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Hi all,
I have just booked myself in for a lap on the 2 August and was wondering whether anyone would be willing to share their story about the week after their lap, how they felt & how quickly they recovered. I'm a bit nervous about the shoulder tip pain etc so just wondering how everything goes after the op so I can be well prepared for anything.....
Thanks!
Hi Rara ... I had my Lap&Dye on the 30th of April and I can honestly say that I never had any shoulder tip pain. It was pretty much straight forward, there's a little bit of pain afterwards, but nothing too extreme. The bloating from the gas was quite a shock, I'm already a little bit "rounded" but I looked like a had a second trimester belly going on! :cryinglaugh: , so loose/stretchy clothing is a must. The week afterwards was not too bad ... you certainly won't be picking up anything heavy without your body feeling it, but all in all it's not as bad as you fear.
I can't think of much more, if you like PM me with specifics and I'll see what my rusty memory digs up. ;)
I will give you a tip though, take a little suitcase with some PJ's and another change of clothes ... if for some reason you need to be admitted to hospital then you won't be like me and get caught short!!! :redface:
Hi, I had a lap a few years ago and initialy was a bit painful but after a couple of days it`s not to bad. It will take you a little while to get back to everyday life, ie stretching to put washing on line exercising etc. I too was told to expect shoulder pain but didn`t have the slightest bit. Just take it easy !!
Rara, I had mine 2 weeks ago this Friday. For me, I definately had shoulder tip pain. I got a wheat bag and made sure I popped some panadeine.
I found the shoulder pain was worse when I was sitting up, but better when I laid down, with no more than one pillow under my head. I thought it would only be one side, but I managed to get both sides.
I got out of bed as soon as I could, as I wanted a shower. I was a bit woozy, but DH managed to catch me luckily :)
Are you having just the lap done? I had the dye and the d&c as well.
I feel really good now. Wrestling with the trolley for the weekly shopping was no good last week, so DH came with me today.
My hospital pack, said that with coughing, you should brace the surgery site, abdomen, with a pillow and cough at the end of the 5th deep breath every hour.
Nic
Wow...that's awesome you girls! I didn't expect so many replies. Thank you soooo much. My mum went in for a hysterectomy about 2 weeks ago and had absolutely terrible wind because of the gas and I think perhaps that is what has really freaked me out. So what you gals have said has certainly made me feel a little more comfortable with it all.
Thank you again....but if there is anything else you can tell me I would be very pleased to hear it :-)
Forgot to add,TMI - that it took a few days before I could go to the loo for a #2! Think it was 6 days.
Nic
Nic - Oh yes ... I remember my first BM after a Lap ... all I can say is metamucil!!! That first one is O-U-C-H!!!!
PMSL Diva....My thoughts exactly, lots of metamucil. :)
Nic
Hi Rara, i had my laparoscopy just over 2 weeks ago - and like nic, had the shoulder tip pain, which lasted for about 3 days - definitely more comfortable when lying down - i had the pain in both shoulders, and it's quite a wierd sensation, I felt out of breath if i talked too much! The wheat bag helped me also, and i popped a panamax b4 going to bed. The brace position for when coughing or sneezing is great advice - i remember thinking myself lucky that i didn't need to cough or sneeze until a few days had passed!! Might be handy to take some panty liners or pads with you for after surgery and when you go home - i had some bleeding due to the treatment for the endo that they found.
I didn't have any trouble with the #2 at the loo - regular morning appointment as usual - sorry if tmi !!! :)
I went back to work the Mon after ( Wed surgery ) and just took it slower than usual - i work in a nursery, so am walking around a fair bit, but my colleague new my situation, and made sure i didn't do any lifting or stretching etc. Good luck with everything, i'm so glad i had the lap, otherwise i would not have found out about the endo, and hopefully i can move ahead with ttc!
Give me all the information you can my lovely!! Bring it on :D This has certainly helped me out heaps!
I had an investigative lap done a decade ago including the dye & a d&c. I didn't get any shoulder pain. I had the op on the Friday and was back to work on the Monday. I had a desk job.
I found that whenever clothes hit the stitches around my navel that they absolutely killed. I wore loose clothing but it didn't seem to help at all. I've never come across anyone else who had this problem so I think that it might have just been that my stitches were done too tight. The lower incision didn't give me any drama.
