Surgery Question

I have had several laps and I usually go back to work after resting the next day. If I had it on Monday I would rest on Tuesday then go back to work on Wednesday. If they have to do anything more then you could have more of a recovery time but with just a "look around" there shouldn't be too much discomfort. The gas they fill the abdomen with sometimes gives me a problem with a bloated feeling after but it's never very uncomfortable.

I have no ideas about the root of the problem, but I can tell you a bit about laparoscopies. What you describe is outpatient, meaning you'll be sent home right after surgery. Once the procedure is done, you'll be moved from the surgery room to recovery, then to your bed in the outpatient center. Your caregiver will be able to meet you at your bed while you come out of the anestesia fog. You may be nauseated, but they will give you crackers and juice to help with that. Then you will walk around a bit when you are able, and will have to urinate independently before being released. The pain meds that you are prescribed will determine how quickly you recover at home. The pain med decision is whether you want to sleep and heal quickly, or be alert and take longer to heal. With little ones, you really have to decide if you'll be able to rest or not ;)

During an abdominal lap, your abdomen is filled with a gas so that your organs have room to move while the doc checks things out in there. The gas is probably the most painful thing that you'll remember post-op about the whole process. It takes a day for the gas to start being absorbed into your system, provided you walk around the day of surgery. The next day, the ache in your shoulder and chest can be very uncomfortable, especially after your diet is all screwy from the pre-op fasting. By the 3rd day, things are more comfortable as long as you continued to walk around a bit.

Based on what you wrote, my main questions are related to what the doctor is going to do while checking out your insides. Will the doc attempt to remove endometriosis or cysts if found, or correct torn tissue? Based on the 3 day timeframe, sounds like the doc is only checking things out through your belly button for this procedure. The doc isn't going to do anything if something is found? If the doc is going to remove endo or cysts, 1 or 2 more incisions will be needed. This will increase your recuperation time to at least 2 weeks before you can pick up the kids or have them on your lap.

If I were you, I would find out if this doc is skilled at removing endo or actually handling whatever is found in there to be the issue. If not, don't waste your time with anestesia and surgery just to have to do it again to correct the issue.

Good luck!

The previous posters gave great details/suggestions.

I would ALSO... make sure that someone is home with you, post-operation, to help you. You said you have kids.... and after a Lap surgery...you DO need to rest. OFF your feet kind of rest. And there will be some pain.
You really need... to plan for some help in your home with the kids and any other household things.

My daughter, had laparoscopic surgery... for a hernia. The scenario was a lot like Beverly Z. described below.
For her, the Doctor/Surgeon, prescribed 6 weeks of recovery time/refrain from physical activities... so that the sutures heal, completely. For example, she could not take her dance or Karate classes for that period. Immediately after surgery, no heavy lifting/jumping/doing kid type physicality etc.

The Surgeon... SHOULD BE telling you what to expect and after the surgery. And you should ask him, despite his bedside manner. And this is an exploratory surgery, right? So as Beverly said, USUALLY a Surgeon, will ask and have you sign off on a form/approval, that IF they find anything, that they are allowed/or not, to remove whatever they find etc. For example.

I would, really ask your Doctor or Surgeon.... so that you are comfortable with him/the procedure.

All the best,
Susan

A. find a really good acupunturist trained in Taiwan or China preferably Chinese her/himself. You will get relief. It is what I did when I had terrible pain on ovulation and with my period following a late miscarriage. It worked and I never had that kind of pain again. Take the herbs they give you. I got
"Mother's Soup" which I am willing to send you the recipe for if you contact me privately.

Updated

A. find a really good acupunturist trained in Taiwan or China preferably Chinese her/himself. You will get relief. It is what I did when I had terrible pain on ovulation and with my period following a late miscarriage. It worked and I never had that kind of pain again. Take the herbs they give you. I got
"Mother's Soup" which I am willing to send you the recipe for if you contact me privately.

I had a laparoscopy before my first son to get rid of endometriosis and at the time they found and removed a cyst on one of my ovaries. It is surgery, so yes, you will be tired afterward, but it's really not that bad of a surgery at all. Mine was day surgery and I was in and out in a few hours and I spent the day lying on the couch resting. The worst part was the gas they fill you with - it has a tendency to drift upward into areas where no gas should go! That said, mine went into my shoulders and so what I experienced felt like heartburn in my shoulders. Weird, but true. That was the worst of it. I was fine getting around and fine doing everything else. The gas lasted a day or two if I remember correctly, but really it wasn't bad at all. I have had other surgeries that were much worse (straightening my septum and a partial thyroid removal - both pretty awful). I didn't find I was tender at the site much either, but I think I remember taking painkillers for a day (they gave me Tylenol with codeine as this was done in Canada and they don't prescribe narcotics there for the most part). After the first day, I was just fine.

