Hi! 8 days ago I had my 2nd laparoscopy where they removed endo implants from the back of the uterus.
I'm still absolutely exhausted, I managed to shower and do some light house things and fell asleep for 4hours. Going to the toilet is still very painful too.does this sound normal?? I'm in a lot of doubt because my doctors note says 10 days off work... So I suppose that means I should be fine?!
I've never had surgery so I can't really comment on that side of things. I have got suspected endo, though, and often feel exhausted. Given the heat we're all experiencing at the moment, it's not surprising that you're struggling. Be kind to yourself and take your time to recover. Hopefully, you'll be feeling better soon.
I think 4 weeks at least would be normal before you can do much at all. Doctors note is completely unrealistic. You need to take time to get better. I had big excision op two years ago and it took me months to get any better but the doctor did warn me. I think they usually say don't left anything heavier than a kettle for six weeks. Otherwise stichting inside might come undone. That should give you a realistic idea of how long you will take to be normalish.
If you push yourself too far you might end up going back it so really take it easy. I'd talk to the doc and get signed of work for longer if I were you. Being careful and taking it slowly is the best option.
Good luck, it will get better with time.
Thank you for the reality check! I've been beating myself up and feeling like a wimp cus I was told I'm supposed to be going on walks by now. I went out yesterday, lasted 15mins and had to taxi back home 💔. Turns out the pain while peeing is an infection... I wasn't warned about this either. When I mentioned it to my doc 2 days Post-surgery he just made a face and said nothing. I just feel very disappointed with the medical care I keep getting and hope this changes soon.
Hi Sara
Everyone's recovery times are different post-surgery, so please take it easy and don't try to push yourself into doing things you feel that you 'should' be doing. You know your own body best and rushing back into work too quickly could lead to a setback in your recovery.
Just take it one day at a time and don't be afraid to ask for help from friends or family if you need any support at home, or if you decide to try a short walk again.
Wishing you all the best x
Thank you very much ⭐🧡 this makes me feel much better
Please correct me if I'm wrong here! But I'm a bit shocked... I have my graduation and my best friend's wedding in early August, both are abroad and require travel. I was assured by my doctor that 3 weeks was more than enough time to recover?!
Hi Sara797,
I had my 1st lap last month and was diagnosed with endo which they treated with ablation. The pain was manageable but I found the first week or two weeks I was sleeping a lot and exhausted even after short walks or showering. The second week was the most frustrating as I felt like I could do normal day to day activities until I tried to do them and was wiped out. By the 3rd week I was much more myself and eased back into work. It might just be a coincidence but I felt much better when the stitches came out. I am just over a month post op and still getting tired with long walks and exercise but so much better. I also travelled recently and found the airport was more tiring than usual but manageable. This is just my experience and everyone heals differently but be kind to yourself as you are still recovering from a big operation and rest as much as you can when you feel you need it! Good luck with your recovery ☺️
This feels like a more realistic timeline to heal 
thank you!Yes, I've been sleeping way more than usual and taking naps, I still need to rest after a shower too. I tried to go on a walk yesterday cus I felt I should be walking by now and couldn't manage.
I hope ill be fine by the end of the month and be able to attend my graduation. No way I will miss my best friend's wedding so I have to maintain my hopes high and be gentle on myself.
I hope you do well too
That's so bad, the doc should have prescribed you antibiotics fro the infection. You should get that sorted right away. I know when I came home the first day I could only walk from the bathroom to the kitchen (its a big long house though), then I made it to the next door house, then round the block, then down the lane. Go really slowly and take your mobile when you go out in case you can't manage the walk back.
I just built up very slowly and gently and would lie down on benches if it got too much and eventually I was back uo to 5 miles a day but it really will take a while.
Is it your surgeon who has been so disinterested in your recovery or your GP ?
It' just shocking how lacking in empathy these people are. I guess it's because they become doctors for the big bucks rather than because they want to help people. My surgeon did explain pretty well how careful I would need to be and that the healing would take time.
