Recovery after first laparoscopy - Endometriosis UK

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Recovery after first laparoscopy

Tryx profile image
Tryx
23 Replies

Hi guys, so on the back of my first post I visited the doctors as it has been two weeks since I had my lap and coil fitted and still in a lot of pain and discomfort and was worried about navel incision as it has been leaking a bit and it's been hurting and stinging when I pass urine. I feel like I was kind of fobbed off as the dr was like laps don't normally cause so much pain and asked me about the recovery time! She didn't take a swab as it was dried over or even a urine sample but gave me more painkillers and another sick note for work. I have been moving about despite pain although I'm exhausted all the time and feel hot and cold and have pain in the pelvic region and lower back but unsure if it's the coil.

Is the pain normal at this stage and what do people recommend for recovery? Xx

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Tryx
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23 Replies
JeanOsborne profile image
JeanOsborne

Hi the pain is more likely from the coil. It can take a few months to settle in.

I would see another GP re stinging when going to toilet as it sounds like a uti.

Belly button incision can be quite moist as the air can't really get to it.

Try using a cotton bud to clean it with warm salty water , but make sure you let it dry if you are going to cover it.

Hope you feel better soon.

Tryx profile image
Tryx in reply to JeanOsborne

Thank you for your reply, I think it is the coil too to be honest - wish I had been told about it prior to having it inserted - I was only told about bleeding. I am keeping it clean as you have said but not covering it to prevent it getting moist. I'm going to go back regarding the utility as it'll need sorting x

LauRAa-1 profile image
LauRAa-1

I did feel like That for weeks after my lap and my stomach stayed swollen for about 4 weeks, not as swollen, gradual reducing but still swollen. I was told by gp at the time take more pain killers and complete rest. In fairness to them I did recover just very slowly! Xx

Tryx profile image
Tryx in reply to LauRAa-1

Thank you for your reply - I guess it's an individual thing - mine doesn't seem to be going down much since surgery two weeks ago but hoping it'll start too as can't find enough comfy clothes lol

LauRAa-1 profile image
LauRAa-1 in reply to Tryx

I know its awful. I was kind of lucky that it was over the Christmas period so I stayed in a nighty most of the time. I did feel like it was never going to end and I was going to be a badly bruised balloon forever, but it didn't last forever. Hope yo feel better really quickly.

Suze1974 profile image
Suze1974

Hi, I had a laparoscopy 2 weeks ago and I have some pain in the pelvic region and also pain in my lower back. I think this is to be expected for a while. My belly button has healed now though, so have all the other site wounds (apart from the drain wound).

Hope that helps.

Susan

Tryx profile image
Tryx in reply to Suze1974

Hi thanks for replying, I expected the pain to be honest but not as bad as I'm experiencing tbh as I'm literally crying at times. The other wounds are healing just the navel one is taking its time but it's getting there.

Megvarn profile image
Megvarn

Hello, it does take a little while for your body to heal after a lap and the first few weeks after your coil has been fitted are quite painful and discomforting ones. I can tell you from my experience that having the mirena coil fitted completely changed my life for the better. I got mine fitted at the end of March this year and I have had no pain, which I used to get daily. My periods aren't really periods and are not painful and I can run which I was never able to do because of my pains. Stick with the coil even if you are in pain now. I know it doesn't work for everyone but it has been outstanding for me. The only symptom I get is that my boobs have grown and really hurt from time to time but I have also lost weight so it doesn't do anything to your weight!! :D. I hope you start to feel better soon and I hope you experience what I have.

Tryx profile image
Tryx in reply to Megvarn

Hi thanks for replying - that is really good to know and I'm so glad that it has worked so well for you! Fingers crossed that I get similar results as this agony will be worth it then x

LauRAa-1 profile image
LauRAa-1 in reply to Megvarn

hey sorry to tag on here. Just wondering how long it took to settle? I had mine a week ago

Megvarn profile image
Megvarn in reply to LauRAa-1

Definitely more than a week, it took a week for my period to come after I had it fitted and I'm not going to lie the first period was horrendous. I felt quite sick for a few weeks. I would say it took about 2 and a half weeks maybe but everyone is different. I'm so glad I had it fitted though.

LauRAa-1 profile image
LauRAa-1 in reply to Megvarn

thankyou. My friend had hers fitted the day before me and was fine the next day, but she doesn't have problems with periods. I had mine fitted at the end of my period so I'm not due for another two weeks. The pain from fitting is definitely less but its just very slow progress. Fingers crossed I'll have results like you!!!

