[mrsracatoe]

This topic is for information on Laparoscopy.

[mrsracatoe]

Laparoscopy is direct visualization of the peritoneal cavity, ovaries, outside of the tubes and uterus by using a laparoscopy. The laparoscopy is an instrument somewhat like a miniature telescope with a fiber optic system which brings light into the abdomen. It is about as big around as a fountain pen and twice as long.

An instrument to move the uterus during surgery will be placed in the vagina. Carbon dioxide is put into the abdomen through a special needle that is inserted just below the navel. This gas helps to separate the organs inside the abdominal cavity, making it easier for the physician to see the reproductive organs during laparoscopy. The gas is removed at the end of the procedure.

Microlaparoscopy a new minimally invasive diagnostic surgical procedure uses telescopes and instruments that are much smaller than normal. If this procedure is appropriate for your condition, smaller incisions will be made and postoperative abdominal tenderness may be reduced.

[Nykoal]

Depending on the purpose of the surgery determines how long it can last. I've had it done 2x. The first time was to dx the Endometriosis and the second time was to remove an ectopic pg.

An IV will be started in your arm, and you are put out with general anthestetic. There is a med that they can put in your IV to prevent nausea when you wake up after the surgery and I HIGHLY recommend you get it. The 1st surgery I didn't have it and I was throwing up and with abdominal stiches that's not a pleasant feeling. My 2nd surgery I had it and I felt no ill side effects after waking up.

Depending on the procedure, that will determine how many scars you will have. Laproscopic is also used for removing appendixes, gall bladders, and other surgeries where there is no need to large incisions, and isn't just for reproductive procedures.

You will have an incision in your belly button and a few in your bikini line (I have 1 scar from the Endo procedure and 2 additional ones in my bikini line from the ectopic surgery). The recovery time isn't too bad, but once again it depends on the reason for the surgery. I wasn't in a lot of pain but was a uncomfortable and my joints were stiff. The carbon dioxide that is put into your abdomine can cause problems (i.e. a heavy feeling in your chest, shoulder pain, trouble breathing, etc). I was up walking around (slowly) within a few hours and lived on the couch for a few days to rest.

I was feeling normal again in a few days and HIGHLY recommend that you bring sanitary pads with you to the hospital because you will need them after (spotting and bleeding is common after) and wear loss fitting clothes for a few days because you won't want anything rubbing or touching your stiches. If you don't bring any pads than the hospital will give you something that resembles the "old school" pads and are horrible to wear (you know the kind that they had in the school bathroom machines but only WAY thicker!)

On a scale of surgical procedures...it's a quick recovery and you're move concerned with feeling pain than actually feeling it.

[Leigha24]

I've had this done before for endometriosis as well. Yeah, I had the nausea-reducing med too lol. Problem was, I was allergic to the demoral they gave me.. so I ended up throwing up anyway.

It's an outpatient surgery, I still have a small scar on my bikini line, but the other entry was through my belly button so you can't even see it. It's not a bad surgery, pain management is the main thing.. it effects recovery time.

[TheMommyProject]

I've had this procedure done 3 times, the last one was just under 2 weeks ago.

Like the other women have posted on here, as far as procedures go, this one really isn't all that bad. Once you get past the initial pain of when you first come out of the general, it's not bad. With each of mine, they've made 3 incisions - on in the belly button and two elsewhere on the abdomen (close to bikini line) depending on what they were in to do.

For this last one, I was pretty out of it the night I came home and the next day after the surgery from all the meds. For about 3 days I had pretty bad right shoulder tip pain (that's from the gas they inflate your stomach with). But once that cleared, I was really feeling back to normal. There is a small amount of irritation where the stitches are caused mostly from clothing (no belt for me for a week!), but that's easy to deal with.

[lunarmagic]

I just had a lap earlier this week. It was a lot easier than I was expecting.

First thing they did was put me in a gown and have me pee in a cup in the bathroom (to take a pregnancy test, I assume). After I was comfortable on the bed the nurse started my IV (for me that wasn't such an easy thing - took 4 tries). The anesthesiologist came in and went over what she was going to do and had me sign some forms. The doctor also came in after a while to go over the proceedure with me.

Next thing I knew the anesthesiologist had put something in my IV that made everything go very fuzzy and I was being wheeled out of my room - that's the last thing I remember.

I woke up with a VERY dry mouth (from the anti-nausea meds and the breathing tube that had been put in and taken out during the surgery) and feeling very groggy and unable to focus. It took me about 15 minutes to be able to really focus on anything, and another 15 to start to feel able to communicate. They brought my husband in straight away to keep me company. They also brought me some water and apple juice, and then a few crackers. I didn't really have any pain... I could feel that "something" was different down at my bikini line, but there was no pain.

It took about an hour I think after that before I felt ready to go home. I just really wanted to get home and get into bed and sleep. They made me stand up first to make sure I wasn't going to topple over, then they removed my IV and let me change into my clothes. They wheeled me down to the truck in a wheelchair.

The ride home wasn't all that fun. I reclined my chair but it didn't help that I could feel every little bump. Once home I got straight into bed, propped up with pillows. I quickly discovered that every time I sat up or stood up for more than a few minutes at a time my shoulders would just start really aching from the gas. I learned to stay laying down for most of two days.

