Advice please 😊: Hi guys, My first post... - Endometriosis UK

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Advice please 😊

Harley3 profile image
13 Replies

Hi guys,

My first post but I was hoping for some advice. I am booked in for my lap on Friday! I’m so nervous it will be cancelled because that is just my luck! Took me years to get this far. Anyway, I am in for day surgery and was wondering if anyone would like to share their experience with me? What things did you take in hospital with you? Clothes etc. How was your pain after? How long did it take you to recover.

Sorry for all the questions really anxious 😏

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Harley3
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13 Replies
princessk09 profile image
princessk09

Hey,

The experience was fine for me, the surgery is nothing to worry about.

I took a bag to hospital and packed a nightie, dressing gown and slippers (these are needed as the hospital gown show everything haha). I also packed my phone, earphones, charger and a book. You could be waiting a while depending where you are on the list.

I was high as a kite for two days after surgery and felt so alert and hyper I felt no pain. Everyone is different and most people wake up groggy but I wasn’t. After a couple days I felt like shit when the drugs wore off haha. I couldn’t move out of bed.

It took about 2 weeks to fully recover but make sure you take it easy and don’t over do anything. You may feel tired for a while etc. I went to the gym after a week so I was fatigue for about a month as I’m very impatient haha

Good luck ❤️ xxxx

Nicola1987xxx profile image
Nicola1987xxx

Hi

I had my surgery 10 days ago and was a total wreck but on the day was absolutely fine 😃

I just went in comfy clothes and took my dressing gown and slippers as they put you in a gown to go down in 👍

There was other women in there for similar things and was actually really nice to talk to them all about it... the surgery it’s self was fine and was feeling OK after 2-3 days just abit sore in tummy area

#imthebiggestbabyandwasfineuwillbetoo

Good luck 😉

Evangelinie profile image
Evangelinie

Hi Harley :)

I took pyjamas, a dressing gown and slippers (they walked me through into theatre wearing my robe over my hospital gown), a few toiletries like face wash, toothpaste & toothbrush and a mini deodorant oh and a few big and small sanitary pads. Also 2 big oversized tshirts to wear as dresses! Definitely comfier than trying to wear trousers haha! I took a few magazines and had my phone to entertain me. It’s a good job I took all of the above as they found stage 3 endo and I had to stay in over night!

When I came round from the anaesthetic (which by the way was totally fine!! I was so worried but the staff were so lovely) I was quite cold so they put a heated blanket on me and put some painkillers into my drip. I had a catheter in and a drain thing in my pelvis area (not really sure about this 😂) the nurse said it was so I wouldn’t internally bleed? The day after my op they removed both of the above and I was allowed to go home once I had walked around and had a wee. I took a pillow for the car journey after reading on here that the seatbelt is unpleasant and it definitely helped.

The gas pain was quite bad in my shoulder and chest but drinking peppermint tea seemed to help quite a bit! The hospital provided me with pain killers & a laxative which I took routinely and the pain was manageable it was just a little difficult to stand up and sit down. There was a few days where I thought I was improving and then I’d go backwards and feel worse however I’m currently 2 weeks post lap and I’m definitely feeling more human again 😂

My sutures still haven’t fully dissolved but my wounds look pretty healthy so I’m just riding it out 😃

It’s so hard to cover everything but honestly if you have any questions feel free to message ☺️ and I wish you the best of luck xx

natsebisaac profile image
natsebisaac

I went in January for a diagnostic lap was so nervous never ate for three days beforehand. However when I came round from the op I was like why was I so het up about that? I took 2 weeks off work although I felt much better after one week but I could see I still had swelling internally. Take magazines in with you to read whilst you wait. Take clothes that are easy to put on after op and my honest advice is eat a healthy meal after op I had a KFC not the best choice and I felt lousy after it. So a nice nutritious light meal. Pain was just managed adequately with the pain killers hospital gave me. Make sure to change your dressings regularly as one of mine got infected and it was excruciatingly painful had to take antibiotics biotics. It was red and inflammed but only one. Honestly when you come round from anesthetic you will be relieved you have answers. Good luck

Mermaid-Galaxy88 profile image
Mermaid-Galaxy88

Hey!

I was soo nervous and scared, I suffer really bad with panic attacks and anxiety..Luckily I went down at 9am and was home by 12.30..The staff were lovely..The people who put me to sleep had my laughing and the next thing I new I was waking up in recovery!

To be honest the worst thing for me was them putting the line in my hand (because they couldn't find a vain) and the gas afterwards.. I'm 6 days pre op and still suffer with the gas and pelvic pain!

To hospital I took my dressing gown,Thick socks,leggings(for afterwards) or baggy trousers,lose top & hoodie, my phone and charger (cause although I was second on the list some people had to wait hours) a few bathroom bits (incase I had to stay over night) also some sanitary towels as the one they put on you makes it feel like your wearing a nappy!

Take all jewllery and nail varnish off..You'll be fine I promise..if I can do it anyone can..I'm the biggest wimp in the world when it comes to stuff like this! Hope you get some answers :-) xx

Buffynz profile image
Buffynz

Take clothes that aren't tight around the waist band. I had joggers with a roll type waist that don't put any pressure around the abdomen. J'm also living in a jumpsuit 4 days post op.

