Laparoscopic Surgery is 2 weeks long enough

[Karitsa]

I had surgery last week Aug 24th to remove ovary cyst and remove appendix. I was told I should be back to work in 2 weeks (Tues, Sept 8th). It's day 9 and I'm still in pain and not sure I'll be ready for work in 5 days.  Is this normal? I have my post op appt. tomorrow, and wondering if I'll have any problems getting my leave extended. Right now, I have a burning sensation periodically in the belly button incision.  I have 3 small incisions, the other two hurt a little, but the naval hurts a lot.  I'm able to move around but at random I get this burning sensation.  I'm very fearful of going back to work if I still need hydrocodone.  I take anti-nausea med to offset hydrocodone effects.  Everything I read, states  1-2 wks is normal, so why am I NOT feeling perky and normal on day 9?

Also my bowel movements hurt like crazy.  At first I had runny bowels that woke me up constantly, now it's hard to go.  Also I'm having a hard time sleeping (could be due to meds) but during the day I feel really tired like 3 hours after waking up (again could be meds).

Can someone help me, what should I do, will my Dr. understand or think I'm ok and send me back to work pain or no pain.  My appt isn at 10 am ( its 1 am now) I hope someone responds quickly.  As you can see this is really stressing me. I've googled for hours before I found this site.

Thanks.

[Karitsa]

Thanks MarieMichele, well someone was nice enough to help me, so I figured it only right to play it forward.  I was so frustrated before coming to this site. Trying to find out if what I felt was normal was difficult on the website. It wasn't until I saw post from real people, did I understand, that I might not be going crazy. I was beginning to think the pain was in my head. All the medical sites, just mentioned 1-2 weeks recovery and ended.  Nothing about what you might really feel.

TOTIE, thanks for the realistic answer about the burning sensation.  You had an ovary removed, I just had a cyst, so maybe that is why yours is lasting so long.I hope you feel better soon. This is a great site! so I'll stick around an answer questions when I can.

[MarieMichele]

Great post Karitsa!  We need more detailed posts like this to help answer future questions from others that will visit here with similar problems.  As it is, we get a lot more questions from newcomers than detailed explanations from patients post-op and after their doctor visits.

I hope you stick around to help others that are going to ask questions about laparoscopy and recovery!

It is always easier when you learn that whatever you are experiencing is "normal" under the circumstances.

[Totie]

Well, my experience is that even after having a laparotomy done to remove a tumor (vascular surgeon) complex cyst on the left ovary (gyno). At the same time of course. I was out for 5 weeks, but my gyno is the one who put me out that long. The vascular surgeon did what ever the gyno did on the paper work. I had to have two different packets done, one from each surgeon for my FMLA. My gyno was female but she was very sympathetic to it all. My long recovery was because the vascular surgeon had to literally move all my organs (inserting both hands inside abdomen) out to get to the tumor that was under neath the aorta. The gyno had the easiest part, she started the surgery, and the vascular dr. finished it. My scar healed very nicely, but incision is from belly button to pelvic bone (straight down).

Believe me when I say I still get the burning, pulling feeling around my navel and all over the left side, where the ovary was removed. It will take longer than 6 months it seems to be pain free.

Rest up and hang in there. You do know that you are allowed 12 weeks per year for FMLA.

[Karitsa]

Thanks to you both: The appendix surgeon extended it another week (3 weeks total). However next when I went to the female doctor (Gynecologist)  she was NOT trying to extend it. She felt my pain was manageable and I should be able to return. I advised her the appendix surgeon felt differently   I was under the impression she would have to write the extension, since she wrote the original 2 week note, However, she said to let Appendix surgeon write the note since she felt the residual pain was more related to the appendix surgery than the ovarian cyst surgery.   I think the ObGyn was using her personal experience of having HER own cyst operated on before and amount of time for her recovery/ when she went back to work. However, she did NOT also have an appendix yanked through her navel either.  I'm not sure why she was so hesitant to just write the note.

Anyway the appendix Dr. said everyone pain is different and some heal slower. He said well if you are in pain, you're in pain;  and my pain is different than your pain. There is no cookie cutter healing time, just general estimates, but did agree if you are still in severe pain, no work or driving.  

Why am I still in pain? They both explained it but the ObGyn did a better job. Appendix Dr. said they basically put a hole straight through my abdominal walls so it was like I got stabbed in the stomach. He said some pain is from the muscle trying to repair themselves etc. Gynecologist said it make take up to 6 mths before I'm 100% completely pain free, but I should be able to function/work even with the pain and it will get lighter.  The naval is the hardest part to heal, because they had to do more work around it than the other's which explains why that is the last to heal.

The "Burning Sensation" I'm getting near my naval is due to the nerves in the abdomen trying to figure out what to do now. The nerves are confused as they try to mend and figure out how to work properly, so it's sending these little 'volts of electricity" through my body as it tries to sort things out. She said NO PAIN medicine will stop the burning, I'll just have to deal and eventually it will cease.  My "Tiredness" is coming from phenergan (anti-nausea med). That plus Hydrocodone can lead to my 'constipation' which causes further strain on my stomach muscles trying to pass the movement.  She recommened a "stool softener" not a laxative.  Additionally, the hydrocodone is also to blame for my trouble sleeping.  The lower abdomen pain is simply just stress from all of the different things the 2 different Dr's were doing during surgery and everything is trying to balance itself back out.  

So MARIE you were right, the side effects of the meds are doing a number on me. But I need the meds for the pain. So the game plan is to try to wean OFF hydrocodone/phenergran and use Ibuprofin more consistently even if it still hurts. Once I stop hydrocodone I should feel a lot better :-) BUT if pain is too severe take hydrocodone only as absolutely necessary.

I'm less stressed than last night, I hope the breakdown of the symptons/pain will help someone else who may review the post.   Thanks again.

[karenros]

If you think your not ready to go to work you can ask your doctor to give you a note so you can take the well needed rest...

[Karitsa]

Thank you so much. Heading to doctor in 30 min. I appreciate the rapid response. Will let you know how it goes. Thanks again.

[MarieMichele]

Honestly, you may need another week (3 weeks).  

Medication is only helping pain, but it is doing you no favors in other categories.  It is complicating bowel movements (constipation) along with the other loopy effects it has on you.  You definitely do not want to strain and it is best to just wait until things move better and faster than to sit in the bathroom trying to move something that won't move.  Drink more clear liquids which may help to soften things up a bit.

The doctor may recommend laxatives, but I am dead against them (they make your body lazy and dependent upon more laxatives).  They are good for a quick fix only.  Adding fiber to your diet is a much better solution.  Ab muscles are very strong and can damage the internal surgical work if you strain, so don't do it.

The doctor will want to make sure there is no infection of the incision areas which could delay the healing process.  If he suspects or confirms infection, he will put you on antibiotics.  If you really think you need more time off, be stubborn about it and ask for an extended medical excuse you can give your employer.  A good doctor will listen to you.

1-2 weeks is optimistic in my opinion.  I'm more inclined to believe 2 weeks or more.  You had abdominal surgery and even though the incisions are smaller in laparoscopy, the amount of internal work they did is equal to what is done in full open surgery.  And it was two surgeries as you say, so a wider area internally is trying to heal.