Why does sitting up have to be such a pain post-op?! Is this normal or should I be concerned?

[MidnightX]

Hi all! I’ve just passed two weeks post op, heading in to week 3 (laparoscopy and hysteroscopy) and hoping to see if people have experienced the same when it comes to adjusting back to ‘normal’ life.

This is my first surgery and I was diagnosed with endo and had four incisions, with a heap of excisions, including from my bowel. So far my wounds seem to be healing okay, despite my constant paranoia of one of them getting infected 😩 (I even called the hospital to ask them about my bellybutton and how to know that it’s going to be ok when it’s hard to see inside lol, I had no idea how queasy even looking at it could make me feel!!)

Anyway, I’m back to work as of yesterday, following being signed off for two weeks. I work in an admin role so have been able to work from home this week.

Over the past two weeks whilst off, I’ve predominantly been laying down in bed, and now I am finding that sitting up for a prolonged time in my ergonomic chair is making me feel very uncomfortable, to the point where I need to lie down for a little while each hour. Sometimes it feels like a digging pain in my bellybutton or side that leaves relatively quickly, sometimes it’s more of an aching of different muscles in my abdomen.

Has anyone else had something similar? If so, did it last a long time or pass i.e. should I be prepared to just get used to this?

Thank you and I hope you have a lovely evening. Xx

[Bellebell]

Hi, I'm two weeks post-op too (lap) and it's my second one. I had the same problems both times, although the first time, initially I was uncomfortable sitting and lying down, so I lay down for a while, then sat a while, and so on. Last time, it took about one month and right now, I'm still experiencing discomfort/pain if I sit for too long. I am back at work (from home) too and I am trying not to work a full day so I don't have to sit all day. I still have the abdominal pain too, so you're not alone and I guess it's not abnormal.

Also, unfortunately the first time, my belly button got infected. I knew that because it was oozing a liquid, which it had never done ever before. Antibiotics put an end to that but I think that is what you have to look for. Good luck getting better!

[MidnightX in reply to Bellebell]

Thank you so much, it’s really insightful to know you’ve had two laps so you have experience to compare your current post-op to. I won’t feel guilty needing to step away from my desk when it’s uncomfortable, seeing as it’s not only me that finds it quite difficult. I hope your recovery goes well and thank you again for your comment x

[MrsPaddingtonBear]

Hello

Wow how lucky you are that you could lie down after your surgery, I’ve NEVER been able to lie down for at least two weeks. After my hysterectomy it was 6weeks. Sitting in certain chairs will be uncomfortable. You are still in early days. It take 3 months for you to heal internally. I’m 9 months post hysterectomy and I’m still struggling to sit in certain seats. You’re doing amazing so be gentle with yourself you are still recovering. Pain can also mean you’re doing too much too soon. Your doing great be proud of yourself, your an amazing warrior, you’ve got this.

[MidnightX in reply to MrsPaddingtonBear]

Thank you so much MrsPaddingtonBear! This is so useful and made me feel a little emotional because I’ve been beating myself up for not being able to do more sooner. Take care x

[Pugparent]

Hi! I had a lap done on 03/06 for an ovarian cystectomy and the pain was pretty bad the first few days. Didn’t help I started my period the day after and it was so painful and heavy!!

I found it pretty uncomfortable to bend over for a couple of weeks and would wake in the night. That pain has completely gone now. However, my belly button incision is still not fully healed! I had the stitches removed as they didn’t dissolve, the nurse took the scab off to make it heal better and it then wouldn’t stop leaking. I still have not had a dry dressing and I’m 5 weeks post op! At my follow up last week the consultant cauterized it with silver nitrate and only yesterday when I removed the dressing it seems to have dried up. It wasn’t infected just sometimes some people create more serous fluid to try and heal the area. The 3 other incisions I had have healed up nicely!

I would just take things steady. I am still off work (I’m a physio technician) and plan to go back Monday. Hope your recovery goes well!

[MidnightX in reply to Pugparent]

Ahh Pugparent; I feel this, my period started two days before my surgery! Our bodies have a funny way of timing things 😭😂 if I don’t see any infection signs, I will give it a few more weeks and see how my stitches get on, (as no sign of being dissolved yet) otherwise I’ll make an appointment with the GP to check. Best of luck when you go back to work and wishing you a speedy recovery x

[Pugparent in reply to MidnightX]

I went back about my stitches cus they said to remove the dressings after 10 days but all of the ends of the stitches were still sticking out my skin and catching on everything! The nurses weren’t sure why they consultant stitched me up that way🙈 they did say the belly button one is the hardest to heal x