how long to fully recover from laparoscopy surgery

[Mimi81]

I had a laparoscopy surgery, my first surgery ever at 28, for mild endometriosis on March 9th of this year. I had 3 incisions, one on my belly button and two on the left and right side. I went home the same day. The first two weeks were kind of rough but by the fourth week I thought I was getting better so I started walking 20-25 minutes each day and just doing light work, like washing some dishes, and I was going up and down the stairs at ease. By the end of the fourth week the area around my incisions started hurting real bad and after that I have just been resting in bed. A week ago I went to the ER because I was having stabbing pain around the incision area, on the left and right side. I don't have any infections and the CT scan shows my organs are ok. I am still resting at home, I am just concerned that the incision areas are still painful, deep inside. could it be that I am still healing inside? should it be painful at this point? sometimes I feel my insides stretching beyond belief. I started acupuncture yesterday in hopes that it will help with the pain so that I don't have to rely so much on pain meds. I just hear about people bouncing back and going back to work after 2-3 weeks and I'm confused why I am still trying to heal.

[Mimi81]

thanks :)

[Mimi81]

I am a bit better than last week. I haven't taken any pain meds for the last two days so I am proud of myself. I am glad to hear you are feeling better and that you were in my position in your 6th week, it gives me lots of hope! If the stabbing pain around the incisions gets better with time then I will take it easy because I know my health is what's important. 2-3 times a day is a LOT of improvement, mine hurts the most in the morning and throughout the day but by afternoon it gets a bit better. i am also using moist heat pads at night to soothe that area, i hope it's ok to use moist heat, it helps. Like you said we are all different. I am not visiting doctors for a while, I am just gonna stick with my acupuncturist, I know what you mean, with acupuncture you do it today and the next day you still feel the pain but i think with time it gets better. No Ibuprofens for me, I am trying not to take anything unless I really can't bear the pain.  I am going to try and relax, lol, i REALLY will. I know what you mean, my lady was telling me to close my eyes and visualize that area healing and to just relax and not focus so much on the pain.  And that is exactly what she told me, to meditate and pray, which I do every day anyway. and I'm taking Women's 1 a day vitamins and herbs which she gave me. I will keep in touch, thanks for all your help!

[gowiththeflow8]

I hope you are feeling better. I think stress has something to do with it as I was in your same position when I was at 6 weeks. I have been feeling alot better now (not enuf to go back to work) but where the stabbing pain is only 2-3 times a day for a few seconds and goes away. I tried sex a few times and it was a little painful, so no go on that one for a while. I am at 9 weeks and people heal at different levels. It took my friend a year to heal from her c-section and a month to get a simple procedure to get her tubes tied! We are ALL different.  I am going to my 5th doctor on Monday and he probably going to look at me like an alien just like the others. I think it's time I stop going to the doctors as I have had a normal CT SCAN and Ultra Sound. Doctors don't know it all and Eastern medicine is helping more. Be careful nt to take too much Ibufron as it "funkedified" y stomach. I am on Prilosec because of that damn Ibufrofen. Please RELAX and try to tell your body that it's going to be OK and you're going to get thru this together. I know this sounds crazy, but I think organs need to be talked to. This is what my acupuncurist says. So I say to my right side. "I love you, I know your a little mad, but we are going to get thru this together." Then I put God's white light around it and meditate with it for a while. I know this sounds nutz but after being thru EVERY test and EVERY doctor, this seems to be my only option. I can give you my email if you leave me a "note" as we have been communicating that way.

[ireneo]

Well, it's been 6 weeks (almost) so I would think the doctor would allow you some freedom to get back to normal activities. I was fortunate in the respect that even though I had a large cyst, I never had much pain with it, just bloating and potty problems. What did drag things out for me was all the heart testing I had to go through before the blasted surgery. I think that annoyed me more than having the ovary/cyst popped out. Maybe I was just relieved to have it over. LOL  I can't stand to go to the doctor.

Again, I don't know why you're feeling so bad and I think the doctor should check this out for you. Hope you feel better soon.

[Mimi81]

wow after this one i can't imagine ever having another one done! i didn't recover as i expected and i pray to God i won't ever need any kind of surgery after this. due to school and work and duties at home i haven't really been active/exercising the past 6 months and i don't know if that affects your ability to heal. Plus I was home for two months before the surgery because I had real bad pain from the Endo and I was unable to do anything. I will ask the doctor about those exercises. thanks!

[Mimi81]

My external incisions have healed just fine, it's the internal that is giving me a problem. It's constant pain, and I have it usually in the morning more, it gets a bit better in the afternoon. I have cut back on stairs and I am resting a lot, barely doing things besides going to the bathroom and getting my meals. I am hopeful the acupuncture will help, i really didn't think it would take this long, I'm in my 6th week and still at home. I will give it a few more weeks until I am able to move about freely. thanks...

[luba28]

I had laporoscopic surgery to remove my right ovary, a 5+cm cyst and the tubes 4 weeks ago today.  I was at home for 2 weeks and then back to work only partial days for the 3rd week, and still having to occasionally leave early this week.  Yesterday was a painful day for me as it felt like my right ovary was hurting again.  My doctor had cautioned me that even though the exterior incisions may be healing there are still internal incisions that will take much longer to heal - months, in fact.  Overextending yourself with stretching, lifting, etc. can tax your body to the point where you can set your internal recuperation back a bit.  I know its hard not to go full speed as quickly as you would like, but it will hurt you in the long run if you don't allow yourself the time your body needs.

Hope you feel better and have a speedy recuperation.

[ireneo]

I've had 2 laparoscopies done: 1 when I was about 20 and it was just exploratory, to look at the cysts on my ovaries. The second one was just 2 years ago, had a 10 cm cyst, my ovary and tube removed. In both cases I was quite mobile within a week. There was some tugging and zings but not "stabbing pain" around the incisions. I was back to work within a week but had light duty (no lifting 40 lb beavers or chasing eagles).

It sounds like something is off with your healing process. Perhaps you're forming some adhesions. Ask your doctor if it's OK for you to do some stretching and exercises. Under health pages down to the right there's also a technique called ball rolling to help with adhesions. Again, ask your doctor first if you can try this.