Endometrial ablation anyone had this done?

[dhfini]

Hi I have scheduled HTA Hydro Thermablation for may 23 and am worried about what to expect post op.  Has anyone had this done and how did you feel after?  Was it successful? Any input would be great/.

[who_is_this]

I'm hoping to have a Novasure endometrial ablation this month.  The post op shouldn't be bad, some spotting, discharge and crampiness for a day or two.  I don't know about your exact procedure, though.

There are some discussion groups on the web.  Do a search for endometrial ablation discussion and see what comes up.  There are some good posts, and some scary posts about it.  Remember that more people post about bad results than good ones.

[PammySue]

Hi:

I had one about 4 years ago.  Basically, you are kind of sore and you walk slowly for a couple of days.  They will give you pain meds.  You have an icky kind of discharge for several days afterwards...it's the uterine lining that flakes off.  I haven't had a period at all since, but some women can/do still get them.  You will still get EVERY symptom of PMS, cramping, headaches, grumpiness, etc., the same as you did before, you just won'd bleed (hopefully ;-).

Good luck!!

[dhfini]

thanks fot the comments!!  I would still like to hear from everyone else who has had it. did you bloat up really big like you were pregnant after your procedure?  Did you experience any weight gain? How long before you felt normal and were able to do activities?

[PammySue]

I didn't have any of the symptoms you described.  I was feeling almost back to my old self within 3 or 4 days.  In fact, the doc said no sex for two weeks, but we didn't make it that long (hehehe).  I wouldn't recommend it though because I got a nasty yeast infection which is probably because of all the antibiotics they run thru the uterus when doing the procedure.  I wouldn't worry, it's really not bad at all.  It's way better than what you're probably going thru now, for sure.

Good Luck!

[dhfini]

Thanks Pammy sue!!  You have really made me feel better about the whole procedure!  You really have no bleeding now!! WOW I'm sure I won't be that lucky, even if I slow down to once a month I'll be greatful.  I'm just sad about giving up the posssibility of more children even tho I have 2 and am probably done ( hubbby has a vascectomy) It's just so final.

[chick95]

I just had the NOVASURE eblasion done and wanted to post this for anyone thinking of having the procedure. If I had read some of the other blogging sites about this procedure I would not have done it. Thank goodness I didn't read them first! It has been a week and I am feeling great! I had some bad cramping the first day, but easily controlled with meds. I was very bloated and had gas pains for about 3 days afterwards. I was able to get up and move on with life after day 2. when you read some other sites you will read about women who "had" to take 12 days off of work to recover. I seriously hope they were hospitalized otherwise, they were milking it big time! Another comment was that a girl has been bloated for 6 months from the surgery and doctors told her there is nothing they can do about it... come on, is this for real? If that were the case the doctors would have her visiting specialist after specialist.  And finally there is a girl who had the procedure done and the following month was asking if she could have a baby now. READ the brochure woman! Anyway, I wanted to blog this for those of you looking into the procedure- my first advice...don't read all the blogs. I understand that there can be complications with any surgery...but some of the peoplecommenting are unreal! Do what you feel you need to do- I would highly recommend the procedure.

[neen38]

i had this done a couple of years ago.  i didn't have to much pain after; i had it done on a friday and went back to work on monday.  i had very light periods after having this done; however, after one year my heavy bleeding returned resulting in a hysterectomy.  it affects everyone differently.  some never have anymore problems after the ablation.  best wishes.

[tinam410]

I had my procedure done last thursday.  I started cramping pretty bad this morning, (one week exactly after procedure) and then I started bleeding.  I called the doctor's office and they told me it was probably just the scab coming off.  Do you have that happen to you?  I am already on my second pad today. I am also very bloated.  It actually looks like I am pregnant.  Did this happen to you as well. Please let me know.

tinam410

[Cookie107]

I had hydrothermal ablation done on Sept 4, 2008 and three minutes into the procedure the hot water leaked.  I have second degree burns externally and internally has not yet been determined.  The burns also became infected and I was admitted for three days for 24/7 antibiotics and pain management.  Has anyone in this forum experienced a similar adverse outcome?

[booboo1968]

Oct 17,2008

I had the hydrothermal abaltion on  Friday Oct 10, I only had to take 2 pain pills and by Friday night All cramps went away, Saturday the next day I felt like nothing happened, and still that way. The only thing is I have a watery pinkish discharge that runs out of me, but no shedding of the lining.

Is this normal? has anyone had this

[juju6]

I had this done last tuesday  it has been better than expected.  A little sore but only from lifting my 2 yr old. I only has the pink for the first day.

