Having endometriosis surgery on the 18th...

[lightningandsnow]

It's a laparoscopy and a D+C, and from what I've been told, the recovery time isn't long at all. But I'm still nervous! It's really the general anesthetic that freaks me out, even though I had my tonsils removed at the age of 8 (11 years ago). My mom and my (recent) ex-girlfriend are going to be at the hospital. (I don't mind my ex being there at all, we're still friends). So, I just wanted to find out if anyone's had something similar. And good vibes are always appreciated!

[murielm99]

1. General anesthetic?

I had a general anesthetic when I had a hysterectomy. It scared me, too. That was the part of the whole thing that scared me! But I came through it just fine. Most people do, with no complications.

Your nervousness is very normal. I think everyone goes through that. Just remember, your recovery time isn't long, and you will be on your feet before you know it. You will be reassuring other people who have to go through the same procedure.

Good luck to you! Please check in with us when you are in recovery. I know that other people in this group will be waiting to hear from you, too.

[Altoid_Cyclist]

2. Good luck on your surgery.

As long as you don't have any serious health conditions, the GA shouldn't be risky. I'm one of the lucky ones who has no trouble with GA. My wife on the other hand, was real sick after heart surgery. Of course she kept refusing the medicine to deal with the nausea until it was too late. If they offer you something for nausea, accept it.

My last surgery was a little different than yours (obviously), but it's pretty neat that they were able to remove my sigmoid colon and all that I have to show for it is a 2 inch scar. There was no post-op pain at all. I did halucinate from the morphine though. I've spoken to other people who also had trouble with morphine and halucinating. That's just an FYI if they do put you on morphine.

Good luck and I'm sure that everything will be fine!

:thumbsup:

[murielm99]

3. My problems with nausea were with the morphine.

I threw up everything until they put me on a different pain medication.

[Altoid_Cyclist]

4. That might be what caused my wife's problems also.

It might not have been the GA. She also had colon surgery about 5 years later and the Doctor didn't want to take a chance with the nausea. They put in an N-G tube for about 8 or 9 days and that was real hard for her. She didn't have any nausea, but she couldn't eat or drink anything either. I was so glad that mine was only in for the first day.

[Warpy]

5. You'll go to sleep with a bad bellyache and wake up with a worse one

You'll be groggy for about the first 24 hours. You might notice you get tired a little more easily for the next couple of months.

In about 48 hours, the gas from the laproscopic part of the procedure will migrate up around your shoulders and that can be anything from a minor discomfort to actual pain. If they offer you a pain medicine scrip, cash it in just in case.

You'll have lifting restrictions and it's best not to exceed them.