emptyshell, I can relate to your experience had pretty much the same in early August.
I actually wish someone had told me the truth about the operation beforehand. I'd still have gone ahead, I couldn't bear the limbo any more and I had to wait five days as it was. The leaflet from the hospital and the info from the nurses made it sound all ok and no pain or discomfort, so I wasn't prepared for the reality. As I said, I'd still have done it but it would have been easier to cope if I had known the truth. It would also have saved me from being admitted to the gynae ward in the middle of the night unnecessarily three days later if I had just been told that what to expect might be rather heavier and more painful than a period. Unlike what the leaflet said!
Thanks to the lovely mumsnetters i knew about the coming round with no pants and the towel just shoved there. So I did expect that. And had a pair of pants pre-prepped with a towel already stuck in to make life easier for me. I was not prepared for the fact that they had not wiped me clean down there after they had finished and I was covered in orange stuff (antiseptic?)from the theatre. Maybe some hospitals are better. But if I knew that, it wouldn't have upset me much.
I'd never had an op before so I naively imagined that I'd come round in the ward and the first person I'd see was my partner. Not the case, obviously they bring you round in recovery room next to theatre. So long trolley ride through the hospital before seeing partner. This upset both of us as he wanted to be there with me when I woke up. I never thought to ask about this as my head couldn't cope much with thinking at the time.
The canula for the anaesthetic does hurt. I have good veins but they messed mine up too and then had to mutilate the other hand. I had bruises and couldn't have my hand held tightly for about a week. But that's a relatively minor problem!
I was discharged at lunchtime, had some painkillers and went home to rest. It was really not all that bad. The staff were nice, i was given my own room, it was a bit painful but not excruciatingly so and at least it was all over.
As I say, the info told me to expect a period like bleed and perhaps a day or so of cramps. This slowed down to spots and then three days later I ended up at A and E as I was in a lot of pain and passing clots. By the time I was discharged the next morning I felt a bit like I had wasted their time and all I needed was to be told the truth (and given stronger painkillers!) If I'd have known that could happen I would not have been so scared and would have put up with it at home. It was three times the bleeding I'd expect on a heavy day. But no fever, no infection, no giant clots so I had no need to be in a hospital bed.
vnewmummy am glad that your experience of the erpc was as positive as it could have been at such a hard time. It#s always better when things go smoothly but it isn't the case for everybody. Mine was the best thing to do at the time, if I'd been a couple of weeks less far along I might have opted to avoid it, but it is still a nasty thing to have to go through and I think it is better to be prepared for it. It will hurt a bit, it will be a bit messy afterwards, general anaesthetic is no fun, and there may be a bit leftover to pass yourself. Most of that paled into insignificance for me compared to the awful pain in my heart.
I wish all the best for a speedy recovery to the ladies on this thread that are suffering a m/c at the moment. I'm a few weeks ahead of you and I am (I think) fully physically recovered now and hoping to try again. My emotions have dulled from anguish to a sort of dull heartache and I am able to get on with my job and enjoy things in my life. It still hurts me a lot but it doesn't consume me entirely anymore, it's now 8 weeks since my erpc. I hope you are all feeling better soon.