Bilateral Dermois Cyst Removal

I have just been recently diagnosed with bilateral dermoid cysts measuring about 7 cm.  My doctor and I are planning laparoscopic surgery next month.   I'm sure my questions will be answered by him in my pre-op appointments, but I really just need to get this out ...I'm very freaked out about this surgery.  I've never had to have surgery before (I've never even had a broken bone, and I just don't know what to expect as far as my pre-op appointment, and then after the surgery.  What kind of pain will I have afterwards?  What is it like coming out of anesthesia?  If they end up having to do a laparotomy instead, what should I expect afterwards in relation to laparoscopy?  I'm very confident in my doctor, and he's answered all my other questions so far, but I just can't help having this nagging fear about going under anesthesia and having someone cut into my body!  Any advice?  Thanks!

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Hi There,
Everyone has that fear. In fact usually the fear is worse than the reality of the experience. I would suggest that you do some work on preparing for surgery. There are several resources. Many of my patients have used Peggy Huddleston's book and CD. I have included the link below.


http://www.healfaster.com/

In terms of pain, there is some pain that is controlled by pain medicines. Most people stop needing pain medicines after 2- 10 days depending on the size of the incision. The biggest hurdle is fatigue. It can take about a month to get your energy back after a laparoscopy and 2-3 months after a laparotomy.

I just went to Google and typed in "laparoscopy". There is an amazing wealth of information about the procedure, what to expect, postop care and so forth. I encourage you to go there for more information

best wishes to you