Endometriosis excision surgery - time off as a self-employed person

[Londonwriter]

I'm having private endometriosis removal surgery on 1st April as my ovaries are tethered together and attached to my bowel. So, I'm expecting bowel shaving, excision of deep endometriosis and my ovaries to be separated and resituated.

I have an inflammatory disorder, which is exacerbated by the endometriosis, and I'm - obviously - also in constant low-grade pain due to parts of my abdomen being glued together.

I've been told to be in hospital for two nights, and to expect to be signed off for 4-6 weeks. This seems excessive, as I went to a Zumba class three weeks after an elective c-section, and I work with low-grade pain and exhaustion most of the time. I don't earn anything if I don't work, so I work all the time I can - even lying in bed during a D&V bug that my kids brought home from school.

Does anyone have experience with being self-employed or zero hours in a desk job after major endo surgery? When were you able to physically work (e.g. propped up in bed with a laptop)? I need to give my clients a realistic view of when I can return to work.

Sorry that this might sound really hardcore or insane to people with PAYE jobs. Please respect my life choices.

Please do check that your insurance will cover the whole procedure and not take you over your limit.

I've had laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis, & lap hysterectomy. I was only in for 1 night for the hysterectomy, the other one I was discharged 4 hours after surgery, I could have stayed in but due to phobia of hospitals I chose to go home. I have never had much pain from the surgery, dihydracodeine & diclofenic have been more than enough. Get some Rennie Deflatine & peppermint oil capsules for the gas & try to move around as soon as you can. Take a nightie for while you have the catheter in & something comfortable to go home in, I went home in my pjs, my catheter & drain were removed 8 hours after my hysterectomy & as long as you can wee 3 times & have your bladder scanned to prove it is empty you will be fine. Get some arnica tablets to take for the bruising, you will either have steristrips or single stitches in each wound. I was out & about 3 days after my hysterectomy, driving & back on the school run a week later.

Hope your operation goes well. You certainly have coped with a lot of pain over the years. How old are your dc? Are you sure about trying for another child at nearly 44, which you will be once you fully recover.

Thanks, everyone.

@Oblomov23 My DS are six and (just) three. The playground at DS1's school has multiple mums who've had their last DC in their early/mid-40s. This isn't anywhere as rare as I originally thought, when I first looked into it.

It's certainly not as rare to have a DC in your 40s as fertility clinics make out (to ladies with age-related infertility trying to have a first DC).

Just an update, incase helpful for anyone else. I had the surgery on Saturday afternoon and got myself discharged at 11am on Sunday morning (I could have left the hospital earlier, but had to do the three bowls of urine/bladder/water chugging thing before I could be discharged).

I could only sleep two hours in the hospital, but took public transport (tube/bus) home the next morning and slept for an hour at home - then, went to bed at the usual time. I didn't need to take anything beyond paracetamol/naproxen after coming around from surgery, and am now off painkillers completely during the day.

I walked for two hours, three miles, yesterday, which was a lot and I slept for an hour afterwards. However, I was also dealing with work email yesterday and am currently at my desk dealing with work email. If I'd had to, I'd have been back at work for a few hours on Monday and part-time from yesterday.

It's worth mentioning that I appear to have a sky-high pain threshold, which REALLY helps with recovery. I don't need to take opioid painkillers, so no dizziness/nausea/constipation. Opioids are, basically, horrible drugs.