I hope your partner/family/friends are giving you lots of support. It's a difficult thing to go through but if you take it slowly you will feel so much better in a few months.
Don't beat yourself up at all, ever. Recovery varies for everyone and it takes as long as it takes. Much better to go slowly and recover safely.
Sending you a big hug and lots of healing vibes.
Thank you so much for your kind words, wishes and information. I do feel a lot of pressure to recover asap. I'll make sure I take it slow and be gentle with myself. I live on the 3rd floor without a lift so just going down and up the stairs is a chore atm.
It's the gynaecologist who overlooks everything. And this is the only one who took me kind of seriously. Other have told me to go on artificial menapause, have a kid, remove the uterus altogether, go to a pain management unit... I'm just stage 1 endometriosis and im 25.
You see I asked and insisted on the laparoscopy repeatedly. He kept saying he sees nothing.
Have to clarify that I was originally here (Spain- im fluent) on Erasmus and decided to over stay and get treatment with private insurance. Because my GP back home doesn't think I've been suffering enough to be referred to a gynaecologist
It's been really hard and I hope the system changes and takes womens pain more seriously.. Wish there was something I could do to help change this.
I take the progesterone only pill and that stopped my periods completely and it is fully reversible. It has helped so much with my pian and I have very bad stage four endo.Getting pregnant could be a help and it's probably a good idea if you want kids but only if you want them and are in a suitable relationship /work/life situation.
Endo is really strange in that sometimes just a little endo can cause loads of pain and other times women can have it really badly and not have so much pain. It's so hard to fiind a good doctor if you go on the NHS the wait is forever but with a private doc it's hard to know if they suggest more work than is needed to get extra money.
I think it would help if we had more female gynaes. You hardly ever see one so mostly the doctors diagnosing and treating us have zero experience of the pain and difficulty endo causes. Artificial menopause and hysterectomy would be complete overkill at your age with mild disease and would cause lots of problems in themselves.
At least you have got it diagnosed and regocnised while you are young and the disease hasn't spread too much so that should help. I think you ve done a great job taking control of the situation, getting the diagnosis and getting treatment. None of those things are easy to do.
I think it sounds like going up and down the stairs is probably enough excercise in itself for a week or two.
Cuidate mucho xx
I'm sorry to hear you've been diagnosed with stage 4. Must have been a very hard journey to get to where you are! I hope you're doing fine now. 🧡 Yes, its hard to explain to people that the stage of endo has nothing to do with the level of pain. My pain got really debilitating, despite taking 6 pain killers a day I was barely able to do my day to day activities.
Yes! I am really surprised that I've been to more male gynae than female, I've only seen one female who lacked empathy altogether, she put me on the progesterone-only pill, (I had been taking Femodette which is a combined pill with a 7day break, for 3 years) when I asked her if hormonal acne would be a possible side effect, she said
"do you want a few pimples or pelvic pain, you choose".
I only asked cus Femodette gave me terrible acne and I was put on antibiotics for a year to clear it u.. I am still healing the scarring it left.I have tried dienogest (progesterone only) for 6 months
Then switched to Cerazette for the last 7 months. It has been causing me severe depressive episodes.
After the laparoscopy, I mentioned the depression to the gynae again, and reminded him of my contraceptive history, to which he decided to put me on Femodette again without any discussion.
I have not taken it yet, I'm hoping I can seek another opinion but honestly, I feel like I cannot find a gynae I can trust. So I've been doing so much research on my own, but at the end of the day I'm, not a doctor and I shouldn't be deciding this.
How has your experience been with the progesteone-only pill? Have you experienced depression related to the pill? If so, is there a brand that maybe less likely to cause this? I understand this is very individual but I would appreciate your input if possible.
Besitos xx
Post lap op
POST OP!!
Post lap pain
Second Day Of Post-Op
