Laparotomy recovery time / removal of ovary/endemetriosis

[Turnip]

Hi there, can anyone provide some guidance on recovery from a laparotomy?  Was suppose to have been having a laparoscopy to remove my left ovary and large cyst within this along with treatment for endemetriosis, woke up to have had a laparotomy and the latter all done plus part of the fallopian tube with it. It is now three weeks since the op and I can at least move around more, no longer doing an impression of a ladybird on its back trying to get up... The main scar is still sore on the inside and by later in the day I get pain down the left side, still have the shelf overhanging which hoping with time and eventually some exercise will go, still quite bloated but this comes and goes seems to get worse later in the day. Hormones have been all over the place as well.  I have had a first period since the op and the pain was still horrendous but assume this is everything settling down again. Would be grateful for anyone's similar experience to give some idea of what to expect and how soon will feel normal again if ever? Didn't really get much from hospital and main follow up isn't until July?? Any help is welcomed.

[tmv]

Hi there, I really don't have my own experience. But, I may be able to help with part of your questions.  The recovery will depend on the size of the incision and where it is. Was it done laparoscopy with an incision in the belly button and two small "stab wounds" on each side or did they do the exploratory style with a large incision. Sounds like the larger which takes about 6 weeks. The more you get up and walk around, the more the soreness leaves. It also helps with the gas/bloating. You can also take otc simethicone 2 tabs four times a day until the bloating leaves or until you have diarrheaa (as it can cause it, but that sometimes helps, too). Don't run a marathon or anything. Simply walking will help. The hormones may take a while, fluctuating is normal. The dr can give some hormones for that if it is bad, give them a call.  Best of luck and hope for a speedy recovery.  tmv

[thomas01]

I agree with the other comment.  Take it easy.  Remember that you did just have surgery and average recover is 6-8wks. Also the reason you feel worse at the end of the day is because you feel good in the morning so tend to do more.  Try to limit what you are doing to small things. If you normally excercise, know that you wont be able to do what you did before the OR for a while start slow and work your way up without expecation as to when you should be normal again.  With the hormonal change it may take longer as you could feel more tired and emotional than what you are use to.  If you have pain don't suffer, take something for it.  Make sure that you are eating healthy high fibre to keep you regular and it will help with your peirods as well.
Hope you are feeling better soon

[Turnip]

Thanks for your help, reassuring to hear this is quite normal, the plan was for the laparoscopy and all set for this then woke up having had the laparotomy done so wasn't quite as prepared with info on this.  Starting to accept the fact it will take time, will be pleased once stomache starts to decrease slightly seems to increase from an already bloated belly to a good extra 4 inches by the end of the day - weird almost like all the fluid and gas settles in other areas in the night then throughout the day it comes back to the one spot. thank you for your help.

[DMCK]

I am amazed how dr.s may not be informing women of what recovery will look like. I have my left ovary removed and was told 2-3 days tops.  Well, it is 8 days later and I still don't feel like myself. Plus we beat ourselves up as women and most often it is the expecations from men (ob/gyn's, that is, no male bashing intended) when we are not up and running to care for everyone else.  I feel better knowing.  I thought something was wrong with me

[Mandy451]

Yes, I too expected to have a total Hysterectomy & removal of ovaries & Endometriosis by Laparascopic surgery.  Well, that did occur but I knew that after my surgery that something was very wrong.  My Sigmoid Colon had been ruptured.  I was hugely distended & kept questioning this to no avail.  I even suggersted that I had Peritonitis, but was told to think happy thoughts!  Finally, day 5 in the hospital I felt my bowel really "Go" whilst on the toilet.  I felt a ghastly rush & a bursting sensation & the pain dropped me to the floor & my left leg went numb.
Luckilly for me a friend happened to visit shortly thereafter as staff seemed to think that Panadol would reduce my temp & Morphine would take care of the rest.  Five hours of my friend harrassing staff to "Get the Dr. or surgeon" & I was finally sent for a CAT scan.  Severe Peritonitis & off for emergency surgery.  A Laparotomy was performed & Perioneal Lavage & a Colostomy.  Delightful !  Thankfully though I am alive.  From there I had many set backs & ended up leaving the hospital 6 weeks later.  (Free floating pus around my kidneys & lungs full of fluid & anaemia).  Upon returning home I was still having my Laparotomy wound  (51 staples) packed by the local District nurses as that had also opened up in five areas into what the nurses called Sinus cavities.  It is now 5 months since my surgery. I can very much appreciate how you feel!
My stomach (which I have always strived to keep flat & firm) also bloats up as the day goes on.  It doesn't seem to matter what I eat.  It doesn't seem quite so bad through the night as what it was, so I'm hoping that with time it will improve.  I am able to once again ride my horses & will enter my first show since the surgery this coming Sunday.  However I will have to get some new Jodhpurs as I have definitely changed shape.  My stomach does some very odd things!  I too have been wondering if abdominal exercises will help tame my tummy!  It seems to have a mind of it's own.  The hormones are settling but I had to start taking a mild HRT, to settle the flushes. My Diaphragm has taken a real battering, that is for sure & it still spasms if I sneeze or yawn deeply.
I too wish that more information was given at the hospital.Had my friend not arrived when she did I would most definitely not have survived.  Try to stay positive & think of all of the things that you can do.  Try to do a bit more each day but remember to rest when your body tells you to.
Reading your letter Made me feel as though I wasn't on my own.  Good luck Turnip. May 4th   Mandy 451

[leslie50]

