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Post by spostill on Dec 23, 2012 0:00:49 GMT -5
I',m scheduled for my first lap Jan 9th. I am a bit nervous. I have been having pain for a few years now, and seeing a ob for approximately a year. I am hopeful that they will see something in there to explain my pain, but on the other hand I have been searching the web for other explanations. Maybe its pelvic inflammatory disease? I dont know. for the past few years its been pain a couple day either side of ovulation, as well as period pain. Basically immobilizing me every second weekend. After a year on vissane things have seemed less intense but the pain does come back but seems to hang around less time. Ovulation feels like I am in labor. But perhaps the pain is more when there is a cyst. I did have a 5cm cyst one month which was misery when it ruptured. The scan showed it there, and the re-scan showed it gone so I am only imagine that the week of agony was it's few drops of blood in there causing me the agony. Any advice for post-op meals, or tips would be greatly appreciated. I wonder if I am more sensitive to environment factors. I have eczema and super dry skin in the winter. I attempted to eliminate gluten for a month, I think it helped but I couldn't get over the feeling like my diet was lacking because I couldn't find any bread that I liked. ANyways I've rambled long enough. Thanks for any advice!
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Post by MustangGtGirl on Dec 23, 2012 13:01:24 GMT -5
Hi and Welcome,
After my lap I kept it light, crackers,toast, Lots of water. You should be ok to eat by the next day but have little plates. I wish you the best
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Post by loveshoes on Dec 23, 2012 13:35:49 GMT -5
Spostill - Hello! I have found so many more stores now have a gluten free aisle. I know my local target has a 6ft section in their baking aisle that included a variety of baking mixes for cookies, cakes, muffing, pancakes etc. Sometimes they have the loaves of bread as well. My local sunset foods store carries a tapoica bread that is GF, the consistency is pretty close in my opinion to regular. UDI's brand sold at whole foods is pretty good as well. I really like the tikiyada pastas as well, they are the closest thing to the real deal. Here's a link on some gluten free items if you want to check it out shop.glutenfreely.comBest wishes on your surgery!
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Post by chibineko717 on Dec 23, 2012 23:43:07 GMT -5
Stick with light food and don't eat too much in one sitting.
Before you leave the hospital, you can ask for an abdominal binder. It helped me if I was up and about since it reminds my not to bend a certain way or pick up heavy things.
Also take gas-x and try to pass gas as soon as you are able. If it sticks around too long it can cause pain in your back or shoulders. I found that if I used a heat pack around my diaphragm (not on your surgery site), that it makes the extra gas go away faster.
Coconut oil seemed to help me digest things better since my bowels kind of froze after surgery. It also works great for dry skin!
Good Luck!
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Post by spostill on Jan 11, 2013 21:08:48 GMT -5
ok, so stupid me, i wore my jeans to the hospital.!?! seriously bad move. As soon as I got home I switched into track pants.
The dr came to see me in recovery to tell me how it went, they zapped a few minor spots of endo at the lower underside of my uterus as well he said they removed a paratubal cyst about 5cm. yikes, who knew that was there, and hope it never comes back! it was on the right side falloian tube and thats where my pain was coming from. I'm back on vissane for 6 months and have a follow up appointment in 6 weeks with the OB. But maybe it could have been seen on an ultrasound? I survived off crackers and water the first day, felt really bloated and thought I was having a heart attack and told myself that if it didn't get better the second day then maybe it was a heart attack but it did get better. If I was lying down it was alright. Being vertical definately intensified the gas pains. like super bad gas pains, and heartburn. It was Wednesday at 11am, its now Friday evening and I'm still burping, but less so. Does the gas just seep into other body parts and escape the body in all directions? I've been super gassy, but felt more like myself this morning after a good nights rest. I've still got a sore throat, and my lip was cut somehow, so its a tad swollen, as if I bit it or something. cold cold drinks, smoothies feel really good. I got a vita mix blender for christmas so I have been trying new recipes, picked up some vegan protein powder, frozen fruit, chia and millet flax seeds. I am hopeing all that stuff fits in the endo diet..? I'm so thankful for this website. ! just hearing other experiences helps.
