Laparoscopy for pain, maybe endo and fibroids

Ok.. first post and completely new here. I was hoping to see if someone here had shared similar symptoms and give me some insight.
Ok.. quick note first... had problems with fibroids and had an ablation done about 3 or 4 years ago. Just last year they found a small fibroid starting up again. But more unusual...starting around April of 2008, started to get some pain.. but nothing out of the normal during cycles. But when summer comes around.. now experiencing pain during and off mentral cycles. These pain consisted of abdominal pain and lower back pain and both legs (thighs and little past knees). Best described like labor pains. The pain occurs during menstral cycles and off menstral cycles. They became more frequent and hit harder in pain by fall time. Around thanksgiving time, pain is everyday and have to take pain medicine. Doctor was concerned about it not only becuase it may be endometriosis.. but the fact I experience the pains when not on my cycles.
I have to have a Laparoscopy this coming week with possible chance of partial hysterectomy (depending on immediate results of laparoscopy).
I'm wondering if anyone else had pain symptoms similar that did require partial hysterectomy. If you had similar pains and it was not endometriosis.. where can I look for addition information before the surgery starts this coming week?
Thank-you in advance for any info.

I am sorry you are having such terrible pain and hope your laparoscopy helps your doctor determine exactly what is going on without needing to perform a hysterectomy. Have you had a second opinion yet?

Endometriosis and adhesions from endometriosis can cause pain and in some cases the pain does radiate down the legs, depending on the location of the endo and the which nerves may be involved. Lower backaches are a symptom many of us with endometriosis experience. A fibroid in just the right place may also be causing some of your pain issues.

When you have your laparoscopy will you also be having a hysteroscopy to see what might be going on inside of your uterus as well? Will an endometrial biopsy be done?

I would hesitate to have a hysterectomy without first being able to sit down and discuss what was found during the laparoscopy (and any other procedures done at the same time) and without being able to seek a second opinion about what is found. If the problem does turn out to be endometriosis, a hysterectomy is not necessarily going to be a cure as there is no 100% cure for endometriosis. Thus, when it comes to endo it is a good idea to have the most skilled surgeon you can find who will be able to more successfully remove as much endometriosis as possible. An endometriosis specialist is an excellent choice! Mine is also a pelvic pain specialist which is helpful as some of my pain is from other issues and many ladies with endo do often have other health conditions going on in the pelvic region that need special treatment.

I would suggest researching all you can about fibroids, endometriosis, and pelvic pain before having a hysterectomy. We do have a lot of information in our Resource Database. Adenomyosis is another condition you might want to read about that involves the endometrium growing into the muscular walls of the uterus and can cause a lot of pain.

I hope all goes well for you during the lap and you find some answers soon! in there! S

I have had another doctor opinion, he recommended partial hysterectomy as well. No definate data on being genetic, but the doctor seemed to be leaning to it may be since my mother had bleeding through uterus walls and extreme pain in her early 30's. She had a partial hysterectomy and she said she has not had any problems since. But, the inital diagnosis was Adenomyosis, but the 2nd doctor I seen said there is no way to diagnose that unless the uterus is out to examine due to it being under the uterus.. not fully clear on all that.. but she did explain much of that to me. She further explained that endometriosis is a genetic thing that can happen anywhere even as silly as we may laugh at, but even at the tip of our thumb or even on our elbow or shoulder. She said there are cases that people may have it and not feel pain and other feel extensive pain. But most commonl cases found are the ones examined and mostly women do seem to get the pain and endometriosis in the pelvic and uterus areas when we complain about it. She mentioned some even live their life not knowing they had it at all. Bottom line, she wants to do the laparoscopy on the 23rd.. which is fine with me. She want to take pictures and have better insight of what is going on. BUt she also mentioned clinical method of possible birth control to help. Problem is... I'm allergic to asparin and any related asparin products such as motrin, aleve, advil, etc. So any type of inflamation is so much harder to treat. I can't take birth control due to my heart condition. It feels, to me, there are just as many risks from the birth control as there is to go into menopause...(not what doctor said.. but from converstaions I have heard of other women going through MANY types of birth controls and not all still found the right one over long period of time and ended up with many other side effects/symptoms from medicines). I can't deal with this pain and don't want to be addict to medicine I"m on to control the pain. I have a job that deals with heavy lifting and driving heavy machinery... can't rely on medicine to take care of all the pain aggravated by the constant heavy lifting. I take low doses of pain medicine to help prevent drowsiness at machinery.. which only takes the edge off the pain while working (even with my doctor's written weight lifting limitation).
I was thinking to have a partial hysterectomy ONLY if endometriosis was found while use of the scope during the Laparscopy surgery. Fibroids seem to come back even after the ablation. I have had pain in the past with the fibroids.. but not like it is now... only had abdominal pain in past with fibroids. Fibroids only gave cramps in certain area of uterus... but now experiencing lower back and leg pains as well and all front tightening cramp all over front torso area like labor pains and at this time fibroid is tiny compared to last one I dealt and bleeding is not like before either. THe doctor already told me if she found anything that didn't belong that could be removed such as cyst as example or some other type of benign tissue issue... something more safe to remove than the uterus. She is not too thrilled about any type of hysterectomy but I seem to be leaning to partial because I can't deal with the pain anymore. To feel like I"m in labor everyday now for the last few months.. and nothing good coming out of it, it is senseless pain for me. Since I can't have babies.. I'm not seeing any risk of losing my uterus. I understand that the body goes into menopause.. but weight gain, I can deal with that better than this pain and other symptoms... I just can't let myself get "addicted" to the pain pills and sugar coat the problem that is causing the pain.
Question would be.. what kind of pelvic problems would casue this pain that can be cured by other than means than birth control and partial hyesterctomy?
Also would like to know.. If I did have a partial hysterectomy, how could these things continue to grow in the muscular wall of the uterus if the uterus is taken out? That was a little confusing to me.
Thanks for your response and I will be checking out what I can in the resource data as soon as I can.

Adenomyosis is the condition where the endometrium grows into the muscular wall of the uterus, thus it is a condition contained within the uterus. It is also the condition where the only 100% sure way to diagnose it is after a hysterectomy and pathology has a chance to check out the entire uterus. A hysterectomy is a cure for adenomyosis.

Endometriosis on the other hand occurs when those endometrial cells exist outside the uterus. The reason that endometriosis can exist even without a uterus is because those cells are so tiny before they grow that they can reside any where and every where prior to the hysterectomy. Removing the uterus has no impact on the cells that already exist outside of the uterus.

One pelvic pain condition that can cause pain from belly button to thighs is interstitial cystitis (IC), a bladder condition. Sometimes it can be hard to determine if the pain is uterine cramps or bladder cramps.

Living with chronic pain is miserable. It is often much easier to treat once you know specifically what is causing the pain and hopefully the laparoscopy is going to find those answers for you. Then you and your doctors can determine the best treatment route for you.

Best wishes!