Recovery after laparoscopy: I just wanted... - Endometriosis UK

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Recovery after laparoscopy

Flowersandhearts profile image
4 Replies

I just wanted to share something, hoping that it may help or give a little guidance to other ladies after their laparoscopy.

I had my lap on 1st May (2 and a half weeks ago). Leading up to my procedure I read pretty much every bit of information I could lay my eyes on. I felt that the more I was informed, the calmer I would feel. I wanted to know about recovery after my op. How much pain would I be in? How long would I take to recover? When could I go back to work? I thought that being more informed about my recovery would somehow mean I could control it!?! I read about some ladies feeling ok after 3 days and other ladies going back to work after 8 weeks. I was pretty sure I'd be signed off for 2 weeks, so, I started to make a recovery plan and set myself little goals. By day 3 I'd be able to go for a little walk. By day 7 I'd be able to start getting out and about. I even started to make plans in my mind to visit friends during the second week. However...I soon learnt, it didn't matter how much I read, how informed I was, my body was going to do it's own thing, no matter what!!

My recovery plan was soon knocked on the head however. It's taken me a little longer to do the things I wanted to do, and I needed every day of those two weeks off work to recover. My body was doing it's own thing, in it's own time whilst whistling it's own tune. And I then realised...there are such vast differences in recovery from lady to lady. There's no guideline here, no hard and fast rules, no better or worse recovery. Your body is unique and aside from doing your best to keep healthy and stay positive, there's not a lot you can do at all to control the pace at which you recover.

You may recovery quickly, or you may take longer to get your energy back and heal. You may go back to work and feel absolutely fine, or you may feel ready to go back then need more time to recover again once you do.

Whatever happens to you, happens because you're uniquely you. Don't feel pressured or guided by what happened to others. When I left the hospital on the day of my op, I'd already started mentally rating my recovery by comparing myself to others - of all the girls having laps, I was the last one of us to leave hospital that day, and for some crazy reason, I let that affect how I felt. I've learnt so much since that day......and want to share it as we all deserve the time to heal individually in our own way. No two lap recoveries are the same, the same person can even recover differently each time. So be kind to yourselves and patient with your recoveries. Listen to your bodies and if you read up to be informed, just be informed, don't be guided or pressured by what you read. Be guided by your body and nothing and no one else. Don't let anyone make you feel you should be doing something by a certain time. Use your recovery time to really tune into your body so you can wisely judge what is best for you and when.

We're all beautiful unique individuals and we owe it to our bodies and our future selves to recover well.

I hope this may help someone who may feel the same way I did. Lots of love and positive thoughts to all of you xx

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Flowersandhearts
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4 Replies
Moonflower profile image
Moonflower

I really needed to read this today! I'm 3 weeks post lap and have developed an infection and feeling rather low for not being further in the healing process. hope you're recovering well x

Flowersandhearts profile image
Flowersandhearts in reply to Moonflower

Bless you, I can imagine how you must be feeling with the infection. Keep being kind to yourself and your body and try not to have any expectation of how you should be feeling. Sending you lots of get better soon thoughts xx

Figs88 profile image
Figs88

I have literally just posted how scared i am to be in pain, mine is in the morning and i really upsetting myself. Ive never had surgery like this before only d&c for misscarraige and that was pain free.

Ive booked 2 weeks off work and just going to see how i go but very nervous im a bit mentally weak to be dealing with this after 3 miscarriages just hope i can take it in my stride.

Thanks for your post hope your feeling better x

Flowersandhearts profile image
Flowersandhearts in reply to Figs88

Hiya there

Bless your heart, you sound as though you're feeling just as I did the day before my lap, and I'm sure just like most other ladies on here too. I'd only had a small, minor op when I was 7 and hardly remembered anything from that at all, and so had no basis really for any realistic thoughts on how I was going to be. So I'd built up such a worry in my mind about my lap and how I was going to feel afterwards.

And now being a few weeks down the line, I couldn't feel any more different! I absolutely believe that we're all individual and you will have your own recovery journey, however I found that the pain wasn't as bad at all as I thought it was going to be. Don't get me wrong, it's not pain free, however I found that it was completely manageable with ibuprofen and paracetamol. The best advice I could give you is to make sure that you keep taking painkillers every 4 hours, just for a couple of days, and let them build up in your body, rather than waiting for a little twinge and then taking them. You'll then be able to start seeing how you feel and to be able to judge better when you need them. You may feel tired, but the thing is I found, to just not fight your body. Let it tell you what it needs, and listen to it. If you feel tired, rest. If you feel like sitting in the garden and getting some fresh air, go for it.

And tomorrow, you will be absolutely fine. They will give you some painkillers through your cannula in your hand when you come round and these help so much. By the time they wore off for me, I was able to manage with just paracetamol and ibuprofen. (Make sure you've got a stash at home). And, you will be taken such good care of by the nurses and doctors who do these procedures every single day.

You wouldn't be human if you weren't nervous or worried, and I'm certain it won't be as bad as you think it will 😊

Stay as positive as you can, I found breathing exercises and meditations helped a little to stay calm...there are some on YouTube. They may work for you too. Take your earphones along with you tomorrow and you will be able to listen to music or anything to help take your mind off things.

I'll keep you in my thoughts all day tomorrow, you'll be ok xx

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