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Post by Karen on Jan 11, 2013 21:57:32 GMT -5
Jeans? Oh no! Best wishes on a speedy recovery. But be warned, it takes longer than you think!
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Post by misslauren on Jan 18, 2013 18:16:26 GMT -5
Hello ladies.
I have just had my first lap yesterday and am currently in bed recovering. Yesterday was quite a blur, and the pain has progressively gotten worse and worse since arriving home. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to speak to my doc again after surgery, and instead she left me a very vague note saying that she'd found endo and removed everything that was visible. Feeling very frustrated as I wanted to know more than just that, such as the results of the hysteroscopy, etc. I have a follow up appointment in 2 weeks and REALLY don't want to have to wait that long--anyone know if docs being vague/not knowing much until your follow up is common?
Anyway, recovery wise I seem to be getting there slowly. When I initially woke up, I had a lot of pain that resembled period cramps, just very severe, and they immediately popped some morphine in and that helped heaps. The shoulder and chest pain from the gas isn't pleasant, but isn't awful either--the shoulder pain is just an achey-ness, and the pain below my ribs is quite sharp. I have been given Endome (oxycodone) for pain relief, though I'm not sure it's doing anything as the pain in my stomach is pretty severe. I'd say this is a fairly good sign that they've done a lot of work in there!
Will keep everyone updated on my progress.
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Post by Karen on Jan 18, 2013 18:24:37 GMT -5
Take it easy! I'm sorry you got a diagnosis, but I'm glad you can at least start to get some answers. It's actually quite common to wait a few weeks to divulge all the details of your lap, unfortunately. When you do go for your follow-up, though, feel free to ask for a copy of the surgery report and ask your doctor to go through it in fine detail. I found that helped immensely at understanding what was going on under the hood.
Rest up, take it easy, and give yourself more time than you think you need to recover!
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Post by misslauren on Jan 22, 2013 15:13:11 GMT -5
Well, I am still recovering from the lap, very slowly. I have a little more information, not a lot, after I got impatient and actually called my doc to find out more...the endo was 'everywhere' and 'severe' and she's going to explain/show me with the multitude of photos she took whilst she was in there. Good news from the dye test is that both my tubes are open, which I was concerned about. So that's a plus!
On the recovery side of things, I (like a lot of the girls in here have posted) am starting to feel like a wuss. All the paperwork, everything you read, vaguely insinuates that you'll be back to normal within, maybe, a week but, I'm sorry but no! There's no way I'm going to be better within a week, I still feel like I've been hacked in half! The pain is definitely less severe in general, however I feel standing for long-ish periods to be very painful (almost reminds me of 'stitch pain') and I'll suddenly feel exhausted and have to sit down for a while. Turning over in bed is still painful, and I cannot stand up straight. Oh and the swelling!! I look around 3 months pregnant, all squishy and bloated--anyone else find this? We removed the covers for my 4 incisions last night (one vertical beneath my belly button, one along my public hairline, and two inside my hip bones) and left the butterfly tape (hoping this is right, they didn't specify) and they all seem okay--can't obviously see them properly because of the tape. They are quite sore, particularly the belly button. I suppose this is to be expected. Still experiencing gas pain, which I would have thought would have disappeared, but probably what's more concerning is the constant feeling like I cannot get enough air, like it gets caught under my ribs. Anyone else had this? Other than all this, I'm bleeding on and off--they suggested I would--and probably my biggest concern in general is that the blood has quite an off putting smell, more than usual. My mum suggested it may be because I had a D&C and the blood is older, but I think I'll keep close monitor on that. Anyone with similar experiences here let me know what you think!
Anyway, looking forward to my appointment next week with my doc to get all results. I'll tell you--this forum is such a saving grace; so nice to have women to speak to who understand. Thank you all for being involved here!
