I'm a new member and I had a laparoscopy for the first time 3 days ago, unfortunately I was rushed out afterwards as they needed the beds and feel as though I've got some gaps in knowledge that are worrying me...
1. Is the horrible shoulder pain normal and how long does it last?
2. How long should I be signed off work for?
3. When is it safe to exercise again?
Apologies if these are basic but I was given a tuna sandwich and told to go home straight after my surgery. Thanks, Katy xx
Shoulder pain is totally normal, it's from the gas they use during surgery. It should fade within a few days, try drinking peppermint tea, it should help!
As for work and exercise, generally they say you can return to 'normal activities' within two weeks, but recovery is different for everyone. Listen to your body! Do as much as you feel able to. It'll depend on how long your surgery was and what treatment you had during surgery. Speak to your GP if you've got any concerns.
I hope your recovery goes well!
Hey
1. Shoulder pain is normal, it can last up to two weeks like it did for me. Heat pads and peppermint tea can help a lot. It’s just trapped gas for the stuff they use to inflate your stomach during surgery.
2. I’m not sure but it varies.
3. I started exercising a week after surgery, probably shouldn’t have done but I was bored haha. I did light walking for a month. Be careful though as you don’t want to rip out your stitches or overdo anything as it can delay recovery and make you more tired etc.
If you need anything else, you can always PM me 💕 xxx
Hi Katy, shocked at your after care!!! Two weeks should be when you return to work. Did they do anything? During the laparoscopy? Yes peppermint tea and paracetamol or ibuprofen is recommended. It will hurt. You should be ok but do not push your body if you cannot do things. You should be able to shower if your stitches are covered and they should be dissolvable.
Your shoulder pain is very normal. Peppermint tea or windease tablets can be taken to relieve it.
In terms of time off work and excercise this will depend on what was done during your laparoscopy. Was it purely diagnostic or did you have some treatment during the surgery? You should have been given a sick note before you left hospital. Your lack of after care/lack of information is very concerning x
I am currently in the same boat. No after care and sent home same day high on morphine
These are normal concerns biggest thing is try not to worry it’s over
The pain In shoulder can last on and off couple of weeks but should subside after few days take pain relief and also you can get windyz that helps apparently.
I exercised about 5 weeks after but had a great recovery so don’t push yourself until you feel better. I did a lot of running before the op.
Each persons recovery is different I think you should speak to GP for signing off work 3 to 4 weeks ?
Goodluck and well done here’s to your recovery 👍
Thanks so much for your responses! I have found the shoulder pain more unbearable than anything, maybe because I wasn't expecting it and wasn't prepared, heat pads and peppermint tea seem to be helping.
The surgery was 3 hours, they removed a cyst on my left ovary and found endometriosis in the surrounding tissue between my uterus and bowel - which they removed. I'm not sure whether to expect the endometriosis to reappear somewhere else or what the next steps are, I'll be making an appt with my GP but I am upset at the lack of information I received. Thanks so much for your help x
The treatment during your surgery sounds similar to mine (but from 5 years ago). I stayed in 2 night after. I was very very tired and fragile for 2 weeks afterwards. I dragged myself back on the school run after that (about a 1/2 mile slow walk) and built up from there. I had 7 weeks off work - I possibly could have gone back at 6 weeks if I had pushed myself. I don’t think I went back to vigorous exercise until after 8 weeks. Everyone’s recovery will be different, you may recover more quickly than me. My advice would be take your time to feel properly better. I doubt that will be in 2 weeks - I think this is a standard hospital sicknote.
Have they put in a Mirena ? Best wishes in your recovery xx
Hey, sorry you were rushed out 
The shoulder pain from the gasses that they inflate the abdomen with can last about 3 days to a week. Peppermint oil capsules or tea helped me lots - heath shops have them. Moving around gets the gasses out too.
You should have a sick note when you left the hospital; depending on how much you've had done and how the lap went the surgeon / doctor in charge would issue you with a note, this can be anywhere from 1 week to 4. If they haven't you should phone the clinic / hospital and ask for one. You can get one from your GP but they may not write on as they'll say they don't know the nature of the op / aren't specialised to know what went on.
Safe to exercise - it took me about 3 weeks to get back into my polefitness, core excerises and yoga. But it depends on how fit you were before and remember any exercise requiring abs - you've had those muscles cut so they can take up to 8 weeks to recover. Start on light beginners yoga exercises at about 1 to 2 weeks, and see how your body feels; listen to it. The yoga will help stretch and warm you up and let you know what you're limits are at the moment. Talk to wherever you usually exercise; they'll normally have a recommended time off exercise and then a period where you need to take care.
Just make sure you eat healthy, drink lots of water, stick to your normal routine and exercise a little. Even if you eat five meals a day, good stuff to help flush out the toxins and aid recovery, lots of water to get rid of the anaesthetic, normal routines equals faster recovery and stable body clock, exercise again helps flush out toxins even just pottering round the house or little 2 min walks down the road.
Happy to talk about any of it x
Hi Katy - hope you are feeling a little better than when you wrote your first email. I haven't had a laparoscopy although have read up on everything I can get my hands on as (one day) I will have one as well.
All I would add, and this is from personal experience, be careful not to over-exercise in case (like me) you get a build up of scar tissue, which has its own repercussions. It seems that in some cases - certainly most people here - a laparoscopy can be just the beginning of other problems. So try and take it easy and don't rush your recovery. Little steps . . xx
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