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recovery for laparotomy
Hi, I am a 19 year old student who just had a mini laparotomy (about 3-4 inch incision) for a 15cm dermoid cyst in my left ovary. The doctor let me go home the day of the surgery even though it was originally planned that I stay overnight, so I've been recovering at home.
So, I' was hoping I could get some advice on whether or not i should return to school in a week or two? I've been reading other posts and the general consensus is that I will feel better in 2 weeks but won't fully recover for 6. My semester is 3 weeks in and I haven't paid for it yet. Also, I have a 45 minute commute to school (by train, I live in NYC) during rush hour and I go to a very crowded school with really heavy doors. I am still walking very slowly, and feel as if I won't get any compassion from anyone for my slow gait because the evidence of my surgery is not superficial. Idk, what do you think? I've already skipped on two days of classes.
As for how I'm feeling, I feel extremely weak from my lack of energy. The worst part is, that although my incision and abdominal area feeling a bit better, all the work I've used to relieve the strain on that area (like my legs and arms and lower back) are now so sore that I'm starting to put strain on my abdominals which are still sore. I feel so helpless all the time wriggling around in my bed and reaching for something to pull on.
Sorry for the post ending up being a mope fest.
I hope I could get some advice!
Thank you to all who post, and I hope the ladies who have experienced the same or will the best of health and recovery.
So, I' was hoping I could get some advice on whether or not i should return to school in a week or two? I've been reading other posts and the general consensus is that I will feel better in 2 weeks but won't fully recover for 6. My semester is 3 weeks in and I haven't paid for it yet. Also, I have a 45 minute commute to school (by train, I live in NYC) during rush hour and I go to a very crowded school with really heavy doors. I am still walking very slowly, and feel as if I won't get any compassion from anyone for my slow gait because the evidence of my surgery is not superficial. Idk, what do you think? I've already skipped on two days of classes.
As for how I'm feeling, I feel extremely weak from my lack of energy. The worst part is, that although my incision and abdominal area feeling a bit better, all the work I've used to relieve the strain on that area (like my legs and arms and lower back) are now so sore that I'm starting to put strain on my abdominals which are still sore. I feel so helpless all the time wriggling around in my bed and reaching for something to pull on.
Sorry for the post ending up being a mope fest.
I hope I could get some advice!
Thank you to all who post, and I hope the ladies who have experienced the same or will the best of health and recovery.
I realise this was a long time ago but in case other people are reading this.
I had a mini laparotomy two and a half weeks ago and am now feeling 100% my normal self (in fact probably better). It was a five inch incision to remove a large cyst (serous cystadenoma measuring 20x20x8cm). The cut was similar to a c-section.
The first five days were a bit rough, as it was painful to walk, laugh, pass gas etc. However I improved really quickly and didn't need pain relief after day 5. I was back at work after 2 weeks and feeling great - in fact I could have returned at least 3 days earlier than I did. I'm 2 & half weeks post surgery now and feel excellent (though still avoiding heavy lifting and strenuous exercise as per doctors instructions).
You're young and likely to bounce back fairly quickly - I would say don't cancel your semester but wait another couple of days to assess how you feel.
Background: I'm 25, no other health issues and fairly fit. My job is a desk job.
I had a mini laparotomy two and a half weeks ago and am now feeling 100% my normal self (in fact probably better). It was a five inch incision to remove a large cyst (serous cystadenoma measuring 20x20x8cm). The cut was similar to a c-section.
The first five days were a bit rough, as it was painful to walk, laugh, pass gas etc. However I improved really quickly and didn't need pain relief after day 5. I was back at work after 2 weeks and feeling great - in fact I could have returned at least 3 days earlier than I did. I'm 2 & half weeks post surgery now and feel excellent (though still avoiding heavy lifting and strenuous exercise as per doctors instructions).
You're young and likely to bounce back fairly quickly - I would say don't cancel your semester but wait another couple of days to assess how you feel.
Background: I'm 25, no other health issues and fairly fit. My job is a desk job.
1 Comments
Thanks for this post! And thanks to everyone who offered comments, earlier. I am facing a mini-lap to remove 4 large fibroids around my uterus. My doctor says I will be back to work after 2 weeks. I teach at a Univeristy, and days can be intense. I am also a classical singer, and I wonder how this will affect things for me, abdominally. People's recovery times seem to vary pretty widely. I can't afford to be out of commission for more than 2 weeks, 3 tops. I am really nervous about recovery time.
My apologies - I had mentioned "shortness of breath" then later said SOB. I'm not cursing anyone but those letters are often used in place of writing out short of breath. Sorry if I confused you. You're not a cry baby. I know how it feels to recover from abdominal surgery and it isn't easy. Please take care.
Hey jenn,
You're definitely not pitying yourself too much. You just had surgery and you are entitled to some down time. Even your mother needs to understand this. Is she not taking care of you? Someone needs to be doing all the heavy lifting for you for several weeks. I'm 5 weeks from my surgery date (as of today) and I'm still not doing everything I did prior to surgery. I want to make sure I heal properly because I certainly don't want to have to get "fixed" again! I'm office manager in a TV studio and I reluctantly have others doing the job for me during this recovery period! I hate it, but there's no alternative.
If you are still on pain killers, they can make you woozy when you are out and about and when you stand & walk. Even without pain killers, you are going to tire much more easily and you are going to be more emotional. Thankfully you are not driving and are traveling via mass transit, but since I still have family myself in NYC, I know how uncompassionate the city can be, especially for someone with a hidden disability. At this point, that's what you have. You are recovering from abdominal surgery and nobody knows it. They just see a young 19 year old and probably assume you can do anything on your own. School books are heavy and trying to commute through the NYC masses is pretty rough, too. If you trip and fall, it could tear at your incision.
