Laparoscopy Worries

[harryhonda25]

Hello lovely ladies I am new to this site I am having my lap on Thursday next week the 3rd December and I am terrified. It's not the pain after it is the being put to sleep and not being in control, I am 43 and my symptoms seemto be getting worse as I get older. I have an implant in my arm so i don't have periods but I have spotting and pelvic pain, abdominal pain, pain up my bottom, back pain, pain in my thighs, nausea, fatigue. I'm sure there are many women out there with worse pain than me butvi would wekcome and appreciate your help and advice because I haven't eaten today I am so frightened. Thank you janet xx

[scribble1603]

Maybe focus on the pain relief and improved quality of life that you will hopefully get as a result of the surgery rather than the surgery itself. Whether your pain is worse or less than others doesn't matter - it's obviously having a massive impact on your life dealing with all of the pain. Thinking of you xx

[harryhonda25 in reply to scribble1603]

Ahh that's lovely and a huge help. Woukd be nice to get some relief after years of pain. Just will be glad when the surgery is over. Thank you for you helo and good wishes xxxxx

[katymarie]

Hi Janet! I'm in exactly the same boat as you! But still waiting for my date to come through!

I think it's a mixed bag of things that make us so nervous! I think it's the fear of the Unknown, what the outcome could be after the op and he recovery.

I'm trying to think I'm in good hands, and will finally know if I do have the disease or not.

Maybe speak the the docs etc before and just tell them you worried about it, I'm sure they can calm you down with some medicine before hand.

Please please let me know how you get on with the operation and think positive!! Xx

[harryhonda25 in reply to katymarie]

Thank you so much katie marie it will be good for me to find out if I have the disease too. There might finally be an answer to my pain, I will let you know how I get on and I hope you get a date for your lap really soon take care lovely

[DNA123]

I'm 24 and had a lap in August and another in Jan I don't know how to settle your nerves as there was nothing that settled mine and I was dreading being told to have another lap but no matter how scared you are the relief of the pain is so worth every second. That's the only thing that keeps me going. I hope that helps even a little bit.xx I hope it goes well for you

[harryhonda25 in reply to DNA123]

Thank you so much for the advice. I am looking forward to some pain relief. I didn't realise how many women suffered with this condition, I will let you know how I get on. Take care my lovely xx

[Louoakley]

That sounds just like me, I'm waiting to go see a consultant in 2 weeks 😫 I'm more worried about been put to sleep. Hope you get on ok lovely try not to worry xxx

[harryhonda25 in reply to Louoakley]

Thank you all these comments are helping me and you are all so kind. I'm not worried about the pain after just being put to sleep. But eveyone tells me not to worry and that I will be awake before I know it, so please don't worry I will let you know how I get on my lovely take care xxx

[applecharlotte100]

Hi Janet.

I just wanted to let you know that I had my first lap (and cystoscopy) on 6th October this year and I felt exactly the same beforehand. I was TERRIFIED of the general anaesthetic and the lack of control and spent the week before either bursting into tears or with a short fuse. I felt so vulnerable!

I told the hospital and they kindly let me come in the day before for a tour of where I'd be staying and the walk to the theatre. I took a list of questions with me and they talked through my fears.

On the day my anaesthetist and his assistant both came to visit me in my room before the op to reassure me and answer any questions about the anaesthetic as the hospital had told them I was a nervous patient. They were friendly and jokey and put me at ease. They offered me a sedative to relax my nerves but I ended up turning it down!

I still cried as they injected the anaesthetic... for about 30 seconds. The next thing I knew I was waking up 2 hours later! They had found quite a lot of endo on my womb and ovarian tubes so they had had to give me a large dose of anaesthetic. I took me about 4 hours to come round properly and I lay there with my eyes closed, listening to the sounds around me and occasionally slurring something to my husband. My anaesthetist had given me some anti-sickness medication in the final stages of my op so I wasn't even sick afterwards!

I went home the next afternoon and was surprised how immobile I was. For about 4 days I struggled to do anything that used my stomach muscles - getting up or lying down, reaching, bending, even laughing hurt so much! I also did some gentle deep breathing exercises to open my lungs as you breath very shallowly while you're under. And I was incredibly tired for about 3 weeks but nothing that a bit of rest couldn't sort.

The only adverse effect from the anaesthetic was a bout of bad headaches that lasted about 2 weeks - which my surgeon assured me was normal if you're a bit sensitive to anaesthetic.

It's now been nearly 8 weeks, my wounds have healed (even at 29 I'm very proud of my scars because they remind me of how brave I was), my periods are 'normal' for the first time in over a decade, and the only pain I have is some dull muscle pain near one of my ports, which I'm hoping will heal in time.

