I’m so excited, I could pee!

Two more days until my Essure procedure.  Actually, less than that.  About 32 hours.

 

I had my pre-op on Monday, and mentioned that I don’t think general anesthetic was a good idea.  Dr. Shipman said we could do light sedation instead, which would put me in a kind of “twilight” sleep, but because of my history with generals, I decided to just go with a local instead.  (The last time I had a general anesthetic, I had awful dizzy spells for 3 years afterwards.  It was blamed on low blood pressure, then low blood sugar, then dehydration until a doctor finally suggested that my liver just didn’t filter out the anesthetic like it should have.)  She will numb my cervix so the procedure is not as uncomfortable.

 

The night before the procedure, I can’t eat or drink anything after midnight.  Since I plan on going to bed around 8, this shouldn’t be a problem.  I had to have all my body jewelry taken out, and I feel kinda naked now.  I keep moving my hand to play with my navel ring, and it’s not there.  I also have to wash with a special chlorhexidine-based soap the morning of, with a few ingredients that really freak me out.  I will definitely be washing this poison off of me the first chance I get.

 

Sam will be driving me.  We have to get to the hospital at 6:30, and it takes about an hour to prep me.  I will have to answer a bunch of questions and probably have a catheter inserted in my arm in case I need anything intravenously.  Then at 7:30, I’m supposed to have the implants installed, which should take about half an hour.  They want me to stay for about an hour to an hour and a half afterwards, I guess to make sure I don’t have any serious side effects to the drugs, then I get to go home.  That’s assuming everything goes as planned.

 

They’ll use a scope inserted in my uterus through my cervix to find the openings for the Fallopian tubes.  The springs should be pushed almost completely into the tube openings, with just a little part sticking out into the uterus.  Dr. Shipman said that depending on where I’m at in my cycle, this could either be fairly easy or really difficult.  Luckily, I will be on day 9, so my uterine lining should be fairly thin.

 

Of the possible complications I could have from the procedure, only one really sticks out.  The implants could perforate my uterus/Fallopian tubes, which would be very painful and cause bleeding.  Unfortunately, there just isn’t a risk-free contraceptive option out there.  From what I have read, this has the highest success rate (100% in clinical trials with perfect use) and is safer than the other permanent contraceptive option–tubal ligation.

 

That being said, if for some reason the implants can’t be put in, I will be having a tubal.  The doctor added that to my consent form, so I don’t have to reschedule for another hospital visit.  I have a lot of questions to ask her about this (which, of course, I didn’t think of until leaving her office).  I want to know what kind of tubal ligation she does.  Filshie clips seem to be the most widely used and most successful these days.  It would be nice to know how long the tubal would take, and if she can clean up any endometriosis she finds while she’s in there.  And I’m really interested in the reasons Essure implants could not be placed in my tubes.  I have to call her office first thing in the morning.

 

If I do end up having a tubal ligation, I will have to have a general anesthetic.  Abdominal surgery just can’t be done without it (nor would I want to be awake for that).  It would be done laparoscopically, like my first surgery in 2008.  One incision in my belly button, one on either side of my abdomen below my hip bones.  Then I’ll have another 3 week recovery, including sleeping for the first 2 days and lots of pain if they don’t give me enough meds.  If you’re the praying sort, please pray that the Essure procedure goes smoothly and I don’t have to get a tubal ligation instead.  Surgery kinda freaks me out.  If you’re not the praying sort, just cross your fingers and hope for the best.