My experience w/laparoscopy & Hysteroscopy - 2 weeks post-op
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I want to say thanks again for everyone's support. My recovery is going well. I've received a few requests to share about my experience to help others who have surgery coming up; some of this advice was offered to me before my surgery and really helped. Your experience may be different but will hopefully go well!
Some tips/thoughts:
1 - Get answers to all your questions. Be sure you understand how the procedure(s) will be done and that any concerns you have are addressed.
2 - Follow all instructions for pre- and post-surgery and make sure they are explained well, especially post-op when you are sore, tired, and ready to go home. Check over any written information you are given post-op and have the person driving you home do so as well. My mom and I failed to notice that my doctor did not include the quantity of pills on my pain med prescription and the pharmacist refused to fill it. My doctor wasn't on call that evening and one of her partners worked with the pharmacist to get what I needed for that night, but the next day we had to start again with my doctor and get a new prescription, which I had to authorize my mom to pick up in person. The whole issue turned out to be due to a computer error. Make sure it is all correct before you go home!
3 - Bring a pillow that you can place over your abdomen for the post-op ride home. I got this advice here in the forums and it was a huge help. I left a bed pillow in the car and then placed it over my abdomen so I could still use the seatbelt afterward with minimal discomfort. You'll also want this pillow to hold if you have to cough, sneeze, etc. until the pain begins to let up.
4 - After having had a tube in your throat during surgery, your throat will be dry and you may have a hoarse voice or get laryngitis. Drink fluids and keep some non-menthol or other throat drops or mints on hand. Warm/hot tea is great, too. It took a week for my voice to be normal again.
5 - Get plenty of rest and don't overdo it. Easier said than done, I know, especially if your family relies on you, but having had both procedures in one surgery, my belly was very swollen and painful. Let others help you as needed. As my doctor said, though, you won't be bedridden and will have to get up and around some (I was given instructions about this). Don't overdo it. Don't try to lift anything heavy or bend over to pick things up right away. Let yourself heal.
6 - Bring something comfortable to wear home after surgery. I went home in a nightgown, robe, and rubber-soled house shoes as recommended by my mom. You just want something that won't be too tight with any painful swelling. I was still groggy when I got home and went to bed right away.
7 - Take the pain medicine as prescribed. Don't wait until the pain is worse.
8 - You may have some bleeding following surgery. On my second day post-op, I started having what was likely my period, due to how my current cycle pattern is going, but a nurse told me that you can bleed following laparoscopy for about 7-10 days. It should be no heavier than a period; if it is, call your doctor.
9 - You may not want to eat much for the first day or two due to swelling. Keep meals and snacks light, especially if you have digestive issues. Basically, I was like this for about two days and then started to be hungry again.
10 - Your doctor will recommend a period of recovery time. I was given the recommendation of 2-4 weeks since I had two procedures. At two weeks now, I still have soreness where the ovary was removed, but it is improving and I am taking Tylenol as needed, nothing else (I have Crohn's disease, thus no aspirin or ibuprofen). I will return to work in two more weeks.
I think that's all I wanted to say. Let me know if I can answer questions and please share about your experiences and advice if you like.
0 likes, 9 replies
Snowbell1975 Guest
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Guest Snowbell1975
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Based on what I've heard from some ladies, it does seem to be easier to recover if you have one procedure or the other rather than both at the same time. In fact, I had a bit of a challenge in trying to find women who had both at once who could tell me how it might go! It seems that a lot of women have had total hysterectomy and not necessarily these other procedures. I'm guessing that it might have taken less time to recover if I'd just had one. My doctor told me at the scheduling consultation that the two procedures are separate surgeries requiring different setups and equipment, so they stopped after finishing the first to set up for the second before proceeding (thank goodness for anesthesia, right?).
Having said that, my situation turned out to be so weird with nothing showing up in the ovary, getting the uterine and cervical polyps removed, and finding out that the "ovarian mass" was a shadowing fibroid that I'm still getting used to not having had the supposed "mass"! Isn't that strange???
Snowbell1975 Guest
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Guest Snowbell1975
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Snowbell1975 Guest
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gina52631 Guest
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I would like to know more about the surgery because according to my test result say I have pelvic adhesion and bilateral patent fallopian tube.and I was advised to go for this surgery,please i need to know.... is it painful, is it life threatening, what are the things I need to know, how much does it cost?
thank you.
Guest gina52631
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bridget58418 Guest
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Thank you for posting your experience on here. It's important to listen to your doctor, but hearing patients' experiences first hand always helps me emotionally prepare for surgeries and then be patient during recovery times. A couple years ago I had a mesh implant for an umbilical hernia surgery. That healing process was really long and intense for me. I was beyond anxiety ridden when I found out that I needed a hysteroscopy and laproscopy this year. Im relieved to say I had the surgery 10 days ago and recovery has been relatively painless. Im sore, but its not unbearable. I had extensive endometriosis removed, as well as a polyp from my uterus and adhesions removed. I also have a bicornuate uterus which was corrected. The surgery itself was 2 1/2 hours, but i was at the hospital 10 hours total. I did get super nauseated when I woke up and the scopolamine patch worked once it kicked it. I'll know to tell them in advance next time that I need it. It does suck, cuz you feel like youre on your period for the next week or so. Like thats the last thing you want after surgery....lol...pain meds help though. Im in my mid 30s and I wish I had done this 10 years ago. I just never complained about the severity of the pain of my periods because I was taught periods were not to be used as an excuse to get out of anything. Also, complaining doesnt go over well in my Catholic family. Lesson learned! Thanks ladies for being so open about your experiences! It really does help 😊
deedee63350 Guest
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So glad to hear your doing well after surgery~ I just had laparoscopic surgery Monday . they thought I had 2 cysts on my ovary went they went in they found my right fallopian tube was full of fluid and twisting so they removed the tube. Im just 5 days out but I do feel very soar and bloated. Did you experience this? And very fatigued.