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?

[Frusso]

Did you have your tubes clamped?
I had that done via lap a couple of years ago.
It did trigger an early period.
And I remember I had to get the nurse to change the dressings a couple of times as my body ejected the dissolvable stitches. So do keep an eye on your wounds for any sign of infection (red, inflamed, swelling, pus leaking).
You really do need to rest, and properly rest. The more you do the longer it will take you to recover.
you do not need to be catering to husbands needs. He’s an adult he can do that himself.

[Sidge]

I'm surprised they didn't give you a booklet about your surgery and what to expect. Here's some info about post op recovery for you Laparoscopic sterilisation

Take painkillers regularly - paracetamol and ibuprofen should do it, paracetamol is a perfectly good analgesic. Codeine can make you constipated which is not a good thing after surgery! Don't wait for pain, keep on top of it.

Drink plenty.

Rest in between pottering - you don't need to take to your bed but no heavy lifting, hoovering, etc.

You usually only need a week off for lap sterilisation but of course everyone recovers differently and it also depends on your job. You should feel better after the GA within a few days, and more or less back to normal after a week. You may feel bloated and a bit tender but if you have a lot of pain, a fever or your wounds are manky then see your GP or practice nurse. The belly button lap wound tends to take the longest to heal and can be sore - treat it gently.

Hope you feel better soon.

[Terrylene]

I had paracetamol and ibuprofen after a (mild) prolapse repair which did nothing, but they gave me oramorph the first night, and codeine the second. The pain stung and burned, just like having just been cut up

[GreatFuckability]

I had a hysterectomy and didn't have a follow up appointment. I don't understand what you need one for unless you've significant pain/bleeding/infection?

[GreatFuckability]

and yes, i had morphine the first night, then on to codeine the second day and then home with just paracetamol/ibuprofen. i wish i'd not had the morphine because trying to shit when you've already had your insides scooped out is hard enough without adding in constipation!

[Paperowls]

I've stopped taking any pain relief for the constipation reason. Bleeding rectally as well as vaginally is not much fun.
And Sidge I'm surprised they didn't give me a booklet either. Would seem to be a normal thing to do in my mind.
Even the stuff on the NHS page talks about going back to work after 5 days. That would be tomorrow for me. It's just wildly inaccurate

[Paperowls]

I think that's awful, not to give you a follow up appointment after the removal of an organ! How is it that the system has been streamlined so much without protest? Is it that no one wants to battle after an operation so they just get on with it and move on?

[Ollivander84]

I had a follow up 8 weeks after my spinal surgery but that was it, discharged 21hrs after but I was recovering really well. I saw the nurse at my GP about 10 days post op to have my stitches out and had a leaflet on what to do and not to do
No pain relief except OTC stuff, they did offer codeine in hospital but I refused (didn't want to be constipated!)

[cricketballs3]

Why didn't you ask these questions at you pre-op consultation? Yes, first few days it does feel like you have been kicked by a horse (I was told it's mainly due to the gas they use) but it is surprising that one day you are in agony the next day you wake up with just a niggle

[Welshmaenad]

I've recently had emergency surgery on the NGS and this was not my experience at all (though I was in hospital for three days past the second surgery so not day case). I saw my surgical team daily, had full follow up care instructions and referral to district nurse for daily visits to pack the wound, and have seen the breast surgeon twice since discharge.

So no, it's not 'normal' for the NHS and I'm shocked you've been treated this way.

I'm also shocked your DH is being such a twat, though I suppose it removes any panic about an immediate unwanted pregnancy as if I were you, I wouldn't have sex with him until he bucked his ideas up considerably.

[ChuckysLoveChild]

When you have your pre-op, you have the chance to ask questions. I’d imagine if you hadn’t been told what to expect post-operatively, that would have been a good time to ask. I don’t know where you are op but my nhs trust is excellent with this and it’s sad to think that standards vary so widely. I’ve had several operations over the years, plus three c-sections and if your accounts are accurate, then a complaint would be in order.

[ChuckysLoveChild]

I think it might depend whether this is a private contractor undertaking day surgery. I think the level of care can be quite different. Op - if you complain, I’d find out because outsourcing of day surgeries has had a massive effect on patient care. Best of luck

[Gynaegirl]

www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/laparoscopy/

[seven201]

That doesn’t sound good enough. I recently had laparoscopic kidney surgery (was a big op so not day surgery) and saw the doctors at least once a day, usually twice. But oh my goodness the pain! My pain was mainly from the air they force in coupled with being constipated for 8 days! It’s 5 weeks and 2 days since my op and I’m going back to work next week. Was meant to be 3 weeks but I’ve had complications and luckily a gp who signed me off for longer with no issue. Trying to avoid lifting with a 16 month old around is not easy!

[Paperowls]

I did ask lots and lots of questions at my pre-assessment. I watched videos on you tube and tried to gather as much info as I could. Nearly all of it says '3-5 days and you'll be fine' There is very little about the effect on you if your period arrives directly after your op. Or if your bleeding from your bowel.
And the info on effectiveness of the operation is mixed as well. I consider myself to have tried to inform myself the best I could. The problem I have is that my main source of information and support - the team who performed my operation - haven't provided enough info. I've rung the gynaecology ward 3 times today and left messages asking them to call me. Nothing. I don't think that I'm the one who's being lax in my duties to inform myself of what to expect when recovering.

[pigeondujour]

I agree with you totally OP. I see why they don't do post op appointments as standard but they should be giving you as much info as they can to take away and be reachable by phone within a short timeframe. (This has usually been the case for my operations but one hospital in particular were more like you describe and it was miserable).

[ChuckysLoveChild]

Post op appointments don’t happen because there is no money to fund them. It’s shit but it is what it is. Bottom line is that your care is now with the gp. You’ve said you’re bleeding rectally op? If that’s the case, post op, I’d dial 999.

[Paperowls]

I hardly think it's a life threatening emergency that requires a 999 call. But three calls to the gynaecology ward asking them to contact me to discuss said bleeding should be followed up, in my view.

[Laiste]

Have you told anyone specifically that you are bleeding from the bowel OP?

I've had a quick google for you and it's led me to think it's a bit unusual. It's all a bit vague. One article talks about the risk of damage to small blood vessels in the bowel by the instruments used in lap. On another (american) site for private surgery it says you should 'call the office straight back' if you get rectal bleeding.

I don't want to make you worry, i just wondered if you'd mentioned it specifically to someone today.

[Paperowls]

Yeah, in the messages I left for the gynae sister I said it.

[Groovee]

I had an endo ablation in July and felt a bit fobbed off and decided I needed to get home. I was banned from exercising at my usual class for 6 weeks and took the advice of friends to ensure I had total bed rest 4-5 days. But did get a lot of post surgery advice leaflets at my pre op appointment which off course I had put in a safe place.

[Fintress]

I had what I thought was straight forward ENT surgery which was basically injections into my eustachian tubes. The consultant came to see me post surgery and said it went well and according to plan. Went back for my follow up and he said he was just going to check my pathology report and when I asked why, he told me he had removed a growth from the back of my nose. I was horrified that was the first I'd heard about it. Thankfully it was clear.

Wishing you a speedy recovery OP.

[Paperowls]

So what should I do tomorrow? Nothing will get fixed tonight. Do I keep ringing the gynaecology team or go back to my GP? Or give up and accept that I'm going to feel like shite for a very long time, with various new indignities to add to my list?
I wonder if the way that the contraceptive effect is achieved is by making your stomach agony and ruining your bowels. Maybe that's the real reason they don't want to answer my questions.