To expect better post surgery care from hospital?

[Paperowls]

I had a laporoscopic sterilisation on Monday and I'm utterly fucked off with lack of care from the hospital or my GP while I'm recovering. What should I expect? I was seen late in the day on Monday and the surgeon couldn't get out of there quick enough. They barely told me the op had gone ok. I had to fight to get them to discharge me with some codine based pain relief (apparently paracetamol should have been ok?🙄 Believe me, it wasn't) and they couldn't give me a straight answer to any of my questions. You know, ones like 'when will the sterilisation be effective?' Answer 'it should be ok'. 'Should I use pads rather than tampons for my next period?' 'Maybe'. They also gave me a leaflet printed in 1998 to help me.
Is this normal process or useless aftercare?

[ShakeTheDisease]

Ring and speak to PALS at the hospital and tell them about the lack of post op care and say you'd like someone from the team/ward who treated you to have a phone conversation with you and answer your questions. When I've been discharged I've usually been given the ward number to ring back on if there are any problems - if you've effectively already done that but not got much help, speaking to PALS should give them a prod to be more helpful.

[Bombardier25966]

What do you need help with today? Is the pain unmanageable, are you concerned that something is wrong? If yes, then ask for an emergency appt with your GP or visit the Urgent Care Centre, whatever you would do if you were otherwise ill. Be aware that the UCC is not a short cut to gynae, they'll only refer you according to their normal protocol.

If you don't have an immediate issue then see your GP tomorrow as arranged. If they don't have the answers you need then ask them to find out. If they make a call to gynae they'll get answers very quickly.

Is this the norm in the NHS? Yep, absolutely. The NHS is skint, there are no spare resources to do more than the bare minimum. If you think it's unacceptable (I do) then campaign for change.

Re your period, I was told to use pads for the month after surgery so as to minimise risk of infection.

[Ttbb]

You really should have paid for it. YABCU to use the NHS and expect good care.

[headintheproverbial]

My hospital now gives paracetamol and ibuprofen only as standard after c-sections. I was honestly gobsmacked!!

Hope you get some better pain relief and attention soon.

[Butterymuffin]

Oh do fuck off Ttbb

[Paperowls]

The thing is, I don't think they have done the bare minimum in terms of information and helping me to help myself.
The problems I have today are pain around the lap camera insertion point in my belly button (it's muscular and not infection related) and I'm bleeding. No one seems too concerned about this but it's not making me too happy. I don't think it's too much to ask for some reassurance that it's not all gone horribly wrong and I'm fucked forever now.

[stopfuckingshoutingatme]

OP are you suffering with post operative problems, or just a worries about unanswered questions?

as if its the latter...they sent me home the day after my womb surgery with parecetomol and ibuprofen and I head to figure it out for myself!

make sure you rest. like REST and don't do stuff
I know it sounds like bullshit but if you take the parecetomol and ibuprofen regularly it does actually help with the pain!
hot water bottles, they really help
no heavy lifting

If you read up on hysterectomy recovery, much will apply to you and your healing journey. Read it, as although I had less major surgery the pain and recovery was very similar

in a few weeks you can start some very gentle exercises, you will know when the time is right , again you tube is your friend here

[Caulk]

I would have thought the pain and bleeding was normal- that’s what I experienced.

When you had the pre-op did you ask what pain you’d be in after etc or is this all a surprise?

[stopfuckingshoutingatme]

and it will hurt, its fucking hurts more a few days later actually. so make you regularly take the painkillers and get a GP apt

and try not to panic

[Caulk]

Also, really rest! Mine was larger surgery but I’ve developed a hernia from doing too much and I really didn’t think I did anything for the first 3weeks!

[RatRolyPoly]

Ttbb she DID pay for it, with her taxes!

Although I'm assuming you're joking.

Hope things are improving for you OP.

[Paperowls]

Thanks.
I knew it would be painful afterwards and I didn't believe the nonsense that I'd be ok within 3 days but I feel like I've been run over. And I was told to expect some spotting, which I had but I'm now bleeding properly and from places I didn't expect tbh.
And I don't know anyone who had been sterilised so I couldn't get any real idea of what to expect.
Resting is out of the question really. My kids need looking after and my husband has folded in a panic as I'm not well so I've got to sort myself out.

[Terrylene]

You need to rest horizontally, and potter gently, alternately.

It will take a week to get over the GA.

You need at least 3 weeks before everything feels normal, and you will need to beware of over-exerting and lifting heavy stuff for a while after that.

Your children will have to watch telly and your DH get his arse in gear.

[Terrylene]

Write a list for your GP appt too.

[thelastredwinegum]

Ttbb

I have been admitted to hospital 5 times in the last 3 years (including major surgery earlier this year) and the care has always been fantastic.

[Paperowls]

Resting and pottering sound lovely. I'm back at work on Monday though. Not sure how I'm going to manage. Husband's form of 'caring' for me involves alternating between shouting at me and ignoring me. Happily I've been alone today so I could actually not have to cater for his needs too!

[Paperowls]

And I've not got a gp appointment now that the nurse has spoken to me by phone.

[Terrylene]

Believe me, horizontal rest is the only way. Sitting down is not good enough. Your insides have been through the mill and will have swelling and fluid to deal with and it needs to go back to the right places.

You need to get up and potter regularly to keep everything working properly, then lie on the sofa.

[Paperowls]

See if I'd known this I would have booked two weeks off work and been more prepared. I thought stretching it to a week was enough. Why don't they bloody tell you these things?

[Terrylene]

Can you ring work tomorrow and get Monday off? If you rest now, you will probably be ok for a gentle return on Monday, but having Monday off will probably give you time to make sure and for them to make provision.

I have had 3 GA and it always takes me a week. I find I can't stay awake for a whole day for the first 3/4 days

[Mustang27]

Get an emergency gp app tomorrow and get a sick line for two weeks stating surgery recovery.

You need more healing time especially as you have so little to support in your husband and you are being left to do lions share with childcare. Do you have anybody that can take the kids for the weekend?

Reading this thread has made me decide I’m not getting sterilised, my oh has a terrible fear of needles but he doesn’t do any childcare, home stuff and is office based in his work so all round it makes more sense he gets the op. I had agreed I’d likely do it go save him a little trauma but it sounds like it would end up a much worse experience if it was me trying to heal and still do everything.

[stopfuckingshoutingatme]

fuck me OP, did no one actually warn you? I am a bit horrified on your behalf
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/contraception-guide/Pages/female-sterilisation.aspx#Recovering

you have had gynae surgery
you need to REST, that means lying down
you don't need to book time off work, its sick leave and surgical recovery time

does your husband want you to get better? then he needs to take over, take some time off work and let you get some bed rest

my bet is you are bleeding because you are not resting

how old are the kids? take this seriously OP, tell him to man THE FUCK up and look after things for a good few days

these things always take longer than they say

[agedknees]

I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach by a horse following a lap steri.

Vaginal bleeding is normal as long as it’s not pouring out. Use pads due to infection risk and also ease of use.

Try not to use codeine as it bungs you up and may make the pain worse. If you have to use codeine, buy some lactulose as well and take that.

Hope this helps. I was back at work 1 week following my lap steri, but it was a few days before I could stand straight.

[expatinscotland]

YANBU! I'm shocked by the lack of pain relief given for major procedures. When I had DS, the gal next to me had a EMCS and moaned in pain all night. They had given her paracetamol and it just wasn't cutting it and made her feel like shit for asking for something stronger.