It doesn't sound like you have much faith or trust in your ob/gyn at this point. Did you get a second opinion to confirm the scar tissue or the endometriosis? I would think that they would know before they operate what it is they are operating for, two completely different issues. Endometriosis can be problematic during a pregnancy as that tissue grows and responds to the fetus'/baby's need for more nutrients (blood), so it could be the source of discomfort. Before you go in, ask what it is they are planning on doing once there. Is this just an exploratory surgery or a corrective measure. Ask.

As far as recovery is concerned, be sure to not lift for those first few days and longer if need be.

Take good care!

Wow- so sorry. I would go see someone who does uterine massage. I go to Carli Head at 503- ###-###-####. It helps break up scar tissue, you may not eve need surgery. Good luck though.

I've had exploratory laproscopic surgery to diagnose chronic abdominal pain. I did have endometriosis. The main pain which was minor was in my shoulders caused by the gas that they put in the abdominal cavity so that the organs would be more visible. I had 3 small incisions, about an inch in length; one below my belling button and two at the bottom of my abdomen. The pain was similar to having a cut.

They didn't do anything within my abdomen because they saw the endometrium. I was scheduled for major surgery in 3 days to remove the endometrium. This was done thru a bikini incision along the bottom of my abdomen.

Because they didn't move organs around I didn't have abdominal pain. I did have surgery several years later because of chronic abdominal pain and that surgery was also major because they tried to remove scar tissue and separate tissue. Again, much pain.

However, with just laproscopic surgery you shouldn't have much abdominal pain unless they're able to correct something while inside the abdomen. You will have some pain in your shoulders until the gas dissipates. As I recall they told me to lie flat for several hours to give time for it to dissipate some. I still had some minor discomfort in my shoulder area for a couple of days.

I've gotten the most direct and helpful information from nurses before surgery. They are with the patient after the surgery and know what the results of surgery were.

As for after being put under, the last surgery I had was for a nodule in my lung. I've had general anesthesia several times and was always groggy and uncomfortable afterwards. With this surgery, I woke up alert and had to ask if I'd had the surgery yet. I had been unaware when I went under and when I came out from under. It was marvelous! I was told that the anesthesia now is much better than when I'd surgery previously. I was also told that how one feels is still dependent on the individual patient and which anesthesia is used. The nurses were surprised at how little affect the anesthesia had on me. I hope you have the same result as I did.

A couple of my friends have had surgery since my last surgery and they told me that they felt groggy and disoriented when they came out from under the anesthesia. They woke up and went back to sleep several times. I did too but I didn't remember that part of it. My surgery was delayed because they had to take another patient back into the operating room. They gave me Valium to take the edge off my anxiety. I don't now if that helped in my lack of memory of the uncomfortable part of coming out from under.

Ask your nurse, the anesthesiologist, and your doctor anything that you want before you go in to surgery. I've found the nurse and the anesthesiologist comforting. If you're anxious ask for some Valium. It does help. And let the nurse know when you first come to after surgery. She/he will set your mind at ease and help you as you regain consciousness. I've had several surgeries and they've all been a "good" experience.

If all you have is laproscopic incisions your pain will be minor. You'll have some discomfort but it will also be minor if you're familiar with pain. You'll most likely feel fine after a week or so.

I've dealt with abdominal pain all of my life. It's been caused by endometriosis, ovarian cysts, scar tissue and then finally by fibroid tumors. I had less pain once I recovered from surgery but then continued to have more pain until a few years after menopause. Some of my pain was caused by IBS. (irritable bowel syndrome) I've not had IBS for several years now.

I had an appendectomy at 12 and 3 years later came down with the worst abdominal pain imaginable. I had an exploratory laparoscopy and they found plenty of adhesions caused by the appendectomy.
My recovery was superfast (well, I was pretty young then) but I really don't remember it being a big ordeal.
I have been lucky and my problems completely resolved after the surgery.
Good luck!

I have had laps. for endo.. Each person is different and sometimes the way the surgery is performed can make the healing different. My first surgery was rougher to come out of. I had the gas pains in my chest. They put gas in you to fill your abdomen so that they can better see the organs and if they laser it keeps organs separated so they don't hit the wrong area. I didn't have these pains with my second lap. because the surgeon put some kind of lubricant into my abdomen. The lube pushed out the gas and kept the organs separated for better healing. It left me very bloated, but it all went away in a couple of days and it made me more comfortable than when they didn't use it.

Be careful. Some hospitals push you out fairly quickly after same day surgery. It there schedule is busy they need the bed. Get yourself a lot of liquids. Your mouth will be very dry for some time after surgery. You will be hungry, but you won't be able to move anything down your throat because of dryness.

When you come to you will feel cold and have shivers. They usually wrap you in warm blankets. You will be slow moving for awhile.

My husband and I got a motel room across from the hospital for a couple of days. I had to travel several hours to the hospital where the surgery took place. I was pretty good to go after the third day and returned to work fairly quickly.

You can PM me if you have any questions.

What about a second opinion!!!!!!!!