Hi everyone, im new here and thought i would share my story.
In March this year i was admitted into hospital with suspected appendicitis. After 3 nights in hospital and many many tests, i was diagnosed with a cyst on my left ovary. I was told this would go away by itself and sent on my way. Fast forward 2 months and i was still in agony. After being fobbed off by my GP because my cyst is a simple cyst and therefore doesnt require treatment, i was FINALLY refered to a Gyno at my local hospital. After just one appointment i was told that it was likely that i had endometriosis and that they were going to carry out a laparoscopy to confirm this and to drain the cyst that i currently have. Fast forward again to present day and i am now 7 days away from my op and very very nervous.
So, any advice for a nervous, first time laparoscopy patient ? Thanks.
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Tashr247
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Yes, look forward to relief! You'll be sore, sure but you'll feel so much better than before. Especially after 5 days just don't run before you can walk - no lifting or hoovering or driving. You're not nuts, cysts can be extremely painful especially if you do have endo. You've been put in front of the right person and now you're getting to your answer and your relief. It's good. Keep going on whatever pain meds you need to get you through the week. Best of luck xxx
Thanks for the reply and the advice. I've booked a week off work for recovery but i'm not sure if i'll be ready to go back that soon... What do you think ? Xx
It really depends on what you do for work and whether they remove any endo. I've always had 2 weeks off but I always have endo removed. I've heard women go back the day after a laproscopy but they don't have endo or anything too invasive. I would tell your manager 2 weeks as you are having a cyst drained. They will tell you what you need when you come around after surgery.
Im a nursery nurse, so not exactly an easy job. I've been told i could go back on light duties but im just going to see how i feel i think. Im really worried that i'll be drowsy from the anesthetic and wont remember what the doctor tells me after the surgery, any advice for this ? X
Make sure you get your notes. Tell the person looking after you as soon as you see them. But a nurse will confirm how long to rest. Drowsiness will wear off 3-5 days x
Thanks, didnt think about notes and such. Sounds really shallow but i was wondering about what to wear ? I know i'll be bloated and i dont want anything that will rub the incisions ? X
Not shallow at all. You will be bloated they fill you with air. Oh yes, your shoulder will really hurt because of the air. Forgot about that. It's totally normal. I find drinking coke and burping helps but that may just be me being nuts. I wear a top and pj bottoms/jogging bottoms. You may want a nightie/dress though instead. The incisions are tiny. Oh and take out a belly button piercing before you get to hospital. X
Will a heat pack/hot water bottle help with the shoulder pain? Oh speaking of piercings, i read that they put a tube down your throat - i have a tongue piercing, will i have to remove this ? X
Yes no metal allowed. This is because they may use diathermy to burn back endo- and electricity can arc to metals and cause dreadful burns- so do not risk any hair clips, piercings, or jewellery. Remove it all and leave it at home.
No nail coloured nail polish allowed either on fingers or toes. but clear nail varnish is allowed. This is so the anaesthetist can check the colour of the skin under the nails for signs of loss of circulation while you are knocked out and spot fingers turning blue for example.
Regarding the gas used to pump up the tummy like a balloon- its the same CO2 gas used in fizzy drinks -only on a spectacular scale... hopefully most is let out of you before you are sealed up - but there will always be some pockets of trapped gas that doesn't escape and when that rises up and traps under the diaphragm that's when it hurts the shoulders which is where you feel that pain or rather an intense ache.
Drinking more fizzy is absolutely NOT recommended - you are just adding more of the same gas to the problem. The quicker you fart and burp the gas out the quicker you get relief from that problem so don't be shy about letting rip - everyone having tummy surgery is doing the same thing. It is not a time to be shy and polite -just go for it and get rid of the gas as and when and where you can.
Keeping moving regularly inspite of pain and discomfort from the op and the gas will get it shifted quicker. Peppermint tea and windeze tablets etc will all do their bit to get the gas out too. Shouldn't be a problem for more than 2-3 days after the op.
Remember to stock up on plasters and antiseptic wipes and gels and creams -whatever you prefer, and dressings, so when you get home you have a ready supply of things to help with looking after the lap holes and keeping them germ free. Micropore tape is better than plasters as there is less glue and it is less painful to remove from tender skin.
Wound care is actually one of the top 2 priorities after the op.
The other is activity to keep the blood circulating and avoid getting a DVT. Be sure you know the symptoms of a DVT and what to look out for, but also force yourself however tired you feel or sore, to get moving every hour or two that you are awake, up and down stairs, or front door to back door.
Drinking lots of water helps healing and also forces you to need the loo more often which is getting exercise too. Keep active don't vegetate in the same position for too long without getting your legs working a bit. It certainly doesn't have to be anything too energetic - just frequent moving about the house will be enough.
You might want to move heavy items in the kitchen to waist height so they are easy to reach and you don't need to stretch up or down to get them after the op.
Have sanitary towels in stock if you normally only use tampons. There is often post op bleeding and if they have done any biopsies from the cervix area in their hunt for endo then it will bleed for a bit after the op and you can't use tampons as they would be an infection risk to the wound. The bleeding can be more than normal pant liners would cope with - so try and have a few bigger pads on standby just in case. The hosp will usually give you one of theirs initially, but do have your own supply just in case.