I'll be having another lap done as soon as I get to the end of the waiting list (hopefully just another couple of months) and I will take as much time as recommended by the doctor this time.... lets face it I'm not as fit as I was 10 years ago so I may not handle it all so well.
I also had a shocker of a sore throat for days aferwards due to the tube down the throat.
Rara,
hey there, mine was quite few years ago too and it was notall that straight forward. It was keyhole but then they had to do a pelvic cut (laporodomy, sp?) They were pretty rough taking out a cyst that was quite large and holding onto my ovary and then burnt off endo. So i was pretty sore for a while. But... what i wanted to say was i had no shoulder pain, just farted a lot. Just make sure you deep breath and use your diaphragm (the way we are meant to). It really helps. You will most likely get a light Af after like the others have said. As i said mine was a bit different, so laughing and moving was not nice, actually it was hellish, but even still it was not long until i was on my feet and you do not need to hear unnecessary details! Doing your first wizzer and no2 is a bit uncomfortable...essentially anything you use your stomach muscles for and it is surprising how much we use them. But get up and move around as soon as you can, taking it easy, but walk around. Staying still is not good to heal. Good luck sweet and i am sure it will be straight forward. I hope you get the answer you need from it.
HI, I had mine done in Feb (emergancy Lap as cyst had burst). I woke up in agony and my expirience is not a good one. I had the nurses avoiding me, was kicked out less than 24hrs after op. I had a raging infection which the ER fobbed off as bruising (same day I was discharged!), my GP put me on antibiotics, three days later was back in hosp with a wound that was oozing and a red ring around the belly button wound that went down to my underpants and almost up to my bra. Was in hosp for a week and I have never had pain that bad! (and I've had 2 c/s!). I'm not saying this to scare you. just letting you know it's not a walk in the park, it will hurt! But it shouldn't be as painful as it was for me (infection made it more painful of course). Take it easy, don't lift heavy things etc. If you see red/hot rings around the wounds, go back.
I had a lap and histeroscopy 2 weeks ago last Friday. I went back to work on the Monday. I was extremely tired and lethargic for about a week.
I had extreme cramping the night of the op, and have had little twinges ever since, bot no big dramas at all. Two small scars, one in belly button and one on pubic hairline. That's about it.
No big deal at all, you'll be ok. :)
Thanks girls....you haven't put me off it at all! I'm really ready for this as I just want some answers. I don't mind a little discomfort as the end result is all worth it!
Thanks again sweeties xxoo
I've had two laps and two very different experiences. First one in May last year was absolutely horrendous. I lost a lot of blood during surgery, had a drainage tube in when I woke up (which had to be removed a few hours later - blah!) and one of the incision sites ruptured every time I attempted to get out of bed, causing rather scary amounts of bleeding. I ended up staying overnight. I honestly do not think I was well enough to be discharged when I was, but it was a day surgery facility. Took me about 6 weeks to fully recover. I had severe shoulder tip pain for at least a week and was in bed for a week. The second week I as up and about a bit more but I took 3 weeks off work in total. Having said that, although it was a lap, I've been told it was still pretty major surgery, I had a large complex cyst removed from my left ovary.
My second lap in November last year could not have been more different. Admittedly, it was more exploratory, although I did have hyst, dye & ahesions removed (caused by the first surgery - rah!). I felt really good after a day or two and was back at work the next week. Had no shoulder tip pain that I can recall. DH and I are still amazed by the difference.
I was not prepared for the pain I experienced after my first surgery. It took me about 8 weeks to be able to do no 2s without excrutiating pain. I also found eating painful - yes, I know! Bizarre but it was like I could feel the food being digested and it was painful.
My advice - be prepared for either outcome!
Hi Rara,
I had my lap done on the 2nd of Aug 2006 - freaky!
Mine went fine too - i woke up with a few extra holes than anticipated (4 in all), but in no pain...the anaesthetic hadn't worn off by then - hehehe. I needed my heat pack and my panandeine forte, but things were ok really. The shoulder tip pain far outweighed any of my other aches. I was warned about it...but i was still surprised.
Oh, and no-one told me that i might bleed - and not allowed to use tampons of course. Poor DH had to ring me from the chemist..."what ones do you want? wings? nighttime?" It was funny...and he got the wrong ones too!
