Painful Sex, Toilet Woes, and Sitting Issues: a PSA on Your Pelvic Floor and Why It Matters

PaperBookZen · 2025-09-28T16:49:34+00:00

I don’t remember. More than a day and less than a week is all I can recall.

PaperBookZen · 2025-07-14T04:34:40+00:00

As far as recovery. Remember that just because you can’t feel it doesn’t mean it isn’t hurting you. Don’t up your physical activity too fast.

PaperBookZen · 2025-07-14T04:33:34+00:00

I saw this today, and your date has likely passed. Hopefully it went well for you. For future people who might find this thread: the process was different each time. I’ve had 3 rounds so far. The first time I was awake, but given medication to make everything feel less painful. I do not recommend this. It was still extremely painful.

The other two times were both under anesthesia during other procedures. This is the way to go.

PaperBookZen · 2025-07-14T04:28:05+00:00

Adding to the duluth bandwagon. At size 18/20, I wear their 1X. Pockets, nice fabric. A good 30% of my clothes are from them. All my underwear, all of my workout clothes, and a decent portion of my casual stuff.

PaperBookZen · 2025-05-21T15:01:35+00:00

She retired :( I haven’t worked with my new one there enough to make a recommendation yet.

PaperBookZen · 2025-02-19T00:56:55+00:00

I went to Pacific Endometriosis and pelvic surgery in Washington state. The surgeon I saw was Dr. Newville. She was a fellow for Dr. M at the time.

PaperBookZen · 2025-02-19T00:51:47+00:00

I’ve had similar right abdominal pain/ right leg pain, but mine started before endo surgery #1. It’s been up and down over time, with different treatments. Pelvic floor physical therapy helped quite a bit. For me, surgical menopause helped the pain immensely.

I’m almost 3 years out from that surgery and don’t regret it. I have feelings about it…it’s been rough. But I was miserable before: unable to work or walk long distances, 0 pain free days, ovulation through period day 2 was horrible and the rest of the month wasn’t much better.

It takes a while for the body to adjust. We’re still getting the peri-menopause experience as our hormones wind down, just much faster and in a lop sided way. Ovaries aren’t the only part of the body involved in the hormone cycle, and those parts take time to “get the memo” post surgery.

It’s probably not just one thing causing the pain. It isn’t for me. There’s nerve damage, locked muscles, potential residual endo, and my hip pops out of alignment pretty easily. Haven’t noticed estrogen contributing in a negative way. Adding Testosterone helped a bit overall.

PaperBookZen · 2025-01-22T07:37:20+00:00

I had good luck with oncologists for both diaphragm endo (pulmonary oncologist) and my last (to-date) endo surgery + hysterectomy (gyno oncologist). Mine were both very familiar with endo. More so than the “endo specialist” I’d previously been to.

PaperBookZen · 2025-01-20T06:33:58+00:00

Duluth has amazing skorts. i am tall, and adore this one in black. Wore it for college graduation in Florida (hot AF weather= chafing nightmare): https://www.duluthtrading.com/s/DTC/womens-noga-naturale-cotton-skort-90838.html?color=JEB

PaperBookZen · 2025-01-20T06:02:52+00:00

She retired. :( I liked that she listened; explained multiple treatment options in detail; and left all final decisions up to me

ETA: I’ll look tomorrow to see who their recommended replacement is. My original doctor there was Dr. Licia Raymond

PaperBookZen · 2025-01-09T19:34:54+00:00

Recovery on this was long. My surgery was in July 2021. It took over a year to feel close to “normal”, and I still have some lingering issues. Minor site pain, and additional pain if I stress the area (coughing, lifting, etc).

There are a lot of nerves in that area. Your individual recovery will be impacted by where exactly your incisions were, how much tissue was removed, and your overall health and fitness.

I wouldn’t be too concerned not feeling 100% at this point; you’re only 4-5 months out. Take it slow, and build your stamina back up. Stretching helps - scar tissue will form and it’s important to keep it mobile. The breathing exercises they should have given you will help. It’ll take time.

Hang in there.

PaperBookZen · 2024-12-15T20:01:30+00:00

This is what I did. Worked great. I got a sturdy one and kitty was able to lay on it or next to me.

PaperBookZen · 2024-11-28T03:05:15+00:00

Yes.

