Advice help after laparotomy please!

[Janeylou]

Hello lovely people!

I’ve had laparotomy surgery 21st March to remove endometriosis, reconstruction/ ureteral reimplantation into my bladder. Came home yesterday as I just couldn’t bare hospital any longer! They went in keyhole then reverted to laparotomy. I’ve got a catheter for 10 days which is a very odd experience, I’m slightly confused when trying to poop! I pray that just happens with no issues 😬. Following healthy fruit, veg, protein when I actually eat!

Im feeling pretty sorry for myself, so emotional ☹️ this is my 6th surgery I only had keyhole in December.

I’m struggling to walk around, change position. I should know what to expect & what is normally! But every time I panic! You get an info sheet and it’s saying move, have a walk about etc! I’m trying to as much as possible but blimey it’s hard! I’m hunched over! I know recovery will be longer but please say this will ease up soon, I walk to empty my catheter in the loo and I’m exhausted!

Any experiences / advice laparotomy, ureteral reimplantation? Hearing others experiences definitely helps. Xx

[MediocreMind]

Hi,

I had a laparotomy last Feb and a laparoscopy in Sep and the difference in recovery was huge. After the laparotomy I tried to go back to work after 5 weeks but by the time I had commuted to the office I was exhausted. I was hunched over for a few weeks and had to make a conscious effort to stand straight when going for short walks. It took about 3 months to get back to work full time and feeling day-to-day normal. You will need to be careful moving around for a few weeks yet, I learnt a few techniques which I actually had to get back out of the habit of doing whilst recovering but forgetting and moving like normal can be very painful!

I’m sorry you’ve had to have a laparotomy but please just listen to your body because it will let you know what you can and can’t do yet. Keep in mind that your body has a lot of healing to do and that takes a lot of energy so do keep resting. It sounds like you’re doing all the right things, just keep slowly building up your walking, I think it took me two weeks before I could even leave the house to go for a 5 minute shuffle down the road!

Good luck with your recovery, I hope the surgery has helped your Endo symptoms. Feel free to message me if you have any questions! X

[Janeylou in reply to MediocreMind]

Thank you for your reply, it’s always good to hear others experience, find it so hard to be rational in the moment. Sounds like you have had your share of it all.

I just do not understand how I get discharged with just 6 weeks, I’m thinking gosh I must be better by then as that’s what the dr says, sometimes though I don’t think they know. I work part time which is good but it’s quite an active job.

The constipation has hit me bad so I’m going to try something stronger today! I hate the first 💩 after surgery ( lol TMI) I’m still on a lot of pain meds I’m not ready to reduce yet, know they don’t help!

I’m finding that breathing techniques are helping somewhat! I’m now trying to stand straight, good posture! Have you any other techniques?

X

[HellyLlewelly]

Hi,

So sorry you are in so much pain in recovery. I can sympathise with you and after a total hysterectomy a year ago, I feel like Im covered in endometriosis adhesions again as my bowel was an area that was affected and shaved of endometriosis.

I have no experience of it on my ureters (yet)

Can I ask you a qn, why did you have keyhole in December, was it excision surgery, where from?

And how did you come to have another so soon in March?

Im being investigated again and as its only my bladder, kidneys, ureters bowel etc left inside me Im curious as to where this has got to now to have me in so much pain daily. Im a year post Hysterectomy/bowel shave.

Im also interested as a friend is speaking about ureters and possible kidney involvement..I have no idea how endometriosis re-grows, at what speed etc and if it keeps growing from existing spots even if no more menses takes place (Ive had hysterectomy with ovaries removed.)

Laparotomy seems very hard to recover from please take your time and don't rush.

Dont set yourself goals, in the last year I did and set myself up for nothing but disappointmemt.

The body is the boss and it will dictate when its ready to move forward.

Take care of yourself.

Please dont rush any forms of abdominal exercises.

Take everything very slowly and see a womens physio who specialises in pelvic issues/pain and physio based pilates or swimming to help you.

