I was a bit scared having my laparoscopy. It was the first time I have had any sort of surgery at all so I was a bundle of nerves. Your doctor will come in and ask you if you have any questions so it might be best if you start thinking of what they are at the appointment before the lap. I think on the day, you are too nervous to remember and you really don't want to be thinking about much before going into surgery.
TMI WARNING: If there is something I can recommend, ask your doctor about bowel prep. Apparently it is necessary if there are lesions on the bowel that might have to be removed. I wish they had told me about this before my laparoscopy. I vaguely remember Dr Hale telling me they had to do something like that for me when I was under anaesthetic which I was less than thrilled about! I would have liked to be given the option to prepare my bowel in the privacy of my own home.
Tam is right about the abdominal muscles. I think my lower back hurt more than anything. I slept partially upright on our futon for at least three nights. I couldn't lie flat because of the pain in the shoulders due to the leftover gas from the procedure.
Kewpy mentioned handouts and photos of your surgery - I got photos of mine which was good because you can see clearly what was there and what it looked like after it was removed. The handouts the doctor gives you are from the RACOG and explain the procedure in a little detail.
As far as pain relief, Panadeine is great and there is a marvellous thing called DeGas which you can get from the supermarkets. I think it is worth its weight in gold. It is made from a safe and natural substance and is easy to take. It disperses the build up of wind in the body very quickly.
Also, the only other thing I think is worth mentioning from my perspective is that even though you will feel better quite quickly after the operation, don't be too hard on yourself if you are not ready to go back to work after the standard three days. Take as long as you need to feel better.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks