Suggested recovery time for laparotomy

[joe199]

I had bilateral endemetriomas removed from my ovaries along with extensive adhesions due to advanced endemetriosis 6 weeks ago and now I am scheduled to return to work but I just don't think I am physically ready yet but I don't know if my surgeon will extend my authorization for more sick leave. Could you all advise me as to how long your surgeon's gave you off of work for a laparotomy.

[joe199]

Please let me know what she finally gives you to treat it. I would like to know if you don't mind.
I hope you are feeling better soon.

[teddybears4ever2]

She never gave me anything to treat it with.  Tuesday she will.  I'm a very odd case since I have so many serious medication allergies.  It'll have to be BCP.  My period left but I can still pull blood out of there, I'm sorry if this is tmi.  
I still feel sick to my stomach.  Ever since my most recent period I've had trouble eating, as in I don't want to eat.  

[joe199]

When you say your white blood cell count was in the thousands what test are you referring to the CA-125?  If yes are you going to have another test done post op to see if it is better. Did you have adhesions from the endo I am guessing you did since you had a laparotomy.

I have had three periods since the surgery, the first one started on the day I had surgery, I wanted to die in the hospital I was bleeding so much from my period it was awful !!!! and I have had two since then, the last one the pain was better than usual and I didn't seem to bleed as much or for as long as normal so maybe you will get better once your body heals a bit more.

Give yourself some time I am 8 weeks post op and just starting to feel better. Are you taking any walks ? I found walking has helped me.

Are you being treated for your endo and if so what method is your doctor prescribing ?

[teddybears4ever2]

I had a lap about 6 weeks ago, and I still feel awful.  My cyst was 9 CM.  I have to go see my doctor again next week.  
Like many of you I still can't wear pants, and have been wearing drawstring pants.  I don't have a job and I'm starting to like that idea. She could tell I had endometriosis.
Many of you are talking about taking antibiotics.  I can't take them due to the fact that they are made with mold and I'm deathly allergic to mold.  They also raise my temp really high.  
On top of everything else my period has never veered from its cycle and I want to die because the pain is so bad.  I've had two since my surgery.  
Before my surgery my white blood cell count was in the thousands.  I know my battle with this isn't over and that makes me sad.

[joe199]

My gynecologist who performed my surgery has already taken 3 CA 125 bloodtest and I have to go for another one in 6 months time even though she knows I have endo. I think the pre and post op figures can give them an idea of how successful the surgery was and then by monitoring it on a regular basis they know if it is getting bad again or not. Since she has removed your endo your figure should be a lot lower than before you went in for surgery. Mine was 74 before surgery and 17 after and now we will monitor it.  Just a thought you may want to ask your doctor about.

[Karen777]

Well, it has been a rough few days.  Remember I was complainng of digestive issues?  I had the chills so bad on Saturday that I was feeling awful.  The on duty DR advised me to go to the ER.  I found out I have a C diff bacteria infection which is a possible side affect after taking antibiotics.  I was on three different antibiotics in the hospital and only a few days while I was recovering at home.  I am slowly starting to feel better but am really weak again.  I feel like I took a few steps back in my recovery.  Went to my regular OB/GYN and foud out a couple things.  She also told me to stay home from work this week and that I really needed to take it easy.

Since I had an endomitioma cyst that automatically puts me at a level 3 for endo.

I don't need a CA 125 because they already know I have endo

She sent me home with treamtment options to read up on but suggested continual birth control pills (not taking sugar pills but starting a new pack so period does not occur) or Depo shot.  The main downfall with Depo is if you have any side effects you are stuck with them for three months until it wears off.  I'm not sure what I am going to do but trying to decide in the next couple of days.  

[joe199]

Funny you mention that I need to wake up in the middle of the night to go pee, something I have never done before, I used to be able to wake up in the morning and take my dog outside and then come in and go to the bathroom, now sometimes I actually can't make it to the bathroom in time. I thought that maybe it was because of the catheter they put after surgery to urinate that caused an irritation but I should of asked my surgeon about that. Let me know what the urologist finds.  I seem to have less sensation down below in general, sex isn't the same anymore, I don't know if it is all in my head but it just seems to have changed.

My body just seems different, my clothes especially pants still don't fit after 9 weeks and I am frustrated. I go back to work next week, Ugh !!

I have a colonoscopy next Monday because I still seem to have digestive issued and am constipated and have diarrhea and pain in my side and my gyn refuses to believe this has anything to do with my endometriosis.

[hollandlop]

Yes, my gyn told me that the bloating will last for about 3 months.

This is my 7th week and my abdomen is still bloated and tender.

