Nancy Shaffer
I was suffering with the terrible pain in my lower back and down my left leg. I was lucky if I had one week a month which I was not in pain. I thought that it was something in my back and urged my doctor to do an MRI. She would not order the MRI but referred me to an orthopedic specialist. That referral was denied by my insurance so I filed an appeal. In the meantime, I went back to my doctor in severe pain and told her that she either order an MRI of my back or I would find another doctor who would. She then ordered the MRI. I was then referred to a urologist since the results of the MRI showed a spot on my left kidney. The urologist then performed a laproscopy and ureteroscopy. He also removed some scar tissue that was in my abdomen. He then inserted a stent into the left kidney to get it to function again. I went home the same day, only to have to have another surgery a month later to repair the left ureter as it was pinched off and not functioning and to remove a large mass that was attached to my pelvis on the right and the ureter on the left along with being into the tissues and on the bladder. It was a real mess according to my doctor. He then started me on Lupron for five months. This was terrible, I had hot flashes and night sweats, moodiness, I hated it. I have been off the Lupron for almost three months now and am starting to get some of the pain back like I had before. The pain has not gotten as bad yet but I am wondering if it might come back full force. I will not take the Lupon again so I will have to find another type of treatment. I was also told by my gynecologist that when you have endometriosis and have it removed, when and if it comes back it will always appear in the same place as before and maybe other places as well. Because of this he would not recommend a hysterectomy in my case. I am looking for another specialist to treat me if I encounter the pain like I was in before my surgery. Please know that all of the information I have read on endo claims that there is no cure only temporary treatments. I guess it is something that I will have to live with for the rest of my life.