Recovery time after laparoscopy

[Autumnstar]

I just had a laparoscopy 4 days ago. Already fed up and wishing I'd never had it! I had been asking to check for endo for nearly 28 years, low and behold, I have endometriosis on my bowel and bladder and had some removed during my lap as well as having polyps removed from my womb. I'm considering going back to work tomorrow, just not coping well being stuck in the house. However I'm still in quite a bit of pain internally, uncomfortable, still feeling nausious and generally unwell. I have read on every medical site you should be able to start going about your normal life within a few days without discomfort and it helps with the healing. I always thought I was quite hardy but I have been doing the housework and looking after my pets as I did before since the day after I got out - I can't say I feel better for it. Why am I not coping then? What's everyone elses recovery time when you all started back at work, at the gym, going about your normal daily routine? I feel like I'm being a bit pathetic.

[h_grahh]

Recovery is different for everyone. Just because the internet says you should be back to normal after a few days doesn't mean you will be. While a laparoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure due to the method, internally it's actually quite a major operation. Having endo tissue excised or ablated as well as polyps removed is a lot for your body to handle, and you need to take it easy to let yourself heal. Personally, I had two weeks off of college (I was lucky that I could time it with my terms) and even then going back was difficult. Doing things is good - sitting down for too long is not good for you - but you have to listen to your body. If you're uncomfortable, don't do so much. Personally it took me for days to stop taking painkillers regularly, and my consultant told me not to exercise until two weeks post-op. Even after that, workouts were difficult, especially abdominal work, and I wouldn't do that much of it until your incisions are fully healed. You're not pathetic at all, and as I said before, recovery is different for everybody.

[Lulububs]

Jesus!!! I am hardcore as in im generally hardy and not much will keep me down and wheni had my lap i was thinking 4-5 days and il go back to work and i did and i shouldnt have!

I fainted at work after 5 hours as my bidy just couldnt cope with it , i was tired and in pain and i ended up having another week off.

I think pottering at home is alot different to goin to work, i was just physically not strong enough.

[Lizzielizzielizzie]

I read all those sites too and for me it was complete rubbish! I could not get up and down stairs easily for the first couple of days, didn’t feel safe to drive until day 5 afterward and so then I went to the supermarket to do a small shop and ended up having to sit down once I’d been through the till as it had exhausted me. Ended up going back to work on day ten just for two days then three days the following week (my normal pattern). I should have had a full fortnight off really. And I only had minor ablation of two endometrial patches!

I did find that being stuck in the house really affected my mood but in future I would arrange for friends and family to visit to keep my spirits up rather than pushing myself to go out too soon.

[Hidden]

Hi everyone and thanks for sharing your experiences.

I'm a few days behind autumnstar (had a lap with big cyst removed and extensive excision about a day and a half ago now).

I'm just trying to take it easy - my gynae said no gym until 2 weeks after the procedure - and even then to listen to your body. I think 4 days is still very early Autumnstar - physically your wounds should take 1-2 weeks to be well on the road to healing, but you still have internal healing, etc to deal with. It might be better to focus on feeling better before you go back - because pottering around the house is one thing, but commuting, being professional and doing your job on top of feeling unwell is quite a challenge.

It's been frustrating for me too - I'm a bit of a workaholic so had prepared some work I could do on my laptop to keep myself sane. I'm also a tough cookie physically (have popped dislocated joints back into place myself etc) but still finding this quite a painful recovery process.

Do you have any friends or family you can ask to visit? Any little challenges you can set yourself so you still feel like you're achieving something? I'm planning on reading a few books, watching all the films I've never had chance to and doing a few bits of work on my laptop.

Hope this helps and let us know how you get on. I appreciate how frustrating this is!

[Karinyaa]

Hi! Struggling the issue I had several surgeries and they didn't seem to work. My endo turned back and back causing constant pains. Time of recovering also differed. I guess my first lapo passed more smoothly than others. I would also say it depends on what type of work you do. Personally I found that on the face of it I was perfectly ok to go about normal activities within a week. After my op I was 3 and a half weeks post op and still had daily aching pain from the problem area. I have heard even up to 6 weeks!! you can be like this. Take care!

[Ejl2688]

I think it is different for everyone, for mine I had a laparoscopy and found i had stage 3-4 endo, the only thing they can do is remove some on my pouch of Douglas, they couldnt do anything else as my bowel, ovaries, and uterus are all stuck together. After the lap i took 4 days off work and was in bed pretty much most of it, i was able to get up from the bed with the help of someone giving me support on my arm around the 3rd day and move about slowly around the house. By the 6th day i was able to get up on my own, and move around without any pain. I went back to work on the 8th day, but did minimal walking/ moving around.

[Starry]

Recovery is different for everyone but the standard 2 weeks on the Internet is for a diagnostic or minor work and from your post you had a significant amount of work done and have severe endo to contend with. It typically takes at least three months for the body to heal internally after a lap. The body is busy doing a massive healing job thats invisible but will make you feel very tired.

The bodies internal healing process is explained well here

centerforendo.com/is-my-end...

It took me 6 weeks after my diagnostic lap and ovary cyst treatment after initially being signed off for. The standard 2 weeks and 7 months after my main procedure for stage 4 endo after initially being signed off for 6 weeks and being told it could take up to 12. (I did have complications)

If it were me I would not rush back too soon, it may delay your recovery.