I Just had a procedure done yesterday for Endometriosis. They made what i thought was going to be a small incision in by belly button. Well, its a bit bigger than small. They also made an incision on my existing c-section scar ( which is the most painful as of right now) and that i have no idea what for. A  D and C was also preformed as well. I was not prepared nor informed about how much pain i would be in after the surgery. Yesterday after the procedure i was OK, but as night fell OH MY GOD! I have only had cat naps and that is just out of exhaustion. I was in so much pain last night even after taking the pain medicine like its candy. I could not get into bed last night and had to lay on the couch. I had to go to the bathroom but i couldn't get up I was in so much pain. I called for my Husband for over an hour but he was asleep and because of the surgery i could not yell or even raise my voice so he didn't hear me. Nedless to say i ended up wetting myself. My poor husband was so upset he was nearly in tears.I am starting to feel the same way now that i felt last night. I have a feeling it is going to be a long and horrible night. The gas pains are horrible, i have never felt anything like this in my life. I have a FLAT stomach and right know i look to be about 5 months pregnant. I am not exaggeration. They said recovery time will be about 2 weeks, well they haven't been exactly honest with the rest of the info so I'm not sure when i will feel better.

[Sharon2714]

hi and god bless u darlin it sounds rough

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/571232

i have no experience with endometriosis so please try the above link

if u are in OMG pain as opposed to just sore please call ur doctors after hours number .. someties things go wrong and nobody can say for sure unless the screen u properly ... if ur surgeon doesnt have after hours contacts then please go to an emergency room

i have an incision from my pubic bone to my diaphragm and am only 4 weeks post op and not realy up to speed yet but i have improved with time :) so will u if u take good care of urself :)

u know my docs understated the amount of pain as well ... i guess its so u wot decide not to have surgery LOL

the bloating and swelling just started to go down for me but post op i couldnt fit into my own clothes if that helps any

u know there are a lot of women with experience with this procedure in many varying degrees on the ovarian cyst forum ... try reposting this over there

i pray u a good recovery
love
sharon

[Rockee810]

I had my right ovary removed 8-25-08, I didn't have a lot of pain but I still didn't feel like my normal self ands it's been almost 4 weeks. I can not fit any of my pants even my pull ons are to tight, my navel is still sore as well. Sometimes I feel a tugging in my navel when I stand straight so I walk slightly bent and my doctor told me I could return to work in 5 days, not even. Let us all hang  in there and know that Jehovah Jire, the Lord our provider will take care of us with the provisions we need to recover and get back to our lives pre-surgery.

Take care
Roxanne

[liz1972]

hi my name is liz, i had a hysterectomy nearly 3ys ago and im now having to go into hospital next month to have my ovaries removed. im now getting really anxious about the surgery as they have told me that they will try to do it laparoscopy but may have to end up going in through my previous scar. i have read all of your comments and im really starting to worry as im already disabled because of back problems (my spine is crumbling) so i suppose im really looking for reassurance and you all to tell me that im going to be fine lol.

i hope you all make a full and healthy recovery very very soon.

love liz xxxx

[YsarahY]

hi. i had a large ovarian cyst/right ovary/ and fallopian tube tied on Oct.3 08'. i think my recovery was quick i had a laparotomy done and resumed work a week and a half later. I have a high threshold for pain, i have a question if anyone can help. I have a burning(feels like alot of bee stings) on the right side where my ovary used to be. I was  just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. also is another question, I was told(also have known since i was a teenager) that i should not have children due to a genetic condition called marfan syndrome i had open heart surgery a few years ago (i was 18) so that would basically ever count out having kids. part of the surgery was supposed to tie both fallopian tubes but the surgeon refused to tie the left side saying that i am still young (23) and will change my mind. my question is how long i should wait to go see my regular gyno about my options.

[gluv]

I just had an ovarian cyst removed, along with my right ovary on Nov 4th, 2008. The recovery has been an ordeal. Unbelievable pain. I don't seem to be able to tolerate the narcotics and have had similar ordeals to those of you who found you couldn't get yourself up to go to the bathroom. I finally seem to have managed the pain by taking my medication, and anti nausea meds, in small doses every 2 hours. I set an alarm at night and wake up every 2 hours to take the meds. I was refraining from eating salt so that the swelling in my body would go do down but found that I was having muscle spasms in my abdomen and legs, possibly due to low electrolites (too much water and too little minerals). I started drinking Emergen-Cee and the spasms have dissipated. How long will it take for all the swelling to subside from my body?

[lraep]

I had both ovaries removed Dec 18th by laproscopy and I feel pretty good, but my belly button incision seems to be open, like the stitch dissolved before the skin closed over complete.  There is no pus, no fever, no pain, no redness other than the general scar area.   The hole is about 1/4 inch in diameter, but I'm still a little concerned about having a hole in my belly!  Of course, both my GP and OBGYN are closed for the holidays so I called the hospital that did my surgery.  The nurse suggested I cover my belly button up with a band-aid or gauze and tape.  Has anyone had this experience?  Does it eventually heal from the inside out?

