Hi, I had my first laparoscopy on Wednesday which diagnosed Stage 4 endo with deep infiltration of the bowel & douglas pouch.
Am walking very slow when i do move ( also had chronic hip pain past 3 years which could be due to this endo) and avoiding any bending as its very sore but I was only given one week sick leave from the doc and really cant see me fully back on my feet in two days.
No treatment was given at the time apart from a coil fitted but I've had this intense burning/ tingling (not a pleasant kind) right across my stomach. Is this what others of you found post lap? I dont want to take ibprofen tablets but has anyone else tried the gel version and rubbing it on the stomach to help with pain?
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lou840
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I had my first Lap on Thursday and they found some endo and treated it (but it can’t have been too much because otherwise it would have been left for another operation). I also had Mirena fitted. I am still very sore and tired (I have Fibromyalgia too so have to take that into account) but I do have burning and tingling across my tummy from the wounds and deep bruising (my tummy is just now starting to turn yellow in places). So can’t say whether our experience is the same, but maybe close? I would definitely not be well enough to only have a week off, but luckily I’m a self employed person and can take a little more time. Hope you recover well xx
..oh and I’m taking Naproxen twice a day which is a stronger version of ibropofen. I was also given other stronger painkillers which helped for the first day or two and now I don’t need them.
Ahh thanks that makes me feel better knowing that it sounds very similar feeling, my tum is still swollen and have started to get the yellow bruising too just below my belly button.
I wasnt initially given any painkillers and the nurse had to get the doc to prescribe them but that was only paracetomal (once a day) and ibrupfen (once a day). I might have try naproxen again but it makes me short of breathe cos of my asthma. Have definetly been hit with exhaustion and only getting 4 - 5 hours a sleep a night before i wake in pain.
I was off for six weeks from work, but I had extensive excision of endo during the lap. Give yourself at least two weeks off, especially if you have any sort of commute as you will be exhausted by the time you get there. Sitting is also very bad for recovery pain, so lying down at home for as long as possible is probably better than an office.
Thanks, i am going to try and get the doc to extend my fit note to another week now. Yes Ive been lying down a lot as seems more tolerable position but try to get up every hour or so to move around, i actually laugh out loud at how awkward it is to get up each time, the belly laughing hurts lol. I hope your recovery has been ok x
I had the painful stomach and pain on / under incisions. It kind of feels like how you'd expect surgery to be along with period cramps. It'll get better.
My first op when I had endo all over removed and organs unstuck I was signed of for two weeks and self certified for one. My second op where I had the endo on my bowel removed I was signed off for three, went to GP and was signed off for a further two more; doc said it's because bowel stuff is more invasive.
Everyone recovers at different rates. If you can get an appointment with your specialist before your singed sick leave runs out ask them to renew it. If you can't get to your specialist go to your GP, but make sure it's signed with the same details as your first (mine was just "post op recovery") Try not to have any gaps or self certified days in-between as work sees it as separate sick instances.
Your first two periods may be awful so account for that when planning what to discuss at the doc appt.
I haven't tried the gel but it does say not to be used on broken / sensitive skin. I had codeine once a day, and ibuprofen with omazeprole (to protect my stomach) for the first three days then just ibuprofen and paracetamol for five days after. Stretching like some of the simpler yoga I found helps with pain management.
Hi, thank you, your comments have helped a lot, iv managed to book an appointment with my GP to get an extension to the fit note and prob best i do avoid the gel until spoken to him, i guess i was grasping at anything i could find in my first aid kit!
Oh gosh, periods are agony on a good day so i will bare that in mind.
Sorry to hear about your endo of the bowel i hope your recovery has been ok, i will be finding out what surgery they will be doing to remove it from the bowel once ive had my mri this week to see how deep its gone.
It may be worth buying the new Nurofen 200mg ibuprofen patch. This month I've been in the position where I couldn't take my usual ibuprofen, codeine and tramadol as NSAIDs caused very bad stomach lining damage which caused breathing issues with asthma. I have severe pain and so far I've managed with the nurofen patch, paracetamol and CBD drops, vape and balm. Speak to your pharmacist re the patch. It goes via the blood stream transdermally rather than stomach. It will depend on how bad your asthma is so do get advice. Also, Love CBD balm has been very helpful for my moderate endo pain and a god send for back and sciatica pain (having an MRI this week to find out if endo related) xx
Thank you, ive not tried the ibuprofen patch before I will have a look at that when i can get to the doc/pharmacy. Do you mind me asking where you get your CBD balm from?
Yes, the patch is new. I'm finding only small independent pharmacies are selling it and apparently large Boots. Worth a go. This is the cbd balm lovecbd.org/product/love-cb... They have different sizes and if you email them they may send you a free sample if they still have them. Xx
Thank you!! Will definitely give them a try. Not sure what I would do if I hadnt signed up to this site a couple of days ago, you guys have been great! x
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