After a grueling weekend spent doubled over in pain in the emergency room, Amy Jam was understandably frightened and anxious.
The ER doctor had helped her control the pain. However, after several tests, they advised her to immediately follow up with her gynecologist because something was happening with her uterus.
“I was having really bad pain,” says Amy, 38 years old and owns a tech firm in Los Angeles. “It was a brand-new experience. I had never faced anything like that before. It was pretty intense.”
Searching for a top-rated OB/GYN — an expert in gynecology
Amy’s first stop in her quest for the best gynecologist in Los Angeles was the internet. There, she delved into doctor reviews, looking to see what patients had to say about their treatment.
“My health is my priority, and I wanted to have the best possible care,” says Amy. “I’d never want to short-change myself on healthcare.”
She contacted a doctor near her home, only to be told they could see her in two weeks. Considering that she was still in pain, that seemed too long.
Her next call was to the office of Dr. Thais Aliabadi. “When I explained what was going on, they were so receptive to me,” says Amy. “They told me I could come in that same day if I wanted to.”
I am looking for answers, stat!
The next day, Amy was at Dr. Aliabadi’s Beverly Hills office. The doctor didn’t just rely on tests performed in the ER and, instead, conducted her regimen, including a hormone blood test panel, ultrasound, and cancer screening.
“After seeing the symptoms and looking at the test results, she knew right away what was wrong,” says Amy.
Dr. Aliabadi noted that Amy suffered from an ovarian dermoid cyst, fibroids, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS happens when a woman’s ovaries or adrenal glands produce more testosterone than usual.
Dr. Aliabadi explained everything in a concise, holistic manner. “She whipped out a notebook and told (as well as drew) me the “what, why, and how” about my condition and how to resolve my issues. I thought that level of doctor-patient communication was rare. And then, despite her telling me I needed surgery, I felt surprisingly comforted and calm.”
I think a woman would have to be crazy to see someone other than Dr. Aliabadi.
The next step: surgery for uterine fibroids and a large ovarian cyst
Amy was scheduled for a diagnostic hysteroscopy, mini lap/myomectomy, and left ovarian cystectomy at the Outpatient Hysterectomy Center with Drs. Thais Aliabadi and Ramon Yera.
The surgeons had to remove six sizeable fibroid tumors while leaving Amy’s uterus and fallopian tubes intact. This allows women of childbearing age to carry out future pregnancies.
Dr. Aliabadi made three 5-millimeter incisions in the lower abdomen and one under the belly button to remove the cyst from inside Amy’s left ovary.
A laparoscope — a thin, flexible tube with a lighted camera at the tip — is inserted into the belly button incision to guide the doctor during surgery. Specialized instruments are then fed through the other small incisions below the patient’s bikini line to trim and remove the cysts.
Her Fibroids (myomas) were removed through a 1-inch incision in her bikini line. This small incision was closed with a single, absorbable stitch and covered with a Band-Aid. Within three months, the small incisions disappear altogether. There is almost no blood loss.
Amy’s recovery time from a myomectomy
After spending some time in the surgery center while the anesthesia wore off, Amy returned home on the same day. One of the clear benefits of her minimally invasive laparoscopy is that she went home the same day, unlike the traditional open abdominal myomectomy, which requires a one- to three-day hospital stay.
Amy says she was also impressed with the true concern exhibited by the office staff and Dr. Aliabadi, who checked on her over the phone and with her fiancé.
“I felt like she was an older sister reaching out to me,” says Amy, referring to Dr. Aliabadi’s involvement in her case. “She’s one of a kind.”
Though the recovery was supposed to take six weeks, Amy said, “I was off the pain medicine in five days and back to normal activities after a week of rest. It was amazingly fast.”
Living a productive life after a fibroidectomy
“I would say I am back to 100%, but since I did not feel 100% for so long, I would have to say I am now 1000% better!” states Amy.
It is common for fibroids to reappear after a myomectomy. Indeed, as many as 50 percent of women who have had a myomectomy will have new fibroids.
To avoid any PCOS symptoms, Amy takes 1,500 mg a day of metformin, a drug used in fertility health to treat PCOS. Metformin is also used to treat patients with Type 2 diabetes. Amy also takes 1 mg of Ozempic weekly, similar to a hormone that occurs naturally in the body. This hormone helps control blood sugar, insulin levels, and digestion. The combination has helped her lose all her extra weight.
An extraordinary surgical experience with Drs. Aliabadi
Amy experienced intense pelvic pain and did her search for the best OB/GYN in Los Angeles. After experiencing the finest level of care with Dr. Aliabadi, Amy is not shy about making a recommendation.
“I recommend due diligence when looking for a capable gynecologist,” she says. “But I think a woman would have to be crazy to see someone other than Dr. Aliabadi.”
Want state-of-the-art surgical approaches to women’s health? Establish care with the Outpatient Hysterectomy Center
What gynecological surgeon you choose will determine not just what type of surgery options you will be offered but how quickly and painlessly you will recover.
We invite you to schedule a consultation with the Outpatient Hysterectomy Center. Please make an appointment online or call us at (844) 863-6700.
We take our patients’ healthcare and safety very seriously. Our facility and surgical center operating rooms’ Covid-19 patient safety procedures exceed all CDC and World Health Organization recommendations. Masks are required in our offices at all times during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Outpatient Hysterectomy Center is conveniently located in Beverly Hills, with easy access for patients throughout Southern California and Los Angeles. West Hollywood, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, and Downtown Los Angeles.