[sharieli]

Dear ladies,

Bless all of you. I had my Laparotomy on Nov. 17, 2008. I wish someone would have prepared me for the experience. It is pain like you would hopefully never have to experience again. My stomach and abdomen are was swollen for about 2 weeks. It's been about nine weeks now, and my admonen is still swollen. the incision burns incredibly at times. I work 60 hour work weeks and started full time again this week. My energy is not there and I'm not moving as quickly as a use to. In fact, if I try to move quicky, my incision slows me down. There is no longer pain, but a throbbing and and the burning sensation. It's hard to discribe. I've been spotting for almost 5 weeks now. The nurse said it is normal. I have been on birth control for continuously since Oct. 15, 2008. I need to brave it and have my period. I decided to have it the 1st week in February. That will give me 2 more weeks for my body to adjust. I would encourage any lady who have a pending surgery to seek advise from those who has experienced it. You will find it helpful. If I can offer some quick advise:
1) Build upper body strength. You will need it during your stay in the hospital pulling yourself in and out of bed.
2) Have a great care giver partner. Thank God I had my mother. She was amazing.
3) The gas pain can be very painful. All the doctors said to get rid of it was to walk. Let me tell you something. YOU DO NOT FEEL LIKE WALKING. Do what you can. When I got home, I took Benefiber with my meals. It did help with the gas.
There is so much more. Please feel free to contact contact me via email at ***@**** if you have gone through this or about to. I do work a lottof hours, but I promise I will get back to you. There is so much your doctor does not tell you. Good bless.

[wapity]

Hi,

I am 28 years old and I had a laparotomy on 23rd December 2008 to remove a 10cm corpus luteum cyst on my right ovary which had ruptured.  It all happened very fast for me.  I experienced pain on the 21st December and was taken into hospital.  I had no idea what was happening.  I was given an internal ultrasound and then a CT scan.  I was then told that the scan had shown something measuring 10cm on my right ovary but that they did not know what it was.  As you can imagine i was thinking the worst.  They told me they could not rule anything out but they did believe it was more likely to be a cyst or abscess.  I was told that I would lose my right ovary and tube.  After signing my surgery consent form I had a very sleepless night in hospital worrying about the surgery.  The pain was quite intense and actually radiated all up the right side of my body and into my right shoulder which made it painful to breathe.  It also caused fluid to accumulate around my liver and lungs, which i later found out was due to the amount of blood that was hemoridging from the cyst.  So i was given a morphine injection for the pain and also some IV paracetamol to reduce my temperature.

I woke up the next day and my surgery was at 3pm.  I went down for surgery and was back in my room 3 hours later.  It was good news.  When they opened me up and realised it was a corpus luteum cyst that had ruptured they were able to drain away all the blood that had gathered in my pelvis and they sewed up my ovary.  They didnt have to remove the ovary after all (I was delighted).  After the surgery I had a morphine pump for the pain which i controlled via a small button which was kept in my right hand.  I also had a catheter in which was removed 24 hours after surgery together with the morphine pump.  This is when i was told i had to get up and walk around.  Well I was not ready for the pain but I have to admit once i was up it did start easing.  My incision is just below my bikini line and is about 8 inches long.  I was scared to look at it at first but then after 5 days when i was getting my prolene and bead stitch removed i finally looked and i realised it wasn't as bad as i had imagined.

I am now 4 weeks post op tomorrow and i am not yet back to myself but I am almost there.  I have done everything the doctors told me.  I have got up and moved around as much as possible every day.  I have avoided the urge to stay in bed some days.  I shower every day anyway, but after a laparotomy it is essential to shower every day to keep the wound clean to avoid infection.  The doctors told me just to bring the shower head down to the wound and gently wet the area.  My wound has never leaked or oozed and has healed perfectly.  As I said i am 4 weeks post op and I am able to walk about 40 minutes per day.  I have my follow-up appointment on 3rd Feb so im looking forward to being back to myself very soon.  I hope my story helps others.

Wapity

[kathypoppins]

I had a laporoscopy on Jan 2nd 2009 to have my left ovary and left fallopian tune removed. I had a very large cyst on the overy.  It is jus tover 3 weeks since my surgery and the incision on my left side is red, warm to the touch and still oozing.  I am very tired and feel week when I try to do too much.  I do nothav a fever or anything.  has anyone else had this happen?  How long before I can expect to be "back to normal"?

[Jenwa]

Hi all,

I too had a Laparotomy on 31/12/2008. I went in knowing I had a large abdominal mass (16cm) and had showed signs of cancer markers in my bloods. I signed a long consent to whatever they had to do.. it ranged from a fibroid to ovarian tumor. Thankfully the tumor was benign and they removed my left ovary and fallopian tube and was given the all clear.
I too felt terrible and the pain was unbearable but I was also eager to go home as I found it difficult to rest in Hospital. I was discharged on day 4, the painkillers perscribed to me to take home did nothing for me and I couldnt sleep in bed as everytime I laid flat the pain tore through me, and sleeping on my side was a no no as I felt like my insides were being twisted. I found walking around helped me although once it hit the evening thats when the pain kicks in.
Its hard to describe but I experiance a lot of sharp pains in both my hips and down my left side, has anyone experiance the same? It has been 4 weeks and the pain has not gone.. somedays worse than others I have been back to my GP and been perscribed with antibotics for a urine infection which I finished last week and still the pain is there.
I was told a six week to twleve week recovery but Im not sure if I should be feeling this way, I get so tired and hungry all the time.. has anyone experianced the same? I be grateful for any advice.
Many thanks in advance.

[wapity]

I was just reading both your stories and im sorry to hear that things are not going so good for either of you.

Kathypoppins, it sounds like you have a wound infection.  You mention it being hot to touch and oozing, this is a sign of infection.  You should contact the ward you were in at the hospital for advice from the nurses and if need be they will advise you to go to your GP for antibiotics.  Feeling tired at 3 weeks is very normal so I would not be worrying about that.  Good luck.

