Got a date for a lap!

[Elephy]

Yayyy so happy to finally have a date for a diagnostic laporoscopy, less than 2 weeks

Any tips or advice?

I have a pre op assessment as well, anything I should make sure I ask?

[LizzieBW]

Your pre op nurse will probably make helpful suggestions but here are some I can think of from my 3 excision surgeries 🙂

Buy packets of sugar free extra strong mints and peppermint tea bags for hospital bag or home for after surgery! The trapped gas pains from the gas they use to inflate your abdomen for surgery can be the strangest and most horrid pain in shoulder tip and in lung/ribcage area and eating or drinking peppermint helps to absorb this gas. Plus keep moving around every so often if the gas pain builds.

Big, bridget jones styley pants! High waisted and stretchy is best so the waistband sits above stitches/wounds. I just got mine from Primark, full briefs.

Assuming this is your first surgery - purely from a personal perspective here, I would say I was surprised how emotional I felt following my first surgery. I'd never had anyone cut into my body before and I think it just hadn't crossed my mind I might feel...some type of irreversible change, albeit tiny wee scars to my body it was hard coming to terms with how I looked in the mirror. That feeling passed within a few months and as I say maybe a lot of women don't feel that way but wanted to share, just in case.

Good luck! Xx

[Elephy in reply to LizzieBW]

Thank you for your advice! Yes this will be my first surgery, I never even thought about the scars but it is what it is and needs must.

How long did it take you to recover and be up and about as normal after your surgeries?

[LizzieBW in reply to Elephy]

I completely agree and honestly didn't even give it a thought before the first surgery so the emotional side took me by surprise. After 3 now I'm over it and the scars are my battle "tattoos" 😍😂

Each surgery was different depending on where they'd excised the tissue from. Mine were all excision surgeries, even the first so not just a diagnostic lap and I was inpatient. I felt absolutely fine the next morning in hospital, could get up and about and shower. Moving from a sitting position takes slow movements for about a week but I was back to walking my big dog and usual housework after 2ish weeks. Xx