How long does pain after surgery last?

[squancy]

Hi, I had my lap last Tuesday, so 8 days ago. It was all a bit of a shock as I went to a&e on the Sunday. My ct scan showed a 8cm haemorrhagic cyst on my right ovary. My consultant said while he was doing that he would do the dye test on my tubes, have a good look around and excise endo. Came round in extreme pain from my diaphragm down. I was discharged last Friday. My discharge letter states that the lap showed frozen pelvis on my left side, never had any pain in my left. Left hydrosalpinx noted, the tube is twice the width of the right so the didn't do dye test on that side. Right ovarian haemorrhagic cyst drained, explored and biopsied, I do feel like the all trooped through my abdomen! Endometrioma noted in association with this haemorrhagic cyst. Drain inserted and now good news I or so I thought, right sided dye test showed a patent tube! However my consultant said after he popped up to see me to stop me crying, said that I would very possibly lose my right ovary. So my left side is dead with a fat tube, my right tube perfect with a duff ovary! I'm no expert, but that doesn't spell baby to me. I've been put on zoladex for three months, my second one is Christmas eve! To calm everything down. Then they will consider another lap for excision of endo with full bowel prep, frightened of this, my uterus is apparently stuck to my bowel. Again, never had problems in the poop department. Will be reviewed in clinic prior to this with an outpatient mri.

first thing, I'm 37, 38 in may, so time isn't on my side in the ivf department. The zoladex has basically taken three months away with a further 4 after to get it out of your system, so seven months gone. I'm worried that I might get missed and not get this mri and just left and a further lap not be scheduled till long after the injections have finished, and I'm not sure I want to continue for longer than three on them.

Anyway,! What my post is supposed to be about! I'm 8 days post lap. Still on painkillers 4 times a day, can barely get about indoors let alone get dressed and out for gentle exercise. I'm in pain and exhausted cooking my dinner, which at the mo is just putting some veg and fish in the oven. I'm on iron tablets too. My stomach has not been the same since the op, very distended, upset and sore. I've never heard it make so much noise! I have a lot of pain in my right abdomen still, with shooting pains in my bladder, vagina, and sometimes bum. I have black diahorrea from the iron tablets. Every evening my pain gets worse after dinner. I eat small amounts but I then bloat with gas so badly, every fart that comes is terrible pain, and feels like my ovaries are throbbing, and sharp pains all around my abdomen. My upper back pains start up again too and feels like my kidneys are aching. I'm drinking plenty, but feel like I have to constantly drink lots to stop my kidneys hurting and keep some pain at bay. I really thought I would be a lot more back on my feet by now of feeling better, a lot less pain and not being in loads of pain from farting!! Also thought I would at least be able to walk upright and not have to hold my lowers wound as it feels like it's all going to spill out. I know I'm going to be out of proper action for a while but when I had a large fibroid removed in 08, after a Week I was almost pain free apart from little tugs when getting out of bed. So getting worried things aren't right as I'm just not making any progress. Today, is a bad day as was in quite a bit of pain all night, and usually wake up feeling good but not today. Hope it doesn't ruin Christmas, as it's my favourite time of year and was really looking forward to the build up.

[CharlieSays]

So sorry you're suffering. I don't have any info to offer on the fertility side of things, as I've no experience. However, evveryones recovery from the surgery is different - it sounds like you had quite a lot of prodding around going on, so this will have a lot to do with the pain you're experiencing. It may be worth contacting the ward and explaining your concerns, if only to put your mind at ease. You could also ask for some better pain relief. For the gas pain, you may find peppermint tea helpful and ginger can also ease an iffy stomach. I used a heatpad after my lap to ease my aching belly. I found I was easily exhausted by the simplest thing, so you must make sure you rest as much as you can - don't feel like you have to do the things you normally would, you are still recovering from sugery, if though they don't class it as major. I also tended to hold my stomach when I was stood - I think its partly a protective instinct as you know you're vulnerable there. Hope you feel better in time for Christmas, but do try not to get stressed about it!

[squancy in reply to CharlieSays]

Thanks, had a fairly good evening yesterday apart from the diahorrea! and good day today. Did some Christmas shopping online and put a casserole in the oven. I'm exhausted, very cold and splitting headache now! I've settled back down with pills, lots of water and hot water bottle. Not sure how the chicken casserole is going to turn out, I've just thrown it all in a pot and in the oven. He can get it out later! Still trying to find someone for the ironing and cleaning up to Christmas, one has messed me about today so I will keep looking.

upside of being off work, I will finally get to see both my nephews nativity plays in the coming weeks.

I have an old work colleague, who now works at the hospital in the or, and she also does reflexology, so I her coming round Monday evening to try and relax me more. And it's great to see a friendly face when you come round from operations, as they're not always pleasant!

My hardest thing now is trying to think of something I want for Christmas, my partner keeps asking what I want, three months ago I told him all I wanted was a positive pregnancy test. And cue the gloomies! Thanks for your words of support, it does mean so much to me and I couldn't have got here now without you all.

[CharlieSays in reply to squancy]

Glad you've had a better day, I think your friend's offer of reflexology sounds great (wish I had a friend like that!). Sometimes having little things, such as the Nativities, to look forward to can help stop you focusing on negative things so much. I know I tend to feel down if Ive nothing to look forward to in the near future. I'm sorry I can't offer any words of comfort on the pregnancy side of things - I've never had the urge to have children so I can't really imagine how I'd feel in your position. But I do know many women on this site who have gone on to have children, even though things seemed fairly hopeless to them.