Jenwa, you had quite a large mass removed so its no wonder you are still experiencing quite a bit of pain.  I understand what you mean about the pain when lying flat, my pain was relieved by my painkillers but I also found that putting a pillow under my legs (to raise them a little) when i was lying flat helped reduce the pain.  I am now almost 6 weeks post op and I still feel a little pain when Im lying on my side but its so much better than it was.  You mention sharp pains, down both hips and particularly your left side (where the work was done).  I have experienced similar to this but it tends to be when I have wind.  You wouldnt believe how much pain wind can cause, and it can also cause pain in places you wouldnt expect.  Mention it to your doctor anyway but Im sure its nothing for you to worry about.  Its major surgery you have had so its going to take your body a good while to recover.  Take care.

[Jenwa]

Thankyou for your reply.. and I hope your recovery is going well. You mentioned wind.. and now it makes sense as I tend to be very gassy. My scar too runs from my pubic bone to my belly button. I have been lucky as it has healed very well but my parents kept me on a strict diet as being chinese they believe that eggs and beef and prawns are not good after op. Eggs and prawns could increase infection and beef causes the scar to itch.. believe it or not its worked for me so far.
Take care too and thanks again for your reply , its so reassuring to hear from someone that has been through a similar operation. I was beginning to get worried ha ha.

x

[Totie]

You guys have really got me worried not about my upcoming surgery. Feb 10. I think they are calling it a diagnostic laposcopy (sp) They are initially going in to remove a tumor that is underneathe my aorta, but will be looking at my female organs due to the fact that my monthly cycles are off (to many periods) and I have pain in the left side. My gyno will do an ultra sound this coming week because she felt something on the left during the pelvic exam. If there is anything that needs to come out she will have the surgeon do it while removing the tumor. The tumor is not able to be biopsied due to the location and they can not tell for sure that it is not a cancerous tumor. They are hoping it will be the answer to my weight loss and night sweats. The night sweats could be due to me hitting menopaus (38). -30lbs in a year. I am 5'2 and weigh now 98lbs. I do have issues with my thyroid medication, I am either over medicated or undermedicated. I had a thyroidectomy 15yrs ago. I have also had to have my submandibular gland removed (10-08) due to a sialdentias  (chronic infection), and during my surgery for that they discovered a calcified ligament (Eagle Syndrome) and two calcified lymph nodes. This tumor they are removing is also calcified. I have also had an abscess that had two different kinds of infection in it on my left buttock, it was on the inside, they did the cut and drain twice due to the infection not going away. That took a month to clear up using 3 different antiboitics. They will be looking at my kidneys, I am currently being treated for Intestrial Cystis (FREQUENT urination) And last but not least, they will be looking at my adrenal glands.

Sorry, did not mean to tell my life story here....

I hope i am not in that much pain after mine. I only scheduled two weeks from work...

[tiareta2]

I had a laparotomy to remove a 12cm dermoid cyst and left ovary 9 days ago. There was also a small 3cm cyst on the right ovary. It was an emergency procedure performed just one hour after getting the results of an ultrasound test. So there was no way of me to prepare for it, as everything happened to quickly.
I have the ubiquitous ER horror story, but that's besides the point. I spent 9 hours in the ER, in immense pain, until finally an ultrasound was performed that revealed the mutant alien dermoid. I was misdiagnosed one week earlier when I went to ER for severe abdominal pains, with a kidney infection. Ten days later and down to the last 2 pills of cipro, the pains persisted and I knew something was seriously wrong.
Fortunately a OB/GYN had come in that evening and explained the diagnosis, for which there is no other alternative to surgical removal. A laparoscopy was not a viable option due to the size of the cyst, so that's why a laparotomy was the best way to go. The doctor said the procedure would take 1 hour but I woke up 3 hours from the last time I looked at the clock. I was heavily sedated and in tremendous pain, yet I was expected to lift myself from the gurney to my hospital bed like I didn't have a 6 inch gash above my pubic bone. The nurse gave me some morphine so I could sleep through the night but it didn't help because other nurses would wake me up to take blood or blood pressure.
Prior to the surgery, the doctor told me I could return to work the following Monday (4 days post-surgery) and was a bit surprised. From what I've been reading, 6 weeks is the normal time to heal properly. I'm supposed to return to work next week, which means 2 weeks post-surgery. I still feel a bit of discomfort and pain but each day it gets a little better. Vicodin doesn't do anything for me but make my groggy and tired--I still feel pain. So rather than risk becoming addicted to the "lazy" feeling, I stopped taking vicodin after the 2nd day. The hardest thing has been getting out of bed because I have nothing to hold onto. My advice, if you know you're going to have a laparotomy, is to do a lot of abdominal resistance exercises. They will help you and come in handy! I have pretty strong abs but have not done exercises in a while so I believe it has made recovery a little slower, but it's OK. I walk everyday, albeit slow and more like a shuffle, but it helps. Squats help too.
I still feel pain on the left side. I don't have a follow-up with the doctor until the day after I return to work, but I hope that it's not anything serious, just a normal internal recovery process. Don't beat yourself up for not healing fast enough. It's not like a cut on the finger! I don't recommend watching comedy either because it hurts to laugh..no joke! Take things at your pace. Truly, each person heals differently so you have to listen to your body and how it responds.

