So I have finally been given a date for my first laparoscopy. The hospital has had to refer me to private due to how long I’ve waited (since September 2019). I was just wondering if anyone had any tips to prepare for it as I’m really worried about it. And how to manage after it. Just feeling really anxious about the whole thing especially as I’ve only been given less than 2 weeks to prepare myself. Just unsure what to do also as it is going to be 2 hours away from home (as I’m a uni student) and obviously they can’t allow people in with me due to the current coronavirus standards. Thanks in advance xx
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GreenQueen-99
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I was petrified beforehand, on the day I wasn’t so bad and the op wasn’t anything like my mind was telling me. I may have been lucky but I didn’t have any major sickness or shoulder pain (from gas) after.
I bought a loose dress for after so nothing was pressing.
Is it overnight or out the same day? Even if out the same day take a few overnight things just in case they are running late.
New experiences tend to be daunting, I’m sure you’ll be fine.
Okay I’ll have to invest something loose for afterwards! I’m not sure as I have other conditions too and on other medication so I’m assuming I’ll have to be in overnight! Yeah it is petrifying but it’s really nice to know others have had positive experiences, thank you! X
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d worn a dress, very much trousers and jeans.
With a bit of luck you’ll have your own room, will make it more comfortable and peaceful. Although the nurse kept waking me up to check BP, it had risen and normally drops after operation.
Hey, it’s normal to be nervous. You are in the best hands possible and they will do what is in your best interest. In terms of prep before surgery, I’d suggest some meditation to relieve any stress, some great ones on YouTube. In terms of the day/after, definitely take an overnight bag just in case, sometimes they want to keep you in in the surgery is late or you were under for a while. If you are prone to sickness with any of the drugs, let them know and they’ll give you anti sickness medication. Bring light snacks, you won’t be able to eat much but you should eat something and some peppermint tea to help with any gas. Bring loose fitting clothes for afterwards, some large pants and your own sanitary towels, I didn’t bleed much but just in case. I wore a loose fitting bralette/ sports bra as I’m a bit larger and that was fine, just no metal for during surgery.
Have someone take you home if you can as you’ll be feeling a bit delicate. I work from home and had the weekend and two days but was back to work but I was at a desk. I was tired a lot for at least a week afterwards and could do any exercise for at least 5-6 weeks.
Can sound daunting but it depends on what they do, to how long it’ll take you to feel back to normal. 😊 just think as positively as possible. It’s hard but you’ll definitely pull through x
Thank you so much for all the tips! I’ll deffo try the meditation as extremely stressed with it all! Also find the stress makes the pains worse!
I’ve just ordered some loose fitting night dresses etc! So thanks for that tip!
Thank you so much! Definitely going to take that all on board! Wasn’t sure whether I am allowed snacks etc for after so I’ll pack some now! Just a very scary time!
You’re more than welcome. It is scary, it’s just better to know and have treatment that to not know.
Meditation is the only way I’m getting to sleep at the moment, so it definitely helps relieve some of the stress and pain.
You may not want to eat afterwards but it’s easier to have small amounts to start with. Also hospitals aren’t equipped for any dietary requirements and just offer tea and coffee and sandwiches etc, so if you stay in afterwards, it was just a no brainier for me.
Hi love in same boat as.you. mine is today at the private hospital. Waiting to be collected by the nurse from the car park. Already delays as the nhs hospital hasn't uploaded covid swab results, classic.
Had my first one a week ago at a private hospital. NHS patient but moved to private care. Really nice having own room to wait in and recover afterwards. Take a nice pair of slippers and dressing gown for walk down to surgery and afterwards.
Hi! I had mine and I reacted to the morphine/anaesthetic. I puked most of the day but even with that it is genuinely fine - I feel like I was the ‘worst’ in the ward for after effects of the surgery and I was still allowed to go home that night. I just got kept in til about seven for them to keep an eye on me.