[pammazola]

I had this procedure done 1 week ago.  The first two days were great, no pain and didn't need pain meds. Start light spotting on day three. Cramping, but the heating pad helped. Started bloating and was uncomfortable at the one week mark.  One more week until my post op appointment.  Advil helps the cramping. Still bloated.  Very, very light bleeding.  Also a discharge that is goopy yellow/brownish. Hopefully this will be over soon.  Would recommend.

[booboo69]

i am getting ready to have this done on april 10, 2009 and i think the only thing that makes me nervous is being put out... I've been put out before but it's been 9 years so i'm just a lil nervous... however for the pain i can handle pain prettu well i just it works for me casue the next option will be a partial hysterectomy( oooooooooooooooooh)....wish me luck.......it's on a friday so i will go back to work on monday

[Sandy650]

I had the NovaSure done on Thursday, 3/12/09 only pain meds taken were Excedrine Back and Body the first night. I do feel bloated and I am having the clear discharge which I feel is a little heavy about 1 wk after the procedure...i really didn't have alot of discharge immediatly after procedure... I went to back to work the following Monday..I had to move boxes that day but didn't feel bad...a little tired that evening...started my walking program back up on Tuesday and have continued 30 minutes daily 3 to 4X wkly....will have my 2 wk post up dr. visit on the 26th to see how things are going...I to was also worried preprocedure but worried for nothing...we'll see in the next few months how things go. sg

[connie19]

I had the procedure done a little over two years ago. I have experienced no periods since. Just on today, I began lightly spotting and as the evening progressed heavy pain in botttom of abdominal area. Don't want to get scared, but wondering has anyone had this experience. I have made an appointment for OB/GYN.

[tasha1978]

i had this proceedure done 4/14/09 i got the watery discharge for about 2 weeks, and then had nausea, and a little cramping for 4weeks, when I went back for my postop they said it was perfectly normal tohave those symptoms from it, some get yeast infections and uti's afterwards also, i got that too. But i'm going to tell you if anyone says novasure doesn't hurt, thay are lying even my ob, and nurse practioner said they're lying cuz they have had it to and they said hurt like hell, and as mine did too. Its painful, butmy cycle was over with in two hours after the proceedure.

[Mandi4]

How many people out there are experiencing the bloating and weight gain following the procedure?  This seems to be a common side effect as I read various blogs.  Those two issues alone have stopped me "dead in my tracks" when only a few hours ago I was pretty sure that I was going to schedule the procedure - had a visit with my Ob-Gyn this past Monday, in fact.  Thanks in advance for your input.

[pain0624]

Is anyone having major pain when having sex ?  it feels like sand paper on raw open wound.  killing me
I had the ablation one year ago

[Mandi4]

I'm reading way more negative than positive regarding this procedure.  The complications seem to keep piling up:  infections, contraction-like cramping, weight gain, bloating to the point of a 3-month pregnancy, mood swings, lengthy periods of odorous discharge, and now pain with intercourse. It seems that the procedure primarily results in trading one problem for another (or for many, many others).  

[diemyn]

I had this done Dec 5, 2006. I thought I knew how painful my abdominal cramping could be, but after the surgery it was WORSE. I was bloated so HUGE I looked pregnant for months and, no, doctors don't do anything about the adverse reactions. Everyone is different though. Every fiber of my being told me to not go through with it and it wasn't due to fear; it was just knowing. But I let logic and pressure from doctors win. I have regretted my decision, but for one fact. Having the tissue identified in a surgical procedure is the ONLY way to get a sure diagnosis. At least I know what has crippled me for the most part. But, I still can't do anything about it.

[Mandi4]

diemyn - thank you for your response and addition to this blog, but I am hoping you can clarify what you mean by "having the tissue identified in a surgical procedure is the ONLY way to get a sure diagnosis" and "at least I know what has crippled me for the most part."  If I might ask, "What are you still experiencing?" . . . the term 'crippled' bothers me.  And also, what is the one fact that has led you to regret your decision?  Thanks again for your time and discussion, and I am sure sorry for your unfortunate experience.  

[diemyn]

You can make assumptions based on the symptoms you experience, but surgery is the only way to get the diagnosis of endometriosis. As far as getting disability goes those who review your case concern themselves with what you have been diagnosed as having. That's the only reason I'm not totally regretful, cuz I need disability.

