Last Updated on July 24, 2023 by melissanreynolds
I’ve had bad periods for as long as I’ve been menstruating. I was put on birth control at 17 for my periods. By my early thirties I was also on hard core anti-inflammatories for the pain. Fast forward to postpartum with my fourth baby and all bets were off. It was a year of escalating symptoms and it was no long “just” bad periods.
I could write an essay on all that I experienced and how often I was dismissed by medical professionals.
The shortcut is that in May 2023 we paid for a private endometriosis specialist and finally got a surgery on the books.
What is This Post For
This is the real and raw updates post. For ease, so I can update you in one place while I’m recovering, I’ve set up this post. I will break this record down into phases: preparation, immediate post op recovery, long-term post op recovery and then moving on to finding my new normal and building back up.
Preparation
In the weeks leading up to the operation, I focused on being in as good health as possible. I ate as much meat and vegetables as I craved. I walked (a little too much). I amped up my nervous system soothing routines.
See nurture your nervous system free challenge here.
My work hours were dramatically reduced. And I tried to rest more. And prepare for the operation hibernation time.
I endured a very difficult period in the month before the surgery. Which was followed by a difficult ovulation (read: pain for multiple days that required pain relief). I tried to enjoy life but I felt like I was in a limbo period.
What’s Endometriosis and What’s Other Conditions
It’s hard to know what symptoms I experience are down to endometriosis, or fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.
Is the low back and low pelvic pain that falls outside of menstruation and ovulation from the endometriosis?
Is the urinary frequency related to the endometriosis or fibromyalgia?
How much of the chronic fatigue can be attributed to the endometriosis?
There are many questions.
Endometriosis Surgery
I am having a hysterectomy and endometriosis excision surgery. To say I am nervous would be an understatement. All of the little things involved in surgery are not easy for someone with chronic pain, fatigue and all the rest.
I had to go off my supplements a week before surgery. No more Recovery Factors (send sleep prayers and wishes)! I had to stop Low Dose Naltrexone a few days before. Not eating is a challenge for me, I wake starving. And I get shaky and unwell from not eating. Not drinking water is also more difficult. Thankfully, I just need to get through to appear at the hospital at 8am and then hopefully be distracted!
We have to arrange four children and their activities (school, kindy, sports and scouts). I need someone with me when I get home from the hospital. So it’s a lot to arrange.
The first week update
In this video I share what happened the morning of surgery, why I had the surgery, the minor mishaps that occurred on the first couple of days, what they found and how the rest of the first week went.
Day 10 Post Op Catch Up
I didn’t feel able to get upstairs to the computer until day 13, but I was able to film and edit some videos from my phone. This was my day 10 update.
Day 12 Brief Update
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