Well, I am doing great and healing nicely. My follow up went well but got some bad news also. I have been cleared for no further restrictions, and the balloon catheter is OUT! :)
The Dr. deflated the balloon by extracting some water from it and then it slid right out. He checked my incisions and said he wasn't surprised by all the bruising. After the surgery, he had spoken to my husband since I was still under anesthesia. He went over the procedure with me. The next paragraph I go over exactly what happened, so TMI warning again!
The plan was to go in with the hysteroscope and put catheters in the tubes to open them. He could not get past the first 1/3 of my uterus, it was scarred down completely. This most likely happened as my uterus healed from the c-section, it adhered to itself. So, with someone watching from the top of the uterus through the laproscope, he used the scissors to cut through the scar tissue and open up the uterus. That is when he inserted the balloon catheter so that it wouldn't heal down again. I am still on estrogen therapy for another 2 weeks and then progesteron to bring on a period. Hopefully, it will be a much healthier one than I've had in the past and will show that my lining is regenerating well. The bad news is that even when he opened up the uterus, he was unable to see the openings to my fallopian tubes. It really scares me that they are still completely blocked and we may not be able to have another baby. But, we won't know for sure until I have a repeat HSG. That will probably be scheduled as soon as my next cycle starts.
Though it is heartbreaking to think we may not have another biological child, we are very thankful for the wonderful little boy that we already have. We are also becoming excited about the possibility of adoption and have started discussing the different options.
I will have a follow up appointment in a couple weeks and will update then.
In the meantime, I have lots of plans for crafts and sewing projects to post! Unfortunately, we need to get the house ready to put in new carpeting and get it ready to sell, so it might be a while before I get things done...
Friday, June 10, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Had the Surgery! Warning - Maybe TMI
The surgery went well, though it was more complicated than originally planned. I've been resting and recovery the last couple days and Erik and Ash have been great at taking care of me. The cat has been glued to my side since I got home.
If you want to read more about the exact procedure, keep reading. But you've been warned! I tried not to be too explicit, but everyone's comfort level is different.
I went in around 630am to check in and all. They started an IV and the Doctor and Anesthesiologist came and spoke with Erik and I. The staff at Lakeview Surgery center was wonderful!
Here comes the detailed part. Last chance to stop reading...
The plan was to put some dye in through the cervix and hopefully be able to push it through the tubes so that they would clear and that would be it. If that failed, they were going to put some catheters in the tubes to open them.
They went in with a laproscope through my belly button which allowed them to see inside. Then they made another incision into the scar from c-section so they could get instruments in there.
As it turns out, I had so much scar tissue from my C-section that they couldn't even get to the tubes. My Dr. was perplexed and said it is very rare for that to happen with CS. So, they cut through and removed the scar tissue and inserted a balloon catheter to keep the uterus from healing back together.
I will go back on Thursday for a check up and possible have the balloon removed. I will be given further instructions on restrictions. Originally, it was 2 days recovery and no restrictions but that may have changed. Right now I can shower but not bathe, no heavy lifting or vigorous activity for 3-5 days. We were hoping not to have to take this cycle off from trying, but looks like we might have to wait one more cycle.
I'm on lots of different medications now:
Percocet for the pain (though I haven't needed it that much)
Antibiotic (1 week)
Estradiol (25 days) to help rebuild the endometrium
Provera (progestin) for the last 5 days of the estrogen
stool softener so that the meds don't leave me constipated
So far the recovery hasn't been too bad. I slept most of Friday and a lot today as well. I feel a lot better today since the anesthesia has worn off and I don't feel so "out of it". I don't have much pain at the incision sites, had some cramping but it seems to be much better now.
The next step will be to repeat the HSG (hysterosalpingogram) where they run the dye up through the cervix and into the uterus. Hopefully this time it will fill the uterus and then spill out the tubes or at least be able to be forced through the tubes and open them. If they can't be opened, then our last course of action is invitro fertilization. They would extract eggs and fertilize them with Erik's sperm in the lab then insert them into the uterus. We have very mixed feelings about doing this, so it's not something that we will take lightly.
Here's to hoping that the surgery was successful and the tubes are clear!
If you want to read more about the exact procedure, keep reading. But you've been warned! I tried not to be too explicit, but everyone's comfort level is different.
I went in around 630am to check in and all. They started an IV and the Doctor and Anesthesiologist came and spoke with Erik and I. The staff at Lakeview Surgery center was wonderful!
Here comes the detailed part. Last chance to stop reading...
The plan was to put some dye in through the cervix and hopefully be able to push it through the tubes so that they would clear and that would be it. If that failed, they were going to put some catheters in the tubes to open them.
They went in with a laproscope through my belly button which allowed them to see inside. Then they made another incision into the scar from c-section so they could get instruments in there.
As it turns out, I had so much scar tissue from my C-section that they couldn't even get to the tubes. My Dr. was perplexed and said it is very rare for that to happen with CS. So, they cut through and removed the scar tissue and inserted a balloon catheter to keep the uterus from healing back together.
I will go back on Thursday for a check up and possible have the balloon removed. I will be given further instructions on restrictions. Originally, it was 2 days recovery and no restrictions but that may have changed. Right now I can shower but not bathe, no heavy lifting or vigorous activity for 3-5 days. We were hoping not to have to take this cycle off from trying, but looks like we might have to wait one more cycle.
I'm on lots of different medications now:
Percocet for the pain (though I haven't needed it that much)
Antibiotic (1 week)
Estradiol (25 days) to help rebuild the endometrium
Provera (progestin) for the last 5 days of the estrogen
stool softener so that the meds don't leave me constipated
So far the recovery hasn't been too bad. I slept most of Friday and a lot today as well. I feel a lot better today since the anesthesia has worn off and I don't feel so "out of it". I don't have much pain at the incision sites, had some cramping but it seems to be much better now.
The next step will be to repeat the HSG (hysterosalpingogram) where they run the dye up through the cervix and into the uterus. Hopefully this time it will fill the uterus and then spill out the tubes or at least be able to be forced through the tubes and open them. If they can't be opened, then our last course of action is invitro fertilization. They would extract eggs and fertilize them with Erik's sperm in the lab then insert them into the uterus. We have very mixed feelings about doing this, so it's not something that we will take lightly.
Here's to hoping that the surgery was successful and the tubes are clear!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Surgery Scheduled!
Well, looks like I might get "fixed" in a couple days! I am going in for surgery to hopefully unblock my tubes.
They are doing a laparoscopy (going in with a camera through the belly button to check for problems and keep from puncturing the top of the uterus) hysteroscopy (going into the uterus to check for and repair damage) and if needed tubal catheterization (putting tubes through the blockages of my tubes to clear them out).
Of course with any surgery there are the chances of complications. I am feeling very hopeful that I will be able to have a baby after all. The Dr. assured me that the procedure has an 80% chance of clearing the tubes and we don't need to take any time off of trying to conceive.
Will update how it goes in a couple days!
They are doing a laparoscopy (going in with a camera through the belly button to check for problems and keep from puncturing the top of the uterus) hysteroscopy (going into the uterus to check for and repair damage) and if needed tubal catheterization (putting tubes through the blockages of my tubes to clear them out).
Of course with any surgery there are the chances of complications. I am feeling very hopeful that I will be able to have a baby after all. The Dr. assured me that the procedure has an 80% chance of clearing the tubes and we don't need to take any time off of trying to conceive.
Will update how it goes in a couple days!
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