Lap tomorrow and a bag of nerves!

[ashleyjane88]

Hi everyone im due to have my lap tomorrow morning and if im honest im so scared! I think i have read up as much as I can on how to prepare but if anyone has any suggestions even tiny ones ( such as cleaning ur belly button in advance as i have read somewhere else lol) I would be so grateful to hear them as im sure im forgetting everything. Im just praying there is a diagnosis and relief after tomorrow! Lots of love and best wishes to everyone!! Xxxx

[magnetta]

Hi Ashley,

My lap isn't for 2 weeks and I was hoping to get the same info.

First of all I am sure most people are scared beforehand. It is fear of the unknown, don't you think? But in reality so many women on here have had multiple laps and are just fine.

Maybe try and take some time for yourself, read a book, have a bath, try to chill out.

Think of the end result - some answers!

Sending lots of positive thoughts to you, hehe xxx

[allisimons]

Hi Ashley,

I had my laparoscopy last thursday, hospital was lovely and staff were fantastic. I was more worried about the needle in the back of my hand and having to have a catheter ( not sure if spelt correct!). Needle in hand wasn't that bad and no catheter thank god. I was having a removal of a 9 cm ovarian cyst which should have taken no longer than an hour, due to complications it ended up being 2 and half hrs. they found endro' on my right ovary and under my uterus which they have left and hope they can control with the mini pill. I had to have 80% of my left ovary removed due to the damage cyst caused. I was home the same day as op and could not climb stairs but now its been a few days i can get up stairs now. pain is not as bad as i thought it was going to be but am taking ibuprofen and paracetamol every 4 hrs. I am supposed to walk for 10 minutes a day but this is very very hard to do. cant pick things up off the floor yet, can't bend that far down. can't stretch to wash my hair (thank god for a good hubby). everyday gets better. You will be absolutely fine I was really dreading it as I did not know what to expect but it all worked out well and fingers crossed I'm on road to full recovery. It's hard to say not to worry because we all do. I will just say wish you all the best and good luck, will be thinking of you tomorrow xxx

[ashleyjane88]

Hey guys thankyou both for the replies and eternally grateful for the kind wishes! Im sure everything will be just fine i think whats getting to me most is what if theres nothing! Which sounds ridiculous to all my family and friends but too me so much is riding on this op its what ive been waiting for for ages! Magnetta u have described my perfect evening and thats what i fully intend to do lol! Im going to enjoy the bath as long as i can as im not sure quite when the next one will be haha! And to alli im so sorry ur op was complicated what a nightmare, hopefully when the pain subsides a new life is on the horizon! Also thankyou so much for filling me in a bit with what to expect after i was hoping to be back to full fitness in a few days so its nice to know i want be 'over reacting' (my fave doctor quote) if im still struggling somewhat after that!! I just hope that this is all worth it! Why cant we all have perfectly well bodies life would be amazing! I will let u know asap on how things went and hopefully if u have any questions magnetta i can fill u in a bit!!! Thanks again its nice to have someone to talk to this evening lol xxxx

[kadey22]

I had a lap about two years ago I was so scared but its nothink to worry about u get a little pain after op . And if everything is ok u can go Ome same day try not to worry

[sarahewhe]

Hey there, I just had my first lap 5 day ago and I honestly feel pretty awesome today. Honestly the worst part for me was the sore throat for the first day or so from the intubation tube used during the surgery. My advice would be to have popsicles or ice cream on hand cause throat lozenges didn't alleviate any of that soreness for me. Also have meds for indigestion since you'll be laying around for a few days,for me this led to some serious indigestion. I had a silk-feeling very baggy and loose nightgown that I changed into at the hospital and wore for the first two days, that was awesome. Would recommend that over even like stretchy yoga pants or anything with a waistband. I was really scared of the gas pain afterwards (since I had read so much about that) but it really wasn't bad at all! Whenever I felt it in my shoulder I busted out my heating pad... it was very manageable. I was also very scared about being nauseous from the anaesthesia but they put an antiemetic in my IV and a scopolamine patch behind my ear and i didn't have one bit of nausea. Eat light the first few days even if you think you can handle complex meals....your body will have lots of healing to do and digestion can tend to pull a lot of that energy away from healing. In my particular case I only needed pain meds (oxycodone) for the surgery day itself and half of the following day... that's it. It really wasn't so bad and you'll do great... get in lots of fluids after your surgery and really take it easy.

[justaverage]

I had my surgery 6 days ago. I got really nervous that my doctor can't find my vein for the iv. I think he may have injured it somehow. My left arm was swollen when I got out of the hospital. And I'm still in pain because of that. Anyway, try to keep a song in mind(they don't allow mp3s in the OR). I didn't expect that it will calm me down but somehow it did.

Good luck on your Lap!

[amyd in reply to justaverage]

I have had the same problem with my wrist! The doctor didn't even have a problem finding my vein and the IV went in fine but a few days after the op my hand and wrist came up in a big bruise and was very sore.

I am now 2 and a half weeks post op, feel generally back to normal apart from my wrist which is still lightly bruised but seems to be going down. It seems funny that out of everything, that is the thing causing problems!

I find applying to heat to it makes it better and the bruising has gone down a lot since I've been keeping a heat pad on it every evening whilst watching tv.

[squidgy]

Just wanted to say again a huge good luck to you for your lap! I know completely what you mean by saying you dont want them to find something but you do cos then it proves to all those drs and family/friends/people who think we are making it up that we know our bodies!

The thought of the op and recovery..the unknown is the worse as once you are under that is it you then just have to deal with the recovery. Big hugs and hope it goes well for you and a speedy recovery too x

[ashleyjane88]

Hey everyone thankyou all so much for ur kind wishes im so grateful they were lovely to read today and i hope u will forgive me if im brief here as very tired lol. So good news all went well and finally a diagnosis its endo and its been removed, they also discovered that my bowel was stuck to my abdomin wall and the adhesions have also been removed they also said that half of my peritonium is missing on the right and that my rectus muscle is protruding through quite a bit, if anyone knows what that means i will be so grateful to have some more info i have no idea what it is! Lol! Best of all im not crazy hurray! So much love to all of u and i will update as soon as the pain gas and fatigue was worn off lol thanks again xxxxxxxx

[squidgy in reply to ashleyjane88]

That's fab all went well and you now have some answers! A lot for you to take in. No need apologise for short reply and being tired..we all totally understand! Hope your recovery is quick for you x x sending you hugs x x

[emaweegirl]

Bit late here but how did it go? Did they find any endo? Hope you're ok! X

[Twiggy175]

Hi

Glad your surgery went well and you have some answers. Be good to yourself, take it easy, lots of rest. Wishing you a comfortable recovery.

Sending you hugs.