My surgery is on Thursday and ( private ) I really didn’t want to go private but I have no choice!
Now I’m really worried as it is a money making business!
Sadly !!!
Anyway but anyone here who had surgery please tell me about your experience?
Do they burn your Endimetriosis?
How long does it take to recover ?
How do you feel after the surgery ?
I really look forward to all your responses
Best wishes
Private isn't about the money making, well I don't feel it is; you get the benefit of very specialist treatment, care, aftercare, surgery, new medical techniques, shorter waiting times, appointments when you want them, new treatment methods. It's all flexible and around you; you can decide what treatment you want. Yes things cost but when you break down costs it all makes sense; I'm happy to go through mine with you if you like, I don't have a problem sharing info if it helps. With endometriosis I have found that private diagnosis and treatment quicker, detailed, easier, runs smoother, less pushing for treatment, I feel they actually listen.
It depends on how much is done during surgery as to what to take; day case or a few nights. Plan for an overnight; change of clothes (baggy), pjs, slippers, mini shower gel and shampoo, face wipes, baby wipes, pads (some women bleed after), peppermint tablets for the gas.
You'll be put under, and then they do the op; make 3 holes (usually or just one for diagnostic) in the belly button, on the bikini line and in-front of hip (about a cm length) - they may do up to 5 if needed. They put the instruments through these including a camera and lights). You're abdomen will be inflated a little so they can see better, at the end of the op they'll take the gas out and either stitch or glue the incisions, and the nurses will put plasters on them. As they can never remove all the gas that's what the peppermint is there for; it helps shift gas reducing pain.
Diagnosis lap is just looking at what's in there and taking photos. Removal of endo can be by ablation (sanding / air blasting) - this just removes the top layer, diathermy (heat / laser) - removes the first few layers, or excision (cutting away) - removes the whole endo tissue and a bit of healthy tissue. The latter is the best so see if you can have that done, recovery can take a little longer however as it removes the most endo it reduces the chance of regrowth considerable. Of course regrowth will always happen eventually.
After the lap you'll come round but wont remember, that's when they take the tube out, quite often we wake up a little and hear people muttering, bleeping machines, then drift off again.
You'll wake up fully in recovery where they'll keep an eye on you before taking you back to your ward / room where you can rest. No one told me that your bladder is slow to respond due to the anaesthetic so it takes a while to wee!
Your surgeon should come round later or the next day to explain what they've done. The nurses will let you know what you can / cannot do and give you a leaving pack (mine did). Then it's up to you.
Recovery wise, a lot has been done even though it doesn't look it, so expect to be in pain the first few days directly around the op sites and inside. You should try to move around as much as you can bear, moving helps flush out the antibiotics (can take up to 48 hours to get out of the system) it speeds recovery too; so even if its from the bed to the sofa and then potter around the house, doing some moving helps. But take it easy, stock up on painkillers, you can take ibuprofen and paracetamol at the same time if you're okay with them. Hot water bottles help but use it after 2 days; the drowsiness from the antibiotics can cause you to fall asleep with it and possibly burn yourself.
Have a shower on the second day after the op; you can get extra plasters; I got hypoallergenic non woven ones from amazon (I just looked up the brand I was given in my post op pack) Change your plasters once a day for about 4 days. If they're healing fine then take them off and let them air dry - I have colloidal silver spray (amazon) that I use for all wounds as an antimicrobial as I find the creams like savlon make the scab soften and so it opens, this stuff doesn't do that. If any cuts look like they're red / weeping white / yellow then see your doc. Any dissolvable stitches can take a few weeks to go. Keep plasters on any cuts you think will catch on your clothes.
On the note of clothes, wear baggy ones, I wore leggings, and nighties, or size up jogging bottoms and pjs. Expect bloating as your insides are healing, this can take up to a week to go. You should be able to move around normally after about a week, but take it easy as some stuff may still hurt. In the second week start doing more exercise, yoga I found helped with stretches and breathing. The second week you'll feel more drained and annoyed with yourself; if you have removal of endo the pain may feel like it's back, it isn't, the body can't tell the difference between removal of endo pain and endo pain. Two weeks is the usual for time off work, but you may still feel tired.
It may take up to four months to be back to 100%.
You should have a check up apt 2 weeks after op and another 4 months after (not all places do these)
I had a diagnostic and removal (excision) of endo lap, was back at work on the third week after op, I went back to full exercise and sports clubs 5 weeks after, and three months later I'd say I'm almost back at 100%.
My pain from endo has almost gone, the lap allowed me to work out my cycles, when the pain and other symptoms were happening so I could better plan around it.
Exercise; I was told by doc, and read up that if you can get up and about as soon as possible it helps recovery as it improves your circulation. Moving about even if it's just from your sofa to the kitchen and toilet all helps. Try not to spend all day in bed, leave that for the night time, stick to your normal daytime pattern, it helps you cope mentally. You'll find you get tired quickly, so if you go outside, do say five mins after a few days but have someone with you and take it slow. After the first week you should be able to move around with little assistance but using your core muscles may still be difficult - take it easy getting out of a chair / toilet / bath / bed etc. Try not to overdo stuff and listen to your body - if it hurts go slowly or stop. I started back with my yoga on the second week as it helped me to feel what my body could cope with. I went back to my usual sports; self defence and HIIT four weeks later, but made sure I'd talked to my instructors and class partners so they knew what I could / couldn't do - they look out for you! I was fully able to do sports at about 6 weeks, but it's taken me probably 8 weeks to completely recover enough to not worry, and 4 months to feel 100%.
Hope all goes okay xx
Wow that's a long post, sorry!
What Farahziya says ^^ 😂
Brilliant answer and matches where I have been for 2 and a bit weeks. The annoyance of week 2 especially! I was signed off for a third week yesterday (im a teacher of little people) due to the distance I need to drive to and from work and the discomfort where the cutting of the Endo took place still. I feel dreadful missing the end of term but know I’d be useless by the end of the first day back and would struggle to drive home.
Be patient and consider all the advise above as it’s pwrfect. I’d add take a small cushion as padding for car journey home and any that follow in first few days and keep a light diet with plenty of fluid to help the toilet situation. Good luck.
aww thanks 
I'm due in for my second op to remove just the endo from the bowel - couldn't do that in first op as needed a colorectal surgeon so i'll definitely be considering the cushion, and the light diet / lots of fluids
Good luck!
From what I understand private healthcare is just a way to offer specialist, personalised healthcare that perhaps the nhs can not afford. Many private hospitals even see nhs patients and your surgeon may even be an nhs specialist?
I have also heard that private staff are much more aware that they are facing a “paying customer” so to speak and feel that they need to offer a higher level of service for that reason, not to mention they probably have less pressure on them than nhs staff at the moment so hopefully that means your aftercare team will be very helpful.
I’ve had surgeries in different nhs hospitals and always found aftercare nurses to be some of the kindest people. It’s literally what they do all day every day and they’re very good at. I am sure they will be able to put your mind at ease.
How did the lap go? Hope you are recovering well ❤️ xoxo
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