Hi all – I got the LIS yesterday and I will say that I’m feeling physically better than I did before I got it. I’m not sure if that’s because I took a Percocet (but that was 10 hours ago). I admit right now that I have mixed feelings; but that’s mostly because of what I went through. I debated with myself most of today about whether or not I should share this story because I don’t want to scare newbies or pre-LISers. But then I thought that this is a forum to share information so that people can be empowered. So, here’s the story (I apologize for the long post).
When I met the doc I told him that things had gotten little bit better off and on, but I am still in quite a lot of pain. He said that must be because I’m not using the ointment properly. He must have seen the look on my face because he then said that we could consider surgery. I said I’d like to consider surgery because I don’t know how much longer I could go on like this. He said ‘let’s take a look’ and put me on a table that bends so that your ass is in the air. While my ass was in the air, he and the nurse started taping my buttocks. At that point I said ‘hold on!’ (I thought he was going to inspect me to tell me if he thinks I’m healing and should continue with the ointments or if he thought surgery was the right idea at this point.) When I said ‘hold on’, the doc got frustrated and said ‘you’re obviously not ready for surgery’. I said, ‘I’m prepared to have the surgery, I just have a few questions’. He said, okay and let me ask my questions, and he even answered them clearly. I asked him how many of these he had done, success rates, risks, post-op care, etc. I got the answers that satisfied me, so I said, ‘ok, we can do this’. I got back on the table.
Here’s my biggest mistake: I just assumed I would be sedated (that’s how the procedure at this clinic is described – that’s how everybody who has had this procedure at this clinic who has posted their experience online have described it – I was sedated for my colonoscopy at this clinic). While I was waiting for a needle with the happy-sleepy stuff to be put in my hand, I got three large needles in the ass right away – no sedation. Those needles hurt like a m--------ker! No kidding. SERIOUSLY F---KING HURT!!!!!! (Sorry for my language.)
Needless to say I let out a loud yelp with each needle. The doc told me to be quiet. Then he began cauterizing the skin tag … before I was completely numb. Needless to say, I yelped loudly again. That also hurt like a #$$#@. At that point, the doc said ‘if you don’t stop yelling, I’m going to stop right now’. At this point I’m incoherent. The doc then says to the nurse, ‘my hip is hurting, I’m going to sit down while the rest of the numbing takes effect’. I’m slobbering all over my own face, head-down, ass-up on the table. The doc sat for about 30 seconds and then got back up and finished the job. Everything was hurting and burning … I was moaning and slobbering and trying to stay still. The doc said ‘you’re a very nervous sort of person – someone like you should have this done at a hospital under general anesthesia.’
By the time he got to cutting the muscle itself, I was quieter – I couldn’t really feel anything – and he took his time. I could vaguely feel the cut and the snip and then it was over – mostly. The doc then jammed packing up my ass, which also hurt, and put some padding on my butt. I pushed myself off the table and pulled my pants up (there were just around my ankles). The Doc yanked my underwear up as far as they could go to hold the padding and sent me out with the nurse. I asked for pain meds. The doc said they weren’t necessary because I would be in less pain after the surgery than I was in before it. I staggered out of the office, bent over from shock and pain, the nurse helping me out. The doc shouts impatiently at me, ‘stand up straight!’ I was taken to recovery. The nurse spoke to the doc for me and got me a prescription for Percocet. (I didn’t ask her to – I love that nurse!). My husband got my prescription filled while I was in recovery. I tried to pee and couldn’t, but the packing fell out during the effort (thankfully!). I was released before I could pee … but I did pop a Percocet before I left because the nurse said that that numbing would go away in 20 minutes.
My husband took me back to the hotel because I couldn’t face an hour-long car ride home. I damn near threw up and passed out in the lobby. I dry-heaved all the way to the hotel room. I rested/dozed in the hotel room, but I keep waking up and crying every hour or so - I just burst into tears and hyperventilated. I couldn’t help it. At midnight, I took a Percocet and fell asleep. At 4am I woke up shaking, my whole body freaking out with fear, panic and sooooo much anxiety – I think from a bad dream. I got out of bed and felt nauseated as soon as I stood up. My hubby woke up in time to help me to the bathroom where I threw up while having my first post-LIS bowel movement.
I’m at home now, exhausted. There’s no burning and only very, very mild pain - mostly stinging at the fissure and incision sites. The skin tag site seems okay just now.
I know that I decided that I didn’t care about bed-side manner as much as competence, but I have to say I didn’t expect this guy to be such a sadistic (naughty naughty) (sorry for the language). I don’t know why I wasn’t sedated and why he started burning me before I was completely numb. He didn’t give a fig about pain-management and made me feel like a bit wimp. Well … I am a big wimp, but a pretty pissed off wimp right now!
I’m sorry for the long post. I’m just feeling pretty traumatized … and I’m feeling pretty sorry for myself. I don’t know what to feel. I want to celebrate having the LIS behind me now – but I am struggling with the psychological aftermath of the whole ordeal.
I just REALLY hope this LIS works because right now I don’t think I could look at another doctor again.
Thanks for listening
Hope