Hindsight is 20/20

(I want to document this now that it's fresh in my mind in case, heaven forbid, I ever need to have another laparoscopy)

Things I wish I had known before surgery  
(given the fact that they suspected I had severe endo with multiple endometriomas)
Caveat: these are things beyond the immediate post-surgical recovery period (for those reminders, see here)


1. When they say you can go back to work in a week, they really mean that you should wait a FULL week to return to work (i.e., if your surgery is on Tuesday, you should not go back until the following Wednesday).

2. When you go back to work, you should only work part time (i.e, 50-70%) the rest of that week, and ideally only ~85% the following week.

3. You will need to nap (at least once, if not more) every day for the first two full weeks of the recovery period.

4. The first several days it will hurt to move in any way. Even after the CO2 shoulder pains subside (after 24-48 hours), your stomach will still be incredibly tender and swollen. As much as you may hate to take narcotics, you need to take your pain meds for at least the first week. After about a week you can probably switch over to 100% ibuprofen, but you still  need to take that ibuprofen regularly for an additional 4-7 days. Only by 3 weeks will you be able to sneeze/laugh without hurting.

5. Speaking of meds, since you're taking all those narcotics you'll also want to start taking Colace the day after surgery. Trust me.

6. Sitting up will be hard for awhile. You'll spend the first week fully supine or very reclined. After a week you'll be able to sit up as long as you're not at a full 90-degree angle. After 2 weeks you'll be able to sit fully upright, and shortly thereafter you'll actually be able to bend forward at the waist. (In other words, at 11 days post-surgery it's still not comfortable/possible to sit through a Twins game at Target Field.)

7. Walking will also be hard for awhile. You will not be cleared to leave the house until the Saturday following the Tuesday surgery, and even then it will be very hard to walk to the end of the block and back. It will take at least an additional week to ease back into leisurely walking your normal 2.5-mile loop.

8. Since you thought you'd be back at work in a week, you probably also thought you'd be back to your normal activities in a week, right? Wrong. (If you can't walk, did you really think you'd be able to do much of anything else?) You will have FOUR WEEKS of restrictions: no lifting 15# (can't lift the cat litter or the grocery bags or both cats at once!), no stretching/yoga, no running/powerwalking, no swimming/bathing, no sex. At first this will seem extreme, but since you still will be in (very mild) pain after four weeks, it will start to make sense.

9. Speaking of restrictions, after being in pain and on such strict precautions for so long, you will likely be afraid to start running or doing yoga again, even after 4 weeks. If the heat index is over 100 degrees, this is the perfect excuse to continue to take it easy. Just reminder yourself that this was pretty invasive surgery and there's no need to rush back in to anything! (Right? Please don't judge me!)

10. (TMI alert!) Your next period after the surgery will not be all sunshine and roses, even with the endo removed. Even though your doctor may have warned you that it takes 3-4 months to determine if your monthly pain is truly improved following surgery, you should also know that the first period can be brutal. As I finally found warning of on this website,  after I worried that I might be hemorrhaging to death. (Note that the underlines are mine.)

Post-Op Menses
Frequently, the patient's next ovulation and/or menstrual period occur during the early stages of healing. These processes can add to the factors that create irritation of already swollen tissues. It is not uncommon, therefore, for the first ovulation and period after surgery to be quite painful. Also, the first period after surgery is often heavy, cramp, clotty, and long. Succeeding periods should be much more normal. 

Might have been nice to know that ahead of time.


11. That website (The Center for Endometriosis Care in Atlanta, GA) will also warn that:

Although the tissue healing can take up to twelve weeks and seem as though it will never happen, there is much to look forward to. It is important to remember that while surgery is an event, healing is a process.

Most women find that they are doing quite well by their third menstrual period after surgery. However, we have had many women report that they felt their healing took even longer.
By ninety days post-op, virtually all patients have resumed normal activities. Significant numbers, however, report ongoing improvement, in very small increments, for up to one full year after surgery. 

Yes, that's right - 90 days to get back to normal. That also might have been helpful to know that ahead of time so I could set some realistic expectations.

12. Despite all these negatives, the major plus side is that you won't be scheduling anything into your social calendar for several weeks, so this might actually be the most relaxing summer you've ever had! It stinks to be unable to get in another week on the SHT, but it is kind of nice to spend some weekends at home. Milk it for all it's worth!


So there you have it. I hope I never have to go through this again, but at least now I have a much better idea of what to expect (instead of thinking I would be 100% back to normal the following Monday). I hope no one else has to go through this, but if you do I hope these tips help!