9 days post-myo

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone

Thought I'd share my myo experience with anyone who's considering a

myo or about to have one.

My name is Sharon I live in England, I am 34 years old, married and

my husband's sons live with us. I am also a teacher and manage to

squeeze in 4 gym sessions a week.

My fibroids were diagnosed about a year ago. I'd had very heavy

bleeding for months and could feel a lump in my stomach, so my doc

examined me and said he thought I had a fibroid about the size of a

small grapefruit and that my uterus was distended to about 16 weeks

pregnant. He sent me for an ultra-sound and this confirmed what he

had said. As soon as the fibroid was confirmed I joined this web-

site and I would like to be one of many others who wish to thank all

of the members of this web-site who have offered me advise and

support through this rather unpleasant period in my life.

I saw a my gynaecologist (Miss Ajibona a wonderful lady) in January

and she said I actually had 2 large fibroids about 6x8cm's and 1

small one. She also explained that the only way I would be able to

get rid of these lodgers was to have a myo. We also discussed

shrinking them down with 3 Zoladex (one a month into my stomach), so

as to reduce the risk of haemorrhaging and therefore cutting out the

need for a hysto. I came away from that appointment reeling; I had

hoped we could try a UAE or laporoscopy. The UAE was not an option

as I've not had a baby yet and want to try to do so later this year.

I decided I needed to have the myo as I'd had a lot of pressure

problems: was unable to pass water and was constipated for most of

the time.

Anyway 3 injections later and another ultra-sound and an MRI scan and

I was ready to have my myo. I can't begin to say how scared I was

before my op it was awful. The MRI scan showed that the fibroids

hadn't really shrunk much, although my pressure problems had gone and

my periods had stopped (due to the Zoladex) which was a huge relief

to me. I had also discussed with my gyne using mesh or a drug to

reduce the risk of scar tissue building up and therefore reducing my

fertility. She was very obliging and used a drug (which I can't for

the life of me think of the name of at the mo).

On the day of my op (3 June 04) I was really frightened, but relieved

to find out I was first on the list. My op took two hours and they

removed 4 large fibroids, (two had fused together to form a mini-

dumbbell). I did lose some blood, but didn't need a transfusion. I

saw my Ob-gyn after surgery and she said everything had gone very

well and that my ovaries and tubes all looked healthy. So I was

really relieved, I'd been dreading waking up to be told I'd had a

hysto as something had gone wrong.

When I first came around I was in a little bit of pain and very

uncomfortable, but the morphine feeder put pay to that when I pumped

it a few times. I felt pretty good for the rest of the day, pretty

alert and awake. My mouth was very dry, so I was allowed a mouth

swab, but nothing to drink. However during the night the catheter

that had been fitted after surgery was filling with blood, and my bp

dropped so I was monitored every hour, which was a pain, and I didn't

get much sleep.

The next day I felt exhausted and a little uncomfortable. My wound

was covered by a dressing, which was removed later to reveal a 9cm

scar just below my bikini line, which had a bead at either end. My

belly was swollen and looking slightly bruised and I had a little

vaginal bleeding. I was allowed sips from a glass of water in the

morning and in the evening I had a little soup and some ice-cream.

The next few days were pretty much the same. I got up for the first

time on Saturday and walked to the bathroom to have a bath, which

didn't feel too bad at all. However I was very tired afterwards. I

did feel very sick each morning and had to have an anti-sickness

injection, but managed to eat a little at lunchtime and in the

evening. My catheter was removed on the Saturday eve and I have been

finding it uncomfortable to pass water it tends to come out in a long

slow trickle. I emptied my bowels three times on Monday and they

have been quite green?!

I came home from hospital on Monday night and did feel pretty awful

on Tues and Wed, mostly because I felt very down, tired and short of

breath. Since I've been home I've had the stitches out (on Wed), my

stomach is still a little swollen, I have a water infection and my

blood counts low. I am not feeling quite so tired, but I am still

not able to do very much at all.

So that's my story so far!!! I am glad I had the surgery and

although I it seems like a long slow recovery I can see an end in

sight.

I have a few questions for those of you who have been through this

too:

Is there anything I can now begin to use on my scar to help it heal

quicker?

Did any of you experience green stools?

How long before you were able to get out and walk for longer spell?

Well I'm going to go now as I've had enough of sitting up straight at

my pc.

Kind regards

Sharon