Have you ever had a laparoscopy?

[UnderTheButtNutHut]

I'm due to get one next Thursday and am really anxious about it. I've never been 'put to sleep' and have heard horror stories about people not coming out of GA.

Also worried about the after effects and how long I need to recover as obviously Xmas is around the corner.

Any tips for afterwards?

I was a bit tired afterwards but that's all. Peppermint tea is good as you can end up with painful wind,I didn't though.

You will be fine. You’ll be pretty tired afterwards so try and get as much sorted beforehand so you can relax and rest as much as you need.

It's not too bad afterwards. You need mints to get the wind shifting. Tummy wound(s) are tiny and not really painful at all. Tender for a few days. The trapped wind is the worst after effect.
Having GA is always a bit scary but you'll be well looked after and have a chance to speak to the anaethetist beforehand who will alleviate any worries you have.
Best of luck. You'll be fine by Christmas.

Slightly against the grain here but I’ve had two (well, laparoscopy and arthroscopy) and I was surprised at how rough I felt both times. I had my arthroscopy 10 days before Christmas last year and I just about felt Ok for the day (although it was the day after Boxing Day before I felt well).

I recovered better from my laparoscopy but I struggled to lift anything for a week/10 days because the puncture sites felt like they were pulling.

Neither have left any scars though. It’s amazing what they can do in such confined conditions.

Good luck!

It depends;
Are they just investigating or if they will do something a bit more if they find something.

I.e if they find polyps and they can will they remove them.

You might be a bit sore and very tired for a couple of days.

Trapped wind can be extremely painful.

The GA will be fine if you are otherwise healthy.

I think they are just investigating. To be fair I haven't seen the consultant at all, just his juniors who, at the last appointment a few weeks ago, told me it would be near summer next year before I reached the top of the list but then I got this appointment out and not a lot of info about what they will do. It's for lower right abdo pain which seems to be spreading upwards towards the ribs so maybe they've brought it forward as it's escalating but nothing showing on scans etc.

I am relatively healthy apart from that pain a previous blood clot so am a little anxious about that too as I know there will be shoulder pain from the gas but that is also where my PE was so I think I will overthink it if that pain starts.

Another who's had 2 and first one was the first time I'd had GA too and I dreaded it!

Even as an ex nurse I hate feeling vulnerable, not in control I don't even like getting drunk.

I lost it a bit I'll admit and did that thing hcps hate of withdrawing consent right at the door! Which was stupid and really inconvenient to them.

They had someone come talk to me and reassure me "talk me down" really.

It wasn't something I couldn't have done to point I was endangering my life - stupid!

Of course once I calmed down and got it done I was fine!

The GA I later learned was problematic but because I apparently am one of those genetically predisposed to needing more Anaesthesia. I'm a redhead, this is now a known issue (though getting it recognised is still tough!) but that was all.

I was up walking within 24 possibly 12 hours and felt fine.

2nd time they knew about the anaesthesia issue so accounted for it.

You'll be fine.

I had lara surgery for endo and PCOS. Felt a bit a bit groggy for a couple of days and was a bit sore but not too bad. It did take a while for me to pee, which they wanted because of the nature of the surgery, but it was so hot in the ward and I’d not drunk for 24 hours so I think that had more to do with it. I felt slightly sick at one point but not too bad.

Being put under is a very strange feeling tbh. You feel a bit pissed then all of a sudden you’re waking up. The team will be well trained and experienced so you’ll be fine

Yes I am scared of losing control too but, stupidly, also really scared of saying something stupid whilst coming round from the GA. I'm just afraid of saying something really personal or embarrassing!

I had one 19th December a couple of years ago. They found and diathermied a couple of patches of endometriosis. I was post-op sore for about a week, felt the stitches were tight. I was able to walk to the pub for an hour on Boxing Day.

The likelihood of their being a problem under anaesthetic is very low (yes red heads are more likely). I worked in theatres for a couple of years, reactions were rare. If there is a problem staff are trained to deal with them and there’s always plenty of help on hand! I know it’s scary but the chances are that you’ll go to sleep and feel like you woke up again seconds later. Most people are surprised to hear the op has been done!

They give you medication and you feel really happy and relaxed when you come round.

Believe me when I say they pay no heed to anything a patient says while affected by anaesthesia - and they'll have heard it all! A lot of the time patients are incomprehensible anyway so it doesn't matter what they say they're not understood anyway.

You'll be well taken care of

also really scared of saying something stupid whilst coming round from the GA. I'm just afraid of saying something really personal or embarrassing!

Another nurse here. I've cared for (probably) thousands of people after a GA. I've never known anyone to say anything personal or embarrassing. It really never happens - it's not like your brain is all ready to blurt out personal details just because you've been asleep. I can tell you truly that of all the things that people say, 100% of it is along the lines of " I'm thirsty"or "I'm cold" , and most of them say nothing at all.

