Question for those of you who have had a Lap done

formerwigirl

Hey Ladies,

I know many of you are going through some really tough stuff right now so first off all want to start out by saying I hope things get better. I have my lap scheduled for 9/18 and now I am getting a bit nervous. Add to the fact that the birth control pills are making me soo nauseous. I see my RE on 9/3 to go over blood work results then 9/17 for the pre-op appt. For those of you who have had the lap done, any advice/suggestions? I really hate dealing with Unexplained IF, so I am hoping maybe to find an answer. Thanks.

Milagros315

Hmm I don't really have very much advice because, overall, my surgery and recovery went pretty well. The surgery wasn't nearly as bad as I had imagined. I had a lot of endo removed, but the pain was still easily managed with pain killers. The worst parts were not being comfortable enough to sleep (I can't sleep on my back) and the constipation. It helped to sleep with a big pillow at my side and I also ended up taking a mild laxative which really helped. I was feeling really good in 3 or 4 days and almost 100% normal after about one week.

I'm also dealing with a surgical site infection, but there really wasn't anything I could do to prevent that. Just make sure you keep your wounds clean and dry and call your doctor immediately if you have an increase or pain or notice signs of infection. They'll give you instructions to follow and tell you what to look for.

EAD11

I had one last nov that confirmed I have endo and a lot of it was removed. My recovery was okay I had a lot of gas pains but didn't have much pelvic pain (I also had a d&c th same time) after the first couple of days. I did however have an alergic reaction to the tape they used so be sure to tell them if your sensitive to the tape. Also get really soft panties and wear dresses or loose sweats so your sites dont get irritated I think I went like over a week without wearing pants lol
Hope everything goes well and you have a speedy recovery!

gsancho

The recovery and pain or discomfort you'll have after will depend on what they find and where. Some people take a while to recover (I took a week off work), but other are good to go after 2 days. 

My DH took the day of surgery and the day after off, and then my friend came the following day to help me.  I wasn't that drugged up and immobile after the first 24 hours or so, but it still helped having someone there to help me up and to grab certain things for me.  Some people get gas pains from the air moving around, and they say walking around helps, but I really just had a lot of swelling - probably b/c they took a lot of endo out from some concentrated areas.  I couldn't wear jeans for 3 weeks! 

I'd heard someone on the board suggest to keep a pillow in the car for the ride home - having it over your lap and/or under the seatbelt helped with the stiches and pain. 

But otherwise, nothing to be too worried about.  Prep ahead of time for where you'll sit at home, what you'll want around you, and a backup plan in case you need someone around to help you drive or do chores (or just grab some comfort food from high up in the pantry ).  And have plenty of clean and comfortable loose clothes while the swelling goes down.  And get stuff to help you poop after...that anesthesia doesn't help things move down there!

Good luck!

jlr96

Are you having it done because you have unexplained IF or are you having problems?  My RE suggested I have it done today & I was actually going to post a question about it tonight.  He gave me two plans to think about over the next day or so--try another IUI w/injectables (been doing Clomid) OR have lap to check for endo & go from there.  We talked about lap months ago during my first appointment but I haven't really thought about it since. 

Are you having any symptons?  I have lived with intestinal issues for years (had a colonoscopy back in April & it was clean) but as far as the "textbook" symptons I read about, I do not have any of those.

How long did your RE say you have to wait to start TTC again after the lap?

gsancho

jlr96 said:

Are you having any symptons?  I have lived with intestinal issues for years (had a colonoscopy back in April & it was clean) but as far as the "textbook" symptons I read about, I do not have any of those.

How long did your RE say you have to wait to start TTC again after the lap?

It's always a personal decision when to have it - a lot of the time it's frustrating b/c there's no clear answer!  I think it depends on symptoms, how much it would cost you, if you have family history, etc.

But I did want to pipe in that I didn't have a ton of symptoms other than bad cramps, but I did have a lot of digestive issues, too.  And a few people in my family had a long history with it, which is why I decided to have the lap.  It turned out that most of my endo was in a concentrated area and was attaching my uterus to my large intestine.  Not to say that is your case by any means!  But it's just crazy to think I had no idea that was causing my issues.  Now both my cramps and my digestive tract are much happier

The following cycle I was already back to normal and we did TI (RE just wanted to wait and see one more month), and the next one we did IUI.

formerwigirl

I am having it done because my mom had it (she's since had a hysterectomy) and I've always had heavy, painful periods. I tend to take after my mom in most medical conditions (though she didn't deal with IF). I've decided to go forward with it because I don't want to be left wondering what if. My insurance covers 3 iUI attempts and my fear is I go through with those and have no luck then I'll be wondering if having the lap could have helped us. I haven't seen my RE since the first appointment in which I said I wasn't sure, then made the decision to do the lap. So I have no clue about how long until we can try again but I do know she mentioned her course of treatment is the same either way (Letrazole + Ovridel/IUI).

