Recovery from Ovary and Fallopian Tube removal

[Sandygirl6697]

Hi, I had a laparoscopy 3 weeks ago along with removal of both Ovaries and Fallopian tubes. During the procedure it was found that my ovaries were “stuck” to pelvic tissue. This meant the op took longer than expected. This would explain the excruciating pain I had been in, along with struggling to walk and stand for longer than a few minutes. I seem to be recovering well from the op but do still have quite a bit of pain in my right hand side going into my hip, I’m also extremely tired. My consultant advised that I should be back to doing normal activities after 2-3 weeks, I’m hoping to get back to work next week but just feel wiped out. Am I being pathetic? Perhaps I just need a good talking to 😊. Any advise would be greatly appreciated fellow warriors x

[Brambledoggy]

Hi, gosh, poor you. 😳 First thing I’d say is your body has just been through A LOT. It needs time to recover. That’s quite a big deal that op you’ve had, hormonally you’re going to be all over the place for a little while and you must take time to recover fully. I think these days life is so fast, pace of life so immediate, must get back to work, must be this, be that, perfect for him, perfect for her, putting pressure on ourself to get on with things very quickly. I’m not giving you a good talking to except to say, take things slow, your body must heal. Be kind to yourself, live in the moment, heal. After all, what’s normal activity? You take things at your own pace. Listen to your body. If it aches, rest, have a bath. Go to bed and sleep. If you start to pick up, go for a gentle walk. Read a book. You’ll know when to go back to work. There’s so much pressure these days on women (and men) to conform to what others expect of us. Be kinder to yourself, your body will thank you. Nina.

[Sandygirl6697 in reply to Brambledoggy]

Thank you so much for your kind words and also “a nice talking to”. I think you are definitely right that we feel we have to conform to the “norm”. I just felt perhaps I am just feeling sorry for myself but I have been struggling for so long (as we all have on here) that I’m now exhausted. I think we are made to feel that we need to just get on with it too. I don’t think I was prepared for how much this op would effect me physically and mentally too. We may have people around us that try to understand but this condition can make you feel so alone can’t it. So good to have kind people like yourself, thank you again ❤️. Take care. Sandra

[Dee_EndoUK Moderator Endometriosis UK]

Hi Sandygirl6697

Good to hear you're recovering well - just take it one day at a time as you have been through significant surgery and it will take a while for your body to heal properly. It's easy to become dehydrated after surgery, so make sure you're sipping water throughout the day. This will prevent you feeling so tired. Also keep your body nourished with lots of healthy foods - lean protein for repair and plenty of leafy greens for energy as these are a great source of b-vitamins.

Just listen to your body and be kind to yourself - use this time to relax and recover.

Wishing you all the best x

[Sandygirl6697 in reply to Dee_EndoUK]

Thank you for your kind words and also for advice. I haven’t had much appetite since the op but I can make sure I concentrate on those foods to help boost me up again. I’m not good at relaxing and perhaps tried to runbefore I can walk 😊 xx

[Dee_EndoUK Moderator Endometriosis UK in reply to Sandygirl6697]

It's definitely hard to relax if you're just not used to it. I find the Calm app is really good - they do some simple 10-minute meditations, which are great for beginners. There are also lots of handy sleep stories to help you wind down (you don't just have to listen to them at bedtime).If you don't have much appetite then definitely make sure that the food you do eat is supporting your recovery and nourishing your body e.g. a chicken soup packed with veg, rather than a ham sandwich for example! Hope this helps x

[Sandygirl6697 in reply to Dee_EndoUK]

I will definitely try the app. Many thanks again for all the advice, help and understanding xx