MetaChat - How many pelvic exams is too many?

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04 May 2006

How many pelvic exams is too many? I'll tell you how many. →[More:]Four. Four in one week. Not to mention the two I got LAST week. I haven't seen this much action in months. There is a LOT of activity going on down there. But hopefully, today's was the last one I'll have to go through in a while as surgery has finally been scheduled for my ovarian cyst. I'm going under the knife in two weeks and although I am a little nervous I'm also anxious to get this sucker out of there. And also anxious to end the ceaseless barrage of POKE POKE POKING. It's a vagina not a chinese finger trap!

There, now y'all know way too much about my lady lumps.

post by: LeeJay at: 12:43 | 24 comments

Oh dear. I hope they stop poking, and everything comes out fine, LeeJay. Crossing my fingers now.

posted by Hugh Janus 04 May | 12:45

I hope your doctor is as awesome as the surgeon I had when I had an ovarian cyst. Good luck!

P.S. love your "finger trap" joke.

posted by matildaben 04 May | 12:48

Thanks Hugh. My surgeon is one of the nicest docs I've ever met and managed to put a lot of my fears to rest. He's pretty sure it's not malignant although they won't know for sure until they get in there and he thinks he MAY be able to remove it laparascopically if everything goes well which means I'll only be out of work for a week insted of the four to six weeks I'd need to take off for a more invasive laparotomy.

posted by LeeJay 04 May | 12:48

Yep, I had a laparoscopy. I still have little tiny scars in my belly button and a couple just under the hairline.

posted by matildaben 04 May | 12:49

matildaben, I hope so too! And thanks! How long did it take you to get back on your feet after the laparoscopy? I won't know until I wake up whether I've had a laparoscopy or laparotomy. It's like surgical roulette.

posted by LeeJay 04 May | 12:51

I know how ya feel, LeeJay, although in my case it was putting on the assless gown for x-rays and filling cups with mcpee.

posted by jonmc 04 May | 13:05

McPee. New from McDonalds. Now with more beef tallow.

posted by LeeJay 04 May | 13:08

How are you feeling now, jonmc? Are you totally healed up now?

posted by LeeJay 04 May | 13:12

Sorry to hear about all the unwanted attention...I thought there were laws.

I've got my fingers crossed as well.

posted by omiewise 04 May | 13:12

Oh, yeah. Although we did have to collect my wee-wee for 24 hours, put it a big jug, shake it vigourously and then pour it into 2 smaller containers. then garnish with a lime wedge.

(just kidding. we did have to send it off for analysis and go back for a follow up, but I still haven't gotten around to it.)

posted by jonmc 04 May | 13:14

Hope it all works out for you LeeJay! Lady parts are so problematic.

posted by jrossi4r 04 May | 13:17

It's like a jungle down there. Dark, mysterious and damp. And if you put your ear right up to it you can occasionally hear the far-off sound of ecstatic drumming.

posted by LeeJay 04 May | 13:24

...and tarzan swinging on a vine?

posted by jonmc 04 May | 13:26

After a few beers? Quite possibly.

posted by LeeJay 04 May | 13:28

Here's hoping the next action you get down there is purely voluntary and pleasurable, after you're healed up.

posted by danf 04 May | 14:00

jonmc: we did have to collect my wee-wee for 24 hours

You mean you can't collect your own wee-wee? C'mon, you're a big boy now!

posted by StickyCarpet 04 May | 14:02

hey, many hugs to you and the best of luck with your surgery!

i havent got my results back yet..

posted by By the Grace of God 04 May | 14:20

How long did it take you to get back on your feet after the laparoscopy?

Oh, jeez, it was about 15 or so years ago so I can hardly remember. I remember the first day I had a friend stay overnight at my house because I couldn't even sit up in bed on my own without abdominal pain. I don't remember how many days I took off work.

posted by matildaben 04 May | 14:29

Thanks for the good wishes everyone. I predict a rambling and incoherent "I'M SKEERED!!" post the night before the surgery. I'm fine with it now, when it's two weeks ago but I've never been put under so I'm a little nervous.

posted by LeeJay 04 May | 14:53

I had a laproscopy a few years ago. I was sore afterward but could walk around without any problem (well, a bit slowly). I took two days off work to take it easy around the house. Two days after the procedure, I felt pretty cocky and went to class that night, but the one mile walk with a full backpack was too much and I was extremely sore the next day.

By day four, I felt just fine. However, my belly button was still pretty tender and I couldn't wear trousers without discomfort. Also, it was kind of painful to pick things up off the ground, but the pain was more "I did too many crunches at the gym" pain than "I've had major abdominal surgery" pain.

And the scars? I can't even see them. The one in my belly button is invisible and the other one is 1/2 inch long and has almost completely faded.

posted by luneray 04 May | 14:59

Thanks luneray. I am hoping that I recover as quickly as you did.

posted by LeeJay 04 May | 15:22

I hope so too! Good luck.

And if I may pass on some advice:
1. Get a heating pad if you don't already have one. Keep it over the incision area while you are resting to get lots of blood flowing to the area (a tip from the nurse)

2. Don't be afraid of the pain meds. After surgery, they don't make you high (except for the Demoral they may give directly after the surgery), they just enable you to do move around without too much discomfort. According to the nurse, you will heal faster if you are able to move around than if you are lying in bed, and not able to move without pain.

I only needed the pain meds for three days after surgery, and I only needed them the last day was because I overexerted myself the day before.

posted by luneray 04 May | 16:14

(((LeeJay)))

posted by deborah 04 May | 16:49

Good luck Leejay - please take it easy after the operation, but make sure you move around as much as you can without pain or you will take way longer to recover.

posted by dg 04 May | 17:41

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