Diagnosed and recovering from lap earlier today

[Aphra]

Hi all,

Some of you might remember my post about being very anxious about having a laparoscopy. I’m pleased to say that it was a lot less unpleasant than I expected and the whole experience was pretty smooth. I even got to go in first so only waited about an hour and a half!

It turns out I do have endometriosis - I had deposits on the walls of my pelvic cavity, in my pouch of Douglas, and I had adhesions sticking my bowel to my abdominal wall they cut the adhesions and ablated the deposits, which amazingly only took about 1 hr and 15 min.

I’m now sat on the sofa at home recovering. My recovery in the hospital was super smooth and I’ve never been so glad to see and eat a custard cream! However since I got home at 1pm today I’ve felt crap, really lethargic and the gas has made me feel really nauseous. I was actually sick after a particularly spirited burping session which was really not nice. My partner has gone to get rehydration salts for me as I’m feeling really sticky mouthed and washed out My incisions are hurting now and have bled a bit onto the dressings - is this normal? Sorry, I’m just anxious now about recovering well and since I look incredibly pasty and feel so weak it’s hard not to want reassurance!

[Princesspeach84]

I will be having my first lap soon and I'm so glad it wasn't as bad as you thought as I am really anxious too! Sorry I can't be of any help but good luck with the healing xx

[Aphra in reply to Princesspeach84]

Have you read my previous thread? The responses in it are wonderful and if they helped me I’m sure they’ll help you too! Xx

[Princesspeach84 in reply to Aphra]

I will look for these! I found a lot of people have a bad experience but not much a good experience. I am a very anxious person, (panic attacks, heart palps the works!) So I love it when I see good experiences! Thank you xx

[Aphra in reply to Princesspeach84]

Hi, I totally understand - I nearly fainted during two minor gynae procedures (smear in hospital due to my age where I bled so much due to a cervical erosion that the gynaecologist was obviously shocked, and cervical cauterisation) and am generally quite an anxious person. I was convinced I was going to faint/cry/refuse to go in/have a huge panic attack but the nurses and doctors I met were really kind (but business-like) and I just sort of got swept along with it all. If you’ve found techniques that help your anxiety in other areas I would say to try and apply those techniques to this - I’ve had CBT in the past and it’s really helped me with my anxiety but my anxiety about having a laparoscopy weirdly didn’t seem an obvious candidate for using those techniques until my partner pointed out to me that I could. I found it really calmed me down to just consciously manage my anxiety and not go “but this is really happening and these are real risks I have to monitor!” I hope you find something that works for you and do remember that it’s totally normal to feel some anxiety about surgery. As much as managing my anxiety helped I also found just accepting that I was anxious and frightened really helpful x

[Princesspeach84 in reply to Aphra]

Thank you! What you are saying is so true! I feel as though I should be guilty for being anxious and these thoughts in turn don't help anxiety! I'm at that stage where I want it to be over and done with as this stuck in limbo is exhausting! Ok one min, crying the next and I'm sick of bloody worrying!!! xx

[Aphra in reply to Princesspeach84]

That is absolutely the worst stage - I felt like I was going mad as I just kept sobbing! You will get through this x

[Ericaa42]

Hey sorry to hear you're not feeling great after your lap! I think that's totally normal though. I've had 2 laps now. Listen to your body and make sure you're resting/sleeping when you need to. I had a lap 3 weeks ago and slept soo much in the few days after! I also didn't feel up to eating much apart from jelly lol. Are you taking painkillers regularly? That should help with the incision pain. And bleeding into the dressings is pretty normal I think, unless you bleed so much that it comes out of the dressing. If you're worried about anything I'm sure you can give the hospital a call and ask, I did after mine X

[Aphra in reply to Ericaa42]

Hi, I’ve been taking ibuprofen as that’s been enough to keep me comfortable. I haven’t bled that much at all really - if I bleed through the dressings I’ll call the hospital but otherwise I think I’ll be ok. I’ve had some egg and toast now (and ginger biscuits) and don’t feel remotely churny so hopefully the nasty vomiting has passed now.

