How long until I feel some relief?

[Faybee87]

Hi all, had my first laparoscopy just over 3 weeks ago and they confirmed and treated endo on my pelvic wall, drained an ovarian cyst, inserted the Mirena and confirmed that I have a polycystic ovary. I had to go to the walk in centre a couple of days ago as my belly button wound became infected, so I'm on antibiotics for that. Yesterday I had my first migraine in years, and the worst I've ever had, ended up throwing up and losing sight in one eye for about an hour. Feeling really fed up with it all now. I'm on a phased return to work for 2 weeks, my doctor has been great and did it according to ability, so I can go home when I've had enough and on Friday I didn't go in at all. But I'm starting to worry about when that ends because I only have a week left of my phased return and I still feel exhausted. Not sure how much of that is the infection though.

I guess my question really is how long does it generally take you to feel better after a laparoscopy? And if anybody has had an infection, how long did it take the antibiotics to work? I see guidelines where doctor's recommend that you can be back to your normal activities within a week and I just think 'how?' or am I being a complete wimp?

[Hessyh]

Hi, I don’t know where they get a week from, the surgery you had is the same as if they have opened you up, a laporoscopy only means the outside heals quicker not the inside. I was off work for 6 weeks as recommended by my consultant . I started to feel better after about 4 weeks but still tired and wasn’t back to full duties x

[Faybee87 in reply to Hessyh]

Thank you sweet, that really helps me to feel more normal! I don't know why they keep pushing that guideline, literally nobody I have spoken to who has had it done has felt better within a week. After being made to feel like it's all in your head for so long, you finally get a diagnosis and then made to feel like you're milking it for allowing your body to heal!

[Hessyh in reply to Faybee87]

I know, people don’t understand how much it affects your life and how bad the pain is, it’s shocking really. Take your time to recover hun and go with how you feel in yourself x

[Chrysta123]

Hello,

As the other reply says a week is a load of rubbish! If you have stitches it takes about 6 weeks just for those to dissolve and then your insides will take even longer than that to heal so just listen to your body and don’t do what you can’t manage - advise I have been given and really don’t feel stupid for not being back to ‘normal’ I was 6 weeks post op on Friday and I am still getting really tired by the afternoon/evening, I have only just started to manage holding the lead when walking my dog, carrying shopping without pain, etc. I did also have an infection, originally I was discharged with 5 days antibiotics as I was so distressed I couldn’t stay in the hospital I was near enough having a panic attack over it and then ended up in the hospital 5 days later and on IV antibiotics for 48hrs plus 5 more days of oral antiobiotics afterwards which i jnow was my own fault but I think having any sort of infection does slow down the healing proccess so really just take your time building back up to your normal activities, but after 2 weeks off work and a week doing part time from home I did start feeling back to ‘normal’ by the end of week 4 just can’t shake this bloating and even now i feel bruised inside my stomach so you are not being a wimp!

Sorry that was a bit long 😅 good luck with the rest of your recovery x

[Faybee87 in reply to Chrysta123]

Thank you so much, I appreciate your thoughtful reply! Especially re the stitches dissolving, and the bloating! I was starting to think I had just overindulged while being sat at home! Feeling a bit better today, I went for an easy walk in the countryside with my hubby yesterday and it was nice to feel normal again, even if it was only a short walk and he had to drive. Sounds like you've been through the mill! Was it a wound infection you had or a UTI? Glad you're on the way back to normal!

[Chrysta123 in reply to Faybee87]

Haha I thought the same thing until I weighed myself (on 3 different scales as I thought they had broken) and realised I was just insaley bloated! Peppermint capsules are helping with the discomfort, but not with getting into my clothes guess we just have to be patient... I know what you mean though, must have been nice to just get out the house and get some fresh air 😊

They wouldn’t really tell me what it was...but the said there was an infection present in my urine sample but also in my bloods so maybe a UTI and something else? But it didn’t hurt to pee or anything so who knows...I do know they said both my wounds looked fine though and it was internal but doctors just seem to hate giving me straight answers haha thanks, I hope you get back to normal soon!

[eew_notts]

Hey there!

I’m three weeks post-laparoscopy today and I posted asking about recovery times yesterday: I got some very helpful answers

healthunlocked.com/endometr...

Regarding your recovery, could you return to your doctor and get signed off work for a little longer? It definitely sounds like you need some more time to rest and recover. One week recovery is madness! Please don’t think you ought to be healed and ready for action, recovery takes time!

Thinking of you x

[Faybee87 in reply to eew_notts]

Oh my goodness, it looks like you've had a tough time of it! How are you feeling now?

I went to the doctors and saw the nurse today who swabbed, cleaned and dressed my wound as it had got worse. It's stinging now but I know it's because the iodine is working on it so I don't mind! I didn't go to work today as I feel so run down with this infection. I have to go back on Thursday to have it re-dressed so I'll see how I feel tomorrow with work. I'm still on my phased return according to ability, so it's not really counting as absence this week, and then we have the bank holidays so I won't be working those anyway and then I'm hoping I'll be feeling better by Tuesday. But I'm fully prepared to go back to the doctor's if not and get a note for either a longer phased return or just more time off. I've been asleep for 3 hours this afternoon so it's clearly all taking its toll.

I'm just a bit fed up now, I want to get back to normal as I'm having nose surgery at the start of June so I feel like I'm going to have 1 month-ish of normality and then straight back on the sofa!

[Amy-Marie]

Hi, im 2 weeks post laparoscopy now and I'm also feeling rubbish still! I was initially signed off for 2 weeks and after talking to my gynae earlier this week (i called him) he has signed me off for another 2. I couldn't imagine trying to work right now!! Take some time to recover for you xxx