Pain is back !

[lillyflower]

I had my lap 12 days ago and the first week I was feeling better each day from the op and effect of anesthetic. My scars seem to be healing well and was feeling hopeful that as the nurse thought they'd burnt away some endo that I would get a break from all the constant pains!

So then Friday I started getting strong pains and realised that was period pain kicking in and came on Saturday. The pain seemed worse than normal but with everything probably still healing I dosed myself up on lots of codeine turned into a zombie for 3 days but pain was manageable. So I then thought great finally some relief coming but no the aching and stabbing pains are still there even though my period only lasted 3 days the pain is still strong and my hip and thigh pain is bad. I've even now got pains in my groin which feels like electric shocks shooting down into my inner and top of thigh. I normally only get it on outer side which is constant pain.

So my question is, is it normal for a lap to make pains worse and is the groin pain from maybe being in a strange position during op? I've just asked doctors for more codeine but can only take it at home not work as I'm too spaced out ! I was told to take paracetamol and ibrubrofen constantly but although after op it helped now doesn't seem to do anything.

I've got follow up appointment in May so just need to cope till then but is this normal? Feeling bit fed up today just want to wake up and feel better again.

Thanks x

[Cloudyrain]

Ah honey I know it's hard but to be honest I wasn't even back at work for at least 3 weeks after my treatment lap, and even then I was only part time for a few weeks. It's not unknown for pain to last for a few months afterwards. Your insides heal at a lot slower rate than your outsides, and everything inside is probably still red raw and totally aggravated by your period. I was told to stay away from all heavy lifting and pushing for 3 months, and to be honest it was probably 3 months before I felt "better".

At less than 2 weeks post op I'm not surprised you are in pain. That's often why they don't do follow-ups until a few months after as they don't expect you to be fully healed until then: I hope that makes sense! x

[lillyflower]

Hi thanks for that, I was told would need one week as only diagnostic but when I asked nurse to remind me what doc had said she looked at pics and thought he'd lasered some so I did think maybe that's why it seems worse. As I'm self employed I'm taking it easy but as I work in the wedding industry things have to be done so I'm assuming any different drugs will put me into that zombie state so will just have to plod on. Thanks for info wish they'd told me to expect a longer recovery I was begining to worry theyd made it worse! The new leg pains were really freaking me out today! Thanks x

[cjb-75]

Best of luck with it all, after my first diagnostic lap, I was back up in 1-2 weeks, but my second one where they did a lot of work it was more like 3-4 weeks to be back up and about and probably another couple to be fully back playing sport etc.

I always found a combination of mfenamic acid (a very strong ibuprofen available on presciption) coupled with co-codomol and heat pads helped!

If the leg pain is really new, then it may be worth calling the lap team back, you should be able to call for advice for a while after or call your gp. Also my follow ups were always a month or 2 after the op, and as I could never fully remember what was said in my groggy post aenasthetic state I got my gp to tell me.

Hope you feel better soon.

[jojo777]

Its way too soon after your lap, and it makes sense that you are in pain, you still healing. It took me good 4 weeks after my first lap to feel ok, I had extreme pain in my ovaries and groin throughout this period and then gradually it became better.

If they irritated nerves while cleaning etc inside you, this will take time to settle, leg, lower back and hip pains are linked with trapped/irritated nerves because of endo or because of intervention from the surgeons.

Try to get some good painkiller relief and heat pads (not directly on the incisions though) and take it easy. I know its easier said than done, but we all been there and some of us still are. xxx

[lillyflower]

Thanks for your replies I have numbers for the gyni ward if I had any issues within first 2 weeks but the actual scars and everything seems to be healing, but as you say I think my insides are far from healed! The idea they've irratated nerves would make sense as it is the sharp electric type pain that's new, the hip pains were bad before op. The receptionist at docs just said if doctor approves a repeat prescription it will be ready Tuesday so hoping it will ease a little so I don't run out! Sat here a little bit woozy but has eased a little of the aches in my tummy but never goes so just need to be patient I guess! With everything they found I guess it would have been a miracle to not have pain! Well if it gets any worse ill be hobbling to the docs by Monday! Thanks for putting my mind at rest that this sounds normal I guess I felt better last week cause still had effects of anesthetic and morphine! Thanks hope your all doing ok x

