Surgery Treats Painful Symptoms of Endometriosis
Megan Packard, a 26-year-old Urbana resident, was symptom-diagnosed with endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in 2018.
“I was consistently in pain, in and out of my menstrual cycle,” she explains. “It was eight years of testing different methods of birth control (sometimes being on two different types at one time) to get some relief, but nothing worked. In the end, I had tried three different types of birth control—including pills, the Depo shot and an IUD.”
Packard worked with Kristina Caine, MD, a Mary Rutan Obstetrics & Gynecology team member to avoid surgery. She says: “Dr. Caine was very open and honest with me and understood that I did not want to have surgery unless I had to. She was very patient with me.”
Finally, in late May 2024, the pain became too much for Packard, and she and her doctor decided it was time—time to surgically diagnose and treat the endometriosis, while also achieving her wish for permanent sterilization with the removal of her fallopian tubes.
“When I was approaching the surgery date, I thought I would be so freaked out, but I was so calm and ready to go,” Packard says. “I think that was because when we were discussing options previously, Dr. Caine had told me that if I decided to have the surgery, she was going to do it. That immediately made me feel better. She makes me feel so safe.”
The surgery went smoothly, with no complications, and recovery went just as well. Packard felt a profound sense of relief and hope for the future after the successful surgery.
“Recovery was fantastic,” Packard says. “Once I was allowed to leave, they wanted me to use a wheelchair. I felt good enough to walk out of the hospital, and as I did just that, I said to myself, ‘Here we go!’”
Packard says she had an excellent recovery and didn’t require any use of narcotics for post-op pain. She was back to her normal activities within just a few days. She visited Dr. Caine a few weeks post-surgery and was given the all-clear.
Friendly, personalized care Dr. Caine says that with Packard, she ran the gamut of treatment for endometriosis, starting with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications and hormone therapy to slow the pain and progression of implants. They worked together to make treatment decisions and ultimately decided on surgery. Dr. Caine removed only what she deemed necessary to relieve Packard’s pain.
“I believe in shared decision-making with my patients and using detailed communication about all risks and possible outcomes before finalizing a plan,” Dr. Caine says. “Megan was always very open with me and actively wanted to participate in her path back to health. One of the things I love about practicing at Mary Rutan Health is that I have the ability to have close relationships with my patients and deliver personalized care. I have always strived to be a friend who also happens to be a gynecologist and try to keep that perspective with every woman I see. I am invested in my patients and truly care about them, their families and what is next for them.”
Packard felt that care and compassion from Dr. Caine and generously spreads the word about her beloved OB-GYN. “I recommend Dr. Caine to everyone,” she says. “I tell people living in Columbus to come here to see her because she is so understanding. I tell everyone to come here. She immediately believed me and said we were going to solve this. I felt heard.”
Dr. Caine was raised in Florida as a first-generation Cuban American. She completed her undergraduate degree in microbiology and molecular biology at the University of Central Florida and medical school at the University of Florida. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. She specializes in breastfeeding medicine, labor management and preventive healthcare.