I wore leggings for about two weeks after mine. After the surgery you get little gauze coverings over the entry points and it’s like very neat and reassuring. When you take them off it’s bruised and that made me a little sad, almost like ‘oh yeah I DID have an operation’. And my belly button was different which freaked me out a bit haha! But honestly the hardest thing is remembering not to overdo it. I kept forgetting - then I’d pick up my then puppy and feel a bit of a twinge.
It’s scary but you WILL be fine and the relief of knowing categorically what is going on is so so so worth it. Treat yourself to some new pjs, you’ll be fine xxx
It’s the hardest thing the “taking off of the dressings” which no one really mentally prepares you for, like you say the bruising and your belly button, mines now got a dimple in it it never had before! And the the “slits” you now have which are now scarred but remember they will fade eventually. Your bodies a beautiful thing and will recover over time, it’s remembering to not over to it and not feel bad for letting things slide for a few weeks. That can wait, your body needs to time to recover more so, that’s more important for sure.
Oo also GreenQueen-99 the vacuum cleaner is NOT for you for at least ten days. You don’t realise a lot of your tummy / core muscles are used when pushing it, I learnt that lesson!
I’ve had morphine before so that but should be okay, just worried about the anaesthetic! Yeah I don’t think I’m fully prepared for the state of my belly afterwards!
Oh gosh yeah! My parents in law will be looking after me afterwards and have already said I can’t do anything for at least the first week!
Thank you so much for the support both. Really really appreciate it!
Hi, I had my first lap nearly 4 weeks ago (I’m still off of work sick recovering, took nearly 3 weeks for me to be able to drive again and walking up and down the stairs is now bearable, mainly because my scabs have come off so haven’t got the constant worry of knocking them) I too was on the nhs waiting list since august 19 and they referred me to a private hospital with only 2 weeks notice. It was super scary only having 2 weeks to prepare when usually it’s at least 6 weeks and with all this going on I had in my head would be the end of the year or even next year! Honestly don’t worry at all, your in the best hands, was scary having no one with you but without coronavirus my nhs hospital anyway doesn’t allow anyone to wait with you or come in with you. Just relax the morning of, be prepared, they told me I was last on a list of 8 people (got there at 7am) then they came and said oh no you’ll be 3rd so went in for surgery at 11am and came out at 1pm. I was that scared I was trembling whist on the bed getting prepped and put under anaesthetic to the put I was still trembling when they were bringing me round in recovery!
What no one tells you or pre warns you, might not matter to some but for me was the strange feeling of feeling violated in a way! I went in with a gown and paper pants and when I came back round I had my gown all moved around and no pants, which is obviously given the surgery but as daft as it sounds they obviously had to remove them to be able to proceed but it’s the feeling of vulnerability being under anaesthetic and not knowing what’s going on, so in a way prepare for that! Also prepare to have multiple wounds so to say, I thought I’d have one on my belly button which the camera goes in and maybe 1 or 2 so they can work, I ended up with 5 big wounds so that was also a shock to the system. Other than those things where loose clothing, I had a clean nightgown to change into once I recovered after a few hours and felt able to get up and move a little (it will be hard to walk and move, try not to bend) slip on shoes is a good idea. Sanitary towels and spare clean underwear, then a loose set of clothing to travel home in and I used a V shaped pillow for in hospital and in the car journey home so the seatbelt didn’t rub, also a pillow for behind me to. Take all your medication you take and a few toiletries to help you freshen up, with coronavirus unless there’s complications or your recovery doesn’t go so well they try and discharge same day but always best to be prepared anyway, then for the rest because it was private I had my own room with a tv and a lovely meal at lunch time so unless you want to read take a book but that’s all, after surgery you’ll probably be exhausted so be asleep for a few hours after you come round.
Something to pre warn also is the pain from my stomach wasn’t half as bad as the pain I had from the gas in my shoulders so be prepared for that, I had such a dry mouth coming round until I got back to my room from the tube for oxygen and then couldn’t push myself up the bed much to sit up for a drink of water because the carbon dioxide they pump into you so they can manoeuvre around was stuck on my chest and shoulders so felt like I couldn’t breathe properly, utilise the bed remote as much as possible and let the bed do all of the hard work, it takes a while for the gas to leave (took almost 2 weeks to fully go for me) but don’t worry it will pass just perceiver.
