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Avatar universal

Wish me luck

Going in for a consult. Tired of the nausea and pain. I talked with the intake nurse and she said "adhesions? Oh is that from a prior surgery?" I laughed saying "nope. Just incredibly messed up insides." So if I go through with a lap, it's probably going to be a barrel of fun inside.

So scared but I'm tired of this and would like to be pain free. I'm sick of the gnawing, tugging, keeping me up at night, barfing in the morning, pulling where I can't walk some days w/out being hunched over. I just don't know how I'm going to juggle a 4 year old and helping to take care of my dad. I won't be able to drive him to the doc for a while so hopefully he will let my husband do it.
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Avatar universal
Wishing you the best of luck and speedy recovery if you go through with the surgery!

Everyone's recovery time is different but I'll just share with you my experience and some tips for post-op.

I had my surgery 2.5 years ago on a Friday, it was day surgery and I was sent home the same day. I had a very rare complication and ended up having surgery again on Sunday, sent home on Monday. Both were done laporascopically. For me, stairs were difficult for the first 3-4 days (out of breath, very tiring), so I stayed upstairs during that time. Expect to be in bed most of the first week, but DO take small walks around when you can.

- If you get motion sickness easily, tell your anesthesiologist. That way s/he can give you stronger anti-nausea meds.  Puking after a lap is very painful (I had that though cause of the complication I had).

- Have some throat/cough lozangers. The tube in your throat from the surgery may make it irritated. I had a dry cough for a few days.

- Buy one of those long body pillows. It will prevent you from rolling onto your side.

- I set up a table next to my bed with essentials, meds, water, etc.

- You will realize how much of your stomach muscle is involved when getting up. I have read some people even tie a bed sheet to the end of the bed and use it to pull themselves up.

- You will not be able to do any lifting for a few weeks (the exact number escapes me).

- I put a folding chair into my bathtub for showers the first week. I felt too weak to stand.

- I was able to drive to a job interview at the end of the 2 weeks, I would say I felt better (or more 'me') in 6-8 weeks, and I stopped getting tired easily in about 6 months.

Everyone's recovery time differs, and I wish you the best of luck!
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Avatar universal
I never had any of that. I went to work 4 days after my surgery. I had it a year ago in march. I would have gone back sooner but I had an air bubble that wouldn't go away. I hurt for awhile but it was tolerable. I only took my painkillers for 2 days after then xanax the new few days for anxiety due to the pain from my airbubble getting trapped between my lungs and ribs making it difficult to breathe. It is very tiring but I took 3 small walks down the street with my mother a day to keep my strenght up. To be honest, I'm in more pain now during my cycle then I was before and during surgery. I have to take norco to even function during my period. Good luck hun, but trust me, its not going to be as bad as you think. :) you will do fine.
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136956 tn?1688675680
Did you get a date yet for your surgery?

Everyone recovers at different paces, and it also depends on what is done when it comes to recovery.

It took 17 yrs to diagnose me and my insides were all wrapped around my uterus. I had extensive deep infiltrating Endometriosis and he got it all. The surgery was around 5 hours not the intended 2 which is usually how long it takes for a lap. I went back to work 2 weeks after this. I was in serious pain for about a month because of how deep they had to excise the implants.

2nd surgery just last week I was almost fully recovered within a couple days and went back to work after 7 days. It wasn't all like the first one and I didnt at all have the pain I did the first time.

Make sure that the person that does your surgery specializes in this disease and can do it all laparoscopically. Make sure he excises almost all of it with minimal laser as it is the method that should be used when treating Endo. Make sure to take something after the surgery like the BCP to make sure you suppress the Endo.

Good luck and let me know how it goes
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Went yesterday to the doc for my consult.

While he is very well known and told me of typical and valid procedures/tests, I decided to wait. Frankly, it sounded butchering and causing more problems than I need.

1. tilt table test to check for pelvic congestion. If necessary, ablait the vein. Honestly, I'll stick with the Advil.

2. Hystercope to see why I bleed sometimes before my period. Honestly, this is called spotting before my period and I'm not worried nor going through that.

3. Some other test similar to an HSG but not. Forgot the name but you know, I've had 2 HSGs and I"m good, thank you very much.

4. Lupron and Add-back for a year. I am very anti lupron and I'm already on Prozac. Why the hell do I want to pump myself full of hormones and then more stuff to combat depression/moodiness, etc?

5. Lap with possible removal of ovary and tube and hey, if I want, let's throw in tubes tied. And then some resection of some nerve to cut pain.

Again, I'm sure he's qualified but it just was terrifyingly overhwelming to hear all of this and quite frankly, 4 of them didn't seem necessary to me. The only thing I was open minded to was the lap and cleaning me out. I get that there is a high possibility I may need to lose one ovary due to the adhesions but again, it just sounded totally butchering and more trouble than what it's worth.

My pain is on and off each cycle. Yes, there are some days I want to go into the doc right now and get rid of the extremely painful cysts but then like last month, nothing bothered me. I know that lap helps a lot of women and I am far but making light of their experiences or treatment. But to me, this was overwhelming to where it's day two and I'm still shakey from hearing all of this. I don't know, maybe I'm overly sensitive seeing my mom go through so much cancer stuff before she died that it freaks me out to get poked, prodded, shot up and then what IF things went wrong long-term.

I'm going back to my own gyn and talk with her about options. She mentioned the mirena IUD and after hearing all of this cut this and that out, maybe that's the better course for me. I don't know. I just did not feel like a person but rather than one big endo filled person who needed to be hacked away like it was no big deal. It was a huge deal to me and too overwhelming.

5.
Helpful - 0
136956 tn?1688675680
You are very smart. You gave me the biggest chuckle. If you are not happy with what that doctor has told you go to another one. some doctors just have no bed side manner either and they don't really reassure the patient and most of the scare the crap out of them before they are on the table.

Take me for example. for some reason I just didnt get a good vibe out my surgeon recently and before they were putting me under I went in panic mode and demanded that she came in before they put me out to clarify things. I was bat **** crazy in that OR room :LOL.

Needless to say I will never have her operate on me again. I knew going in I was unsure of her and in the end I was right. she did remove the bowel obstruction but when it came to everything else she was supposed to do and not do, I was shocked when I woke up and extremely annoyed.  
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