Pam was diagnosed with Endometriosis when she was in her 40s. Today Pam is 59 years old and shares her story with us
Pam’s Journey: Long story short, I have 4 grown children after years of infertility followed by 6 miscarriages. I was diagnosed with endometriosis and opted for partial hysterectomy in 1999 due to the heavy periods. I thought that was that.
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If you’re one of my dedicated readers, you’ll remember that I had my third Endometriosis excision surgery on July 18th of this year. You may remember that during that surgery it was discovered that I had a few big ol’ chunky Endo lesions on my bowels (where my small intestine and large intestine meet) that couldn’t be superficially removed. A colo-rectal surgeon was brought into my surgery and advised that a bowel resection should take place.
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Katie was diagnosed with Endometriosis when she was 19 years old. Now 21, she shares her Journey with us.
Katie’s Journey: Symptoms first started when I was 11 – my first ever period was agony. At age 12, I had an ultrasound which showed cysts, this was the first time I heard the word endometriosis. I went home and looked it up and everything seemed to suddenly make sense.
I was 18 by the time I finally got referred to a gynaecologist. In September of 2016, I had my first laparoscopy and got diagnosed with endo!
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As you may know, I like to take extensive notes during my recovery from my Endo surgeries. This helps me better be prepared in case I have another one – just to get a sense of what was normal and what I can expect next time. And who knows – it may help you…or someone you know.
A good friend of mine, Brandie, typed up my chicken-scratch notes. (Thank you BRANDIE!) BUT, the “cliff notes” version is below:
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My mum recently asked me to look into ways we EndoWarriors may better prepare our bodies to accept, and recover, from anesthesia of our surgeries.
For my July surgery, I cut out alcohol the second I knew I had my confirmed surgery date and waited another two weeks before having my first sip. So, I went a month without any booze. Why? Just because I thought it would be nice to pamper my liver in the hopes that my body would handle things a bit easier…or smoothly…or whatever. But did I do any research? Nope. So, now here comes the research.
This is VERY important so I will begin with this statement. Some medications (including birth control), drugs, vitamins, and supplements may interfere with the efficacy and processes of anesthesia. Please be sure to give a thorough list to your doctor of everything you’re taking the moment you learn you have a surgery date. Your physician may have you stop taking some of these immediately. Others, you may be instructed to stop taking a few weeks, days, or hours before surgery.
One study stated that oral contraceptives should be discontinued six weeks before surgery due to an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (blood clots).
However, if you are interested in a homeopathic route after surgery to strengthen your body there are many supplements that are touted to boost the liver’s abilities and flush kidneys, etc. Do your research! And…talk to your doctor before starting any supplements.
If you smoke, try to stop smoking as soon you hear you have a surgery date. This could be a month or more in advance. Too much? Try to cut out smoking at least two weeks before surgery. If you can’t cut it cold turkey that far in advance, try hard to at least abstain from smoking a few days before your surgery. It will alleviate a greater potential for breathing problems or complications while under anesthesia.
Alcohol may also interfere with anesthesia as well as lead to excessive bleeding during surgery. Health24 recommends cutting out all alcohol at least a week before surgery, longer if you’re a “heavy drinker.” And you want to keep the liver functioning at full-capacity after surgery, so avoid alcohol a week or two later.
Omitting meat and dairy products before and immediately after a surgery may help with your body’s recovery. Certain foods can cause inflammation and discomfort. And, according to some studies, people who did not consume dairy prior to colo-rectal surgeries had a faster recovery than those who did. A healthy diet of fiber can keep the blood from clotting, which may minimize the risk of clots occurring after surgery. A high-fiber diet will also keep your innards a well-lubed & poopin’ machine.
In 1993, mice were given a high-fat diet for three weeks before surgery, some mice were not, and other mice were switched from a high-fat diet to a low-fat diet. Fatty-tissue chemicals change during surgery. These same chemicals “talk” to organs inside our body. During surgery, that fatty tissue…and those chemicals…are traumatized, just like any other flesh being cut into. The study found that the mice who had the low-fat diet had fewer changes in their fatty-tissue-chemical-balance than the fatty-diet mice. It suggests that a low-fat diet before surgery may aid in recovery because of the potential of minimalized trauma to that tissue.
