u/Pocketsquare17

I thought I would share some of what I have discovered about post surgery recovery so far.

1. Stay on top of pain medication. Do not take more than recommended, but if your doctor prescribes you several medications that can be staggered throughout the day, keep up with them and track times. The belly button incision pain is the worst.
2. Get a pillow to cover the seatbelt for travel home. We lived far from London so our trip included a train ride home in addition to uber and our car. Even just holding the pillow over your stomach or just setting it there gently helps.
3. Take deep breaths. It may be difficult and hurt, but it really helps after a few days. I felt pain from gas under my upper ribs, and taking deep breaths helped over time though it hurt at first.
4. If you are staying in the hospital for a few days post surgery like me, getting up and walking is essential. I was shaky on my feet at first, walked very slow, took shallow breaths due to gas pain, but with each walk around the hospital floor I got better. It also helps the hospital staff know how your pain is doing, because you may have less pain when lying in bed, but walking will expose that you have more pain than you think. The nurses wanted me to eventually get to doing 5 short walks around the floor every day. And I achieved it. Walk with a nurse or someone to steady you. Ask for assistance getting in and out of bed the first few times.
5. Peppermint tea for gas relief. When you start burping and passing gas, that’s good, your body is just getting rid of gas. It will take a few days.
6. If you did bowel prep with a strong laxative before surgery, expect your stomach to rumble a lot once you start eating and drinking after surgery. They may give you laxatives. Don’t be embarrassed to wear an adult diaper because it can be hard to tell what is gas and what is needing to poop at first as your digestive system wakes back up.
7. In addition to walking, don’t just stay in bed. Get out of bed and sit in a chair. Your legs get stiff in bed. They may give you compression socks to help stop blood clots.
8. It’s ok to just stay in the hospital gown until you go home. I packed a bunch of my own clothes for my hospital stay. Honestly didn’t have the energy to change except into a new hospital gown after one day. I put my own clothes back on right before leaving hospital. A loose button up shirt and loose pants are ideal.
9. If you have a catheter, it sucks. I had to go home with one and will have it for several more days due to my bladder being operated on and some of my bladder removed due to endo. For going home, get a leg bag. The leg bag is much more comfortable and does not tug as much as the night bag, and you can attach a night bag to the drain of the leg bag so you don’t have to switch bags. So basically at night your leg bag will drain into your night bag instead of you having to disconnect the leg bag and connect the night bag and reverse it in the morning.
10. Have a good support person with you. Your energy will be low. Doing basic tasks like brushing your teeth will make you tired. Your person can help hand you stuff, help you lift stuff, help you clean yourself.
11. Shower wipes and wet wipes are essential. You likely won’t feel like taking a shower the first couple of days but wipes will help you stay clean. The nurses can also help you clean yourself.
12. Be honest with your nurses about how you feel and your pain levels. Ask questions. Ask for help. Don’t be ashamed. The amount of people who saw my lady bits in the last week is ridiculous but they work in medicine, it’s routine for them.
13. Not sure if this is specific to my hospital and doctors, but while my after visit summary tells me exactly what they did during my surgery, and I was told that my surgery went well by doctors and nurses, they kept the details a bit vague. I was told this is because they want to balance the mental well being of the patient as they recover. So they may wait to get into the extreme details of your surgery at your post surgery follow up appointments. At first I was a bit annoyed by this, but honestly when I learned that I had stents put in my ureters, I did mentally feel overwhelmed because I’d really hoped I wouldn’t need them, even though they are temporary. On the bright side my appendix was removed as part of my endometriosis surgery. I’ve always had anxiety about getting appendicitis, so that did make me feel a little better to know it is gone now. Medical stuff makes me a little anxious so I am glad I have some time to recover before I discuss the deeper details of my surgery with my surgeons at my follow up appointments.
14. Lastly. When walking, walk slowly. Just take it easy. Don’t rush yourself. Even when you start to feel a lot better still take it easy. This is major surgery.

I hope these tips and my experience so far help some of you.

I have surgery for endometriosis in August, and before my surgery I will have my fifth and final injection of Lupron as my surgeon had me on it to keep endo from progressing before surgery.

