Hi everyone,
I posted a few months ago about my 10cm cyst on left ovary. I'm having my keyhole surgery on Wednesday 10th
Very nervous! But can't wait for this nightmare to be over. I have suffered a lot in last few months with extreme swelling, bowel problems and pain and discomfort.
I am now at the stage where I can't sleep at night and can't even sit or lie down without the aid of four of five pillows
For anyone who has had the keyhole op, how long did it take you to recover and.... any general advice?
Thanks in advance!
Penny x
(For context, I'm 29 and generally healthy)
Hi. I had keyhole for an ovarian dermoid in March this year. I was so scared but looking back it went quite smoothly. I would recommend mints or mint tea to help shift the gas they use to inflate your abdomen, it takes a few days for that to disappear.
You'll be a bit sore for a couple of weeks but I stocked up on pain killers. Plus sitting up in bed is a bit hard at first so I had a tip of rolling on my side first and pushing myself up with my hands.
All im left with now is three teeny scars. You'll be fine, I was a terrified wreck but I'm so glad I had it done. You'll feel like a new woman once you're all healed up :-) x
Ps get some loose fitting jogging bottoms to wear after the op, jeans are a no no! x
Thanks so much for your response
Will definitely get some mints and mint tea
I am so frustrated, just want it to be all over with now!
I'm not sure how long I will have to be off work while I'm recovering. They've been quite vague about that
X
Hi penny, my op is booked for week after yours. My consultant told me one week off work, several people told me to take two, partly because of my job.
hope all goes well for you.
Thanks! My job is clerical so mostly at a desk. Will see how I feel afterwards and decide
I've been off sick for a week already because of how uncomfortable and in pain I am
Hope your op goes well too x
I was off for ten weeks but my job is very physical with lots of heavy lifting so I was advised to take extra time off. Generally I started to feel discomfort free after 3 weeks. I did seem to tire quite quickly too but everyone is different x
Good luck with your op x
I had surgery on Wednesday and am still quite tender, which after only three days is to be expected. There's also quite a bit of air still in my abdomen but every day there's improvement so headed in the right direction. My cyst was 5cm by 4 cm not so big but my ovary had to come out with th cyst. Good luck with your surgery
Glad to hear you're recovering well
I've heard the trapped gas can be uncomfortable. Not looking forward to that
There's a large chance they will be taking my left ovary too. Will update you all after Wednesday
Thanks for the responses x
Hi Penny,
I had a keyhole op 16 days ago to remove my ovaries. They didn't find any cancer but the ip was complicated by adhesions and endometriosis . The op was successful. I had 4 small incisions ( two slightly bigger, one of those vertically down from the belly button). Like you I had been very uncomfortable with dwelling and discomfort so I was pleased that I was having the op. When I wo up from the op they had already given me painkillers do I didn't feel anything and they continued to give me painkillers overnight. I went home in the morning. The most difficult thing was making myself completely relax but this is what you must do if you want to recover quickly. I tried to go for a short walk round the block every day but apart from that rested. After about 10 days I felt I was turning a corner and now at 16 days I feel almost completely better. There is still dlight swelling and bruising but I'm almost there. I'm so pleased that I had the op ! Hope this helps and good luck for the op. X
Definitely more than a week! At least two, even if you are in a clerical job. I found it tiring and painful to sit at a desk for the first 8-10 days. X
Thanks Tania, it's so nice to hear from people who have gone through it
I am nervous about the op and the few days straight after it but I know it'll be worth it in the long run, I've been so miserable for last four months with the symptoms
Everything that everyone has said is helping to reassure me so thank you all
Two days to go!
X
So I had the op on Wednesday
It turned out to be a bit more complicated as the cyst was almost football size and was wrapped around my ovary and Fallopian tube so they had to take everything from the left side
When I woke, I was in pain and they gave me tramadol. I was okay for a few hours until a nurse made me walk to the toilet. I fainted and then when I got back to the bed I felt very sick so they gave me anti sickness meds. Shortly after I got the most horrendous stabbing pain in my side which turned out to be trapped gas from the c02 they pump in
It was stuck under my ribs and I've felt no pain like it. They kept me in over night and I had contractions of pain every minute and I didn't sleep a wink. Not even liquid morphing helped
They let me out Thursday evening and I came home and slept. I slept all of Friday too and could start to feel the gas shifting
When I walk now, it all feels very tight and I'm not quite able to stand up right. But compared to those first two days, it is a huge improvement
So I didn't have the best experience but I am so glad it's over and that the first two hardest days are over with too
Can't wait till I am full healed and can enjoy my life again!!
X
Sorry to hear you had a rough time, but glad your on the mend
Thank you, feeling more positive about recovering with every day!