[worth71]

Hi lilyflower - you might remember I had my lap a few days before yours, I'm now day 16 post op, and I was the same on the wkend just gone, the pain I was having was far worse than ever before the lap, my lower back ache was chronic and leg pain too, it prob eased more yesterday. I have been managing a moderate walk with my dogs, accompanied with my son, but I get so far and have stabbing pains, and labour like pains, and end up limping home. Today I did not walk but did some light cleaning, nothing heavy though really, hung out a few loads of washing and just pottered then I've been out late this afternoon, and it's been too much again, I'm ok not too bad but I am in pain, and I had quite a heavy bleed too - I haven't stopped bleeding since my lap but I'm guessing that's due to the ablation. My doctor has given me another sick note til the 17th, I'm hoping this will be plenty but it goes to show that a week really isn't long enough, so many say they were back to work withing a few days, that's fine but you don't get any more appreciation from employers by being a hero - I'm self employed so I have no problems with that, apart from my clients nagging me when will I be back doing their hair, I tell them I don't know, when I'm ready, and I know I'm not ready yet and I'm not beating myself up about it either. If you've had endo removed too I imagine that must be painful, I don't know as none of mine was removed. Is your leg pain just one side? I get most of my pain lower left side back and front, and it goes down my left leg, almost like sciatica - hope you feel better soon, I think we will feel different things at different times after a lap, so try not to worry too much xxx

[worth71 in reply to worth71]

I also think we start to feel a bit better, and think yay I'm better, start doing stuff and bang, nope you're not better, I was religiously taking all my maximum pain killers up until two days ago, I've managed to cut down the co-codamol to paracetamol and just mefanamic now xx

[lillyflower]

That's so true I did think yes feeling better then down hill again. I am trying to do less than normal but wedding dresses can not be postponed so just doing the urgent bits for now. I'm sure your right I just need to keep resting and not think I can just go back to normal. I'm glad your improving and yes I remembered there was only days between us so thanks for reassureing me. I've had pains in my left pelvis but right hip thigh on outer side from bottom for months of and on but the shooting pain in in my right groin and top of thigh down to knee and on top rather than side. Had a few down the left thigh today and back aches been worse.

Glad to hear you've been out and things are improving. You have had a lot done so I'm not surprised your still bleeding but hope it eases soon. Take it easy and hopefully we will both start improving more now. I wish they'd tell us it takes longer than a week to recover properly ! Will keep the pain meds going and fingers crossed everything heals soon xx thanks x

[komeara]

Hi lillyflower,

I don't have much or anything really useful to say, just wanted to say sorry it's a bad spell at the moment. I hope it eases up soon. After my first lap which was connected to a ruptured cyst, the nurse told me at the wound check up that pain could last for a while afterwards because they'd been fiddling about with the insides and touching/moving things around.

It could be a combo of that and waiting for things to die down like Cloudyrain said.

After the lap I was on a fairly heavy dose of 2 x para + 2 x ibu every four hours and they totally drained me. My OH, used to painkillers for his Crohns was a bit shocked at the dosage. I don't know if that's what you were on? I now take 1 x para + 1 x ibu when it's really bad but it doesn't do a whole lot apart from take the edge off so hopefully your new painkillers will help, even if it's just while you're at home and can take it easy, until it eases off a bit.

x

[lillyflower]

Hi komeara, yes was told to take 2 paracetamol and 2 ibruprofen every four hours since leaving hospital, tried reducing it at begining of week but as soon as I'd missed some I knew I needed more so still on same dose. Just roping up with codeine in evening or weekends when I don't need to drive or talk to customers as really effects my brain! Felt a little better after a good sleep but by the time I'm home its getting worse so think I just need more time to heal properly. When everything looks healed on the outside its easy to forget what's going on inside! Looking forward to a weekend off for a bit more recovery and fingers crossed it starts improving again. Thanks, How's things with you? X

[komeara]

Hi Lillyflower,

Yeah, you really feel it when you need to speak with people - customers in particular. As long as you try and take as much time as you need to feel 100% inside and out, hopefully a weekend off will have helped a bit.

Yes, ok thanks. This week I had a bit more light relief than last week which was full on every day so that's a bit of a bonus.

x