not only affect them physically but emotionally and mentally as well. 

REFERENCES: 

Fertilitypedia. (n.d.) "Hematosalpinx". Retrieved from https://fertilitypedia.org/edu/diagnoses/hematosalpinx

NCH Healthcare System. (2015, April). "Adenomyosis". Retrieved from https://www.nchmd.org/education/mayo-health-library/details/CON-20369122

USA Fibroid Centers. (2020, June). "Ovarian Cysts and Fibroids: What's the Difference?" Retrieved from https://www.usafibroidcenters.com/blog/ovarian-cysts-and-fibroids-whats-the-difference/

Endometriosis and Back Pain

Endometriosis can also cause back pain, but there are two kinds. The first kind is lower back pain which is caused by endometrial cells sticking to your lower back.  The second kind is upper back pain which is caused by poor posture and thick pillows.

In my experience, lower back pain can be minimized by taking pain medicine and by having adequate rest.  Whenever I experience this kind of pain, I would lie on my back for hours until I feel better. For some women, however, taking pain meds and resting would not alleviate lower back pains.  For excruciating pain, better check with your Ob-Gyn.

Upper back pain is usually caused by poor posture.  Sometimes, even unusual sleeping positions and using thick pillows result to back pain.

Here are some of the things I do to minimize back pain:
1.  Visit the chiropractor.  I visit the chiropractor at least once a year to have my spine straightened. It works wonders for me.
2.  Try acupuncture.  I am blessed to have a chiropractor who is, at the same time, a certified acupuncturist.  I used to have bi-monthly acupuncture sessions with my chiro.  The purpose of my acupuncture is to minimize pain and to improve blood flow.  Just a warning though. Be sure that your acupuncturist is certified or licensed. My chiro, who is also my acupuncturist, studied acupuncture in a well-known university in China.  Acupuncture is actually dangerous if the practitioner is not very knowledgeable on the matter.  Also, be sure that new needles are used for your sessions. If you want to know the contact details of my chiropractor/acupuncturist, just email or message me. Bacolod City area only. (Bacolod City is in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines).
3.  Do not use a pillow on your head if you are lying on your back while sleeping.
4.  Do stretching exercises specifically for back pains.

For my pains caused by endometriosis (whether directly or indirectly), I avoid taking medicine as much as possible. Instead, I try other remedies so as to take care of my liver and kidneys.

Endometriosis and Yoga

In my previous post, I stated that herbal medicine did not work on me. In fact, it made my cysts bigger.  However, this did not mean that I stopped looking for therapies to deal with my endo pain. One of the therapies I tried was yoga.  I researched it and a lot of women with endo testified that yoga helped with the management of endo pain.

Most women are hesitant to practice yoga because they think that they have to be a member of a yoga studio or that you need to have a yoga teacher.  They think that there is also the need to have yoga attire and a yoga mat.  In addition, some women fear that they are not flexible enough or fit enough to practice yoga.  For working women, they think that practicing yoga might take a lot of their time, and for those living in small houses or apartments, they think that they do not have enough space to practice yoga.

In other words, some women are doubtful about practicing yoga because:
1. It sounds costly.
2. It might be awkward.
3. It might take a lot of their time.
4. They don't have enough space in their house.

Naturally, women with endo consider the cost of anything they indulge themselves in.  This is understandable.  Endo costs money: for medicine, hospitalization, surgery, therapies, etc. In my case, I did not spend money to practice yoga.  I am not a member of a yoga studio nor do I have a yoga teacher.  I simply read online articles and ask advice from friends on how to properly practice yoga.  I also searched for yoga videos on YouTube that focus on endometriosis and reproductive and pelvic health, then, I practiced yoga by myself in the comfort of my home. I don't have to think about awkwardness because I am alone anyway. I usually practice yoga in our living room in front of the TV.  I would just play the yoga video and I would just follow the poses being shown.  Sometimes, I would practice yoga in the bedroom and use my laptop to play the videos. There is no need for a big space to practice yoga.  It also does not take much of my time to practice yoga. During workdays, I would do a 5- to 10-minute yoga every morning, and a 30-minute yoga before going to bed. During rest days, I can choose to practice for a longer time.

Yoga helped reduce my endo pain, and minimized bloating and indigestion. It has also made me more flexible, hence reducing the body pains I feel after physical activities.  Yoga is also a great stress reliever, and lastly, I noticed that my fats around the belly are greatly reduced if I practice several times a week.

I highly recommend yoga as a therapy for endo pain, and as a form of exercise for overall wellness.