Somehow, I feel like the scar and muscle behind my incision site is pressing on my bladder, which is making me feel like I have to urinate a lot. I'm going to see an urologist next week because I don't feel like this is normal.

What about you? What other symptoms do you still have besides the bloating?

[joe199]

How funny you should ask about how I am treating my endo I started another topic on the forum about that as I saw my gynecologist two days ago and she wants me to take Depo shots. I am not in agreement as I have heard very wide range of symptoms from this medication like mood swings, depression, a lot of weight gain etc. I am returning to see my family doctor before going to get the shot. I am 40 years old and my surgeon couldn't really tell me the advantage to having this treatment because one way or another chances are the cysts and pain are going to return, the treatment may just stall it for the time I take it. Please let me know what your surgeon recommends, it is hard to get answers for me anyways my surgeon is in such a rush I feel like I am bothering her and I don't see her now for another 6 months. She sent me back to have my CA 125 blood work done. Do you know what your CA 125 bloodtest is. That is the best marker for endo and a score pre and post op would of given you an indication as to whether the endo is being controlled. I went to days ago for another bloodtest but don't have my result yet, my bloodcount was 74 before surgery which is high.

[Karen777]

No, the doctor that did my surgery did not tell me anything about what stage my endo was in.  Thanks for mentioning that as I would like to know.  I will mention it when I go to my OBGYN on Monday.  The doctor that did my surgery is not my regular OBGYN doctor.  I went to the ER and had surgery the next morning so didn't have a choice.  I'll definitley ask about this.  So far the recommendaton from the DR that did my surgery is Depo Provera shot or Luprin (?).  I am 36 and have not had kids yet and am not sure if I want any.  However, I'm leaning toward the Depo as the Luprin has menopause type symptoms which I don't think I am ready to deal with even temporarily.  I"ll get another opinion on Monday.  Will let you know what my regular DR. recommends.

How are you treating your endo?

[joe199]

I had a laparotomy because besides the bilateral endemetriomas I had too many adhesions for the surgery to be performed by laparoscopy. She tried but ended up having to open me up. I had been having digestive issues and abdominal pain which is what sent me to the doctor and he ordered the ultrasound that found the cysts. When my CA 125 tumor marker bloodtest came back at 74 the wait and see game ended and I was scheduled for surgery hoping it was endo and not cancer. Is your doctor going to treat you with hormones for your endo. Do you know what stage of endo your had ?

[Karen777]

No, I did not have digestive issue before surgery and I have been off the antibiotics for a week now since they tend to cause digestive issues.  I made a follow-up appt with my obgyn this coming Monday so I'll mention it to her if I am still having trouble.  I decided to try a bland diet for now (BRAT) and see if that works.  I also wonder if it is due to the stress of being back to work and trying to handle my usual routine.  I'm trying to take it easy and decided to telecommute today.  Driving on the pot-holed roads in MI can be painfull. :)

Did you have Laproscopy too or Laprotomy?  Did you always have pain from the endomitriosis?  I had some painful periods but not how some people have been describing their pain.  I had no idea I had endomitriosos.

[joe199]

Wow I am surprised you returned to work so quickly, how are you doing ? Two weeks doesn't seem long to me even if it was done by laproscopy. Did you have digestive issues before the surgery? Since you seem to have endometriosis like me this can be a symptom. If you were ok before the surgery I am sure it will fall into place in a couple of weeks, sometimes the preparation for the surgery can upset our digestive tract and this can cause irritable bowel type symptoms.

[Karen777]

Hello,  I am new to this website and forum.  I had laprascopic surgery two weeks ago.  I had an endometrioma cyst on my ovary and a smaller partially hemorraged cyst adjacent to it.  I also found out I have had endometriosis and did not know it.  They removed the adhesions but the damage to my left ovary was so bad it had to be removed along with my left fallopian tube.

I am just returning to work this week and am still sore.  I am also still bloated and found a couple pairs of drawstring pants that I am trying to dress up since I work in an office environment.  I was too wondering when this bloating will go away.  I guess it takes time.

I am wondering if anyone with similar surgery also experienced digestive issues?  Just wondering when my stool will be normal again.

[joe199]

How wonderful to know that the terrible bloating I still feel in my 8th week is normal. I have not seen my gynecologist yet since my surgery (tomorrow I will see her) but I was sure after 2 months I was going to stay like this as a result of the surgery itself. Good to know that it may take another month before the swelling disappears. Have you returned to work yet ? I also can't seem to get into my pants either and as you say it gets worst at night. Please give me any other info you might have. Hope you are feeling better.

[hollandlop]

I also have to mention that when I feel bloated (which gets worse at night), I do feel like something is pulling behind my belly button.

