I hope that none of you ever have to go through a laparoscopy. Or any other surgery for that matter. But if you have to, better to be prepared! These tips were passed on to me by others who had experienced it which was so very helpful. I thought I’d pass it on, in case it’s of any help to you.
Please note that this is based only on my experience and is not in any way meant to replace medical advice. It may also not apply to everyone’s recovery. That said, I hope these little tips make things easier for you if you ever do need to go through this.
Prunes and pear juice are your friends
Starting right out with TMI, but here we go. The pain and anti-nausea medications that you may be prescribed come with some unfortunate side effects in the digestive department. Absolutely take the relief you need, but have some prunes and pear juice on hand to keep things moving.
Focusing on a high intake of fruits, vegetables and water can also help. Trust me, you don’t want to go through straining when you’ve got incisions in your lower ab muscles.
Take little walks, but don’t push yourself
Again, movement helps keep things, well, moving. It’s also nice to get outside for a short walk so you’re not drifting between the couch and your bed all day. It definitely helped me feel a little more energetic. However, I very much overestimated my ability to walk on the first two days after my surgery. You really will need to take it easy. Walking around your house or just around the block is all you need.
Be prepared for some spotting after surgery
You’ll likely have a bit of spotting afterwards, so have some sanitary items on hand. I used these for the first three days and they worked a treat. I wasn’t sure what to expect in this department, so I did want to share this one with you. Just so you know it’s coming and its normal.
Have a heat pack handy for that shoulder pain
To keep your internal organs out of the way, the doctor will likely add some Co2 to your abdomen. It’s a smart way of keeping things safe. However, a fun little side effect of this is that the pressure pushes a nerve which gives you some pretty serious shoulder pains. Personally, I found the shoulder pain worse that the incision pain on day one. And unfortunately the pain killers don’t do a lot for that.
