I had my right tube taken out in 1995. It was pretty damaged with adhesions and full of cysts. In February 2000 I had a mass on the left ovary the size of a softball. There was a thick band of adhesions across that and the lower (sigmoid) colon. My doctor had to take the left tube out then. She said that she had to put a mess around the left ovary to hold it together. Four months later I went in to have a hysterectomy. Within a month of my February surgery I had formed some huge cysts that would not go away. The pain was incredible and I couldn't stand it any more. I figured that since I had endometriosis, if I had a hysterectomy that would be the end of it. When my doctor went in to do my hysterectomy, he was going to leave my ovaries so I would have natural hormones. But when he got in there, he said the right ovary was being attacked with adhesions. He knew if he left it in there, he would end up having to go back in within a short amount of time. So he took the right ovary. There was nothing but ovarian tissue remaining of the left ovary. So he took it out as well. What the doctors have told me is that there much have been a remnant of that ovarian tissue left and it regenerated. Dr. Gerhart even told me that the ovaries are one organ that will regenerate. So now I have a normal sized ovary on the left. I am no longer having to take hormones! That is $20 more in my pocket every month! But it has that whatever it is on it or next to it, and it hurts like the dickens! Sometimes I think my body just likes to rebel and go against the flow. It has a mind of its own and does what it wants even when I don't want it to. So it decided to grow back an ovary. ANd unfortunately, it likes to grow adhesions too. One of my doctors told me that my body just reacts to everything. I think she is right.
Hey I like that about the MD. I think sometimes it means Major Deficiency because some of them act like they have no brains! LOL! Okay, I guess I better be nice. Anyway, at least we know we have others who can relate to us. I have my days. There are days when I am fine, and there are days when the pain gets to me so bad that I can't stand it and I hate thinking of having to live life like this. But I have way too much to live for! My precious honey knows when I am starting to get down and so he gets me out of the house. My kids keep me on my toes too. And now I might just come calling for you! :0) Well, I hope you have a good day too, a pain free day! Wouldn't that be nice? Maybe soon! Take care and I hope to talk to you soon.
Hugs, Jenny
At Tue, 4 Feb 2003, winged phantom wrote:
>
>Jenny,
>What an agonizing story! I can really understand your aggravations, but
>please try to keep a positive outlook. Getting depressed will only
>serve to make you feel worse. I hope your husband is very patient with
>you; you need him to be your best advocate.
>
>I was interested in your comment about having a "total abdominal
>hysterectomy"- TAH. but you did not say that you also had a "bilateral
>salpingo-oopherectomy"- BSO. These terms and abbreviations are
>described more fully here:
>http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/announcement.php?s=&forumid=23 (this is
>the first message in the pre-op HS board) So unless they did that, then
>you still have your ovaries. Here is a website that describes that:
>http://www.2womenshealth.com/Figure24-04.htm
>
>Another site that you might find very useful is http://www.hystersisters.com.
>There is a section called the Road Less Travelled that you might find
>interesting.
>
>I don't know anything about your particular medical troubles, but I know
>how aggravating it is to find some of these doctors. Not only
>aggravating, but dangerous, medically and healthwise. I always heard
>that the only problem with the abbreviation MD is trying to decide
>whether that stood for major- or minor- deity! It looks like you have
>been finding all those sorts of doctors. But there are some really good
>ones out there... Keep looking.
>
>Hope you have a good day....
>wr
>