Pre-op SYMPTOMS

Symptoms leading up to the surgery:

Unmanageable heavy flow
Contractions passing large clots
Severe ‘all over’ menstrual cramping (armpits to knees)
Prolonged constipation with bi-pass diarrhea
Fatigue, need for naps
Weakness in body
Lack of sexual desire
Shooting pains randomly in pelvis
Cramps during ovulation
Morning sickness (painful nauseating diarrhea)
Feeling of having a baseball sized blockage inside of my lower abdomen
Shock during bowel movements, this include total loss of feeling in hands, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweat, paleness, dry mouth, vomiting, triggers fear of dying

My Uterus Area Story (abridged)

The Beginning: The IUD

I had late puberty and early pregnancy. I am currently 31 as I write this and I have had one problem or another since I was about 15 years old. I suppose it all really started after my C-section. I was eager to get on birth control and ended up getting a Mirena IUD.

I wore the IUD for about 7 years (longer then intended) Since day one of having the IUD it was uncomfortable I had gone back and all they did for me was cut the string shorter, this later became an issue but I will get to that. ((I may be misremembering but I swear he cut those strings with regular Friskar brand scissors.)) I had gone to the doctor numerous time while I had the IUD and was constantly shut down that it was fine and I was fine. It hurt and ached the entire time I had it. I had dozens of ultrasounds to find what the issue was.

Finally they had found the IUD had Fragmented, They explained to me that it was now in up to 6 pieces inside of me and they would have to surgically remove the pieces. When the day finally came for them to remove it Laparoscopy they broke the “Good News” to me that they could do the entire operation Vaginally, which to me didn’t feel like good news. Either way they removed the Fragmented IUD and sent me on my way.

Discomfort Escalates: Part 1, Periods

After removal of my IUD, I didn’t feel much of an improvement, During the time that I had the IUD my period had stopped, well the bleeding aspect had stopped and I continued to have painful irregular cramping. I called this my ghost period. Well removing the IUD revived my period which prior to insertion I had only had a couple actual periods in my life. They say “the period returns with a vengeance”. I found that to be very true.

My first period after the removal was roughly 90 days long, I didn’t track my periods then but I wish I did, using FLO has made going threw this a tiny bit easy because of how I am able to track my cycle now. (Not a sponsor I just love their services). The first period wasn’t so bad just so so long and alot of brown thick discharge.

The second period was much worse although it was the start of a regular cycle. This is when my cramps really started. And its as if they have gotten worse with every period since. Bare in mind that this was 2017 maybe and Its just gotten worse and worse. The pain I feel for my cramps is a burning constant pain that only heat can seem to calm. It has escalated from just my pelvis area to cover my thighs and back.

Discomfort Escalates: Part 2, Colonoscopies

This is where I am going to go into more graphic detail of why I need this surgery. Since late 2019 I have been having issues moving my bowels. I am constipated at times for more then 2 week periods.

I have had to go to the hospital on at least 3 separate occasions because of extreme blockages. This has caused an enlargement of my colon creating something called a “Mega-Colon” (Yes that the actual term the doctor used) When This is happening to me I can feel a blockage it feels like a baseball stuck inside of me blocking me from being able to empty my bowels. I experienced anal incontinence because the constipation was so severe because of the blockage that it created something I believe the doctor called Bi-Pass Diarrhea, this is where some of the liquid in your intestines is forced past the blockage randomly.

This I had thought proved that what I was feeling was really there but then after numerous tests and everything coming back good my at the time family doctor of 28 years suggested I may have Adenomyosis and I would need an MRI she would then promptly retire and leave me on the hunt for a new family doctor. I live in a place and time where there is a doctor shortage so it has been gruelling finding a new regular doctor to see leading me to need to go to the ER due to the severity of my pain and the volume of bloating at one point I must of looked 6 months pregnant.

These Emergency Room visits have lead to X-rays and Ultrasounds showing that there is no blockage and everything inside of me is fine. I can feel the blockage I know what I feel but still they continue to tell me I am fine and just need to poop. This although embarrassing for me was never helpful. I have had 3 separate colonoscopies that show that everything is in total working order. BUT I cannot even pass gas.

When my cycle comes around my body will seemingly release the backed up movement, and this causes more pain then labor. Up to 4 times a month I go into SHOCK on the toilet from the “blockage” allowing my bowels to empty suddenly. This is also always between 4-7 am on days I work without fail. To go into more detail, I will very painfully pass a few large solid pieces and then have explosive diarrhea, sometimes for hours, These symptoms are the most severe and the driving force behind seeking treatment. “Episodes” as I have come to call them can be.

“Episodes”

For this section I have written about what it is like to experience bowel episodes:

I had thought maybe it’d just be painful gas. I had a hot shower because I thought it would make it go away but it did not, I suddenly felt the urge to push, scrambled to the toilet and nothing but contractions forcing me to push.

Tomorrow, according to Flo, is my day of ovulation. What a surprise. (not really)

It is unarguably labor pain I am feeling. The pain, unbearable. I sometimes forget how much pain I get into until it happens again. My body runs hot and my hands freeze in strange positions and my vision goes dark as I can hardly hold my head up with sweat burning my eyes and hair on my nose. This is torture, I will then start to feel as if I will vomit and cant lift my head, I will usually have to drape a garbage bag over my legs.

The tightness and pain makes me breath short shallow breaths and yawn repeatedly, which really triggers the sense of panic for me. Finally it blasts past the ‘blockage’ then the diarrhea starts and my body starts to feel completely numb and cold. Tingling in my legs and torso like my whole body is falling asleep.

This time it was intense for at least 2 hours of nauseating pain in my pelvis. It must have been an hour at least on the toilet, attempting to get up and having to shower again before just having to be on the toilet again.

Morning Sickness 2.0

Weekday mornings I wake up sick, It almost every weekday and more rare on the weekends. This has never made sense to me because I wake up bright and early every day including on the weekend and those days I seem fine. But on the days I do wake up sick, it is diarrhea and varies in severity. Sometimes it starts as constipation and I will pass a large hard poo and then have painful and burning hot diarrhea I need to call out to my partner to wake them at 6 am to get me the ice pack because nothing else seems to settle the intense pain.

This is of course only if I am not Ovulating or Menstruating, that makes it at least 10 times worst.

Diagnosis‘

I should mention I do have a long list of other health issues such as Medullary Sponge Kidneys as well as a heart murmur. MSK has caused me numerous UTIs Kidney infections and calcium type of stones and adds nuance to the Hysterotomy.

I also have diagnosed ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder coupled with severe anxiety.

The MRI also showed Tarlov Cysts at the base of my spine.