One week after lap - update
I had an extensive lap last Wed, so it's been almost a week. They removed my left ovary, which was covered in endo and stuck to my colon, and removed a bunch of endo on the bottom/underneath my uterus. She said she was surprised to find as much as she did. In addition, I had a Mirena IUD put in. I'm also on my period. So all in all, that makes for a lot of pain.
I am still taking pain meds, though I've graded down from Percocet to Vicodin. I've also been taking Ibuprofen daily to help with inflammation, and cranberry supplements to ward off any bladder infection (from the catheder). My doctor also prescribed me Xanax to help with residual pain, and that's been a blessing! I thought it was just for anxiety, but it really helps calm my shaky muscles. I was still having pain and general achiness with the Percocet, and so she gave me Xanax to take every 8 hours, and it's really, really helped. I'm also taking Zofran for nausea, which I still have. Also, I have to give MAJOR props to Miralax - I started taking it one day prior to my lap, and finally had a BM on Friday (surgery was Wed). That stuff really helps.
My appetite is so-so; I'm still mostly eating fruits, high fiber muffins, non-tomato soups, etc. Stuff that's easy to digest. Some days I barely have an appetite and just eat oatmeal.
I had both the hospital and the doctor call today to check in, and they seem to think I am doing okay. I think my biggest concern is getting off the pain meds, but that's hard to do when you're in pain! My shoulder pain FINALLY started to subside yesterday - it was in my left shoulder blade - because I've been sleeping kind of sitting up a bit on the couch, and I put a heating pad under my shoulder blade and just slept on it all night. The heat really helped. During the day I have the heating pad on my belly to help with cramps and incision pain.
My incisions HURT - I have five around my belly button - one right in the belly button itself, and then two little ones on the sides, and then two bigger incisions on my hips that are all bruised. I guess they had to make more to remove the ovary.
I'm getting up and walking around now, yesterday I went for a slow stroll outside for about 10 minutes, which exhausted me but was good for me. Mainly I spend my days sleeping. I'm not watching nearly as many movies or TV as I thought I would - I'm just so tired!
Hoping I'll get back to feeling more normal next week. My partner and I are going camping Memorial Day weekend - but we have a pop-up with a bed and everything, so it's going to be very low-key and relaxing, not like hard-core camping.
Also, I was reading through some older posts and seeing some people feeling discouraged after their lap that their doctor said they didn't have endo - my first lap, my doctor said I did not have it. Then with this new doc, I mean, hello, my OVARY was STUCK to my COLON with endo!! So sometimes it takes more than one doctor. Don't give up hope!
Just wanted to update those of you that are preparing for a lap or have questions. I don't know if there is a "normal" experience, but it helps me to read others' experiences and share my own.
I am still taking pain meds, though I've graded down from Percocet to Vicodin. I've also been taking Ibuprofen daily to help with inflammation, and cranberry supplements to ward off any bladder infection (from the catheder). My doctor also prescribed me Xanax to help with residual pain, and that's been a blessing! I thought it was just for anxiety, but it really helps calm my shaky muscles. I was still having pain and general achiness with the Percocet, and so she gave me Xanax to take every 8 hours, and it's really, really helped. I'm also taking Zofran for nausea, which I still have. Also, I have to give MAJOR props to Miralax - I started taking it one day prior to my lap, and finally had a BM on Friday (surgery was Wed). That stuff really helps.
My appetite is so-so; I'm still mostly eating fruits, high fiber muffins, non-tomato soups, etc. Stuff that's easy to digest. Some days I barely have an appetite and just eat oatmeal.
I had both the hospital and the doctor call today to check in, and they seem to think I am doing okay. I think my biggest concern is getting off the pain meds, but that's hard to do when you're in pain! My shoulder pain FINALLY started to subside yesterday - it was in my left shoulder blade - because I've been sleeping kind of sitting up a bit on the couch, and I put a heating pad under my shoulder blade and just slept on it all night. The heat really helped. During the day I have the heating pad on my belly to help with cramps and incision pain.
My incisions HURT - I have five around my belly button - one right in the belly button itself, and then two little ones on the sides, and then two bigger incisions on my hips that are all bruised. I guess they had to make more to remove the ovary.
I'm getting up and walking around now, yesterday I went for a slow stroll outside for about 10 minutes, which exhausted me but was good for me. Mainly I spend my days sleeping. I'm not watching nearly as many movies or TV as I thought I would - I'm just so tired!
Hoping I'll get back to feeling more normal next week. My partner and I are going camping Memorial Day weekend - but we have a pop-up with a bed and everything, so it's going to be very low-key and relaxing, not like hard-core camping.
Also, I was reading through some older posts and seeing some people feeling discouraged after their lap that their doctor said they didn't have endo - my first lap, my doctor said I did not have it. Then with this new doc, I mean, hello, my OVARY was STUCK to my COLON with endo!! So sometimes it takes more than one doctor. Don't give up hope!
Just wanted to update those of you that are preparing for a lap or have questions. I don't know if there is a "normal" experience, but it helps me to read others' experiences and share my own.