[manchester1]

I had a laparotomy 2 weeks ago, left ovary and large ovarian cyst removed along with having a right ovarian cyst drained, I was in hospital for 5 days, my cysts were miss diagnosed in April 08 said I had a water infection, when infact it was a 13cm x 6cm cyst. This was not discovered until October 08 when I had an ultra sound scan. I was told it is very rare to have cysts on both ovaries, the Dr could not see my left ovary so told me I only had them on one side. In Nov 08 I had an MRI, shortly after this I had the surgery where the surgeon discovered my left ovary was infact worse than my right and therefor it had to be removed along with the cyst and my left fallopian tube. My right side was drained. After surgery the surgeon told me I was lucky to be alive as if I had been out in a shopping centre and it had burst I would not be here today. I urge anyone who has an incline that something is not right to ask for a second opinion, i only wish I had done that in April maybe then i wouldn't of had to have my ovary or fallopian tube removed. I now have Prostap injections once a month for 6 months, I do not know if I will ever be able to have children until I try. Has anyone had the same as me done and gone on to have a baby? I'm desperate for some reassurance

[Jaymers821]

I am 19 years old and just found out that i have a 15 cm cyst on my right ovary. The doctors said usually they do a laparoscopy to remove cysts but due to the size of it I'm thinking they will have to do a laparotomy instead. My main concern is the recovery time. I am a full time student and I am a waitress at a very busy restaurant which involves me to move around a lot. Do you think due to the size i will need a laparotomy? I am worried about taking time off of school and work. I have rent/bills to pay and also don't want to fall behind in school.

Will a cyst this size more than likely need a laparotomy? Thus resulting in a long painful recovery?

[hayls1985]

i had a laparoscopy to remove al arge bleeding cyst on my right ovary and ended up haviong my ovary removed as well as it had caused so much damage. i am going back to work on monday which will have been 2 weeks since surgery. i currently only work part time so im hoping i will manage but i am still pretty sore and extemly tired. my main wound where the ovary was removed is still extremly sore, the doctor said it looks angryand i am just to keep an eye on it over teh next week

[tiareta2]

Jaymers-I would not recommend going back to work right away. I believe you can claim disability through your employer. Each state varies. I was alotted sick leave for the first 5 days and the additional 5 were covered under state disability benefits. Also, look into FMLA.  (Google it for more information.) The first week was a struggle to stand up and getting out of bed was the worst. I think you should take it easy the first week and then see how you feel but make sure you see the doctor before you return to work. It's now 3 weeks post-op and I'm at about 85%. The most important healing is internal so you need to ensure you don't do something that will cause the healing to be impeded.

hayls1985-You will be sore for awhile. My cyst was thought to be the size of a softball but turned out to be be larger. The left side where the cyst was and the ovary removed is still swollen but trust that each day you will get better. If you need more time off, you should talk with your doctor. I was given either a 2 week doctor's note or a 6 week. I should have taken the 6 weeks, just because I wanted 1 extra week to relax before jumping back into the stressful work environment.

[twarner]

Just wondering if anyone knows roughly the recovery time for a removal of a ovary, also scar tissue.  I only took 1 week after my operation.  i wonder how i will feel and if that is enough time.  i work in a office but i have 60 stairs to climb to get to my office.  Can anyone give me a heads up on this

[Rch]

I am so pleased to have found this site.  I had a laparotomy on 31st March.  I went into hospital for a laparoscopy to remove a 10 cm multilocular cyst on my left ovary.  At the time they could not rule out cancer.  For what was a simple procedure I was in surgery for over 4 hours and lost a litre and a half of blood as they found much smaller cysts and endometriosis all over my ovaries and matted to my pelvis.  I ended up with a laparotomy.  They removed both of my ovaries and cleaned them up then put them back! I was given very little advice on discharge from hospital and don't have a follow up appointment until mid August.  My tummy is huge and bloated and the pain worsens during the day.  I have been to the gp as I felt like I had a water infection and felt constant pressure within my pelvis.  My GP said that I should mention it to my specialist when I go there in August.  I have been told that I should not go back to work for 12 weeks to allow it to heal completely.  I am now for weeks on and though I can move around better I am still sore.  My belly is overhanging where my stitches were so it is hard to check them and my belly still feels a bit numb in places.  I thought that it was just me and I was not healing in the way I should be but reading this forum has reassured me that it is normal to feel this way and to have these symptoms.  I hope that all of the other ladies on this site also recover quickly.

[Sweetsummur]

I just had the surgery 6 days ago.  They removed my left ovary.  Orginally, they were only supposed to drain the very large functional cyst that was causing me pain, but once they got in, say the ovary was neucrotic (sp) and had move to the other side of my belly!  So, In all they made 4 cuts! Belly button, one on each side of my abdomen, and 3 inch cut in my bikini line (which I agree is the most painful of the 4).

Since surgery, I have done quite bit of moving around, albeit uncomfortable at times, but I stopped taking the pain medicine (they had me on a norco pump) the day after surgery because it was causing constipation.  What with the pain and gas from that, it was worse than the surgery pain.  I never even bothered to fill my prescription for vicodin.  

6 days later, and I'm planning to go to work tomorrow!  I'm sore, but find that the most discomfort is trying to sit up from a laying posting (love the lady bird on its back reference) and having to cough (Oh god, that's the worst).  But I just hold my belly and do what I can.

I too have the over hanging, swollen abdomen, but hope that after my first menstrual this will start to go down.  I'm also on birth control since before the surgery which may explain why I'm not experiencing the hormonal issues that some have expressed. No crunches for me in the near future, but looking at some work out options that may help strengthen my core (any ideas?)

I find that getting out and getting some sunshine has worked wonders for me! Each morning, I feel a little better which is extremely encouraging.  My digestive system still isn't regulated, so sometimes I do feel the pressure in the evening from the food pressing down.