I've had a lot of very uncomfortable bloating since then, which is made worse from eating anything heavy. I had a bowl of jello waiting for me at home that tasted really really good. I never did have very much pain from the incisions, nor any nausea. The shoulder pain took about two days, maybe three, to dissipate.

[stephanievt97]

I just had my lap yesterday. MY RE had me do a bowel cleansing the day before and that was the worst part. Some REs will do this- some won't. They say it allows them to see if there's endo on the bowels easier. If you have to do this, be prepared...you go to the bathroom A LOT! I've now sworn that my children will have PLENTY of butt cream for diaper rash!

I checked into the hospital at 6:30; they had me change in a gown at 7:00. DH was then allowed to hang out with me until the surgery at 8:00. RE came to talk to us to review what he was going to do. Anesthesialogist put an IV in me...10 minutes later, nurse put "happy juice" in my IV...said goodbye to DH as they wheeled me out. I remember going into the OR and then that's it until I woke up about 10:00. I don't even recall waking up...dont' know if someone was in my face calling my name...if I woke up slowly...or woke up all at once. I'm guessing I talked to the nurse for a little bit because the first thing I remember was asking if I could go to the bathroom. She helped me walk across the room to the bathroom and gave me my clothes to change back into. I'm assuming we talked previously b/c she felt comfortable having me go to the bathroom by myself and changing by myself. I got back in bed and they gave me water and some wafer cookies. They asked who was downstairs waiting for me and the nurse called downstairs and told my mom and DH that they could pull the car around. Re had talked to DH and mom right after the surgery. I was wheeled out about 10:40 and was on my way home.

20 minute ride home was fine...I took 2 Tylenol-3, which is Codiane (spelling?) and tried to lay on the couch, but getting all the way down to the laying position hurt so I layed on the recliner most of the afternoon. GET A HEATING PAD for your shoulder area- it saved me! I only got up a few times to go to the bathroom. About 5 or 6 hours later, I got up and tried to walk around some to get the gasses moving. That helped, but my abdomen was tight and sore, but not unbearable by any means. You'll have some bleeding, but nothing too bad...just make sure you have some pads with you.

Day 2 and I just woke up sore, but took 2 more Tylenol-3 and am feeling better.

Really, not a bad surgery at all!

[MountainMomma]

I had my lap done on Sept. 17th, so I thought I would share my experience. They were doing this to confirm endometriosis and I was also having a diagnostic hysteroscopy done at the same time.

First they had me pee in a cup for the pregnancy test and get my weight. Then I was to strip down and put on a gown. After that they let me know that my test was negative, and started my IV. They put me on a bag of fluids and the anesthesiologist and doctor both came in to chat briefly. After a bit the anesthesiologist came to get me. I asked to use the restroom before going to the OR (all those stupid fluids they were giving me!) and then walked into the OR. I glanced at the clock and it was 12:35 A nurse introduced herself to me as she untied my gown and I remember looking around and realizing that as she helped me onto the table she just showed my rear to 5 different people, including the anesthesiologist and the doctor. She asked me to slide my hips down on the table as low as I could get, and then as she was putting my feet into stirrups (for the Hysteroscopy, I heard the anesthesiologist say goodnight. I looked up and saw him putting a white medicine into my IV and thought "Oh this will be fast!" (They had just given my daughter the same stuff the week before to sedate her for her MRI and I remember how quickly she went out.) The next thing I remember I was looking at the clock again and asked if it was really 1:30. A voice beside me said yes. I knew that meant it was over so I wanted to get awake as fast as possible to fine out what they had found. I kept rubbing my eyes and lifting my head as much as I could. Finally I asked when I could see my husband. The said right now, and wheeled me to a different room where they moved me from my bed to a recliner, gave me a drink and some crackers.

I ended up not having endometriosis, but they did have to remove some adhesions from the posterior cul-de-sac where the tubes pick up the eggs from the ovaries. Other than that they said that my tubes and uterus looked good so the surgery was actually much quicker than they had anticipated. I did feel nauseous after the surgery (even with the anti-nausea meds) and shortly after I left the surgery center (like 2 blocks down the road) I had to make DH pull over and I got sick. I was given a prescription for Percocet (30 pills) and a prescription for 800 mg Ibuprofen (which I didn't fill, just used OTC Ibuprofen). I've felt pretty good. I've only taken the Percocet four times since the surgery, so pain hasn't been bad. I'm pretty tender right around the incisions (one in my belly button and one just above my pelvic bone along the bikini line) which is to be expected. I've taken it pretty easy though. Mostly just laying around on the couch so that I don't over do it.

[kristianna]

I happy to hear that so many of you have a relatively good lap. exerience. I didn't! I had Lap. and Hystoscopy done to check for endo, do some ovarian drilling, check my tubes and have a look at my uterus fromt he inside, they removed some polyps and a cyct. It was surpose to take 30-45 min but ended up taking 3 hours! I was very uncomfortable for a long time afterward. I cried myself to sleep on several nights following the surgery. I think part of it was that I had been intubated for so long and so my throat was so dry that I felt the need to cough and that hurt like Hell on my tummy. I was allowed to go home the next day but it was weeks before I felt good again. I hope I do not have to have it done again anytime soon.

[slindsay12]

Kristianna,

Did the ovarian drilling work for you? I am having it done on Friday and am worried about it?