As for that you will be absolutely fine, they’ll make you wear a face mask every time a nurse comes in the room but when your alone ensure they close the door and you can remove it and just focus on your wellbeing to recover. The most daunting for me was the unknowing if they found anything. The relief I felt when my consultant came round and did confirm he found chocolate cysts on my left ovary and he removed it was huge. To that point I was in such shock he confirmed diagnosis that I forgot to ask if he could find any ovarian cysts as I also have confirmed PCOS so might be an idea to write down some questions you may have for him for after, like I say the shock of him confirming turned my mind to mush and now I have to wait for my next review with him to ask him.
As for after at home you’ll be out of it and just sleep for a few day’s, make the most of it and try not to tackle the stairs too much, it was horrible not being able to bathe for a few day’s but as soon as I could I have a shallow bath and just gently sponges myself down and removed the dressings, don’t panic too much once they’ve been removed, the wounds will have started to scab just ensure they’re kept clean I used salt water so they didn’t get infected (also thought I was clever in keeping the skin around my scabs moisturised to prevent them drying out and falling off, turns out they can then be too moist and still fall off, happy medium every few days in that case, again personal preference) take as long as your body needs to recover, don’t worry about being a slow mover, or not doing housework or whatever else, it’ll only be a few weeks recovery whereas rushing yourself will only hinder that recovery, make the most of you time! It’s a shock them when your scabs fall off you your left with these scars, it’s still a shock to the system but they’ll fade over time and I know it was all worth it because I’ve not had to take medication (I was on tramadol daily) and my appetite has returned (lost it for around 8 months due to the amount of pain I was in).
It’s scary but your in safe hands and you’ll absolutely smash it, wishing you all the best lovely and apologies for the essay but being in the same boat as you just sometimes the small things would have prepared me that little bit more xx
It is super scary! I had a call from the nurse today and they’ve pushed it back another couple days so it is in two weeks now. They’ve also told me I have to shield from this week which is a pain but I suppose necessary! Was nobody allowed to come in with you at all? That’s the part that is scaring me the most, as I’m an anxious person as it is! I have had hospital stays before but Never surgery! That’s quite a long op! The pre-op I had at my previous hospital said it would only be 30 minutes to an hour... do you think this one will remove what they see?
I have bought night gowns to take with me. A bit worried about being vulnerable under anaesthetic! But I’m glad you’ve can prepare me for that!
I’m worried that I’m not going to remember what they say afterwards. Do they write it on your discharge note?
Thank you so much though. This is so in detail and is so supportive! I honestly can’t thank you enough! I’ll let you know how it goes in a further post! X
Hi there, had mine privately yesterday. My consultant changed at the last minute, was previously going to be an endo specialist, but was not in the end. It was fine, the waiting is the worst, but you have your own room, you meet the consultant and anaesthetist before hand and you can ask them what you want.
The actual procedure is fine, and you won't even feel like your falling asleep, annoyingly I woke up after the consultant came in to the recovery room, so only read the discharge notes and will have a follow up call in two weeks.
They remove adhesions around my pelvic wall, near c section scar, but nothing else was found, my tubes are clear etc. I just want to ask whether that was the cause of my pain.
I will just have to be led by my symptoms. Do you know who your consultant is? What are you hoping they find or are you expecting them to find something?
Okay thank you! A positive experience then! I do not know who my consultant is, I’ll find out on the pre op! I’ve already been told that from the Ultrasound that my left and right ovary are covered in adhesions and the left is possibly stuck to my womb. However I am hoping for them to find cysts also as I have all of the symptoms for them!
Well at the moment I am nearly 3 weeks post op. I’m going to be honest, I have been lucky that my pain has seriously reduced. I no longer have consistent back pain everyday or cramps.
I am just starting my period thigh, and I have noticed the cramps are a lot stronger! But I have read that the first one after the op is harder but it should get easier!
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Enjoy being looked after x
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