You need some TLC right now and should be milking it for all it's worth. I sure hope the faster pace of NYC is not pressuring you to resume your normal activities too soon. It takes as much time to heal there as it does everywhere else, and the normal recovery is 6 weeks before going back to business as usual.
Tell Mom you are staying home to recover! This is a special occasion (healing) and you need to treat it as such. Use a small pillow and hold it to your abs when you move about, especially if you are feeling sore/straining when changing positions.
Best wishes to you. If you need a calmer lifestyle, move to Nashville! Just kidding, of course.
:-)
You're definitely not pitying yourself too much. You just had surgery and you are entitled to some down time. Even your mother needs to understand this. Is she not taking care of you? Someone needs to be doing all the heavy lifting for you for several weeks. I'm 5 weeks from my surgery date (as of today) and I'm still not doing everything I did prior to surgery. I want to make sure I heal properly because I certainly don't want to have to get "fixed" again! I'm office manager in a TV studio and I reluctantly have others doing the job for me during this recovery period! I hate it, but there's no alternative.
If you are still on pain killers, they can make you woozy when you are out and about and when you stand & walk. Even without pain killers, you are going to tire much more easily and you are going to be more emotional. Thankfully you are not driving and are traveling via mass transit, but since I still have family myself in NYC, I know how uncompassionate the city can be, especially for someone with a hidden disability. At this point, that's what you have. You are recovering from abdominal surgery and nobody knows it. They just see a young 19 year old and probably assume you can do anything on your own. School books are heavy and trying to commute through the NYC masses is pretty rough, too. If you trip and fall, it could tear at your incision.
You need some TLC right now and should be milking it for all it's worth. I sure hope the faster pace of NYC is not pressuring you to resume your normal activities too soon. It takes as much time to heal there as it does everywhere else, and the normal recovery is 6 weeks before going back to business as usual.
Tell Mom you are staying home to recover! This is a special occasion (healing) and you need to treat it as such. Use a small pillow and hold it to your abs when you move about, especially if you are feeling sore/straining when changing positions.
Best wishes to you. If you need a calmer lifestyle, move to Nashville! Just kidding, of course.
:-)
oh, sorry, i guess i made it unclear. i'm not literally sobbing, i just added that because i felt like i was pitying myself too much.
yes i'm still on pain killers, which i sometimes need, and sometimes can go without. the pain really comes and goes. ive started to lean towards taking the whole semester off now, but i don't know how to explain it to my mom. she seems to believe that i should start school this coming monday...
thanks again for all you support and advice :)
jenn
yes i'm still on pain killers, which i sometimes need, and sometimes can go without. the pain really comes and goes. ive started to lean towards taking the whole semester off now, but i don't know how to explain it to my mom. she seems to believe that i should start school this coming monday...
thanks again for all you support and advice :)
jenn
I agree - it would be best to hold off on that class until you're completely healed. Between the ride into town, the extensive walking and who knows what else when you're in school, you're going to wear yourself out.
The shortness of breath: are you just feeling breathless after being up and around? A person can become deconditioned very quickly when they're down for a week or two. That's why the hospital likes to get patients up and moving soon - to increase healing and avoid pneumonia but also to keep strength up. If you're feeling some chest pain or SOB all the time, you should be checked by your doctor.
The shortness of breath: are you just feeling breathless after being up and around? A person can become deconditioned very quickly when they're down for a week or two. That's why the hospital likes to get patients up and moving soon - to increase healing and avoid pneumonia but also to keep strength up. If you're feeling some chest pain or SOB all the time, you should be checked by your doctor.
I'm shocked they allowed you home the day of surgery. I was in for 3 nights and my incision is maybe an inch longer than yours is. Laparotomy is major abdominal surgery and yours doesn't sound that mini to me. You lost a cyst larger than the one I had.
If you haven't paid for the semester yet, can you skip it until next time? I seriously think you should wait until you've had a 6 week recovery time. You shouldn't be lifting/pulling/pushing anything heavier than 5 pounds of pressure during the first 4 weeks after surgery and nothing heavier than 10 pounds in weeks 4 thru 6. You have internal stiches you can't see and you need to give your body a chance to heal or risk complications later. Are you still on pain meds? Are you doing breathing exercises (did they give you a device for this?) Remember too that you lost blood and you need time for your body to replace it.
If you haven't paid for the semester yet, can you skip it until next time? I seriously think you should wait until you've had a 6 week recovery time. You shouldn't be lifting/pulling/pushing anything heavier than 5 pounds of pressure during the first 4 weeks after surgery and nothing heavier than 10 pounds in weeks 4 thru 6. You have internal stiches you can't see and you need to give your body a chance to heal or risk complications later. Are you still on pain meds? Are you doing breathing exercises (did they give you a device for this?) Remember too that you lost blood and you need time for your body to replace it.
I too had a mini-laparotomy, I stayed in hospital for 3 nights no way could I have gone home the same day! I have gone back to work this week, which is 6 weeks post-op. I definitely think you need to take a few weeks off, you need to rest, you've had major surgery.
Try to take little walks every day, gradually build up. Take pain meds if you need them and also have you got some physio exercises to do?
Good luck with your recovery :)
Try to take little walks every day, gradually build up. Take pain meds if you need them and also have you got some physio exercises to do?
Good luck with your recovery :)
Also, I'd like to add that i feel very short of breath after standing for a while (around 15 minutes). Showering has been really difficult as a result. I haven't really tried walking for a long period of time yet, but my posture is starting to be back to what it was, which I'm relieved about.
Could anyone tell me if this extreme shortness of breath is normal? what is it a result of?
Thanks again,
Jenn
Could anyone tell me if this extreme shortness of breath is normal? what is it a result of?
Thanks again,
Jenn
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