Experiences with DaVinci surgery

My surgeon has scheduled me for a DaVinci procedure (TLH - I hope I have the acronym right). I've read a lot about it on the web but want some information that's not advertising driven.

Would anyone be kind enough to share your experience with the DaVinci procedure.

I'm a single lady now and want an idea of how long I'll need friends to help me along the way.

Thank you.

Hey there,

I had a Da Vinci TLH on July 29th. My experience with it was wonderful!! I had my surg on Tues., was at home Wednesday afternoon and was back at work in 2 1/2 weeks. I had my mom stay with me for Wed, Thu. and Fri. night (so my DH could work) and then was feeling normal by Friday night and was by myself all day starting Monday. The first 2 or 3 days, I would suggest having someone stay with you, or if no one can stay...I would advise staying in the hospital longer than just 1 night. The first couple of days I simply slept, ate, and went straight back to bed. I was just super sleepy, groggy, a bit hunched over and "out of it". I don't know if it was the anesthesia wearing off, or my mom keeping me on a regular (narcotic) pain pill schedule (til Friday night). I believe I could have gone off the pain pills earlier since the only pain I remember was gas pains..... but Mom didn't give me the chance to see.

You can look up my "hyst-story" to get more details of my surgery. If you have any other questions or concerns that I can help you with...just ask. I know that I really benefited from the few others on this board who had personal experiences with this type of hysterectomy.

Blessings,
Tank

Oh, Tank, thank you so much. I'm very apprehensive about any surgery and was so hoping someone would chime in with a very positive experience.

I'm hoping I don't have to take any pain medication at all. I didn't even fill the script for percoset after my hysteroscopy and D&C.

I don't have family here to help me out so ladies from church will be helping the first few days after surgery. I hope that's all I need.

I really appreciate you taking the time to reply with such a good experience.

Thank you.

My experience was very positive, too. I had my appendix out laproscopically and did not even take asprin afterward as the pain was minimal. Same with the D&C.

I did take the vicodin at home that was prescribed after my hysterectomy. However, it made me so constipated - even though I was taking stool softeners - that I stopped the vicodin the third day. I was able to manage with ibuprofin from that point on.

I would say that you should have help the first 3-4 days. If the ladies from church are willing to make meals, too, that was a great help to us. My husband only had to warm up food for the first two weeks I was at home, and it was great.

I did not ask for a private room in the hospital, and I would suggest that you ask for one if your hospital does not routinely provide it. I was only in the hospital for one day and would not have stayed another day because I had an awful roommate. Plus, with MRSA and other germs, I just wanted to get home and I felt completely up to going home.

You might want to ask your surgeon how long he has been doing this procedure. I understand it has been around a couple of years. Also, you might want to ask how many of his daVincis turn out to be abdominal instead, or have complications. My surgeon said that has not happened with any of his.

My doctor released me without restrictions two weeks after surgery, and I went back to my desk job the next day. I worked half days for two weeks, 6 hour days for another week or so and then was back to my 9 hour days. If I had it to do over again, I would have stayed at home one more week. I had to use PTO but fortunately I had enough. When it came to working a reduced schedule, that ate up more PTO but it was well worth it.

There have been no complications or after effects for me. The only aspect that did not go smoothly was that the hospital pre-certified my surgery as total abdominal hysterectomy. I had consented to a total abdominal if it turned out to be necessary, once they started.

At first, my insurance company, which is a well known nationwide carrier, paid the hospital bill but denied the surgeon's bill, stating my surgery was not "medically necessary." I asked them to reconsider and then appealed and they finally paid. I would encourage you to make sure that the daVinci is the procedure pre-certified by your hospital/doctor.

Best wishes to you.

Bookworm 50, thanks, you have some very good points. I know that there are only 3 facilities in my town that have the DaVinci equipment and, fortunately for me, my surgeon's offices are in one of those facilities.

When I asked her office about having the surgery pre-certified, the scheduler assured me that they code the DaVinci exactly the same way they code a TAH so, hopefully, paying my surgeon won't be a problem.

Thank you to both of you ladies for reassuring me the way you have.

I'm not easily intimidated but this surgery is causing panic attacks. Fortunately my internal medicine doctor is helping keep an eye on things, too, and prescribed an anti-anxiety med for me. I've only used 1/2 of one pill so far and will use them very conservatively.

Again, thank you both so much.

Hey...glad your getting some input. Just about all the ladies I have talked to or read about have been very pleased with this type of the surgery - and most are (like me) shocked in the end at how simple and fairly easy the recovery was. I totally understand your stress....I was the same way. I was scheduled in early May, and had to wait almost 90days for my surgery...and I can definately tell you that the very worst part of the whole deal is THE BEFORE ....the months of thinking...when you sit...and wait....and worry. Really and truly...other than some MAJOR gas bubble pain.... this was one of the best things I have ever done...and I am thankful every day and amazed by how quickly I recovered and how good I feel. In hindsight, I could just kick myself for freaking out worrying about something that was sooooo totally do-able. I'm glad we have put some of your fears to rest...good luck and keep in touch.

Tank