All in good time though, please rush nothing.

Good luck

Helly.

[Janeylou in reply to HellyLlewelly]

Thank you for replying, helpful hearing others experience. You also have had it tough! Endo is so evil since I was diagnosed I feel like it’s destroyed parts of my life & the surgery is relentless! I’m lucky to be under a specialist I hear so many struggling to get that!

I was plodding along with on / off pain and was waiting for another op as my left ovary had yet again given me a cyst, then things got bad I my lost appetite which isn’t me I love food, had pain was so bad and my BP increased they found I had severe hydronephrosis endo was blocking ureter, was in & out of hospital Oct / Nov had a stent, which was meant to help until they could get me in as priority. Dec I had left ovary / tube / excision of endo, they tried to clear the endo on ureter but he couldn’t do it as it was so covered & enlarged so they had to get me back, this time urologist from the team was on hand to do his bit!

I’m praying I’m left alone for a while, I can’t cope with more surgery, I’m trying to take it easy it’s just hard! X

[HellyLlewelly in reply to Janeylou]

😯😯😯😯😯😯

😥😥😥😥😥😥

HOLY J. MOLEY!

Janeylou yours has to be one of the most complicated and painful endometriosis situations Ive ever heard of.

To lose ones appetite etc, Ive never experienced that. Your surgeries are multiple but at least you are in safe hands an endometriosis surgeon specialist is definately looking after you.

What a horrible period of time thoigh you must feel poked and prodded beyond belief.

Lets hope your pain subsides.

I actually think the bleeding after my hysterectomy lasted so long as my surgery was so extensive with

Excision on my bowel.

It was almost a month before I was wiping clear and significant blood loss 2 going on 3 weeks.

Its crazy that we seem to live in a medical situatiin where they will bring us back and re-operate if they need a urologist etc....its sooooo life changing for the patient to recover again and again from these excision wounds...its a heavy heavy process for us all.

Life stealer = endometriosis.

God help us all in our pain & struggles daily.

Help us all try to find a cure.

Helly x

[ccsmith]

Please please relax everything sounds ‘normal’. I’m sorry your going through this but 🤞🏻 it was worth it. Remember your insides have seriously been messed around with!

As other people have said you need to listen to your body. It takes a minimum of 12 weeks to recover from a basic laparotomy. The muscle need time to stitch back together, also your insides need time to recover from the trauma. A catheter is a very odd sensation and what your feeling is the ballon in your bladder holding it in. Keep eating healthy and add apricots, dates and even liquorice into your diet and hopefully you can open your bowels.

Concentrate on standing tall it’s important for your abdominal muscles. Also a small walk every hour or so is perfect for now and then slowly build up to a longer walk.

Best wishes with the recovery.

[Janeylou in reply to ccsmith]

Thank you.

I’m hoping to see the benefits soon, they say the op went really well. I’m done with surgery for a while!

I’m trying to stand up straight when walking, it does actually help with the pain, I can’t wait to have this catheter out have a TWOC day soon, hopefully I will just wee ok! Got a stent in for 4 months but that’s ok. The catheter is getting me to get up & walk about it’s annoying but it gets me up I suppose!

I’ve been eating super healthy & lots of fluid but constipation has got worse I’m going to try senokot 😬 I think the constipation is one of the worse parts to post op!

Oh I wish I had a time machine I would fast forward to a month!!

X

[ccsmith in reply to Janeylou]

I’m sure you will be fine - I remember mine coming out - first time stings but keep fluids up.

I would take 2 senna now and then another 2 at bed. Gently rub tummy with coconut oil in a circular motion - obviously if it’s too uncomfortable stop. Also press gently in your lower abdomen as you try to go it supports the wound so you can “push” better. Avoid tea and coffee and coke as they make things worse.

Good luck - remember it will happen xx

[Janeylou in reply to ccsmith]

Thank you!

I’ve just taken a senokot Max 🙏 there’s movement 😬 xx