excision

Endometriosis on your skin

| Bloomin' Uterus
Diagram of human skin

It’s about time I research more about Endometriosis being found in places other than your pelvic region.  We’ve already covered lungs, spine, and eyes, and today we’re going to delve into cases of Endometriosis and skin.  Skin? Yes, skin.  I’ve read that it’s rare, just like the other areas outside of the pelvic cavity…but, it does occur.  Some theorize it is implanted via the lymphatic orpro vascular systems; others think the cells are transplanted via surgery.

There seem to be two common categories of Endometriosis and the skin : spontaneous Endometriosis and scar Endometriosis.  Spontaneous Endo simply appears in random places on healthy skin (cutaneous or subcutaneous).  Scar Endo is found within scar tissue from prior surgeries or injuries.  It appears that surgical excision/removal of the Endometriosis lesions from the skin is the most common and effective way of handling the lesions.  Some surgeries may leave defects, which may (or may not) be repaired or rebuilt with a surgical mesh.  Some studies suggest that hormonal treatment may be too harsh for the patient for solitary lesions.

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Reader’s Choice : What’s Changed?

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a butterfly that recently emerged from cocoon

I had grown up thinking my pain was normal. And only learned after my surgery that I have a disease and it wasn’t normal.

But what does that mean for me physically? What’s changed?

Whether it be from my excision surgery and D&C, my change in diet, the 6 months of Lupron Depot injections, my new birth control pills, or a combination of them all: I won’t know. All I know is things have been very different.  Please be advised this blog may be a little bit of TMI…

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Reader’s Choice : Enough is ENOUGH!

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text that reads "Enough"

A personal choice for every person with Endometriosis : When have I suffered enough pain and when do I step up the treatment?

Some prefer natural methods of controlling their Endometriosis symptoms : supplements, vitamins, diet, and essential oils.  But these methods may not work for everyone. I’ve gone the route of prescription narcotics, surgery, hormonal treatments, eastern medicine, acupuncture, altered diet, etc. Others may have undergone hysterectomies.

When and how do you decide which is right for you?  Only you know the answer to that question.

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I <3 my Robot

| Bloomin' Uterus

In June of 2014, my surgeon opted to perform a robotic laparoscopic surgery to remove the cysts from my ovaries.  Little did we know, the surgery would progress into an excision surgery to remove Endometriosis implants that we didn’t know existed inside.  A traditional laparoscopic surgery is performed through a rather large incision in your abdomen, while robotic is done through small “ports” (incisions) where robotic tools are inserted and the doctor operates at a remote station, controlling the wee robotic arms. AND there’s pictures!

The surgeon’s plan was to go through my bellybutton, extending it a little bit with a small incision, remove the cysts, and close up my bellybutton (a single incision laparascopy). Voila: done.  However, it was discussed that he may need to open up multiple ports if things “weren’t as they seemed” once inside  (the middle image below).  Which is exactly what needed to be done.  The robotic surgery avoided the traditional, large incision (first image below).

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