Vertical laparotomy in 2 weeks!

I've been through this. You'll be OK. It is now 12 weeks since my vertical laparotomy (9inches!) to remove a 7lb cyst. They told me 6-8weeks recovery at least and I was a bit sceptical it would take that long but boy I was wrong. Recovery has been FINE, but it does take a long time so I've just had to take it easy on myself and not push it too much.

I had one week  (6 nights) in hospital, and when I left I could stand (pulling or pushing on the bed), walk 50 yards (clutching a pillow into my tummy), get up and down stairs, wash and dress myself. I could not fill the kettle with more than 2 cups water or pick up a 2L milk jug or pick things up off the floor or lift pans or put trays in and out the oven. My abs just felt way too vulnerable. 

Weeks 2-5 were frustratingly slow. I felt much stronger each week overall, but individual days I just had to see how I felt. I could walk around the block and prepare dinner but I was still very dependent on strong painkillers. This meant (weeks 2 & 3 especially) that I couldn't really sit at a computer or even concentrate on decent TV. Trash TV and friends visiting for an hour exhausted me still. 

By week 6 I could walk a mile upright (no pillow), drain a small saucepan, do laundry, sit up for a meal in a restaurant (sitting up unassisted is a bit sore at first), and do a few hours of work at my home computer if I timed my painkillers right. I could also come off my painkillers for an evening to have a glass of wine, as long as I didn't plan on going much further than the sofa.

Week 8. Off the stronger painkillers now altogether. Woo. Just Paracetamol and Ibuprofen again. I went for a short jog and it was OK. Tried a half sit-up and it was agony so nope, not doing that! Successfully got the bus into town and had a meal with friends, but ran out of energy at the end and had to get a taxi home.

Week 9 spoke to doctor and insurance company and I am OK to drive again. Woo! Drove for 1 hour no problem but did "work out" my muscles sitting in car for that long.

Week 10 jogged a mile. (I used to run before I got sick). Felt like a hero. Had friends come visit and managed a few half days of sight seeing and 2 whole days. Still found this exhausting, and had to take my max Para and Ibu doses to get through it, but I did manage. 

Week 11. Went away for a whole weekend and managed to stay out and about without painkillers much. Held and bounced a friends 9 month old baby. Went to a swimming pool and did a little breast stroke (front crawl still feels like a no). Managed a few sit ups and press ups and squats. I think I'm back. 

Week 12. Tried swinging a baseball bat and could hit the ball without it hurting too much. Can do 10-20 sit ups but it does ache a bit. Will maybe not do too many more of those until my (1 time only) group physiotherapy appt which I've been given for next week. I'm not QUITE back to normal, but I am independent again and I can do everything most normal poeple like to do. I just like to be very active. I think my rock climbing might still be a few weeks away! I could return to work full time this week if I had an employer. (I'm self employed). So 12 weeks really is about right. 

I hope this helps you, and doesn't scare you! Honestly it is quite major surgery, but our bodies are good at healing (I'm 31) and in 4 months (or less if you're young and healthy) you should be 100% back to your normal life, promise.  

Best of luck! Keep us posted, and let me know if you have any other questions. I'd be happy to share scar pics or sex life details or whatever if that will help too.

Pam

I'm having surgery Tuesday and am terrified both of the surgery and other possible results.

I have a 22cm cyst on my right ovary. Although I think it's actually grown a lot bigger now, I feel like a whale. I've been advised it is suspicious by doctors and they are removing the ovary and tube. It's giving me sleepless nights at the moment.

I'm 30 and have no children so I understand exactly how you feel about that. Here's hoping he can save an ovary.

I was told by the nurse it's 3 months full recovery but typically most are feeling a lot better after a month. Probably depends on what they do and the individual person as to recovery time.

Good luck I will let you know how I get on

Sue xx

Anyway, I'm Vee and I had a horizontal laparotomy 4 weeks and 2 days ago for cyst removal (which turned into removal of one ovary because the cyst engulfed my right one).

