Surgery scheduled Tuesday...scared....not sure what to expect!

[dcorwin13]

Hello,

I am new to all of this. While on vacation a month ago, I was rushed to the emergency room with horrible pain in my abdomen. They thought it was appendicitis. Ended up being a 8x6 ovarian cyst that was on my right ovary and it had twisted (torsion).  I was told to see my OBGYN the day I got home. When I went to see my OBGYN she put me on a strong dose of BC pills, hoping that they would help shrink the cyst. Unfortunately, the cyst did not shrink and she has scheduled me for a laprascopic ovarian cystectomy on Tuesday. But, she said that she will possibly be doing an oopheractomy (ovary removal) due to low blood supply to the ovary, she thinks it may be dying... and possibly a laparatomy depending on what things look like once she gets in there. (She says she doesn't want to risk "spillage" in my abdomen, which is why she may do the laparotomy) I am so nervous, but I think its mostly because I don't know what to expect or how to prepare. From my understanding, laprascopic is not quite as bad and recovery time is about a week or two. With the laparatomy, its about 2-4 weeks. Has anyone had a similar situation? Any suggestions? THANK YOU!!

[mollylynn]

I will pray for you !you take care of yourself.:)  

[dcorwin13]

Today, I am 1 week post-op.

My surgeon called me today, with some not so great news =( The biopsy came back from the pathologist today and they think that the cyst was infact a borderline tumor. She says they're not sure if its cancerous but that it had "A-typical features". I am really nervous and don't know what all of this means. She also said that when she opened the cyst there was "suspicious spillage".  She is referring me to an oncologist a few hours away so he can get a better look at things and find out if it is in fact, cancer....

Has anyone had similar results? What does all of this mean? I am freaking out right now!!!

[MarieMichele]

I am glad you are on the road to recovery!  (you, too, Julesred!)

I guess I was lucky regarding the nausea or my anesthesiologist was a magician.  He put round anti-nausea stickers behind my ears (which I did not remove for about a week) and I never felt nausea.  I did have bigger surgery and a longer hospital stay, though, and I would have been lost without the narcotic pain medication for the first week or two, although I took about 1/2 to 1/4 of the dosage I was allowed to take.  

Thanks for responding.  Get lots of rest and don't rush things if you find you are not ready for work next week.  Yeah, the pain from trapped air/gas is easily the most unexpected part of the recovery.  Nobody knows what it's like until they experience it first hand.  Gently rub the painful areas and walk.  It takes time but it will go away.  

[Julesred]

So glad that all went well!  I am a week post-op and thought that the first 4 days after surgery were the best.  I think I over-did it a little, so do relax.  May I suggest Zofran for anti-nausea.  It's the most powerful anti-nausea med. for chemo patients and very effective (does not make you drowsy like Phenergan and Reglan).  I did not take any of the pain medication either...just motrin.  Take it easy over the next week!

[dcorwin13]

Well, I am 3 days post op. Surgery went GREAT, thank the lord! My surgeon was able to do laprascopic with 3 little incisions (1 in belly button, 2 near bikini line), she only had to remove about 1/3 of my right ovary and was able to salvage the rest of it! The day of surgery and Wednesday were very rough on me. I was VERY nauseas coming out of surgery and was throwing up every time I had to get up for the first 48 hours. Since then, I have been much better. I haven't had to take any pain meds, only motrin here and there. I have been taking some nausea pills which have made me very groggy. Today I have only had 2 motrins and am feeling good. I walked to the mailbox alone, and even made muffins for breakfast this morning! The worst part has been the trapped air in my rib cage that tends to sit in my right shoulder. ITS KILLER!!! I really wish they gave you some type of relief for that. Anyway, I will continue to let everyone know how recovery goes. I am planning to go back to work Monday, depending on how I am feeling! =)

[MarieMichele]

How did your surgery go?  We'd love to hear from you as soon as you are able to check back with us.

[Julesred]

Phenergan tends to knock you out (I have taken that for 3 years with migraines).  Zofran doesn't make you so drowsy.  I was prescribed Demerol but did not take any.  Because so many of the meds make people drowsy on top of the anesthesia, I would definitely check with your doctor.  I was really up and about the next morning... But I know better than to overdo it.  Go in prepared and everything will go well.  Feel free to ask any other questions.  

