I figured it was time for a little update, so here goes.....
You'll recall I mentioned briefly in my last post about being put on a series of injections to suppress my reproductive system, and I said that I would go into more detail about this soon. After my most recent surgery, the pain did not settle down, I was in pain constantly, some days struggling to get out of bed, or stand or walk because it was so bad. I was bleeding constantly, with only 11 days out of 90 that I wasn't bleeding, I was drained and hormonal, and was just in a really bad place. I also had a tremendous fear of developing more cysts while I was still recovering, and with my ovaries being active.... I was just crippled with pain.
About 6 weeks after the surgery, I went to see my GP and we spoke about my options. The one that he felt was the best option was a series of medroxyprogesterone injections which would essentially put my reproductive system to sleep for about 10-12 weeks, which would allow my body to have some time to heal without worrying about cycles and ovulating and all the aches and pains that those things entail... on top of the pain I was already having to deal with.
I went back and forth on this, it felt so wrong to do that, but being realistic... I knew I couldn't keep going the way I was, so I went ahead with the injections. They did work to the extent that they put my ovaries to sleep, and I did not have any ovary pain for about ten weeks, they did not however, stop the bleeding or help with the pain, and the list of side effects that I suffered as a result of these injections was pretty much endless. The hormones put my body into 'let's pretend we're pregnant' mode, and all the symptoms that went along with that including nausea and cravings, mood swings, insomnia and uterine cramping. The worst side effect though, was hair loss. Yep... my hair started falling out in clumps. I would get out of bed in the morning and my pillow would be covered in hair. It was so bad, that my hair dresser refused to top up my blonde highlights, and instead I had to return to dark brown hair. I know that probably doesn't sound like a big deal, but it was soul destroying for me. The last time I was forced to make that change was after I had to have chemotherapy, and being able to finally return to blonde after so long... well, it was a huge milestone for me because it meant that my hair was finally healthy enough again to be able to be blonde again. So being forced to return to dark brown hair was absolutely crushing for me. I love it now, I really do like it... I just wish it had been my decision to make and not forced upon me by yet another side effect of what life has thrown at me.
I went back to my GP early in January, armed with three pages of notes that I had written of things that I needed to discuss with him. The outcome of this appointment was the decision not to continue with the medroxyprogesterone injections. He also referred me back to the Pain Specialist in Kilkenny, and sent a referral letter to have me reviewed by another Gynaecologist in Limerick to try and figure out why I am bleeding so much. The appointment with the Pain Specialist was 2 weeks ago, and I was in such a terrible amount of pain during that appointment that he agreed to do a Peripheral Nerve Block infusion the very next day. Fortunately, this infusion was successful. I did not have a bad experience, and I definitely had noticeably reduced pain levels for about 5 days afterwards.
Apparently it is just not acceptable to the 'powers that be' for me to have reduced levels of pain, because the very next day I developed a horrid infection in one of my impacted wisdom teeth. All four of my wisdom teeth are impacted, with the bottom two having barely broken through the skin, and the top two look like they are up in my eye sockets. This was the first time that I have ever had an infection in any of my wisdom teeth, and with all the different pains that I have had over the years... I can honestly say that I have never experienced pain quite like that. An emergency trip to the dentist and two lots of antibiotics later... it is finally starting to clear up... just in time for me to have them surgically removed in three days time.
Yep... another operation, albeit nowhere near as serious as any of the previous operations that I have had, but I am terrified of having another General Anaesthetic. I pretty much pleaded with the Surgeon to just give me heavy sedation, but unfortunately the teeth are so badly impacted and the bottom two are sitting right on the nerve that controls feeling to the bottom half of the face, if I was to move at all during the procedure, there would be a huge risk of that nerve being damaged and I could therefore lose all feeling in the lower part of my face. The other reason is that they are going to have to remove sections of my jawbone in all four sites and that alone carries its own risks.
I am anxious about this, and I'm anxious about the amount of pain I'm going to be in afterwards. I'm being my own worst enemy and google-ing non stop.. and of course finding all of the horror stories.
I think my fear is mostly rooted in the thoughts of having another General Anaesthetic, after my most recent experience, which was less than six months ago. I know it is highly unlikely to happen again, and I know that this is a much simpler operation than anything I've had done in the past, and its pretty much nothing in relation to the operation I had at the end of August... but there is this tiny niggling part of me that keeps saying 'What if?, What if it does happen again?' The surgeon assures me that they will be prepared on the off-chance that it does happen again, and he told me that I will have the opportunity to discuss my fears in depth with the Anaesthetist prior to the operation, so I guess that helps a bit.
It seems so crazy to me to be having this operation, it seems a bit unnecessary, but I am assured by the Surgeon that if they don't take them out now... in six months time, those teeth will be pushing my other teeth out and then I will have much bigger problems.
So... wisdom teeth out on Wednesday... allow about two weeks for recovery... and then maybe, just maybe I can have a break from hospitals for a bit... One can only hope. xx
