I'm having my first lap on Friday, and I can barely sleep this week because of worry. I've read all of the aftercare and things that will make my life a hell of a lot easier in recovery, but nothing is relaxing me. I'm worried about the anesthetic for one, and then the recovery as well.
It's just an investigative lap so they're not expecting to do anything unless they need to. Not looking forward to this.
i had an investigate laproscopy in february and found to be riddled so completely understand how u feel. I felt the same way and there is no way of keeping calm about it coz it is scary but I promise you there Is nothing to be worried about. it seems much worse then it is
Hey,
I had my first lap two weeks ago and i was exactly the same. They say it's perfectly normal to be nervous and everything, but no joke I made myself ill with fear. I can't speak for everyone, for me it really was not as bad as I thought it would be. I'll tell you a bit about it so you can get an idea of what it is like 
I arrived on the day two hours before my lap and I was a complete nervous wreck. I'd spent most of the night before having panic attacks about it and I was quite weak and shaky. As soon as met with both my surgeon and my anaesthetist I started to relax a bit though. They discussed the procedure with me and we spoke about the different forms of painkillers i could take afterwards so we could make sure I'd be taking something that would work best for me. I thought waiting for two hours would be difficult but to be honest it flew right by because there were people coming in and out all the time.
When it was time for the op I a nurse led me to a room. This was the worst bit for me, I was pooing myself with fear. Thankfully the room I was taken to was not the operating room so i didn't see any of the equipment they would use during the operation (i would've run a mile!) I sat on the bed and the nurses and the anaesthetist chatted to me for about a minute while they got the things ready. I didn't even notice when they administered the anaesthetic because I was distracted talking to someone! I started to feel a bit sleepy and then the next thing I knew I was waking up afterwards. It was like a blinked and it was over. it really is as quick as that. It was over so so fast.
For the next hour I felt a bit woozy from the drugs so I mainly slept. When I was awake enough they let my family come in and I had something to eat and i started to feel much much better. I was so chuffed because I didn't throw up! My pain levels were was monitored and if I felt uncomfortable I was offered more painkillers but most of the time I was ok. I was even able to get out of bed later that day to walk around a bit.
Speaking from my own experience about recovery, it's really not been too bad. I had little to no bruising and the pain killers I took stopped me feeling much pain. It was more mild discomfort. For the first few days I needed help standing up and sitting down, but it's been two weeks now and i am completely mobile and am in no pain at all. I took painkillers regularly on a preventative basis and not as and when i needed them, and it stopped me feeling any pain really.
It really isn't as bad as you think it will be. It all happens so quickly and I know you'll be glad you did it to finally know what is happening inside your body!
I wish you luck and I'll be thinking of you. Please let us know how it went
I hope this helped you feel a bit less frightened. Be strong, you can get through this!!
Hannah x
Hey - I just want to say that I completely understand how you are feeling right now. I was having panic attacks for days before my surgery worried about the anaesthetic and if I would even wake up after. But what it is is just worry and nothing that we think about when we are anxious is ever going to happen.
I was prescribed diazepam to take the day before and day of my surgery to help and I also have an anxiety colouring book. I know this sounds a bit mad but it really helps you to focus your thoughts elsewhere and calms you. It also helped me to have my mum with me while I was waiting to be called down as she is very straight talking and when I was on the verge of having a panic attack she would say "Rochelle stop it now you are making yourself look silly no one else here is making a performance" which almost shocks me back to normal! I know to some this will seem very harsh but I honestly find it helpful when I'm at tipping point.
I hope you will find something to help calm your nerves but please be assured that nothing is as bad we think it's going to be and you can get through anything xx
Hi,
Please don't be scared, the doctors and nurses are well practised in these procedures and will do everything they can to make sure things go well for you. Having some nerves and not being able to think about much else other than the op is normal.
In the waiting area you will be dressed in a gown and a nurse will do some obs before your consultant and the anaesthetist come to speak with you to make sure you understand the procedure and to gain your consent.
You will be taken down to theatre on your bed and then there will be about 4-6 people (doc, anaesthetist, few nurses) round you along with a blanket to keep you warm probably! They will put in an iv and then administer your anaesthetic, they will be lovely to you and I've always found the nurses to be very reassuring at this point.
Afterwards you'll wake up, feel a bit groggy and sore and they'll give you pain relief, once you come round you'll be given some tea and toast and then taken to recovery.
endo-resolved.com/laparosco...
Try to think about it in a positive way, after Friday I will know what's going on and be enroute to a treatment plan. By Saturday the lap will be over etc. Think about having a bit of time out from work/study/family stresses and taking care of yourself. You can read the book you've always meant to, watch your favourite films, have friends round for tea and chats, plan nice days out for when you'll be feeling better. Trust me you'll begin to see it as less of a big deal when you phrase it in that context.
Hope all goes well x
Hi,
I have panic attacks about anything to do with blood and our insides! I did so much of my science GCSEs in a photocopying room as I couldn't even watch the videos without passing out - ha!
Honestly, it's fine. I Had my investigation op on Monday and Im back to work tomorrow. Only in theatre for about 40 mins I think and only 2 tiny cuts on the tummy with tape on - didn't even need plasters. They did an internal of my uterus so Its like having a period afterwards (but even that seemed okay - no panic attack).
One piece of advice I was given was to take painkillers a couple of days before the op so they've built up, even if just paracetamol.
I had my op about 10am and at home about 7pm. Ive had lap surgery before so was ready for shoulder pain from the gas, so mad as it sounds, as soon as I got home, my partner took me for a 10 min walk round the block to get the gas moving. I got some peppermint oil tablets from the hosp (think they're usually for IBS), drank a litre of Doctor pepper (read that somewhere too), took prescribed co-codomal, put a hot water bottle behind my shoulder and went to bed on the sofa sat up with lots of pillows - and slept like a baby!
Had a few ops in the past and thus was my far the least invasive. Hardest part is resisting my dog who's used to jumping up for a cuddle 
I'm going to have another op to treat what they found, but this simple diagnosis laprosocopy, even for a panicker, was very untraumatic.
You'll be fine
Heather
I had mine on Friday and am feeling surprisingly well. How are you doing now?
I'm feeling a hell of a lot better than I did the first two days, starting to feel human again. Just waiting for the stitches to come out now
Great news. Here's to a speedy recovery xx
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