[dcorwin13]

Well, hopefully I wont have too much pain then. I weigh 135....I could afford to lose 10 lbs but dont have a lot of body fat. I certainly hope thats true!! :) I have a perscription for the pain-percocet. I also have some phenegran, which was prescriped to me a few months back for something different. I need to remember to ask my surgeon if I can take those with the percocet.

I am glad to hear that your up and about after only 4 days. I am reallllly hoping for laparoscopic too...I can handle being down a week, maybe even two. Thanks again for your reply, and I hope your recovery continues to go well. =)

[Julesred]

On the gas pains I will share what my doctor told me.  I had very minimal discomfort from the gas and when I told him this the next day he stated that the gas itself chemically changes into an acid that absorbs into fat.  I do not have a lot or body fat, so my surgeon explained that as the reason for the lack of gas pain.  For the nausea, ask your suegeon to prescribe zofran sublingual tabs to take home just in case.

In my case, I am on the forth day post op and can say that I Am forcing myself to take it easy but could go back to work if needed.  Look into your HR FMLA leave if you are concerned.  I am fortunately able to work from home next week.  I was climbing the stairs in my home the night I came home from surgery (though very slowly).  Like you they did not know how extensively they would need to go (I came out with 3 iv's and an artery monitor) bur they were able to remove the tumor laparoscpically.  Best to you.  Let me know if you have any other questions and I will be happy to answer (since I obviously  have the time ;).

[dcorwin13]

Thank you both for your comments. =)

My daughter leaves for camp tomorrow for 1 week, so I have spent most of my day getting her packed up, as well as getting myself and the house ready for my surgery.

I have read through a lot of the posts on here (thanks MarieMichele) and do feel a little better about the surgery. Its just hard for me not knowing which way the surgery is going to go. I am preparing myself for laparatomy, but am hoping for laprascopic.

I did go buy some gas-x pills, as I was told that the gas pains can be really bad, although Im not sure how much help they'll actually be.

I have a little anxiety as I only have about 100 sick hrs accrued at work, and that won't cover me if I have to have laparatomy. Does anyone have a good time frame as to how long you were out of work?

My husband is taking 1 week off to stay home and help me, hopefully by the 2nd week I will be able to go to the bathroom on my own....:)

I am a very nauseas person, so I did ask the anesthesiologist to pre-treat me for that.

I will let everyone know how my surgery goes, thanks again for your comments!!

[Julesred]

I just had my surgery on Tuesday night (21st) and I must say that although I was prepared for the worst, the outcome could not have been better.  You will be sore afterwards but you will be able to handle it.  I never took the pain med prescribed only ibuprofin.  I know that I have a high pain threshold ( the doctor said that he didn't know how I dealt with the pain after he saw the tumor.  One tip I will offer is to be proactive to make it the best surgery possible for you.  If you know that you get nausea with anesthsia let them know.  They gave me zofran, reglan and a scop patch.  I wish you the best!  

[MarieMichele]

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Ovarian-Cysts/Recovery-from-Laparotomy/show/784132?personal_page_id=398736&post_id=post_4084716

I hope the above cut/paste really takes you to a link to a past thread in this forum.  The subject is "Recovery From Laparotomy" and it documents my own experience.  I am the most cowardly surgical patient there can be and it was a much better experience than my fears imagined.

If it ends up being laparoscopic for you instead of a laparotomy, much of the same will apply, but the recovery time will be shorter by several weeks and you'll be out of the hospital in a shorter amount of time.  

In reality for a laparotomy, the doctors will want you to stay home for about 6 weeks but you may not feel all that much better until about 8 weeks and the surgery won't seem a distant memory until about 12 weeks.  I was driving a car solo at about 4 weeks, but still needed to pad around my belly area so the seatbelt wouldn't hurt.

If you read through my many, many posts, I talk about my own personal experiences as a laparotomy patient.  Go to my earliest posts since that's when I first started telling things while they were fresh in my memory.  I had surgery on January 16, 2009.

I'll be thinking positive thoughts for you.  Trust the doctors.  You'll be glad when this is behind you and you are on the healing side rather than on the anticipation side of things.