[Momoftwo02]

I just had surgery yesterday 5/14/09.  I went in as an outpatient procedure and was told I had a golf ball size cyst on my right ovary and that I would have the cyst removed and possibly the ovary.  The procedure was laprascopic and they made an incision in my belly button and and bikini line.  My surgery was at 11:40am and they discharged me at 2pm.  I am having severe pain in my belly button incision and it had some bleeding last night, I don't even feel the bikini line incision.  I barely slept last night and I am taking Vicodin for the pain which really doesn't seem to be helping one bit.  I woke up this morning to sunburned and extremly warm cheeks which now I have been told by the anesthesiologist that it is an allergic reaction to the adhesive tape they used to close my eyes and the tube down my throat.  I now have a fever and am waiting for my surgeon to call back.  I planned on going back to work Tuesday 5/19 and now they are telling me to expect to be out for 7-10 days when I have my post surgical checkup....

[kat2004]

can anyone tell me why my belly feels like a burning sensation. i had my right ovary removed due to endomet on may22 and everytime i go to get up from laying down i get a sharp pinching feeling on my left side,what is this,is it just tenderness or something else.my checkup is not until june22nd.

[sibelhodge]

Hi all
I had a 5cm dermoid cyst removed from right ovary 5 weeks ago. The surgeon said he could remove it laparoscapy but when he went in through the belly button it was too close to the ovary so I had a laparatomy as well, which as some of you said it is a big shock when not expecting it. 5 weeks on I still have a swollen bulge above the laparotomy incision which is below the bikini line and my stomach feels sore, swollen and with lumps under the skin in the muscle. The would itself is flat, clean and looks OK it is just the area above which is swollen. The belly button incision got infected and has now cleared after antibiotics and healed but there is also a small lump under that one too. The muscles either side of my belly button are also sore and a bit lumpy. I was expecting by now that the swelling in my stomach would have gone down, but it seems that many of you are still swollen after this length of time post surgery. I'm also getting twinging pain in the area where the dermoid was and the area skin above the scar is still numb, I believe it can take quite a while for the nerves to grow back.

[guest352]

My goodness, these blogs have me depressed!!  Sorry, and not to be disrespectful or anything - but  I had my right ovary and tube removed about 5 years ago - no big deal!  I was back at work within a week - none of this pain, etc that is mentioned in these blogs!   Now I am looking at the other one being removed soon, as they have discovered a cyst, so I thought I would log on and catch up on the latest treatment, recovery, etc....  wow, was I in for a shock.  I am not sure what's wrong with the majority of these issues - maybe infection, etc???  but I sure hate it for anyone getting ready for this surgery to have to read these blogs - goodness, it would scare anyone to death!!!!  I am here to tell you however, that what I had done (5 years ago!!!) was a piece of cake...so good luck to everyone1!!!

[sunnie079]

Hello This is Sunnie. I had a laparotomy Sep.1. I had two cysts removed one from each side.However thank god no cancer and I kepy my organs.One was nine cm one was seven cm. It's almost been three weeks.I dont know if what I'm still feeling is normal.I call the docs they jsut say come in and for 400.00 bucks I will tell ya nothing and take  a pill...lol
The cut it not painfull to me,I have stiches from the insde.I went home a day later I had the tape strips over it and took them off the following week. No pain in that. However the pain I get it a sharp pain in my tummy sometimes and I'm so bloated most the times.like I have to release gas and for nothing I cant I end up burping it out.I do relase little bits but still hurts to push,I get a tighness in my tummy.I did not have a BM till the seventh day of being home that was god awful..WOW that hurt I  must warn anyone of that.So sorry. The swelling looks ugly still like a have a shelf above the cut and it soild,thats was hurts is the swelling and the bloatedness from gas. Does that lump go away at all.
I still have a hard time wearing underwear and pants it hits the swollen area. Lost and going nuts I just wanna be me again

[jlo420]

Had a baby girl July 28th.  Normal delivery, actually a VBAC for me.  3 weeks later, I started getting really bad pains all over my stomach.  several calls to doctor & an office visit & nothing was found.  Ended up in the ER - a scan showed what appeared to be a 9cm cyst on rt ovary & torsioning of the tube.  Couldn't bear the pain, so opted for laproscopic surgery to remove the cyst 2 days later.  Woke up from surgery to find out it wasn't a cyst, but a serious infection.  How the bacteria (alpha strep) got there - not clear, b/c I didn't have any tears in my uterus & had an unassisted delivery.  I'm wondering if breaking my water could've had something to do with it.  2 days in the hospital & large doses of antibiotics & went home. I knew things weren't right & was back in the ER 2 days later, in pain & with fever, labor day weekend.  This time, emergency laporatomy - they took my tubes & right ovary.  So much for avoiding the c-section this pregnancy.  Woke up to the big cut, staples, catheter & an NG tub hanging out of my news - oh yeah & a morphine drip.  Less than 12 hrs later, cath out & I was walking around.  In lots of pain, I'd imagine if I hadn't hit the morpine button 42 times one hour - it's a good thing they only released a drip every 6 minutes!  Didn't eat for about 5 days.  Had the tube in for almost 4 days until my intestines woke up.  Couldn't wait to get home to my baby girl & toddler boy & amazing husband.  3 wks out, I'm still in a lot of pain.  After a couple of good days, I start doing more & cutting down on meds, but then the pain seems to get unbearable.  On ibuprophen round the clock, with a couple of percocet a day.  Also still on antibiotics, but hoping to kick them early next week.  I just asked my doc point blank how much longer I'd need to depend on the ibuprophen & got an answer that shocked me - 6-8 wks!!!  I wasn't really told how long the recovery would be, and then I heard 4 wks - I'm 3 wks now & find it hard to believe that I'll be recovered by next week.  I'm sure every case is different & having had the infection & 2 surgeries, I'm probably not at the top of my game to bounce back so fast.  But I hope to get over the hump soon - it's been a lot on my hubby, kids & family too.  

