What is a laparoscopy like?

My doctor thinks I have endo (I do too) and I am booked in for a laparoscopy in July. She said I will need a couple of days off work and then I should be right. Has anyone had one and how long did it take you to recover??

Hi. GL with the lap. :goodluck:

I had one in 2010 and I'm sure it was the reason we have DD. I don't think we'd have her if I hadn't had my endo treated.

My Dr said the recovery would take 3-5 days, but I needed 8. Talking to other women, 7-10 days isn't uncommon, but the recovery time does seem to depend on how much work is done. I also did a bowel prep with mine, so had to take the day before the lap off work too. I did the bowel prep Tuesday, lap Wednesday and was recovered and ready to return to work the Thursday of the following week.

If you are interested in some tips for the recovery, I have a page set up on my blog with all the tips I collected when I was preparing. You'll find a link to my blog in my signature and there's a link to the page you want (laparoscopy checklist) on the right-hand side of the blog.

I had one in 2009 as well. I had mine on a thursday and went back to work the following Thursday. I was pretty sore up until about the Monday and still tender when I went back to work. Depending on what you do for work, I wouldn't rush to get back. I had to do a bowel prep the day before too, which makes you poop alot so be prepared to take time off to do that too - though it will depend on the time of day of your surgery. Perhaps if you had the op on a MOnday, you would be right to go back on the following Monday.
Mine was major - I was under for about 3 or 4 hours all up and ended up with an overnight stay - because I was later finishing and had a drain in as well.
Anything elseyou would like to know, just ask.


ETA It was actually 2009 not 2010!

I had one in 2008 and an earlier one in 1999. With the first one I was back at work on day 4 post op and only had some minor soreness at the incision sites, but after the second one it took a good 3 weeks to be back to normal again as I had a lot of tenderness all over my stomach and found it hard to bend over and I had major shoulder tip pain for 2 days afterwards. Both of them were very straightforward, but I put it down to my age and the fact that I also had 4 kids by the time I had the second one so I was doing more after the op. I think you'd be best to book a week off work because you just don't know what your recovery will be like and you don't know what they will find in there - you could be under for a lot longer than originally thought and they could remove quite a bit of endo if they find it.

I had one in 2010. It is the reason we now have DD2. I had endo, a stenotic cervix (cervix was closed - no spermies could get through) and cysts. I went in on a Monday returned to work the following Monday still tender (had to wear elastic waisted pants) I lived on nurofen for the week from the gas pain in the shoulder blades best remedy is to move around as much as you're comfortable with to help the gas escape. Good luck!!

Hi there,

Good luck with your surgery - hoping you have a speedy recovery

I had endo surgery last year. I stupidly tried to go back to work 2 days later. It was the dumest thing I ever did. I couldn't stand up straight and was in so much pain. I think it took me about a fortnight to feel like myself again. I would definitely recommend taking a week off work following the surgery and just taking it easy.

I had one in 2010 and I was so glad I had the week and a bit off.... I managed to arrange it for a thursday, so I had thurs and fri medical certificates - but I took the following week off (it was school holidays so it worked well for me - I'm not a teacher but I work in schools and it's easier to get them off)...

I probably would have been okay by the following wednesday - but before that I think it would have been really hard...

remember it IS surgery, and you do go under anasthetic (which is a weird feeling!!) so take as much time as you can. It is painful (although not unbearable) - and you are bleeding... (I was bleeding for 9 days...) although AF was due, so it could have been a bit of both....

good luck, I hope it goes well xx

I had a lap last year. I reckon take more than a couple of days just in case - I needed almost a week, though I reacted to the GA.

The shoulder tip pain was rotten!

Hope it goes well and you have a quick recovery.

I had one in 2002 and 2007, both were done on a thursday or friday and I went back to work on the monday and tuesday. I was in pain though for about a week. The shoulder tip pain is horrible, prob worse than uterus pain at the time.

I had one in 2008 and was back at work a couple of days later. Mine was just investigatory for a fibroid so since they only had a look around I didn't have to much pain. Are they just having a look for starters? I guess like most others ladies have said, it'll depend on What they do when there are in there in regards to your recovery time :) good luck :)

I've had 5 laps done, the most recent in March this year. I found the more work they did the longer my recovery. least recovery time was 3 days and longest was 12 days. I will say i found the shoulder tip pain worse than the actual incision sites :o



Sent using my SamGal ;)

I had a lap on a Monday and had the rest of week off work. I needed it - had bad shoulder tip pain as well as pain in the belly! My lap wasn't to treat endo though, was an exploratory one and also had the dye test done at same time.

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for your advice and support. I remember you Juniper and MissM from when I was on here in 2010 trying for #3. Juniper I am so glad to see that you have a little DD now, and MissM #2!

The funny thing is that last night I thought to myself 'I'm two days late' and I did a test (at work ha ha - work in a medical office so just grabbed a test) and got a BFP!!!!!! SO surprised as wasn't expecting this at all......

So will hold off on lap for now (obviously), hoping symptoms don't ever come back....

Good luck everyone, I hope that whatever you are aiming for comes your way and thanks again for the support...

Wow MP, congratulations!! Best ever reason not for a lap!

Congrats MP!!

Oh wow congrats!!! Yep I remember you too! Hope you have a happy healthy 9 months!

Congratulations!

wow! congrats!
What a nice surprise!

I was going to reply that I have had one but then I realised you got a BFP so won't be needing one! What timing! Congratulations! :)