So I finally had my lap on Friday 20th just gone of which no endo found, cyst had gone, right ovary found stuck together with adhesions and scar tissue in same area so ovary was unstuck and adhesions, etc removed. Also found I have a double uterus crown which they said shouldn't affect pregnancy or anything in future. God knows how no one noticed this on baby scans, etc when I was pregnant. Also had mirena coil fitted to sort periods fully hopefully. So I had to stay in overnight because pain wasn't under control properly yet and couldn't get out of bed or go for wee unaided all day.. I came home yesterday but I'm just wondering how to go about the dressings when I shower tonight 48 hrs after op. Nurse gave me some dressings and waterproof plasters and said we don't like them to be changed until after 48 hours but if you feel you need to before then do but nothing has been said about showering side of it.. So do I keep them on in shower and change them after? Or do I take them off, shower, pat dry then put clean ones on? Very confused about what I should do. Advice would be much appreciated!! Thank you xxxx
Post lap showering and dressings? - Endometriosis UK
Post lap showering and dressings?
The awkward shower situation. Dont take them off then shower!!! Keep them on as I dont think the stitches can get wet. What I did after my operation was kept the dressing on (well mine where just huge plasters basically), had a shower trying to get them as least wet as possible, then afterwards take them off (be careful) and re-dress them. Then allows you to clean any sticky residue from the dressings. Hope this helps and all the best 
x
Ha ha. Do people find this is an issue a lot? Oh okay I won't do that then. But thank you. That does sound logical and seems that'll be helpful. Mine are basically huge plasters too; two of them and two separate uncovered incisions. Thanks for the advice xx
Yeah so its best to not get them wet then, and change them after you have a shower Hi Siana, not sure on showering issue. Maybe give ward a ring to check.
Was this your first surgery?
Yes it's my first surgery Jean! I'm just not sure as read, heard and been told different ambiguous things. Obviously everyone's lap is different too. I have a large plaster that looks waterproof over incision on belly button and large one left of abdomen. Other two are lower down with no dressings. X
I only ask as if it's your first surgery , where did the adhesions come from?
They normally form from surgery or infection, but as this was your first surgery I would say that the surgeon didn't recognise endo.
When you are feeling stronger I would suggest you go back to GP and ask for a referral to a BSGE centre for a second opinion. When you have your follow up ask for a copy of the surgery report.
It will tell you exactly what was found and what was done.
Also search on here for a lady called Lindle and have a look at her posts on treatment pathways and on how to get a referral to a centre.
Hope you have a speedy recovery.
Yeah I understand.. Exactly, I don't know and that's one thing that has puzzled me slightly. Last September a hemmaraghic cyst was found on right ovary but not big or worrying and that wasn't there anymore when lap was done so thought could they possibly be from that? But I know, that's all I've read since that adhesions, etc are caused by those things quoted which I haven't had. Nothing has been mentioned of a follow up but I'm due to ring the ward tomorrow to ask manager if I'm able to have copy of pictures so will ask for official report copy too then! The discharge form has very brief basic description but I obviously remember what they said to me. I will consider the other specialist referral but not right now as awaiting a colonoscopy still to hopefully discover bowel issues which don't appear to be related at all in any way. So I'll see what results come back from that plus see how I am after all this in general and judge it on that. Thank you for all your help and advice!! Xxx
Hi Hun are your bowel symptoms cyclical?
Morning Jean! Do you mean regular by that or do you mean around time of period? X
Do they get worse around the time of your period?
No they don't Jean! They're constant and same extremity every day/ time. I have pain in general 24/7 but always increases when open bowels and around coming on period but the symptoms of bowel related things aren't any worse or different at period time. Xx
Hi I'm four weeks post op, I was told to keep my dressings on while showering and to avoid direct water on them and to only change them if they became lose or bleed.I changed mine after 5 days but still avoided direct water and took them off completely after 10 days.
Take care and don't do too much too soon x
I taken the dressings off soon after, because it looked wet underneath and wanted to get air in to dry it out. When i had a shower i just pat dried my stitches and didnt bother with new dressings.
Hi, nurses advised me to take the dressing off by actually soaking them in the shower about 48hrs after surgery. Peeling them off and patting dry. However, what happened was the nurse took them off prior to my first shower and said it didn't matter if you got them wet and just to gently pat dry. My incisions were all neat, dry and didn't look gunky, so just told to keep dressing off for them to heal as the all looked good.
Seems a lot of different advice is given! But it's working fine for me and incisions look great and healing nicely... Touch wood.
Good luck with the healing and hope you feel back to normal soon X
Hello all! Thank you for all your replies and different advice. So what I done was following an earlier comment someone put on here was kept them on in shower, tried not to get them too wet, dried thoroughly and then changed the two dressings. The largest incision on belly button was dry around edges but still really bloody so glad I changed that one and done that all the way I did. I rang my dr and she said to keep them dry in shower for a week and another change of dressings if necessary but should be able to keep them off after week and get wet. Xxx
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