Question about recovery & tummy after laparoscopy surgery?

I was scheduled to have my left ovary out on Feb. 2nd. I was supposed to have it done on December 29th, but I got sick and had to cancel. My husband travels for work in another state. He just realized that the day I am scheduled for surgery is a day he is supposed to be at a training for work. He really doesn't need to miss it and would be the only one not there.

I called my DR to see what they could do. I didn't want to push it up too much because I have to get back to work. We have our Spring computerized testing window here at school from the end of February until the end of April. I have to have it finished by the deadline and I don't have a backup. Plus, the first week of April is spring break and that will shorten my testing time. They said they could do it the next week on Thursday the 9th, but at lunchtime. I hate that because of how long I will have to go without eating. I think I should be back to work in time to get the testing finished, as long as they don't switch over to a cut during surgery.

Do any of you know if that happens very much? I think I might do a poll to see the average recovery time for the laparoscopy surgery. It seems to vary a lot.

Also, how long does your tummy stay swelly or swollen compared to an abdominal incision? That seems to vary also. I haven't gotten my dress for my daughter's wedding in May and might not get a chance to get it before my surgery so I was hoping my tummy won't stay swollen for a long time. Mine didn't get as swelly after my TAH for as long as some people said theirs did on here. Actually, things on that end went okay. I even lost a little weight I had put on.

My belly lost most of the swelling last week, but it still gets 'bigger' at the end of the day. It is hard to say with everyone healing so differently. Good luck to you.

As far as recovery time, I had my laparoscopic LSO on December 19, returned to my sedentary job one week later, and had enough energy for recreational shopping two weeks later. I know every person and every surgery is different though. Before my surgery I couldn't even get my doctor to guess at when I'd be back to work. All she would say is that if I needed documentation for my employer, she could give me up to six weeks!

As to how many people go in planning on a laparoscopy and end up with a cut, I don't know. My doctor told me that I might need open surgery if there was too much endo to do the laparoscopy safely. Fortunately I ended up only having laparoscopy.

As for swelly belly, I was back in regular clothes within a couple of weeks. I was out of the sweat pants within a few days, but had to get the "mom jeans" out of storage for a couple weeks because I couldn't handle a waist band cutting across the spot where the ovary came out. I am still not bikini-ready, though I have some weird "bump and dent" stuff happening in the spot where they took the ovary. I will never curse my little round belly again, if I ever get it back!

I am a graduate student this year, so like you I had to schedule my surgery during a break and pray that my recovery would be as smooth and fast as possible. I feel very lucky that it all worked out for me, and I hope things come together right for you as well.

Geekette

I hope someone replies as to whether they had their surgery swithed from laparoscopic(sp) to a cut......I'm scheduled to have remaining ovary, tube and large cyst out on the 19th of this month. My Dr plans on doing it laprascopic but said there is a chance that she may have to do the cut.....could someone please reply....I'm a little nervous about going in! Thanks.