You'll be fine, OP. Forget those horror stories . They are just that - stories.

Top tips from me 💐

• Don’t make any promises or indications to work about going back before the full two weeks. You can’t know about your personal recovery until you’re in it. You might not need it at all, but it’ll be so much less stressful if they don’t expect to see you or hear from you 👍

• Keep on top of painkillers. Have a good stock of ibuprofen (3x daily) and paracetamol (4x daily) ready before the op. Take them alternately so you are covered at all times for the first 3-5 days 👌

• The shoulder and diaphragm pain from the gas can be an absolute bitch!!! Have lots of pillows or cushions around your bed so you can manage your position better.

• If you feel nauseous in recovery or back on the ward don’t be reluctant to ask for meds or help. I reacted badly to the GA and was still puking six hours later, no one had really bothered about it but as soon as I tearfully asked for stronger anti nausea meds I got them and it went away 🤷‍♀️😬

• If you’re scared on the day focus on how worth it it will be if the surgery pinpoints the problem or rules some things out. Don’t be embarrassed if you want to cry or be emotional, it’s normal 💖💖💖

Hope your surgery and recovery are super smooth and your get some good information from it ❤️X

I don't mind GA. One minute you are awake and being asked to count to 10 and the next minute someone is calling your name telling you it's all done.

Post OP, I woke up quite quickly and was ready for a cup of tea as soon as I was back on the ward. Some people are more sleepy or feel a little sick but I was fine. I don't recall much pain or the infamous wind.

Going home - I went home later that day. I was stiff and a little sore for a few days but nothing more than that. You stomach muscles take a bit of a bashing - It kind of feels like you've done a million and one sit ups at the gym. You might need a friend to help you up from the sofa for a couple of days!

Just rest as much as you can and get Christmas sorted before you have it done. By Christmas Day you should be well on your way to feeling back to your normal self.

Good luck

If they see something and decide to work on it then you may be under for longer than anyone anticipated at first, and you may end up feeling quite sore for a few days afterwards. If they just do the little incisions and look around with the camera you will feel sore but should be feeling a bit better by Christmas.

Either way, if you're hosting Christmas, or even if your family is relying on you to produce Christmas dinner, or if you're hoping to get last minute shopping done during the week after, please break it to everyone that if Christmas is going to happen then someone else will have to do the necessary magic.

I've had two. The first one to remove an ectopic pregnancy and the second six months later to investigate my tubes. I stayed in hospital for two days after the first one and went home the same day after the second. Took about a week with both to mostly recover but took the two weeks off with both to be fully ok again and go back to work.

I had one at the beginning of the year.

I didn't even notice the GA being administered. I saw one person putting a blood pressure cuff on, one putting airflow boots on, then the anesthetist said something as a joke and the next thing I knew, I was waking up.

The shoulder pain from the gas was horrible, that lasted a couple days for me. I felt really tired so the consultant explained everything but then came back the next day to explain again. I was kept in for IV antibiotics. The nurse gave me a tinsaparin injection too.

My abdomen felt like I'd been kicked by a horse for about a week so turning over in bed and getting up and down from seats hurt. I think that's because they started doing work in there but then realised everything is too stuck together (stage 3 endo, frozen pelvis) so stopped.

I had two weeks off work, because I work in a nursing home and there's no such thing as light duties.
Tbh the worst part was the overnight stay, they don't turn off light outside the ward so take a sleep mask!

Retired anaesthetist here. OP, while you're in the anaesthetic room, ask the anaesthetist to remind the surgeon to decompress the gas out of your peritoneal cavity by venting the scope and pressing on your abdomen, before removing the scope at the end of the op.
It very much reduces the pain from CO2 distension under your diaphragm (which causes the shoulder tip pain by irritating the phrenic nerve).
To PPs who mention peppermint for trapped wind - the "wind" isn't in your stomach or gut, it's completely inaccessible in your peritoneal cavity, and you have to wait until it's reabsorbed and excreted via your lungs.

Thank you for your excellent post @Babdoc 👌❤️

I had one a few days ok OP.

Like everyone else I was nervous about the GA but the staff were amazing and made it so much easier. Came round and was very groggy for a few hours but able to text and have a cup of tea within 3/4 hours of coming round. Home the next day. I'm still tired but pottering around the house fine. Can't/won't lift heavy things but general tidying up is fine. Not needed hardly any painkillers. Been a bit uncomfortable but not really in pain.

A few days ago ... I really should read before I post.

Thanks everyone, I'm very lucky to have DP at home from the day of my surgery right through til New Year as he's been able to persuade his boss to let him work from home as he knows I'll need him. So I'll not have to do any housework or childcare other than what I want to. Christmas will be all sorted by Wednesday and DP can cook if, for some reason, I'm not able to on Xmas day. So I am very lucky in that respect but just getting increasingly more anxious but your posts here are helping.