I really hope you find this helpful and hopeful. I wish you all the best with your lap. Lets me know how it goes!

All the best, Charlotte x

[harryhonda25 in reply to applecharlotte100]

Hi Charlotte thank you so much for your reply I really appreciate your advice. I am tearful too. It is the fear of being put to sleep and what they will find when they are in there, The pain relief will be good though, You are so brave and I am going to be just like you. Taje care and keep well lovely I will let you know how I get on. I will be able to help some more scared ladies xxx

[Booboo08 in reply to applecharlotte100]

Thanks for the detailed info, this helped me also xx

[phoebelouise96]

Hi Janet

I was the same with both of my previous surgeries. I had an appendectomy age 12 and last year at 18 i had my first laparoscopy. This was an emergency procedure as they found a cyst the size of a cricket ball had twisted my right ovary 3 times. For both of these emergency surgeries I didn't have time to think about not being in control because everything happened so fast. But I have recently found out that I will be going for my 2nd laparoscopy soon. This time I've had a chance to do my research and get myself organised. Nothing I say can relieve your fear but just know that you will be in safe hands. It's hard to think that you aren't in control but from my experience I know that surgeons are amazing at their jobs. Not only with the surgery itself but they talk to you beforehand to explain everything and they can put all your worries to rest if you tell them how you're feeling. They also were joking around with me and making me laugh as I cried to make me feel a bit better. As for the other things you said don't make yourself feel as though your pain and your story is any less important than anyone else's on here. It can start to take over your life and if it's making you feel this way just remembered we're all here and we're all in this together. Best of luck with your surgery next week please let us know how it goes.

Phoebe xxx

[harryhonda25 in reply to phoebelouise96]

Hi Phoebe thank you for all your kind words and reassurance means so much to me and greatly aporeciated, so many ladies suffer bin silence with this disease, Yes you are all here and I am here for allnof you, I will let you know how I get on taje care my lovely xx

[Lau118]

Hi I'm 22 and had an emergency laparoscopy last Monday due to a ovarian cyst rupturing and suspected endometriosis! It all happened so suddenly and like you I was terrified of being put to sleep but it really wasn't that bad! The doctors were so helpful and reassuring and gave me medicine to calm my nerves before! If I'm honest it just felt like I was falling into such a deep sleep and was quite relaxing.

Just think of it as a good thing! Your going to get help with what you are dealing with at the moment and although surgery is never nice you will feel much better afterwards when the pain has gone :).

[harryhonda25 in reply to Lau118]

Thank you so much for your kind words hooe you are recovering well sweetie. I am feeling much better with all your advice. I am going to be brave. Take care my lovely I will let you know how I get on xxx

[Lau118 in reply to harryhonda25]

Yes let us know how you get on everyone is so well trained to take care of you and make you feel at ease, you will be fine.

It's nearly been a week since my op and I'm feeling better than I did at the beginning of the week but still very sore and tired.

I love this website, it really makes you feel better about things X

[Jakey26]

Hi Janet,

I see you already have a lot of response and advice but also wanted to offer you a little reassurance. I had my lap when I was 31 2 years ago and was so nervous on the days leading up to it due to what they were doing and like you not being in control. On the day of my lap, I through a complete tantrum like a 2 year old and had a panic attack as I was so frightened (fortunately only in front of my now husband-no idea why he married me haha!!). Once it was over, I felt so much better and actually quite proud of myself for being 'brave'! Pathetic for a grown woman I know! The procedure also gave me answers and a plan of action for the future, it gave me a sense of relief that it was over for now and without it, my battles would still be going unanswered. I hope you can start to relax and look towards a less painful future. Wishing you lots of luck x

[bernie93]

Hiya

I just wanted to say, please don't worry. I know that's easier said than done but you're going to be absolutely fine. I was exactly the same, so scared, I even cried in the anaesthetic room. But when I woke up, I didn't even realise I'd been put to sleep. You won't know about it. I've had two this year and i'm heading for my third next month (3 days before Christmas,.merry bloody Christmas to me lol!) and i'm not worried about being put to sleep at all haha! You'll be fine. Xxxx

[CP17]

For me the scariest thing about having surgery was being put to sleep too. Like you said, the lack of control. The hospital staff person who did the pre-anaesthesia evaluation with me was very reassuring and gave me stats about how unlikely it was that something would go wrong. They also gave me a sedative before hand that made me loopy and I said some funny things to the doctor (my friends who were there told me later). I woke up fine afterwards and realized the concept of not being in control had been a lot scarier than the reality of it. Hope this helps.