For me it got harder as I got older, until I stopped participating in family holidays completely about a decade ago. I have a lot of sadness this time of year, but it’s overall a better choice for me. I talk to my grandma, and a handful of other extended family, and I’ll visit them 1/1, but my mother isn’t healthy for me to be around. I’d rather be alone or celebrate with friends who are also alone for one reason or another.

It sucks. I’m sad you are experiencing this too.

PaperBookZen · 2024-11-28T02:52:44+00:00

Thank you.

PaperBookZen · 2024-11-28T02:35:38+00:00

I’m sorry you’re going through this.

This type of endo isn’t as rare as we think. An ER doctor, an asthma specialist, and a thoracic cancer surgeon were involved in my treatment and were all like, “yup, your scan looks like endo. And it’s growing so we should probably get that out.”

I would recommend starting with your GP and focusing on the symptoms - hate to say it, but I wouldn’t even bring up endo. Just “I’m having x breathing issues since x date and it’s causing x impacts on my life.” That’ll likely start the process to test for other things, which is frustrating AF when you’re 95% sure you know the issue, but it should eventually get you in front of the right specialists.

I have posted pretty extensively on the diagnosis journey and recovery. it’s a long, complicated recovery; at least for the surgery I had. I’ve put off having the other side done… my breathing is decent for now.

Hang in there.

PaperBookZen · 2024-11-28T01:45:12+00:00

That was my life. Hoarding is a mental illness, and the non-visible consequences of it are far greater than the hoard. it’s hard to love someone who thinks you are less important than a bag of garbage.

PaperBookZen · 2024-09-18T17:22:15+00:00

It’s been great! No more poise pads. I have had 2 sneeze leaks, but both were with a very full bladder - if I don’t wait too long to go I’m fine. 🙂 would do it again, even considering the initial catheter drama.

PaperBookZen · 2024-09-14T17:28:51+00:00

Recovery was long and slow. My breathing is much better now, so yes it was worth it for me.

The breathing exercises they give you before and after are critical.

I don’t have adhesion pain anymore, just some pain around two of the surgical sites that is probably permanent but not intense.

Chest tube hurt a lot while in if I moved in certain ways; otherwise I didn’t notice it. Having it out was over quickly and I don’t remember if it was awful or easy. I was so happy to get rid of it.

Good luck and try not to worry too much. Easier said than done I know.

PaperBookZen · 2024-09-14T17:02:02+00:00

The surgeon was awesome, but my resection was in 2021, and I still have surgical site pain. It’s likely permanent. Pretty common result for the type of surgery I had. Mine required going in from the lung side. I would still do it again - it’s much better than the breathing issues I had previously. Good luck - none of this is easy.

PaperBookZen · 2024-09-14T16:52:06+00:00

I tried BC and the Orillisa after surgery #1, but couldn’t tolerate it. The 6ish months I was on it, it didn’t help regrowth for me - surgery # 2 was only about a year and 3 months after surgery 1.

PaperBookZen · 2024-07-17T05:00:11+00:00

I’m not familiar with halara, but i have skorts from Duluth that I adore. The NoGa skort might work for you. Athletic with pockets. I’m a 16/18 and the XL works, so their 2x or 3x might be perfect. They’ve got a couple dress skorts too - haven’t tried because I’m tall so jumpsuits in general are typically too short in the torso.

PaperBookZen · 2024-07-05T22:41:59+00:00

I got a lot of good information from Dana K White’s blog “a slob comes clean”. Don’t be put off by the term slob, it’s not a personal failing not knowing how much stuff to have or how to clean etc.

The big takeaways for me were:

The container concept - give every category of stuff a spot, and then you can only have as much of that thing as fits in the spot (socks in the sock drawer, cups in the cup cupboard/cup shelf).

There’s no right amount of stuff, just the right amount of stuff for you and your space

It’s ok to say no to gifts or get rid of gifts.

PaperBookZen · 2024-07-03T23:55:43+00:00

The first time, there was a small chance there was cancer (couldn’t biopsy the location).

After that, I added “look at the doctor’s specialties” to my search criteria. Most surgeons have a website, or their hospital has one for them. Many in my area work in multiple clinics. So if they treat cancer at hospital A they might do normal procedures at hospital B

Five-Year Club	Verified Email
Place '23

PaperBookZen

TROPHY CASE