And a study in 1998 found that potatoes (and fresh eggplant) may make it harder for the body to break down and eliminate any lingering effects of anesthesia. Potatoes and fresh eggplant may contain a chemical called solonaceous glycoalkaloids (SGAs) – ever cut up a potato and found green inside? That’s evidence of SGAs. SGAs are usually found in the stems, leaves, and sprouts, but may make their way into the edible part through damage or light exposure. The broken down layman version of the article? Even a tiny amount of SGAs in your system can cause a delay in the body’s ability to recover from anesthetic compounds.
Staying hydrated, before (not the morning of, unfortunately) and after surgery is always a healthy decision. But it will also help your body operate at optimal capacity. So, drink up. Keep those liver and kidneys happy and healthy!
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So what did I learn today? Probably the same things you did. And when I do have future surgeries, I’ll:
What about you? Do you do something to prepare your body for surgery and recovery? Share below. I’d love to hear it.
American Society of Anesthesiologists – Preparing for Surgery Checklist
Australian Society of Anaesthetists – Preparing for Your Anaesthetic
BBC News – Gas, Injection or Potato?
California Society of Anesthesiologists – Five Tips to Help Your Patients Prepare for Anesthesia and Surgery
California Society of Anesthesiologists – Ten Questions to Ask Before Anesthesiology
Health 24 – Diet Preparations Before Surgery
Health24 – Prepare Yourself Mentally and Physically Before Surgery
Hippokratia Quarterly Medical Journal – (Article; Jan. 2007) – Preoperative Evaluation and Preparation for Anesthesia and Surgery
Juicing for Health – Anesthesia Side Effects and How to Flush Out Toxins Post-Surgery
Mayo Clinic – General Anesthesia
Mind Body Green Health – 5 Ways to Bounce Back Quickly After Anesthesia
Science Daily – What You Eat Before Surgery May Affect Your Recovery
University of Chicago Medicine – Potatoes Prolong Anesthetic Reaction
~ Again, I am a layman. I do not hold any college degrees, nor mastery of knowledge. Please take what I say with a grain of salt. If curious, do your own research 😉 Validate my writings. Or challenge them. And ALWAYS feel free to consult with your physician. Always. Yours ~ Lisa
On July 18, 2018, I underwent my third robotic-assisted laparoscopic excision of Endometriosis by Dr. Mel Kurtulus ( of San Diego Womens Health). As always, I love to share my experiences with you – not only to create awareness of this illness, but in the hopes that the process of my surgery (and later recovery) may help you, or others.
Before I go on, I just want to take a moment to express my joy in the above-photograph. I am a detached head, floating beneath a fluffy warm-air blanket in the pre-op area, enjoying a wonderful moment with an incredible surgeon and man. Thank you, Brandy, for capturing this. And thank you, Dr. Kurtulus, for being so marvelous!
Okay, on with the nitty-gritty!
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Janis was diagnosed with Endometriosis when she was 35. Now 39, she shares her Journey with us:
Janis Oenbrink; August 1, 2018
Endometriosis changes the lives of many, and in multiple ways. Infertility, pain, fatigue, depression, and a multitude of other miserable symptoms encompass the disease of endometriosis. I have dealt with this disease for years, and along the way, been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, anxiety, depression, ruptured cysts, etc.…. as well as been called crazy, lazy, and a hypochondriac.
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Coby-Lea was recently diagnosed with Endometriosis at 22 years old. Living in Northern Rivers, New South Wales, she wanted to share her story with others today.
Coby-Lea’s Journey: My story. Coby-Lea, 22 years old, diagnosed with endometriosis. Since I was 13, I’ve struggled with really extreme ‘period pain’ and abnormal cycles. They’d last for nearly 7 days! They’d be heavy. They’d sometimes have some tissue/clotty stuff. I was 13, I didn’t know what to do. Thankfully, my mum took me to the Dr who then put me on the pill to regulate my cycle and hopefully ease the pain. Fast forward 9 years, I cannot take the unbearable pain anymore. I know myself I am not exaggerating every time I say ‘this is the worst pain I’ve ever had!’. And so, this is where it all begins.
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Michelle from Virginia was diagnosed with Endometriosis when she was 36. Now a year later, she shares her Endo story with us.
Michelle’s Journey: Hi. My name is Michelle. I am sharing this story to help others with endometriosis. I have a very unique story.
In 2003 I came out of the military with a rare bone tumor called fibrous dysplasia. This was and still is in my pelvis. It’s something I went through many years and it took having my third son to put me in a state of barely walking, getting infusions, many rare surgeries at John Hopkins to get the help I needed to walk day-to-day.
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Bloomin' Uterus 