I didn't post with the intent to frighten people, so I omitted the most disturbing experience following surgery. I really wanted to emphasize that you should trust your intuition when it comes to making huge, potentially life threatening decisions. My abdominal pain and leg pain before surgery was very very bad. I couldn't drive anymore, stand for more than a minute of two, or have sex. It got worse around my period and better afterward, but was constantly bad enough to make me grimace and groan when I moved about. I also had adhesions that other people sitting near me could hear tearing with a tv at normal volume 3 feet away, which is a pain I imagine to be very similar to being shot as it's so sudden and I screamed and crumpled immediately. That had been my life for the 6 months prior to surgery; wasn't getting better or worse, but prevented me from working.

But after surgery I was introduced to a whole new level of pain. One that words cannot accurately describe. I love excruciating pain compared to what I went through the year after. They only gave me a few darvocet for the couple of days after, so I had nothing to dull the pain I was in. From the hour I woke up I was in so much pain I was afraid to move at all, but it'd get to be so intense from just dragging myself a few feet to the toilet that for 8 hours I would writhe and scream just totally out of it and unable to think so much as a "this hurts." All I can figure is that somehow in my head I'm processing the experience as my body hurting, so I'm trying to get out of my own body. As that pain would rise and I'd start to writhe and lose myself completely my last thought was, "I hope this time I die." It was like dying a slow death every day for about 8 months. The only reason I slept was from exhaustion. I wasn't in shape at all before this, but it was like the best workout ever and I was thinner and more toned than I'd ever been in my life. People didn't understand that I was sick, cuz I looked great aside from being miserable. I'd usually wake up, try to eat, and sit very still and sob quietly after my daily "writhe session" but eating was really hard cuz I stayed bloated for so long. It was bizarre. I was so thin and fit, but my abdomen was HUGE and I seriously looked like I was expecting. I have stretch marks like I had a baby or something, but it's just from being so bloated. After the first year the first day of my period is just like after surgery, but the rest of the time I can avoid pain by staying still for the most part.

The reason I say crippled is cuz it hurts so badly to walk that I can't do it more than like 10 feet. The amount of activity that increases the pain to unbearable is erratic tho, so there are days I can walk to the bathroom and back and got to the PC and stuff, then there's days where I'm dreaming about being in pain and wake up screaming and can't even move my right leg a half inch without my abdomen killing me. It's like the nerves in my leg got messed up using my right leg feels like my uterus is being kicked.

The point is my life was better and the pain was nowhere near as bad before I allowed the doctor to "cure" me with that procedure. She was horrid by the by and told me that I could not be experiencing bloating and pain like that because she had cured me already and refused to see me in her office at all. Just cuz my experience is the stuff nightmares are made of does not mean anyone elses will be, but in this world anything is possible and I stand as a good example of worst case scenario. Um, yeah, dying would have been better for me, seriously. And no one really understands what it's like.

Thank you! for taking the time to wonder and care about me. I don't mind talking about it too much, so this hasn't been the burden it may seem to be. It is just reality for me and it's been good in ways too. I would like to think that I could learn to be accepting of help, allowing, grateful, and loving some other less horrible way, but it is as it is and all is as it should be.

Love and light and heartfelt blessings to you

<3
Diemyn

[sweetoc]

I had a HTA done in February. The first day was pretty rough. The cramps were torture that night but I haven't had any problems since. My one complaint and I don't know if it is related is the weight gain. I have gained some weight around my middle & I can't get ride of it. So far no periods and I would do it again if my period did come back.

[diemyn]

Yes, I know exactly what you mean; it's horrible. I'm so sorry you are experiencing this as well. I got a script for lidocaine to numb the "area" and still haven't been able to successfully have sex since the surgery in 2006. I just had a pap last week and it was so painful my doctor made me establish a safe word and had witnesses come in and I told her that it felt like I had an open wound she was rubbing salt into, but she didn't see anything that would be causing it. I'll let you know if there's anything interesting in the results. Take care.

Love and light to you,
Diemyn

[gigitastic]

I'm surprised at the dramatic outcome that Diemyn had following ablation.  The cramping immediately was painful; but subsided within a few hours.  The discharge was gross; but manageable and gone within about a week.  As for the bloating, I too experienced that (along with the weight gain).  My OB/GYN told me that this was due to the fact that steroids are used during the procedure and that this symptom is a side effect of the steroids.  The symptoms wore off and within a month, I was back to my pre-surgery weight and the bloating was gone.  I have only had minor spotting once since the surgery; and now nothing.  I am so glad I had this procedure, it was easy and the outcome so far has been great.  I will do it again if the need arises.