I am realistic in knowing she could go in and find nothing but after thinking about it for about a week I just need to know. Thanks ladies for the advice. It helps hearing it from you guys instead of google.

xc1148

I had one last December and it went fine. I had to wait a long time to leave the hospital because they wanted me to use the bathroom before I went home (#1) and I was a sick for a short time during recovery so that delayed me. I was back at work in 2 days though. Definitely make sure someone is home with you so they can take care of you! And it won't hurt to take a few days off or work from home if you are able...the more rest you get right after surgery the easier the recovery will be.

I had my surgery primarily to reduce monthly pain and secondarily for IF, and my first cycle after the surgery was a nightmare but since then my symptoms have been manageable. Good luck!

amwenz

Walking truly helps get rid of the bloat and gas. My husband would just take short walks with me up the block. Agree with wearing baggy pants or stretchy ones. I had my mom go buy me granny panties too. It did take me a few weeks to feel normal but I also had a hysteroscopy. If I was you I'd consider both- you're already under. Good luck!

mrsrichey11

Definitely bring a pillow with you to hold against your stomach for the car ride home. Those bumps in the road suck! As PP's said, walking is the best way to get rid of gas/bloat. I also recommend popsicles. Your throat is going to be sore from when they intubate you during the surgery. Wear loose clothing and bring shoes you can easily slip on. Pushing your feet into shoes will probably hurt. It did for me, my procedure was in February and I had to put my boots on. It. Was. Awful. Bring a light pad also. I bled a little after mine and the pad that the hospital gives you feels like an oversized diaper. 

Have you ever been under general anestheic? If you haven't, I would mention that to your anesthesiologist when they come to talk to you before surgery. They can make an anti-nausea concoction so you don't get sick afterwards. That's all I can think of at the moment. Good luck! 

RunCC37

Looks like you already got a lot of great advice above I'll reiterate & add mine:

I'm also unexplained and had hopes that the lap would... explain me. It didn't. The doc found a few spots of minimal endo which he was able to clear out and said could very well explain my painful periods. I was kind of hoping for more answers, but in the end I'm glad we did it. At least now I know all is well in my ute

Biggest recommendations for recovery: take a stool softener as soon as you can after surgery. Trust me. I was crazy constipated after mine. I wish I took it sooner (they take 12-72 hours to take effect). Use a pillow to get up & down. Squeeze it to your belly. It helps. Don't push yourself too much too soon. I stupidly tried to go for a run 5 days after surgery. It didn't feel good. Have plenty of loose fitting clothing for the two weeks after. I was so bloated and literally fit in none of my clothes. Leggings and loose tops are your friend.

Good luck!

Mrsbabyhopes

A soft dress that does not touch your abdomen or pelvis and soft new panties on the day of the surgery are a good idea. If you are nervous, you might get teary on the day of the surgery. I did. I was constipated for days afterward. That was very uncomfortable. Your pain meds should help you relax and take it easy. After a few days of feeling pretty good, it's a good idea to resume normal activities for short durations. It helped to have my husband with me on the day of the surgery. My parents also came by with food the first few days. I agree that Popsicles help your throat. I took 10 days off work to recover. You should go into the OR, lay down on the table, answer a few questions of the doctors like name and what surgery you are there for and then be out like a light in seconds. Then you should wake up in recovery with your husband by your side. You may feel groggy and nauseas. The ride home may feel extra bumpy. You will probably go back to sleep when you get home and wake with no more nausea ready to watch a good movie and eat dinner. Getting your Netflix Queue or dvr stocked is good planning for recovery. One thing did go wrong in my surgery. The RE said it was healed within a few days though. During the surgery one of my blood vessels punctured my ovary which caused some bleeding and my ovary had to be stitched. I am so glad to know my reproductive organs are as good as they can be.

katekat8721

I had a lap done earlier this summer and we found endo, which they zapped away.

Still no miracle pregnancy in the meantime, but I will say that it completely helped with my period pain. The procedure itself isn't bad, but recovery was pretty rough. You'll be pretty bloated and uncomfortable afterwards (and the air that they blow your tummy up with is crazy!) but it will pass in a few days. Good luck to you

Sha259

Lots and lots of good advice here. I just had my lap back in July and overall my recovery was awesome (I only ended up taking 1 day off work and worked from home for 2). So, advice that I would reiterate or newly give:

1) Do bring that pillow for the ride home. I did not do that and wish I had. It didnt occur to me that I would not be able to place the seatbelt properly across my stomach, and the bumps did hurt.

2)Take your meds!! My doc told me not to be a hero, I believed him, and I'm greatful for it. Because I took my meds on schedule, I was able to move around much more, which helped in healing, causing me to need less meds. You get the deal. I was off all meds completely in 5 days.

3)Take a stool softener right when you get home and drink your body weight in H20. I didn't take the softener until the day after my surgery and wasn't drinking like I should have. What a mistake. I was in SO much pain by Day 3 because I hadn't had a BM, I cried. And I cried again once I finally did have that BM, from relief.

4)Take all our advice, but you know you best. Listen to what your body is telling you. I was so worried about the "gas pain" that everyone talks about, that I didn't worry enough about the constipation (see point 3). Now I know how my body handles anesthesia and will be prepared accordingly during my next procedure.

 

Good Luck!!