I have worked in theatre so have seen this op done so I wasn't too stressed about the op itself. Try not to worry too much about it, everyone has a slightly different recovery. Stay on top of pain relief.

Best of luck!

RebeccaS81 profile image
RebeccaS81

You’ll be fine ! Absolutely fine!

Loose clothing, nice snacks for afterwards and some decent magazines to see you thru recovery!

I was anxious and panicking before surgery ( typical me really) after the surgery I was wired and awake all night. Nurse said that can happen. No pain for 2 days then it started to hurt. Paracetamol and ibu worked fine. After 9 days I felt loads better. First week is a tough one so be patient. X

Lexie26 profile image
Lexie26

I was scared also as it was my first major surgery and only my second under general anaesthetic. I had a chest cold going in and was afraid they would cancel because of it but they said it's fine. the worse part was before the surgery as they didn't let my husband in with me so I was on my own waiting around (but had a book to read) and no one told me anything about what was going on but as soon as I got taken in by the theatre nurses everyone was lovely. I am 2 weeks post op and doing well. still sore on the inside but nothing bad. I only take paracetamol now

Tallulah182 profile image
Tallulah182Moderator

I have had 2 open surgeries so far and the recovery was alot less painful than the actual endometriosis. Big granny pants were my go too after the surgery as i found anything that had a seam along my wound hurt. Nighties (i found pjs too hard to wear), dressing gown and slippers too. Don't stress yourself too much about getting back to normal too quickly. Go at your own pace and take your time. x

Mermaidwarrior profile image
Mermaidwarrior

Hey! I had my First Lap last Tuesday! Take an overnight bag with you just in case! I had to stay in over night so I was super grateful i packed a bag with some toiletries, dressing gown and slippers! Plus headphones for the recovery I found helpful!

The incisions are not really painful at all, you’ll be abit stiff but you’ll be able to get up and walk around as soon as! The only thing I’m struggling with is the amount of gas in my body from the surgery. It can get a little uncomfortable and it’s still there a week later.

Make sure you drink plenty of water and stay hydrated before and after the op.

For the record, I have major high anxiety and for me was so nerve wracking but it really is a straight forward procedure. It was literally like one in one out lol Xoxo

GemB profile image
GemB

If you have not had surgery before I would as people have suggested take an overnight bag. I took some things to read but found I couldn't concentrate with people coming in and out to talk and waiting to be told when I was going down for the surgery. I took a puzzle book that came in handy to keep my mind busy when I wasn't distracted. I would advise taking some extra clothes. I hadn't had surgery before my lap and it took me a while to come around and I was pretty much projectile vomiting whenever I moved as I didn't react well with the anaesthesia. I ended having to get an anti-sickness injection in my thigh as I couldn't keep anything down (food or water) so my clothes got ruined on attempting to get dressed. Thankfully I brought spare.

Pain wise I was not really in pain for the first day or so with the meds I was taking but I was really scared to move in case I opened my stitches. I was in the most pain/discomfort day 3-5 and then it improved daily from then. I was getting up and walking around the house everyday from the day or the op to try and cut down my recovery time and to keep the bloody flowing in my body.

The most anxiety I had was because I had not really been given any aftercare advice so I was really worried about my my wounds getting infected. I was given waterproof wound coverings/plasters and told I would need to keep the wounds covered for two weeks (I was given about 4 spare with 3 wounds)- that's it. I kept them on for around 5 days and then became really concerned with it getting infected so I bought some anti-septic wipes (that are in most first aid boxes) and give my wound some gentle cleaning. This was July in the UK and it was hot 30c so I was aware I was getting hot and sweaty.

Just take it easy for the first week or two. No bending over etc. Also lots of water and light meals (i.e. soup) for the first 5 days I'd say (the digestive system takes a bit to recover so make it easier on yourself). I couldn't eat properly for the first couple of days as I was wiped out from the anaesthesia (I was super tired for almost 2 weeks). I did do more than my husband wanted me to but I'm stubborn so was pushing the boundary to see what i could and could not do after about day 5. I learnt quick that it took a while for my body to respond to what I was doing. So I felt mostly ok at the time of doing something (making food or light cleaning) but in an hour to two wow did I know about it- so be kind to yourself.

I hope that helps. Good luck with the surgery!

I had a laproscopy done 1 month back it went successful but the after pain was bad it depends on what problem u have, make sure you dont eat anything from the night before u have to go with an empty stomach

The things that u might need to take would be pads just incase you bleeding and underwear thats all

Goodluck hun xx

Harley3 profile image
Harley3

Hi everyone!

Thank you for al your comments!

As you can tell I made it through my general anaesthetic 😂 and I felt so silly after!

I was told I have severe endo but awaiting see my surgeon in a couple of weeks to find out what stage. When I woke from my anaesthetic I couldn’t move my legs and this freaked me out! My mind was awake but body wasn’t and this went off after half an hour.

Pain was manageable but uncomfortable. My incisions were glued but unfortunately one came open and had to go the walk in center two days after to get it covered.

Pain isn’t to bad now. I will be two weeks post op Friday and slowly getting there.

Thank you all again 😊

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