I’ve gotta go in for a laparoscopy and hysteroscopy in about four weeks time (to investigate and remove some potentially sinister oogly bits), and I was wondering about others’ experiences with such a procedure. How long (realistically) should I expect to have to take off work and uni? Is it really painful, or just uncomfortable afterwards? Assuming there are no complications, can I get back to work etc within 3 days…(my job involves no physical exertion whatsoever, and apart from lugging library books around, neither does my attendance at uni).
What have been your personal experiences with the procedure and the recovery from laparascopic surgery?
Thanks girls!
Sorry about the sinister bits kambuckta! Been there/done that. Try the Hystersisters.com website for the best help. It’s a real YMMV situation. Mostly, it seems like a combinstion of what they do to you and your personal comfort level (complications aside).
I had the total abdominal kind but I rested, took the heavy drugs and went back to work 12 days after surgery. But I work as a designer at a computer, went home for lunch daily to nap and moved very slowly. All I did was get to work, sit, leave from work and go back to bed for 6 weeks. I had a slower, less comfortable recovery but I couldn’t afford to skip paychecks either.
You are not allowed to lift anything over 5 lbs. for the first week or so (because you can have internal stitches) so I am not sure lugging books is gonna work out. However, laps. are different. Check out the website.
Good Luck!
Had a lap in 1994 for cyst removal. Was uncomfy for the first 24-48 hours (mostly because the body is still processing out the air the MDs pump into your abdomen for the surgery) but I was slowly mobile after that. My darling mom refused to fill the 'scrip for pain meds, but I dealt relatively well with OTC stuff. I’d say 3-5 days has been the average of the women I’ve spoken with to get back into a very sedentary job/activities.
Good luck!!
-BK
I’ve had two laparoscopies this year. The first was for removal of endometriosis and I was feeling better in two days. It didn’t hurt very much at all.
The second was for removal of my right ovary. Now, that hurt. I woke up and knew right away that it was worse than the first. I stayed home from work for one week.
I had an exploratory lap done in the early '90s. I was pretty mobile within two to three days, but expect to be moving more slowly than normal, not doing a lot of stretching/lifting, and taking some pain meds. The first day you feel decent yet because the “good” meds are still in your system. After that, I was shocked at how a couple tiny cuts could hurt so much at times - beware sneezing, coughing, and laughing hard!
Thanks for the replies. I was just a bit confused because the gynae had recommended a couple of weeks off work, but other stuff I had read suggested that a few days should see me fit enough. At this stage, ovarian removal and/or a full hysterectomy are just possibilities (depending on the biopsies of cysts and the ‘thing’ that has taken up residence in my uterus), but I’m counting on them being reasonably innocent.
They’d bloody-well better be anyway, otherwise I will be VERY pissed off. 