Good luck Rara...and sorry to all you ladies who had a rough time with your laps.
Willow,
I have tried to forget the ordeal, but when you mentioned about the drainage tube, i had to post to you. Wasn't that a killer when they pulled it out. I wanted to rip the nurses head off as they didn't warn me they were about to pull it out./ They just told be take a breath in and ....rrriiippp! Oh My GOd. It was not the best experience. I didn't get a sore throat though, but i think that sometimes you do and sometimes you don't depends how forceful they are.
Rara, I didn't want to tell you about all the bad stuff as i had a different experience, an operation rather than just exploritory. But the girls are right, be prepared for everything i guess. At the same time, you need to remain positive and i think you ahve a great attitude. Good Luck hun!!
Hippy Mum
Yep, it was not pleasant!! I had a sore throat after my second op too. I was actually awake (just) in recovery when they pulled the tube out after my first op - again BLAH!
Like HM, I don't want to scare anyone unecessarily, but I wish someone had warned me about how painful it could be. Like I said, my first lap was a pretty full on surgery, I was in theatre for 4 hours. No one prepared us for this. My poor DH was a wreck.
I think the huge difference comes with what they actually do during the lap - if it's an exploratory surgery (which most of the time it is for LTTTC or AC patients) then 9 times out of 10 you are going to be just fine!!
Rara I wish you the best of luck sweetie and will pop back in to see how you went.
I have to apologise to all of you girls...I have just been so flat out that I haven't had time at all to visit BB over the past few days. Thanks everyone for their contribution. OMG Willow...4 hours??? I will definately remember about the tube...plack!!! I wonder if I can ask DH to see whether he can get them to take out the tube before I wake up??? They will probably do what they want to do anyway...
Thanks again everyone xxoo
best of luk with it all rara i hope it all goes well as you no ive just had surgery done one in my belly button wich was ok and the other cut is just above my pubic line were they removed my tube this cut is not so much fun at all im still recovering and i still hurts as for the shoulder tip pain mmmm ouch for me but im sure you will be ok again good luk hun
I had a diagnostic lap+hsg+hys on May 21, which only took an hour, but would have been longer had I had endo.
I had shoulder tip pain, which hurt but was definately managable. The most painful thing for me was trying to get out of our waterbed for the first couple of days! Ouch! Just stretching the area around my naval hurt for 1-2 days, during the surgery it was just a needle in the naval and an incision on my pubic line, I had a bit of bruising, but no stitches (my day surgery uses the smallest instruments around)! Yay! I found all i needed was just normal panadol.
As for the BM, all I can say is DON'T STRAIN!!!! (lol TMI I know!) i didn't have trouble needing to go, 7 hours after sugery I was all ready (TMI again! Sorry!). But it hurt a little!
The best thing someone told me before I went in was - just think of it like a great big induced sleep, and an excuse to stay in bed the next few days. Which was great as it was quite cold the week I had mine!
Smithy - Thanks sweetness! The fs said that the one above my pubic line would hurt the most as the body tends to want to get rid of the stitches rather than dissolve them so often it can take longer to heal but hopefully everything will be ok...
Alisia - I could imagine that a waterbed would definitely make things allot more difficult! Do find them better to sleep on usually than other mattresses? I've got my nurofen & metamucil at the ready in case I need them!
xxoo
Hi
I had a lap last year. my belly was quite sore and swollen - definitely need loose fitting pants. For the shoulder pain - the best thing is to get up (slowly, carefully) and move around a little. that will help encourage the gas out. you won't feel like moving probably, but I swear it worked for me.
all the best for you
Hi Rara:
Well I like the water bed, but I guess it depends on how you sleep. I also need the waterbed as I have an unusually large dip in my lower back which prevents me from laying flat on my back, so with the waterbed I can because it molds to my back and gives me that support. I prefer to lay on my back, and I have to lay on my side or stomach in a normal, firm mattress.
Also, the drs are right when they say that if you have shoulder tip pain then you should lay on that side to help it go away. Well, that really helped me. Also, getting up and moving around helped to, i couldn't sit still for too long because I would get uncomfortable, so I'd go and lay down, or have a little walk around the house to help it ease up. :-)