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Post by chibineko717 on Jan 22, 2013 15:31:48 GMT -5
Misslauren, take it easy.
I have trouble breathing after most of my laps since it is harder to take a deep breath. This will go away as the gas dies down. The gas and surgery causes a lot of swelling so you will look pregnant for a while. It took about 3 weeks for my belly to get to normal size.
Your bellybutton will hurt since it stretches when you breathe deeply or move at all. Try not to bend a lot. If it is really bothering you, you can use an abdominal binder to keep things in place if you have to move. My bellybutton also randomly decides to open or bleed/discharge something even months after surgery, but it is pretty normal for me.
The smell of the blood is nothing to be worried about yet. Some of the smell is from the burning/laser that cut off the endo. So your blood will have a burning smell to it but it usually goes away after about 1-2 weeks.
I hope you feel better soon!
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Post by semicolon on Jan 23, 2013 20:29:18 GMT -5
The exhausted feeling can be from the anesthesia and pain med combo. After my colon resection and was getting back to walking, I would suddenly feel fatigue that would cloud my head and I would want to sit right on the side walk (or in the aisle of Target, oops!). My belly button was very sore with bruising after both if my laps that involved that port. The more you can be up and about frequently (often but not too much exertion) will help with the gas. Try here are there to fully exhale all of your air, like you do in the hospital to prevent clots/pneumonia. Let the tape come off on its own, they may pull it off at your follow up. Keep it up, take it easy, recovery takes time but it will get easier.
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Post by hellsbells on Mar 29, 2013 9:20:39 GMT -5
I totally forgot about the emotional/weepy side of recovery. My mum has been here with me since Sunday and we'd planned for her to go home today as I'm mobile and independent. As I waived her off in the car I welled up and started crying. Now I'm on my own over the Easter weekend and feeling a bit sorry for myself.
Physically I feel ok, tired I guess and I get a bit lightheaded when I'm up and about a bit. Incisions are starting to get itchy, forgot about that bit too! I had a small BM this morning, more on its way but I don't want to strain so I'm taking stool softeners to help.
Ughhh I hate this disease and what we have to put ourselves through!
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Post by nibletz on Mar 29, 2013 10:47:34 GMT -5
Aww hugs hun I hope u recover well n fast xxx
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Wendy
Junior Member
Posts: 74
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Post by Wendy on Mar 30, 2013 20:13:45 GMT -5
:/
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Post by misslauren on Apr 6, 2013 18:21:04 GMT -5
Well, it's been almost 3 months since my op, and I have very mixed feelings.
To start off--can anyone comment as to whether they had any bladder issues post surgery? For the past 2 months, I have struggled horribly with this darn sensation when I pee, no burning, no stinging, just a painful pressure from my bladder right down the urinary tract. Have been back, maybe, 5 or 6 times to my specialist...had 3 urine samples done with no results (gave me antibiotics just in case--did nothing) and had an external ultrasound done, with no results either. It's very odd...goes away and comes back...like now, it's back today, but has been gone for weeks. It's extremely (almost unbearably) uncomfortable and painful, and my doc thinks it's the bladder still healing...maybe I need to push for more investigation for a possible bladder injury from surgery? Anyone had this issue?
In terms of how my body is recovering, it's weird. My doc said the first cycle after surgery would be woeful, the next two not a lot better, and by the 6 month mark she said she'd be hoping most of my symptoms would be gone. Instead, I've had 3 cycles, and they've progressively gotten worse. This last period was incredibly painful, one of the worst I've experienced. They seem to be almost bang on time (which is odd for me, but good I suppose) and my ovulation (which is always painful for me as well) WAS on time...but the last two months it's been all over the place...or at least what I assume is the same pain is all over the place. In addition to the stupid bladder issue I have again now, I've spent the last 2 days with what feels like very tender ovaries...pain in my left in particular and down my back into my legs. It's awful, and I'm my technically due to ovulate for like another week...so I'm so confused.
Very frustrated that things seem to be getting worse...anyone experienced anything similar?
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