[Daisy63]

Hi there, I had my lap in November and I was exactly the same as you, everything you have described is normal, I rang the hospital the next day about my dressing and she said take it off after two days in the shower. I was also very very sleepy and in pain sink took pills but after a week I was fine and walking about and back at work, everyone is different and if in doubt ring the ward, I rang loads and they were brilliant. Hope you recover quickly x

[Aphra in reply to Daisy63]

Thank you - that’s good to know! Fortunately I now feel a LOT better - I think the rehydration salts really helped, although I am now pretty overhydrated and peeing literally every half an hour! I think my bladder is a bit confused at the moment too as every time I pee I have a good amount to get rid of but it can be stop-start and the last bit just trickles out.

[Thecraftyadder]

Such a relief to get a diagnosis! Don't forget the swelling is probably pressing on your bladder so it might make you pee more! My belly button wound did bleed and weep for a few days. I think you definitely reach a slump on day 1 when the pain meds they give you in hospital finally wear off. You'll be pretty tired so be kind to yourself. Wishing you a speedy recovery

[Aphra in reply to Thecraftyadder]

Hi, I’ve just been sat on the sofa/pottering to the bathroom and kitchen all day today. Fortunately the bladder issues have eased but now my bowel is waking up again! I’m also having more gas pain and sharper pains where my incisions are. I don’t think I could do anything other than take it easy tbh!

[samo1]

Hi, glad to hear the op went nice and smooth for you. I had my Lap on Wednesday. I too had my bowel shaved & I had my left ovary & Fallopian tube removed. I’m also at home recovering now. My left dressing was weeping yesterday so I removed it & put on a clean one that the hospital sent me home with. It was watery blood so only a case of drying round the edges, I certainly didn’t touch the stitches. It’s been fine since. The gas is horrible, I’ve had pain in my shoulders & even my neck but I find the best help is walking a tiny bit to release it & then resting with hot water bottles on the painful area (usually shoulder)

I called the hospital yesterday because I was so swollen I honestly look about 7 months pregnant! I was reassured this was ok. I am taking pain relief every few hours but unfortunately that doesn’t take away the soreness.

I feel your pain right now. Hope this helps.

Take care of yourself & rest!! We must rest!

Samo x x

[Aphra in reply to samo1]

Oh poor you, that sounds like a lot of work to have done! Walking does seem to help with the gas pain although also gets it going which is annoying - I feel a bit like a bottle of coke at the moment!! Good luck with your recovery x

[EndoBattle]

Hey Aphra

I’ve read your replies, good your feeling better now. People underestimate the need for rehydration. Water doesn’t cut it as we loose essential sugars and salts when we are dehydrated. Think most people have covered everything and given you excellent advise. Only a couple of things to add. You can take paracetamol with ibuprofen but also remember ibuprofen thins the blood like aspirin so not always the best to take when you have an active wound. When you can wash. Use your hairdryer on cool to dry your belly button. That way no fabric fibres will get into your healing wound. And most importantly listen to your body. Let it heal and don’t over do it. Good idea to get up and move about regularly just to prevent blood clots. Wiggling your toes can help with this too. Hope you have a speedy recovery xx

[Aphra in reply to EndoBattle]

Thanks for the tips - I’ve just had paracetamol today and the bleeding does seem to have stopped, and my partner has been out and bought a hairdryer in preparation for the first dressing change tomorrow! I’ve just been pottering between the sofa and bathroom really today but moving around a bit does seem to help. I got several lots of flowers delivered from very kind relatives/friends and trimmed the stems and put them in vases earlier today and tbh that was more than enough physical activity for me, I was exhausted afterwards! Resting is definitely the best idea x

[lotusojo]

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I think I had my laparoscopy to diagnose and treat Endometriosis on the same day as you (7th Feb). Your questions and posts have helped me due to the timing of my own recovery in tandem with yours, so thank you!