Tryx profile image
Tryx in reply to LauRAa-1

I had finished my period before my lap but I think that I'm due another one now as getting similar pains but much more intense and making me cry. I normally have problematic periods but mirena is supposed to help so hopefully it does once it has settled down x

Tryx profile image
Tryx in reply to Megvarn

I had my period before the lap and coil fitting but I think I'm due now as getting period like pains but at a really high pain intensity and having to take an extra codiene to help. If it helps in the long term i don't mind this but it's awful. So glad it worked out for you though x

Tryx profile image
Tryx in reply to LauRAa-1

The swelling? Or the pain?

LauRAa-1 profile image
LauRAa-1 in reply to Tryx

sorry I was talking about my coil which i didn't have fitted during my lap. After lap my swelling started to reduce after about a fortnight and was mostly gone by four weeks and the intense pain about the same time frame but I was definitely still slightly swollen and bruised at five weeks and I did have pain but not as acute x

Tryx profile image
Tryx in reply to LauRAa-1

Aah ok, I had mine fitted with my lap as apparently it's easier when you're knocked out. My swelling seems to not have changed much but the pain seems to be getting worse and I'm having to take an extra codiene and use regular hot water bottles to help x

LauRAa-1 profile image
LauRAa-1 in reply to Tryx

yer definitely would be. Having it fitted was awful. I managed pain with tapentadol, cocodomal and And an array of pillows in a funny arrangement to try and keep pressure off any particular area. I stupidly tried to get up and do housework and stuff which would make the swelling worse and the pain and i can only imagine set the recovery back, so dont be like me!

Laurasomm profile image
Laurasomm

I had the mirena coil fitted during my first lap and had awful pains after! I had really bad side effects from the coil, I had acne, weight gain and turned into a hormonal monster and couldn't stop crying! My husband thought I was possessed!! In saying that I know loads of people who love the coil so it's very much down to the individual! I had the coil removed 3 months after my first op and the pain completely went! My gyno kept telling me it was the coil causing my pain but it must of been! I hope you start to feel better soon Hun xx

Tryx profile image
Tryx in reply to Laurasomm

Hey thank you for replying - I'm so sorry to hear that it didn't work out for you. If you don't mind me asking what did you use instead to help with the pain? I agree I think it is down to the individual as I'm seeing lots of love /hate for it. I'm hoping it does help though although I'm in a lot of pain at the moment which is due to it I feel - hope you're much better now xx

Laurasomm profile image
Laurasomm in reply to Tryx

Hey! So sorry to hear about the pain you have been having, the only way I could get some sort of control with it is with strong painkillers and hot water bottles! My pain was like sharp stabbing pains through the vagina and they were so strong they literally took my breath away, it wasn't constant but I did have a few episodes a day. My mum and gyno kept saying stick with it for three months and if I still feel this way then to have it taken out! I remember one very painful epidode when I was on holiday and I was talking to a shop assistant and I nearly collapsed due to the pain, they had to find me a chair and get me some water I felt so embarrassed but I knew after that I had to have the coil out!

I totally agree that everyone has different experiences with it, my friend absolutely loves it and says it's the best thing she ever had put in but she didn't have endo!

My experience was daily sharp stabbing pains that were so intense and even with strong painkillers it would still not help, I spotted for 3 months constantly, I gained about 7 pounds instantly and even through hard diet and exercise I couldn't shift it, I had acne on my cheeks and chin that I had to get antibiotic cream for, I cried all the time and sometimes for no reason at all! My husband and I argued a lot more too, I remember one particular row I threw a candle at the wall and made a hole in it! I laugh about it now as it is so not like me, we never row normally but everything just seemed to irritate me and I'm definitely not an aggressive person.

I think I just had a bad experience with it and I really wanted it to work but when I had it removed I felt soooo much better! I feel like myself now!

How long have you had the coil in for now and do you have any other symptoms?

If the pain persists though go back and let the doc check so see if it is in the right position too!

I had an mri done to check it was correctly positioned and that's when they detected adenmyosis too, I had it removed after that

I hope it gets better for you and things improve though Hun and I hope this helps!

Let us know how you get on! Xxx

Tryx profile image
Tryx in reply to Laurasomm

I've only had it for just over two weeks but it's kinda like the pain I had pre-op but more severe. I have it in the lower back pelvic region and in the lower pubic area running across and internally in the vagina. I had bleeding which turned to spotting then bleeding from the weekend which I'm assuming is a period as pain has increased but im not bleeding like I usually do so confused as unsure whether it's due to the uti I may have. I'm back on max codiene which takes the edge off but this is my third week off work and I'm really worried about it. I have to see a nurse to see whether the coil is still in there but pre surgery no one said it'll hurt it was the bleeding which I didn't worry about as I'm used to that but just feel like I'm being fobbed off again :(

neethadsa profile image
neethadsa

Hi guys.. I had ovarian cyst removal laproscopic surgery on may 3rd.and I was discharged on the same day

I was healed completely in a week.. I was back to normal stage...

Laproscopy is very safe and has less pain.

So don't worry about it..

Happy time. 😀

Take care of your health

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