Wishing everyone a speedy & smooth recovery.

[maddysmere]

Hi, today is Sunday-two days ago I had my right ovary and tube removed via laproscopic surgery. The surgery took three hours instead of the expected one hour due to scar tissue from endometriosis.  I had a 10 cm cyst on the right ovary.  I feel a bit better today than the surgery day and yesterday.  Still very, very sore and stiff and have not been able to have a bowel movement.  I hate the pain meds-oxycodone and try to bear the pain without taking the meds.  Any suggestions on how to help my bowels along and have a bm?  i think it would help me feel much better.  Also, what kind of recovery should I expect?  How long, side effects, etc.  Thanks for any info and all the best to anyone dealing with this.

[jlo420]

try warm prune juice.  a nurse gave some to me in the hospital after my first laproscopic surgery - it really got things going.  

[maddysmere]

Five days post-op today and I am feeling so much better. Belly is still tender but I can move around much easier and I feel like myself more and more each day.To jlo420 - thanks so much for the advise about the prune juice-it worked like a charm :)

Hang in there everyone, the first couple of days after surgery are painful but it does get better-trust me.  Be good to yourself, take it slow and rest-don't overdo.  Take care.

[Tea_O]

Hi there.  I'm 28 years old.  I just had a Laparotomy to remove a 10cm dermoid cyst 5 weeks ago in my left ovary.  My doctor gave me 8 weeks off.  Today is my 6th week and I still don't feel good yet.  My 10cm incision was made under my bikini line (very grateful for that).  However I'm not healing as fast as I'm hoping for.  At first the incision had brown liquid coming out and then it turned to yellow.  After one area of the incision close up then another area of the incision opens up again with fluids coming out.  This is my 6th week and there's still an opening on the incision that has yellow fluids coming out.  I already ate a week worth of antibiotics.  My doctor say it'll just need more time to heal.  HOW LONG DID IT TAKE EVERYONE ELSE TO HAVE THEIR WOUND 100% CLOSED????  The wound area is still a bit soar and it feels numb around it.  I'm tired all the time.  I can't stand or walk for too long.  I feel so weak all the time.  Most of the time I'm laying there on my bed.  Now I'm not sure if 8 weeks is enough time for me to heal!  And as for the constipation problem for some people, PRUNE JUICE definite works.

[lyncrys]

Hi everyone,

I had a laparotomy on Sept 15th.  I was told I would be in the hospital for three days.  
In Feb I had my internal ultrasound which put the dermoid cyst at 7x8cm.
In April I had a MRI which put it at 9x10cm.  When it was removed it was a 16lb 17x15cm.

When I got to the hospital the anesthesiologist asked me if I was willing to have an epidural instead of being put under.  I am so completely terrified of needles but I have also been put under and it takes me forever to wake up.  
I agreed to have the epidural and would recommend it to anyone.  They gave me the shot in my back and before I could say my name I couldn`t feel anything.  They gave me a sedative and I slept the entire time until they woke me up and said ok all done.   this also meant that there was not a tube put down my throat, they also didn`t have to tape my eyes shut.
Laparotomy by epidural can you imagine... I couldn`t either but was the best thing I could have done.    

I wasn`t prepared for being wide awake in recovery and not being able to feel my legs but the nurse was amazing and kept talking to me, she said she wasn`t used to people being alert.  Within a couple of hours I had feeling back and it was worth it.
It worked because I didn`t have to spend a day recovering from the anesthesia, which got me home in two days instead of three.  My catheter was taken out in 18 hours and they took away my morphine pump in less then 24 because I wasn`t using it enough.
As most have said the bloating and gas pain is painful but manageable after the first week.  Rolling over in bed or sitting up again the worst for a week then it get better every day.
I have been off work for 8 weeks and yes I am tired but I think it has to do with being able to nap everyday....I feel great and also know not to work too hard yet but my family is happy I can now vacuum, sweep, and lift the laundry.

Only takes time but I promise the worst part will be over before you know it (first week is spent in bed). Your body will tell you when you should back up and lay down.

[lyncrys]

Before my laparotomy i had a laparoscopy to remove my gall bladder.  What you are talking about sounds like you should go back and have it restitched.  Only requires going to your GP and a small local.  I also had that done and it made all the difference in the world with the pain.

[gsn2000]

hello there,

i am glad to hear somebody's like me (re:taking longer to heal) . i had laparotomy aug 28 this year and was given 6 weeks off, but until now have not returned back to work. reason? my wound is taking much longer to heal. they have to cut through keloid scars you see, the doctor explained it would take longer for that to heal. this morning, i have prepared my self to go to work as it has been 10 weeks post op, but the throbbing pain on my wound site and the tenderness and soreness made me not go after all. i still need a dressing as it still feels really raw and sore, i still can't wear jeans or trousers and knickers that sits low on the waist as i really feel it. i don't know when it will feel ok but walking fast or long still makes it feel sore. i am a bit frustrated as i want to feel normal again quickly. i want to go back to the gym, work and dancing again but the soreness restricts me still.  this was my 2nd surgery for a 2nd ectopic so they have to cut through my keloid scar.

