Booked my lap today - experiences?

[esperan]

Hi Ausgirl,
I had a lap to remove a cyst from my left ovary in Dec/08. The bowels preparation was the killer... I wish i have never to do it again.... during a week I had to eat select food from a list. Nothing that had too much fibre... A day before surgery had to stop eating by 11am...had to drink loads of this preparation that tasted like a salty lemonade and going to the toilet every 30 min. I hated it.
On the day of lap I was fine... didn't even feel hungry in the morning. My cyst was bigger than expected, so instead a 1 hour surgery it was 3 hours!!! Woke up in pain... extreme pain on my belly and shoulders. Nurse gave me drugs and in 10 min. I was fine... I had to stay in hospital overnight and had a pee drip attached. On the same day I had a shower, but it was painfull to walk... It was scared to sleep in the hospital so I asked my DH to sleep in the chair of my room... poor thing... I had to take a week off work but after that i was fine (but could not wear jeans for a month...just loose clothes) Scar is not big at all. I didn't have to poo in the hospital before I left, but they ask you to contact them if you have any issues with your bowels working back again...
It's been now almost 5 months, I'm already on my second IVF cycle...
and... intercourse doesn't hurt anymore...
Good luck!!

Cost $ 2500 (hospital + doc fee) back from private health insurance $ 1500.

[Mrs P]

Hey ausgirl,

I had a lap last year. One thing to prepare for is shoulder pain. The gas they use to 'blow up/expand' your insides while they're in there can irritate your diaphragm, which can cause referred pain in the shoulder-tips. For me the ONLY thing that helped this was a heat pack (the wheat ones you can microwave are awesome). Painkillers (even prescribed ones) didn't help. So, definitely make sure you have one on hand when you get home.

Also, I think my op was on a Tuesday and I didn't work for the rest of the week. I spent a lot of time on the couch and didn't move too much, consequently the shoulder pain hung around for a while. I think if you at least try to be a little mobile after the first couple of days it will help it go away faster. On the day I went to have my stitches out (I had 3 incisions in total), DH was away, so I drove myself. Walking back to the car afterwards I had the most full-on shoulder pain (this was like 6-7 days after the op) that I nearly fell over!! So I think the gas was still built-up. Anyway, don't want to freak you out, just be prepared and you'll be fine!

I didn't have any endo removed so can't comment on staying in hospital, I did it as day surgery.

Random fact - if you have a belly ring, you'll have to take it out as it can interfere with the equipment! I took mine out and decided that, then aged 29, I could probably live without it ha ha.

Gross fact - your wound may ooze a little. Also when you wake up from the lap you'll probably have to 'clean yourself' up a little when you first go to the bathroom. (TMI but it's just some blood and the fluid if you have your tubes flushed etc etc) I was a bit embarrassed but nurses are very professional. I think they supplied me with a pad for the trip home but good to have one in your handbag just in case.

You'll definitely need someone to drive you home. Take a book/mag to read while you're waiting to go in.

Hope that helps, any other Q's just ask!

[Floweryfields]

Hey ausgirl,

I had a lap last year. One thing to prepare for is shoulder pain. The gas they use to 'blow up/expand' your insides while they're in there can irritate your diaphragm, which can cause referred pain in the shoulder-tips. For me the ONLY thing that helped this was a heat pack (the wheat ones you can microwave are awesome). Painkillers (even prescribed ones) didn't help. So, definitely make sure you have one on hand when you get home.

Also, I think my op was on a Tuesday and I didn't work for the rest of the week. I spent a lot of time on the couch and didn't move too much, consequently the shoulder pain hung around for a while. I think if you at least try to be a little mobile after the first couple of days it will help it go away faster. On the day I went to have my stitches out (I had 3 incisions in total), DH was away, so I drove myself. Walking back to the car afterwards I had the most full-on shoulder pain (this was like 6-7 days after the op) that I nearly fell over!! So I think the gas was still built-up. Anyway, don't want to freak you out, just be prepared and you'll be fine!

I didn't have any endo removed so can't comment on staying in hospital, I did it as day surgery.

Random fact - if you have a belly ring, you'll have to take it out as it can interfere with the equipment! I took mine out and decided that, then aged 29, I could probably live without it ha ha.

Gross fact - your wound may ooze a little. Also when you wake up from the lap you'll probably have to 'clean yourself' up a little when you first go to the bathroom. (TMI but it's just some blood and the fluid if you have your tubes flushed etc etc) I was a bit embarrassed but nurses are very professional. I think they supplied me with a pad for the trip home but good to have one in your handbag just in case.

You'll definitely need someone to drive you home. Take a book/mag to read while you're waiting to go in.

Hope that helps, any other Q's just ask!

On the discharge thing - did you have a hysteroscope (sp?) as well? If not I am wondering why you would bleed from the vagina if the lap is done inside the stomach not inside the vag if you get me? I am not having the hysteroscope just the investigative lap - will I need to take pads with me anyway?