My endo seems to mainly be on my bladder and bowel, but more could be discovered in surgery. Before being diagnosed with endo my husband and I tried to conceive for about a year I think it was, but during that time I was having endo symptoms (mainly bladder urgency and pain for me) that worsened after going off birth control and I was actively seeking a diagnosis. After getting diagnosed obviously trying to conceive was put on hold. Despite tracking ovulation I never got pregnant and don’t know if my endo contributed to that. I know my symptoms were the worst during the week of ovulation.

I’m 33 and I would like to get pregnant as soon as possible after my surgery, and then after having a kid, maybe 2 (but we also want to adopt as well possibly) I want to get back on birth control so hopefully my endometriosis won’t come back.

What are other’s experiences with getting pregnant post surgery?

I just emailed my doctor’s medical secretary to confirm I was ok with the proposed surgery date, a little less than two months from now. It’s starting to feel real for me now. My symptoms have been pretty mild lately and the pain pretty much gone the last few months because the doctor has had me on Lupron injections, so I have been feeling pretty good minus the hot flashes.

I’m nervous but also excited to get the surgery done and the endometriosis removed. My husband and I are hoping to try for a kid post surgery, but knowing endometriosis can come back I expect to be back on some sort of birth control or something after that. We’re not looking forward to the surgery bill though as the estimate is big and our insurance has us pay up front then submit a claim for reimbursement.

Does anyone have any tips for prepping for surgery and dealing with recovery after? I will need to stay in the hospital for a few days, as I will need a catheter for a bit and the surgery involves my bladder and bowel.

What kinds of things do I need to take to the hospital with me? After coming home should I expect to still be in a lot of pain, like will I be spending most of my time in bed to start? I was told recovery for me will be about 4 weeks for robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery. Any tips are super helpful. The only thing I have thought to purchase is one of those grab stick things that are used to pick up items without having to bend over.

I just emailed my doctor’s medical secretary to confirm I was ok with the proposed surgery date, a little less than two months from now. It’s starting to feel real for me now. My symptoms have been pretty mild lately and the pain pretty much gone the last few months because the doctor has had me on Lupron injections, so I have been feeling pretty good minus the hot flashes.

I’m nervous but also excited to get the surgery done and the endometriosis removed. My husband and I are hoping to try for a kid post surgery, but knowing endometriosis can come back I expect to be back on some sort of birth control or something after that. We’re not looking forward to the surgery bill though as the estimate is big and our insurance has us pay up front then submit a claim for reimbursement.

Does anyone have any tips for prepping for surgery and dealing with recovery after? I will need to stay in the hospital for a few days, as I will need a catheter for a bit and the surgery involves my bladder and bowel.

What kinds of things do I need to take to the hospital with me? After coming home should I expect to still be in a lot of pain, like will I be spending most of my time in bed to start? I was told recovery for me will be about 4 weeks for robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery. Any tips are super helpful. The only thing I have thought to purchase is one of those grab stick things that are used to pick up items without having to bend over.

The car is an automatic 2009 Chevrolet Matiz (not made anymore). I am located in the UK and was hoping this car would last a couple more years until we move back to the U.S., but it was recently diagnosed with needing a gearbox repair or replacement. Every mechanic I have spoken to so far either cannot fix it due to it being automatic or because they can’t source Chevrolet parts.

Chevrolet doesn’t really have much of a presence here in the UK from my research so I can’t find an official dealer either. We have put more money into the car than what we paid for it already for maintenance and repairs only because that was still cheaper than buying another slightly newer used car, and the car has low mileage and only had one previous owner.

I am waiting to hear back from a few more places, but I’m starting to think my husband and I should just start looking for a different car for me and just let this one go.

I’m currently living overseas but have a trip planned back home. Flying London Heathrow to JFK then to Norfolk. On the way back it will be Norfolk to JFK to Heathrow. I’ve never been to JFK or Norfolk airports.

My question is, when arriving to JFK from Heathrow, do I need to collect my bag and recheck it? Do I go to customs first, get bag, recheck it then go to security before my domestic flight? My husband said there is a place after baggage collection for rechecking bags for connecting flights instead of going to counter.

I’m assuming in the reverse, Norfolk to JFK to Heathrow my bag will be checked all the way through though so no collection needed.

All flights booked together on one ticket, through American and operated by British Airways and Republic airways as American eagle.