Laparoscopy

[London91]

Hi,

I am due to have a laparoscopy, dye test, cystectomy, hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy late next month due to suspected endometriosis. I have been trying to conceive for nearly two years. I had a miscarriage in September last year and since then have not conceived. Just wanted a couple of questions answered really:
How long was you off work for? I have been told a week but have seen some threads where people have said it's more like 2 weeks recovery.
And... If you had this kind of surgery for endometriosis and difficulty getting pregnant. How long did it take you to fall pregnant after your lap?

TIA xx

I’ve had 3 gynae laparoscopic procedures (2x myomectomy and a subtotal hysterectomy).

The only one I took nearly 2 weeks off for was the hysterectomy. Can’t exactly remember my timings for the others but it was probably around the 1 week mark.

I never had endo so can’t help on that. Good luck with it all.

I had mine on a Thurs, spent the Fri on the sofa and was up, showered and dressed on the Saturday. Had lunch out with family and a bit of a walk around. Took it easy on the Sunday and probably could have worked from home by the Mon tbh, but was pretty tired. Went back on the Thurs ie a week afterwards.

So short answer: probably a week but depends on how physical your job is. In my experience it wasn't so much the wounds (though you have to take it steady - don't pop a stitch) but the anaesthetic that wiped me out a bit.

Will also depend on how much endo they cut out. My laparoscopy was purely diagnostic so no real internal healing to be done ( the gas hurt like a bastard though and had blue dye running out of every orifice for a week - boak) but had to go back and have appendix and endo taken out and definitely felt a bit more tender on the inside after that one.

If you want to know anything else, I'm happy to give tips! Main thing is - it wasn't as bad as I feared.

Thank you! I've had a laparotomy to remove a large cyst from my ovary before but haven't had a laparoscopy.

Oh crikey then you're an old hand at the surgery thing! You'll be fine. If you're relatively healthy and your job's not too taxing then I imagine a week off will be plenty. Everyone's different though!

@CabbagePatchCheryl thank you! I don't have a physically demanding job so hopefully I should be good within a week depending on how much is done.

@CabbagePatchCheryl it was 9 years ago. So a long while lol. Had to spend 6 weeks off work.

Ooh dear - that sounds bad! Very best of luck to you with this one - I'm sure it will be a walk in the park in comparison. And more to the point hopefully it will give you answers and a possible solution for your endo/fertility issues.

I had a laparoscopic ovarian cyst removal recently. It knocked me for six! I was a sahm at the time but could have managed to go back to work to a desk job after two weeks but it would have been hard. I was fine after three weeks. I suppose it depends how much they have to “do” inside. I could barely shuffle around the house for the first three days!

I had 2 laps for stage 4 endo, first one they just drained a 15cm cyst and had a look around so I stayed in 1 night and was back to work after 3 days, second lap I had extensive excision included bladder and bowel and 1 tube removed which took about 5 hours so was in for 2 nights and back to work after 9 days. That was in 2013 and I didn't get pregnant naturally afterwards despite trying ever since although I have had a baby from donor egg IVF

Be prepared for trapped wind after the op.
It is excruciating painful

I've had several laparoscopies and have to say a week was more than enough!

Really good luck and fingers crossed for you OP!

I had a laparoscopy in 2013 for endometriosis. The doctors signed me off for 2 weeks but I definitely could have gone back after a week. I wasn't trying to conceive at the time but when we did start, it took 6 months! Best wishes OP.

Thank you guys. Not really worried about the op itself just want answers as to why it's taking me so long to get pregnant. Just got to the point where I've hit rock bottom and just want it over and done with. I've been extremely lucky though. I saw the consultant at the end of last month and having surgery the end of next month so could be far worse. I'm just getting impatient now after 2 years of being ready to start a family.