Recovery time from laparoscopy?

[laparoscopyrecovery]

Hi,

I had a laparoscopy a week ago for suspected endometriosis. Nothing was found unfortunately, so no treatment was done, it was just a diagnostic/investigative procedure. I've had two incisions, one in my belly button and one below on my knicker line (roughly where a C section cut is made). I was expecting to be fully recovered by now given this is minor keyhole surgery? However I'm still finding a lot of pain and discomfort when I'm up and about for too long . I'm finding it particularly difficult to stand up straight or go too quickly from sitting to standing, I'm feeling very tight uncomfortable pains across my lower stomach. There is minimal bruising on my incision sites, but I can feel the pain quite often on mobilising.

Can anyone advise if this sounds within the realms of normal? Or should I be pain free after a week?

Thank you.

Hi, it took me about three weeks to feel like myself again, I think. I was using a crutch to support my back as I couldn't stand up straight. Feel better soon 🌷

From your descriptions, i dont know whether laparoscopic procedures have changed but i had mine in 1998 and felt absolutely nothing. Went to work as normal felt no pain couldn't even identify where exactly the incision was made so quite surprised reading about these discomforts. Did they tell you, you'll be in pain for a while and are you using any pain killers? if so, are they not working? usually when you've had a procedure done at hospital they give you some few days within which if you feel unwell you call them directly. Have you checked your discharge notes?

I had three puncture sites for an appendectomy, and it hurt like hell for a good week or so afterwards. I wasn't expecting that! But when you think about it, you have been stabbed (albeit surgically), which is going to hurt, and the gases they inflate you with don't all escape at once, and can form air pockets, which cause irritation and pain (especially in the shoulders, weirdly). Sleeping with a pillow against my stomach helped, as did regular use of painkillers, until it faded.

Hope it settles down for you soon.

I went back to work the next day, no painkillers. Maybe talk to your GP, as this seems unusual to what ive heard from friends etc.

Keep an eye out for any headaches, fever or possible infection signs and try to rest up.

Took me about 10 days @laparoscopyrecovery - I have a few friends who have had laps and the recovery time varies wildly so wouldn't worry!

At least a couple of weeks for me, unfortunately. Hope you improve soon.

Thanks everyone. Seems a lot of variation from 1 day to a few weeks just on this thread. I'll see how I feel by the weekend and speak to my GP if no better.

Dd has literally just had one, there is no way she'd be in work tomorrow and the surgeon said she is probably looking at 2 weeks of pain and recovery

When she had one 3 years ago it did take her 2/3 weeks to be completely pain free

I took 2/3 weeks to feel significantly better.
I had a lot of scar tissue and I personally think that affected recovery time.
Hope you are feeling better soon.

I had a laparoscopy earlier this year, with several minor procedures and they made three incisions. Like you I expected recovery to be around a week but in reality I was no where near ready to return to work and found it difficult just to sit at my desk all day. I was also completely shattered. It was about three weeks before I felt back to myself. I think it really varies from everything I have read. Hoping you feel better soon xx

Plus I remember feeling like I was being a real wuss as I was told 2 or 3 days recovery!

Yes! This is how I feel, everything I've read says a matter of days should be fine if they're not doing any treatment. But I feel genuinely very bruised and sore 😔

This. I've had 4 laparoscopies. The first time I had the op on a Wednesday and was told I could go back to work on Monday, so I was totally unprepared for what turned out to be a 2-3 week recovery. Thought my boss would think I was milking it, but luckily it turned out his wife had had the same and had 3 weeks off work.

It was the same for the first 3, but the 4th time I was OK after a week. No idea why.
Take it easy and hope you recover soon

I think it was a good six weeks before I was feeling strong again.

Took me a couple of weeks and that was in my 20s. You've been blown up with gas and all your organs need to resettle, it takes time.

I had mine on a Friday, went out to dinner on Saturday and back at work on Monday. I can honestly say I didn’t feel much abdominal pain at all. Probably the most noticeable thing was the shoulder-tip pain from the CO2 inflation.

Following this as I'm in for one some time next year
They'll be excising endo, removing endometriomas (one is 9cm) and fitting a mirena
I have a desk job and was hoping to have max 2 weeks off...

Had mine on Wednesday and as back at work on the following Monday. Mind you, I was only 40 then and slim, so easy for me to recover. An experienced gynae did the investigation. I don't recall any bruising. This was 24 yrs ago.

My DD is one week into her recovery and everyone told her she’d bounce back after a week - she is rightfully downhearted as she hasn’t! She even rang the Dr this morning as she was still feeling nauseous and stomach pain (and pain in her shoulder from the gas)

She had her appendix removed, a burst ovarian cyst taken care off and all the fluid from the cyst was rolling about in her pelvis so that was sorted whilst doing explorative work. The Dr said to her it’s perfectly normal to be feeling the way she is and she is sure that DD will feel almost back to normal after 2 weeks.

I hope you’re the same and feel more settled in the coming days. Your insides have been shunted about - it will just take time to recover. (I’ve had 2 csections so have some idea of how your insides feel!)

Feel better soon x