Hi, I am 36 have had suspected endometriosis for years. While I was waiting for my first laparoscopy. I was anxious and read lots of posts on this site to try and get reassurance. I messaged a lovely girl who really helped me to feel less anxious and was honest about her experiences. It helped so much to know what to expect so I wanted to post incase it helps someone else.
I arrived at hospital at 7.30 am, they let my Husband stay with me until it was time to go in. While I was waiting I saw the consultant, anaesthetist, a nurse and a health care assistant. They took my obs, explained everything that would happen and gave me time to ask questions. My main concern was having a general anaesthetic, it really was no where near as bad as I expected.
I was called in at 9.am, I walked to the anaesthetist room, they checked my details, I lay on the bed, there were 2 people, one put the cannula in my hand which I hardly felt, the other put blood pressure cuff on, pulse and heart monitors. They put an oxygen mask near my face, I am allergic to a lot of things, while they were double checking what my allergies were (to distract me!) I had gone to sleep, the next thing I knew I was waking up and asking the time, it was 10.20am. I couldn't believe it, apart from a bit of blurred vision that lasted a few mins I was fully alert, no grogginess, no nausea, only thing was a hideous shoulder pain from gas but I told the nurse and she quickly gave me some pain relief that worked very fast.
I left recovery after 25 mins, got back the the ward where they gave me water, a cup of tea and biscuits. My Husband was with me 10 mins after I returned to ward. My tummy was sore and I was bleeding a bit but the pain wasn't even 10% of what I experience with periods. The lovely consultant came to see me but I was desperate for a wee so he waited to talk to me. No one rushed me and I felt I could ask anything, the downside of the entire thing is the consultant says I am riddled with endometriosis, most of my insides are stuck together and there was not much he could do as its so wide spread. He has been doing the job for 30 years and was quite shocked at the state I was in. He will meet with his colleagues, arrange for me to see an endometriosis specialist and formulate a care plan for me. He doubts very much that hormone treatment will help me. So although it's disappointing to not be treated, I am glad that the consultant could see I need more specialist care and is helping me with this. He hopes to see me in 2 weeks. I must add none of this was a surprise to me, in fact it would have surprised me if they said it wasn't so bad!
On the upside I had more tea and biscuits, I was well enough to go home at 1.20pm. I am still wide awake and it's nearly 7pm. I am lying in bed reading magazines and typing this, my tummy is sore, my shoulders are sensitive. Nothing is anywhere near as bad as I expected. I am just extremely stiff so hard to get up without help. Hopefully it will continue this way tomorrow.
I do hope this post can reassure someone, it really wasn't too bad, I've had worse days just having a period. My symptoms were, extremely heavy periods since I was about 13, painful periods which are worse than labour pains, huge clots, often bigger than eggs, ovulation pains, stabbing pains, pain when needing a poo when on period, fatigue, I have been trying for a baby for 3 years with no luck. Luckily I did have 2 children in my early 20s so just being greedy! The main reason I got referred was that I bled constantly for 10 months.
My thoughts are with you all about to go though this, I hope your experiences are as good as mine. All of the staff I came into contact with were so lovely and understanding.
Xx
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Bettyheslop
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Very similar story to my own, I read scary painful stories after surgery and was told id feel groggy and nauseous afterwards, I woke in recovery thinking wow I feel great (probably the meds they'd given me) but still I haven't felt pain like the endo pains it's a doddle the lap. I woke in recovery completely blind it took 30 minutes for my eyesight to return and was the most scary thing but have found no concerns after that episode.
A tip I read for the gas pain - elevate your legs with pillows and lay your body flat I hardly suffered after a few hours when I did this.
Thanks A2207, I have just put my legs up a little. I have a wheat bag on shoulders which is nice and cosy.
Nice to see other replies too and know others have had similar experiences, lovely to be able to reassure others. There can be hard experiences for some but it is so easy to focus on these and not the positives when you are worried.
I have found another fab positive, my teenage son who is usually too busy for me actually feels sorry for me and has been laying quietly spending time watching TV with me which is a lovely change!
I am so glad you feel better about lap. I do hope yours goes as smoothly. The lovely girl that told me about her experiences helped me so much. I was pretty calm when I got there. This was after being terrified of a general anaesthetic and begging for a local at pre op!
If there is anything else at all you want to know just ask.
Great to know this information and I'm glad it all went well for you.
I too am concerned about the anaesthetic. Mostly because last time I had general, I was about 8 and came out of it singing 'Singing in the rain' and my mother (who will be accompanying me) now has access to a smartphone camera.
In all seriousness though, this post has reassured me somewhat.
I am glad you found my post reassuring. The whole experience was no where near as bad as I had feared.
If you come out singing singing in the rain again, just enjoy it, its got to be better then the nausea and grogginess that some people seem to get!
I woke up full of questions, what time is it? Why don't you dream when you have an anaesthetic? When will I see the consultant? How do anaesthetics actually work? I think the nurses in recovery were glad to send me back to the ward, I must have been so annoying!
I have just read your post about discovering your endometrioma. I am sorry you had such a strange scary time on holiday but glad for you that you are being treated.
Haha well if it gets recorded (and if it's a good rendition), I'll post it up. Give people a laugh! I imagine it's more likely to be Dolly Parton this time around though :P.
Sound like reasonable questions to me! I think a positive perspective pre\post op are what get you through (as well as plenty of pain meds obvs ) -so thanks for sharing.
Hi! I just want to thank you SO much for your post. My lap is next Friday (Jan. 12) and I am SO scared. My doc is sending me in for an MRI Monday the 8th to see if there are any nodules anywhere like my colon or intestines, etc., but believes I am stage 1 or 2. Either way, believe it or not, my biggest fear is ANESTHESIA! I am hoping they will give me happy pills before the anesthesia because I am TERRIFIED! Anything in particular help you get through that part? I've never had it, never had surgery, so much to think about. Of course scared of what they will find, too. Thanks for posting your story!!!
Hi shawnaboston, I clearly remember feeling exactly as you do now. I totally believe your biggest fear is the anaesthesia that was mine too. In the days leading up to my first lap I was terrified of it, I obsessively read people's lap stories on this site.
I didn't take any medication to calm me down before anaesthesia because that scared me as much as the anaesthesia!
Somehow I just accepted that I was going to have to get on with it as I had chosen to have a lap, reading other people's stories on here helped me but I was still terrified. Strangely once I arrived at the hospital I was quite calm as I knew I just going to have to just do it. While I was waiting I sat on the bed chatting to my husband, texting friends and I had taken an overnight bag just incase full of magazines. I was still anxious but when they actually came to get me for the anaesthetic they kept me so busy giving me instructions and talking to me I barely knew I was having it, the next thing I knew I was awake in recovery, it was bizarre but no where near as scary as I thought.
Honestly all of the thoughts you are having are way worse than the reality. Before my lap I begged the surgeon to do it under a local anaesthetic but obviously he said no!
If you have any more questions or I can help you feel better in any way just message me.
Since then I have had my endometriosis removed, along with a hysterectomy and my appendix which was riddled with endometriosis too. It wasn't the most fun time ever but I have got through 2 more general anaesthetics and life without constant pain and no bleeding is pretty fantastic!
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I am so happy you're ok and i hope this will help lots of other people who are about to undergo the same thing. xxx
) -so thanks for sharing.
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