[esperan]

Good luck!
In my case I stayed one night in hospital but my doc actually wanted me to stay longer...
I'm stubborn and I didn't want to stay there and thought I would be better at home...mistake...
Just to let you know, the hospital bed (with remote control to every single position) was a lot better than a 'flat' bed at home....hehehehe....
First night at home had to sleep on the recliner in my living room...Hurts to lay down and stand up for at least 3-4 days... but the first 2 days are the worst...
I had 4 incisions - Lap was on Monday and on Thursday went to take the stitches out.

[Mrs P]

On the discharge thing - did you have a hysteroscope (sp?) as well? If not I am wondering why you would bleed from the vagina if the lap is done inside the stomach not inside the vag if you get me? I am not having the hysteroscope just the investigative lap - will I need to take pads with me anyway?

Hmm yeah I think I had the hysteroscope as well - from memory I think it was mainly the fluid from the tube flushing. But I guess it wouldn't hurt to take some in your bag anyway

[JLeigh29]

I didn't have the hysteroscope, but I bled for several days afterwards because they found and excised the endo in my vagina. It depends where they 'go in' - in my case they inserted instruments there! - and what you have done. I'd be prepared, just in case!

Good luck again!

[Ducky]

I had my lap on Friday.
It went well, they got the majority of the endo find out in 2 weeks if I need another surgery.

The most painful ordeal out of my whole surgery was the shoulder pain.
I've spent most of my time sitting up, I dreaded the fact of laying down.
A big praise to Dr Karuna Raja, Although I was initially frightened by the hotmail account (I'm a I.T. Network major) she was an amazing comfort and did very good work.

I also suggest shaving yourself before the surgery.
I had a very low incision and the clear tape got caught on the hair. I ended up cutting it out because of it pulling on hair.

[31becc]

Hi Girls - thought I would join this thread, as I have book a lap/hsg for 22 May - am a little nervous about what they could find. I have been on chlomid for #5 cycles BD around O and nothing. So hopefully will get some answers next week.

Ducky thanks for the tip - might take that into consideration!

[Nay]

Hi ausgirl

I had my first lap in 07, and am getting my 2nd in June.

I was told that it would be a day surgery and that i would be fine to go back to work in a few days. Only i spent 3 nights in the hospital and had 2 weeks off work.

I had endo removed by burning it off with a laser. Some of the other members have said they had theirs cut out, so maybe that is the difference. When i woke up i was so disorientated that i crashed out again and didn't wake up until the night time. I was in excruciating pain and could hardly move at all.
The shoulder tip pain was unbearable, and going to the toilet was even worse. I bed for a few days as well
As i was in hospital for 3 nights, i was bed ridden and couldn't even get up to go to the toilet. I had to call for a nurse to use a bed pan every time i needed to pee. (which was every few hours).
When i finally got to go home, i was bed ridden again. My stomach was all swallon and yellow and i constantly felt nauseous.

its seems that everyone experience is different, depending on the severity of your condition and where it is located. - i did take one thing from the surgery tho... i now cannot stand anything touching my belly button. I used to have a belly ring and could not put it back in after i recovered because the sensation of something in my belly button made me nauseous... it pretty much recreated the feeling i had after surgery.

This time around, i am getting a hysteroscopy and die studies done as well. Due to my past experience, i am not looking forward to june at all. I actually feel pain all the time. most people only experience the pains when they have their period, only i have that pain without them too. Its a burning sensation in my pelvic area. I have no idea if any one else has this feeling too?

Good Luck Ausgirl, and try not to get freaked out by everyone else's stories.

[Floweryfields]

Thank you girls, those are the answers I was looking for. My doc's receptionist said he said to tell me I needed to be prepared to stay in 2 -3 days if I had major surgery or longer. I am assuming he wanted to give me aheads up on worst case (an maybe incase I was a sook when it came to pain!). I really don't like staying in hospital if I can avoid it - no one sleeps there anyway!
7 weeks and counting......

[beckie73]

HI Girls

Im new on this site but i think it may be more informative than the one i was previuosly on,especially with all my problems!

2 weeks ago i had my 3rd lap for endo, 1 in 2001, 1 in 2006 and now this one. I found myself a wonderful FS who specialises in endo and laps, he doesnt burn it off he cuts it out and has assured me he will be very suprised if my endo comes back at all, yippee.

This time i had 5 cuts, previuosly i only had 3 but no pain at all really, just the wicked shoulder pain. I also had a hystroscopy to check out all my bits an dthey found that my cervix was blocked from scar tissue from op for abnormal pap in 01 and that i have a hole in my uterus due to c section not healing from 2 years ago so all in all i htink the outcome was a good one and well worth the lap an dthe few days of pain.