I don't know if anyone has also experienced this.

[hollandlop]

I had a laparotomy to remove a 6cm endometrioma from my right ovary.

Today is the beginning of my 7th week.

My abdomen is still somewhat bloated and swollen. The wound still hurts when I try to wear any kind of pants (I'm still wearing dresses).

My gyn told me the stomach bloating will take around 3 months to go away, and the muscles that develop around the wound will also take around 3 months to disappear. That's why the meat above the wound is puffy right now.

[joe199]

I am 8 weeks post op and although I do feel better unfortunately the initial pains I was having that sent me to the doctor in the first place are still there. It is a bit frustrating because I was sure once the endo and the cysts were gone I would of been fine. At first the surgeon wanted to take my gallbladder out because I have stones but now he is suspecting irritable bowel syndrome instead which apparently can go hand in hand with endo. He has cancelled the gallbladder removal for the moment. I am going for a colonoscopy next Monday and if they don't find anything serious then he will send me to a gastroenterologist with the suspicision that it is irritable bowel syndrome. I am still really tired though and due back at work next week but tomorrow is my follow up with my gynecologist and I hope I can get a couple of more weeks off.

Keep me up to date on how things go with your job search ! Take care and I know that things will work out for the better for you hugs Johanne

[MarieMichele]

Yes, we have laws, but they apply to employers of 50+ employees within a 75 mile area.  Our office employed under that amount so the laws did not apply. I don't think our laws cover 3 months after you return either.  Canada sure has the right idea.

Insurance did not pay for my time off.  I used my accumulated sick time benefits.  I had about 9 weeks of entitlement and used 6 of them (until surgery, I never took a sick day, as you can tell).

I'm still waiting to see how this will play out and where I will be eventually working.  Hopefully at something better.  As it stands, I have been doing an exhaustive job hunt for 4.5 months and have nothing to show for it yet.  Now I wonder if age discrimination is a factor but there's no way to prove it.  I love how it's illegal to discriminate based on age, but workers that are over age 40 still have no leg to stand on when we feel we've been victims.  

I have another "handicap" so to speak for which there are no discrimination laws.  I do not have the classic U.S. southern accent since I was not born in the south.  For some here, there's still a north vs. south mentality and I sound like someone from the north.  Only bigger companies have no problem with that (in fact, they will like my northern origins), but forget the businesses run by natives of the south.  They won't hire me.  

Then there's another problem.  Most companies that are hiring here are in healthcare and related business.  Most of my recent experience is in entertainment, tourism and media companies.  The healthcare companies don't seem to think I'm relevant even though I'm just applying to office administration positions.

Sometimes I just want to move elsewhere, but my husband has a job that also took him a LONG time to find and I wouldn't want the both of us to be out of work by moving.

Thanks for asking and caring.  How are you feeling now in your post-laparotomy recovery?  Hopefully a LOT better!

[joe199]

I find it terrible that your employer would lay you for something like that. I am not sure where you are from but there must be laws to protect you. In Canada when someone is on sick leave they cannot be laid off for 3 months after they return to work. Could you not take action against the company.  It must not of been your employer paying you your salary during your leave but rather the insurance company. I can only say that things usually happen for a reason and I am sure there is something much better waiting for you. I hope that you are feeling better and remember your health is the most important thing, there is no price for that.

[MarieMichele]

No, laparotomy is bigger surgery than laparoscopy.  Laparatomy is a full incision of 4 inches or so, also called open surgery (easier for the surgeon to work, harder on the patient to heal).  

Laparoscopy is two, three or four smaller incisions and requires more advanced trickery to get the job done.  The smaller incisions heal faster (externally) than the larger incision of laparotomy.  

Internally, it takes about the same amount of time to heal from either procedure but many judge their recovery on how long the external incisions take to heal.  Bigger incisions cut through more tissue and muscle and those don't repair that quickly.

Many seem to feel that two weeks is enough for laparoscopy.  Laparotomy minimally takes about 6 weeks.  That's the general guideline to take time off from work, but in reality, full healing still takes a bit longer for either procedure.  

[janepm]

so what is the difference between a laproscopic surgery and this laparatomy? Which is the kind of surgery that folks seem to feel a few days doesn't make it for feeling better, that it takes up to 2 months, I think it was laproscopic, right?

[MarieMichele]

I was given 6 weeks off on doctor's orders and returned to work then.  I, too, was not completely ready and those first two weeks back were a bit rough for me.  If 8 weeks off were possible, I would have been happier.

Then my employer lied about his sympathy.  I got laid off a month after returning from surgery and have been struggling to find a new job ever since that time.