You may find going for a poop is a problem - two fold - painkillers can cause constipation so oral laxatives or suppositories will help with that, but also using your bowel which may be bruised and battered a bit having been poked and prodded and possibly had endo or adhesions removed from the surface can make pushing a poop down the chute a rather painful experience. again keeping things soft so they move easier will help a lot.
If you have long hair - scrunchies should be used to tie it back during the op itself - no metal clips. and tie pony tails to the side - not right behind your head which you will be lying on. Also tying hair back is very useful if you happen to throw up which many do, as a reaction to the morphine given during the op. Keep your hair behind you when you first try and get up or lean forward after the op. The last thing you want to do is have a hairwash on day 1.
Wetwipes are very useful for cleaning off the antiseptic dye tht will be covering your tummy - clean up before putting on your own clothes otherwise it will stain them.
Do not wear your best clothes, wear elasticated waisted skirt or trousers or leggings - something with a lot of expandability - your tummy will be bloated and your wounds can be sore so you don't want much extra pressing on there.
A long T-shirt or jumper or cardi to cover your swollen tum will help too.
You can't wear your own stuff for the op except for socks - so wear your brightest flashiest sox - apart from that you will look like all the other surgery patients - paper knickers, hospital gown, perhaps NHS surgical stockings for preventing DVT. Bright sox cheer you up - and the nursing staff too.
Take in some snacks for eating after the op - you will feel hungry and may have missed meal times - so crisps, fruit, chocks, etc will help fill a hungry tummy.
If you are only expecting to be a day case and home by evening - prepare and leave at home an overnight bag just in case they decide to keep you in overnight for observation - then ask a friend or relative to bring in your extra supplies if you need them to.
Things to do, magazines, books etc, make up, wash bag, extra clothes, MP3 or ipod or whatever gadget you might need to wile away the hours.
There is no point taking them with you in the 1st place - because you are not going to be conscious enough to take care of them and while you are off the ward they are at risk of going for a walk - so leave valuables at home.
a dressing gown and rubber soled slippers with a good grip are worth taking with you. it isn't a fashion show - be practical and comfortable. You won't ever likely see any of the nurses or patients ever again after your stay, so be sensible about what you take and what you leave in your emergency overnight bag should that be needed.
I'm sure others will think of things I have forgotten to mention - but that should give you some ideas to help you plan.
Hi there, can I ask you what pain meds they usually send you home with? With my sinus surgery they sent me home without any and said they would give me a prescription at a later date, then the surgeon was away when the pain kicked in. Just wondering if I should be pushing to make sure I go home with something.
Thanks, my first lap is in 7 days too. I've been told it will take 60 mins to 3 hours! I'm so bloody nervous. Will be good to know exactly what is going on though.
I also work with small people and even if you tell them not to jump on your tummy or rush in to you...boy does it hurt when they forget. So I would actually advise taking longer time off. Don't rush back till you are sure you are ready.
One accidental incident of a kid careering in to you can floor you with the shock and pain, then there are issues with lifting, stretching up and getting down, all of which can tug on internal wounds until they are properly healed.
skin wounds are the quickest to heal - so the lapholes should be sealed up (providing you manage to keep them infection free) in about two weeks. Internal healing can take a lot longer depending on what you have done.
Diathermy or laser work to remove endo that might be found is burning back the tissue by about 3 mm depth. These burns like all burns do take some time to heal and regrow fresh new tissue from below. Several weeks.
That doesn't mean you will need to be off work all that time, but get plenty of rest and regular pottering about the house exercise, and healthy meals and plenty of extra water to help burns heal and you should have a pretty good idea about when you feel ready to return.
The hosp normally sign you off for 1 week, that is to ensure you see your GP for a check up to make sure everything is going to plan and then you get your GP to sign you off after that till such time as you are okay to go back.
It is hard to predict because at this point you don't know what will be done in the op, you certainly cannot predict any set backs like wound infections or bladder problems or post op depression from the general anaesthetic etc. Hopefully all goes well, but I would definitely recommend you plan for a two week off work break and be sure to keep your employer informed as soon as you suspect you need longer. Most ladies would need at least two weeks off and some up to 8 weeks or even more.
The worst thing you can do is go back too soon, and have a set back by over doing things and need to be off again at no notice to your employer, so don't return till you are sure you are ready.
I had my first lap 4 weeks ago. I've got to say that I way lucky and didn't get much shoulder pain at all but then again I get terribly sore muscles in my shoulders/neck/back anyway so might not have noticed! At my pre-op the nurse at the hospital said that you can let out a colossal fart and it won't make any difference because the air they pump in isn't in the same place as farts come from! The air gets reabsorbed into the body over the next couple of weeks. I wore a maxi dress and was quite comfy.
The cuts are small but a bit sore for a while - just take it easy and keep them clean so you don't get an infection. They couldn't burn anything out of me as was in an inaccessible place so I don't know about recovery time from that if you have that done but if they're saying 2 weeks, take 2 weeks to start with and if you need more you can always sort it out. Hope it goes ok - don't worry, it's not actually as bad as you think it's going to be! They gave me some ibuprofen. x
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xxx
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