Prior to surgery, I was also very concerned with fertility and keeping all my reproductive organs. Like you, the fertility issues were what kept me up at nights, and made me cry rivers. I have always been in love with kids -- even when I was a kid myself. I always envisioned myself as a mother. However, things didn't turn out the way I wanted to and I lost one. But, you know what? I felt great after the surgery (well, a week after surgery -- primarily because the first week was a bit bleh). I don't know if it was because of feeling "lighter" (due to the cyst being taken out) or if it was because my hormones are normalizing in a way (after a very long time of having the cyst messing me up). I still feel worried about being pregnant and all, but I figured I shouldn't worry much about it right now and just bask in the idea that I am "cyst-less"!

I spent 5 days in the hospital. The first day (Monday) was when I came in, so no major thingiemajig happened. The second day (Tuesday) was operation day, and I spent 2 hours and 30 mins in the OR. I had an epidural anesthesia, and was put to sleep. I was woken up after the operation and was wheeled into my room. I don't know why, but I really didn't sleep after the operation. All I did was talk and talk and talk, and went on social media, and watched YT vids. (Crazy). But all that went down the drain when the side effects of the pain meds (morphine) came in, and I was having difficulty of breathing and extreme nausea. I was on 02 for a day and a half. My surgeon and anesthesiologist thought I was recuperating very well, and gave me an approval to go home by Thursday, but I refused to do so because I was too scared to leave the hospital (lol) and be without the direct care of nurses and doctors. I pled to stay one day more, and yes, I did go home by Friday.

Honestly, I can say that I really haven't experienced an intense kind of pain as most of the women had. Patient-controlled pain relief is not available where I am, so I had to call for a nurse if the pain comes unbearable. But I never did. They only had me on a cycle of Tramadol every 6 hours. I don't know if it was because I have a high pain tolerance, or the meds just fit me fine.

What I hated the most immediate post-op was the limited mobility -- especially in sitting up. It was really stressful, because you just become really dependent to whoever was caring for you. And I also hated not being able to be on my either side when sleeping, I felt out of breath when I lie on back. Thankfully, I figured out a way to get in and out of bed a week after the operation. It was a bit painful to do so, but it got easier the more I did it.

And walking. Oh boy, I easily caught myself out of breath just by going to the bathroom. It doesn't take a lot to make me catch my breath. But you do have to gradually increase your mobility (but not too much) to make increase your resistance as well. I walk around my room for 5-10 mins an hour a little less than 2 weeks after the surgery, while watching TV or something.

My room is on the second floor of the house, so I spent practically the first week not seeing the ground floor. I only went down (with assistance) the first time during my birthday, and spent another 5-6 days going down and up (with assistance) until I finally worked up the courage to try it myself.

All in all, I must say that expect total dependence for the first week post-op. Second week, you can have a little independence. And by the third week onwards, you can do the basic things by yourself (but don't overdo it though, you'll feel the consequences of your actions and it's not pretty). And one advice? NEVER put yourself in front of a fan (or anything windy). It sent me straight back to the hospital 3 weeks post-op for muscle pain. I don't know why, but my doctors said it must've been the wind/air that got into my system.

Right now, I really feel great. My incision is healing quite nicely. My bowel movements have returned to normal, and I can wear some of my pre-op shorts (although I'm really careful not to wear them for long, because my lower belly is still swollen and I don't want to irritate things down there). I can now go shop for myself (groceries and all), but makes sure that I get to rest every 30-40 mins or so. I still have bouts of dizziness, especially if I suddenly change positions, but nothing too major.

It really takes time to go back to the things as they were pre-op, but just trust your body to do what it needs to do to recuperate. After all, being sliced open is never an easy ordeal for our bodies to recuperate from.

Just be positive! I hope everything goes smooth and well for you! Please do an update as well, I'd love to hear how you are doing! :D

Yours,

Vee