Feeling low and not sure what to do

[lemmi]

I had my first lap 3 and a half weeks ago. The surgeon who performed the surgery came round as I was waking up afterwards and told me it was a big operation and they'd removed quite a lot more than they were expecting to. As I was still very drowsy she said she would speak to me the following day. Well the next day a different doctor came round, told me what had been done, signed me off for 2 weeks and said I'd be able to return to normal activities and the gym after 2 weeks. I was a little shocked after being told it was a big operation. I got my GP to sign me off after the 2nd week for another week as I was still feeling really sick but then I tried to go back to work after 3 weeks. I didn't last 2 hours. I felt so sick and had to come home. I saw a different GP who signed me off for another week saying that I could return before that if I felt better and that my body had been through a lot and that's why I still felt ill but was then continued to treat me like I was being a wimp. My employer (the practice manager of a GP surgery) doesn't seem very sympathetic either. Speaking to a retired nurse last night she said after what I'd had done I should've been signed off for a minimum of 6 weeks. The nurse at my Pre op told me that it would be a minimum of 2 weeks unless they found more than they were expecting to remove (which they did) I would be off for longer. Now I'm really confused! Was it a big op or not and should I be at work by now? I still feel pretty rough but am I just being a wimp? Should I speak to my gynae who wasn't in my surgery and I've had nothing to do with him since my first consultation?

[Bez76]

Hi there. It is all dependent on each person to be honest, but I was told initially I should have 2 weeks off for an operative lap, which was removal of the endo from my Womb and surrounding area. There was no way I could go back to work as I just slept and slept and then got a belly button infection from the incision area and was really sick, so was off work for 4 weeks in total but even then I was drained. It was a good two months before I started to feel half normal again. Saying that some people are fit for work after a few days or so. It depends what has been done inside. At the end of the day, you have had lots of work done inside and lots of anaesthetic and if your body is telling you to rest, you need to rest.

x

[classiebird]

Omg your soo not being a wimp. Yes it's a big op and from others i have spoken to no one feels normal again for at least 8 weeks.

Even if your healed on the outside your insides take alot longer to heal.

I'm currently 6 weeks post op and going back to work tmrw. I really don't feel ready but my sick pay runs out so need to rejoin the real world. I'm hoping a return to routine will help.

My last lap nothing was done and I was back in work after a week so inside healing really takes it out of you.

Also you should get a follow up. Has your gp gotten your discharge summary yet? Find out.

Then it's get yourself a follow app time. Your gp should help u with this

[lemmi in reply to classiebird]

Thanks for your replies Ladies. Yes my GP had my discharge summary, I even took a copy of mine to them just in case so they have the notes from that. When I came round from surgery they told me that my follow up would be in 8 weeks but I am still waiting on confirmation of that. I had a 6cm endometrioma removed from inside my left ovary (this was their original reason for doing the surgery) they also found my ovary, bowel and uterus were stuck together and that I had endometriosis on some ligaments and nerves which they also removed.