[pam86]

hi, im wondering how long it takes to recover after gettin both my tubes removed. It started of with the doctors thinking i mite have a cyst on my right ovary as i had an internal scan and my consultant found a shadow on the ovary.  I then went on to have a laprascopsy to remove 'cyst'.  It turned out that my tube and bowel were attatched to my appendix scar. (My appendix bursted when i was young).  The pain recoverin from laprascopsy was terrible i was so tired and sore. i could not lie down or sit up straight. it was so frustrating. i went back to work 12 days after operation, which now i def realise was far too short recovery time.   I have a low pain barrier lol. can any1 advise a proper recovery period. Thanks a million and good luck all

[jamaples]

I had my right ovary removed last Wednesday Nov. 11 and some scar tissued removed as well.  I had a laparoscopy, have a cut in my belly button and 2 small ones below that.  I didn't do anything the day after surgery.  By Friday I was at least up and showered and feeling much better.  It's now Sunday and doing really good.  Went to church and grocery store.  Just be careful as you tire really easy.  About 8 years ago I had a cyst on my left overy.  My doctor removed the cyst back then and within a month I was back in surgery again to have the ovary removed as another cyst formed.  He left my right ovary in as I was only 39 or 40 at that time.  Back then the recovery was about like now, faily easy.  Doctor said I could go back to work whenever I feel like it.  The only discomfort I have and it is minor is the pulling around the stitches.  I don't normally write on these but I read through quite a bit and just wanted to let everyone know not all experiences are bad.  The main thing is to listen to your body.  It will tell you if you are doing too much.  Good luck to anyone researching this for an upcoming surgery.  
Thanks,
J

[sweety19]

Hi all,
Jamaples, I agree with you to listen to your body, the only thing is that sometimes your body does not tell you it rather show you.  I had a surgical laparoscopy oct 13 and it was not easy, I was told it would be a piece of cake but not so much.  After two weeks my doctor told me I could get back to my regular routine which I was dying to do.  I asked if I could exercise and he said yes but still waited an extra week.  I started with no problem and it was my second week working my butt off.  Unfortunatelly I found a small hole on one of my incisions and it freaked me out, there is no pain or pus or anything so I thought it was normal....to my surprise a day later my right incision had a small opening and I called the doctor they told me it was normal and to put vitamin E.  I did mention that the only difference was my working out and did not tell me to stop.  I am very worried, guess I should've kept off my work-outs and waited a bit longer.  I was also avoiding lotions or anything for that matter on my incisions after the surgery so it was always dry and with the running and lifting must've irritated the incisions.  I have also experience stomach discomfort but this has been since the very beginning, not to mention the bloating that seems to stay with you for quite some time.  I guess everyone recovers different and what works for some don't necessarily work for all.  Take your time recovering and take care because nothing should be worth more than to feel 100%  Don't rush as I did, surgeries can take longer to heal and because the outside seems normal does not mean the inside is ready.  Its better to be safe than sorry so slow down, let nature take its course!!  Good Luck everyone!!!!!

[kate_1045]

I just wanted to share my experience because it was helpful reading everyone else’s.  I am 28 years old with no children and I missed my period for 2 months in a row so my doctor did an internal ultrasound to look for problems.  She found a 5cm cyst on my left ovary that she thought was a dermoid cyst and said she would probably have to remove it.  She observed it for 4 weeks and then said it grew to 7cm so she scheduled a laparoscopic surgery for 7:00 a.m. 2 weeks later.

It turned out to be a chocolate cyst the size of an orange and stage III endometriosis (which is weird because I have no symptoms). They initially went in with a scope through my belly button, but had to do a laparotomy instead.  I woke up with one staple in the belly button incision and seven staples in an about 4 inch incision at my bikini line.  

When I woke up I was scared because I could feel the bikini line incision and wasn’t expecting it at all.  I also had a catheter and oxygen max.  After what seem like forever they wheeled me to my room and my husband and mom came in and explained what happened.  I only really had pain in my stomach when I moved or coughed/laughed.  They would not take the catheter out until I had “bowl sounds” which happened the next morning.  After they took that out I was able to have a drink which I was so thankful for because my throat was super dry and flemmy from not being able to drink or cough.  After peeing on my own, passing gas (they were really concerned about this which kept grossing me out), eating solid food and going on a ten minute slow walk I got to go home about 3:00 the day after surgery.  I had a morphine drip in the hospital but never used it, which the doctors and the nurses seem really surprised about, but it only hurt when I moved to I just didn’t move.  I also recommend keeping a pillow on your belly and pushing down to prepare for coughing and laughing.

The doctor gave me two pain killer prescriptions and I’m 6 days post op and have not filled them.  I feel like I’m recovering pretty fast.  It is still sore when I go from laying to sitting, but I am having little pain when I go from sitting to standing. By my 4 days post op I was able to sleep on my side which my back was very happy about.  I had my first BM 3 days post op and it wasn’t as bad as I thought, but I would recommend stool softners during your recovery. The incision looks like it is healing with no puss or bleeding.  I was 5’2 134lbs (a little chubby) pre-op and now I’m down to 128 which makes me happy (I’m not sure how much the cyst weighed).  It now looks like I have two little guts I think from the swelling one normal one and then another one in between the 1st one and the incision (sorry hard to describe).

I am having gas pain in my shoulders.  It usually happens when I go from walking around back to laying down.  I can feel the big bubble travel up there.  It hurts quite a bit and massaging it helps.  I thought it would be gone by now.

My doctor said no work for 2 weeks and then work from home for 2 more weeks.  I am an accountant so my work does not require much movement.  I feel like I could go back on Monday, but I also don’t want to mess anything up long term or slow healing.  I go back tomorrow to get the staples out so I’m hoping she will change the working from home to maybe half days or every other day.

If you are still reading…..sorry this is so long, I just know reading the details helped me :)