Hello everyone! I am a 24 year old female that has severe endometriosis and I have been battling that disease for 7 years. The disease has advanced into my rectal area and I need to have a partial rectal resection and my GYN is also performing a laproscopic procedure at the same time. The day before the surgery I am having a colonoscopy. I have had three laproscopic procedures in the past and those were painful enough by themselves. I was wondering if anyone had any advice as to how to minimize the pain I will have after these surgeries. I am pretty terrified of all these things that I am having done to me and I just really need some advice and if someone has had these procedures already can you please tell me how long the recovery time will be. Thank you!

Maybe they will do an epidurial? I had one put in place before my resection, and the pain after wasn't so horrible. Of course, this only helps for a couple of days after surgery, but that got me through the worst of it I think.
Lori

I second the epidural. It is put in place before the surgery starts and is used for pain control. You still have general anesthesia but the epidural is kept is place while you are in the hospital for several days. The anesthesiologists monitor it and gradually decrease it. I really woke up pretty pain free. I then was switched to pain-killers but I really felt it got me through the worst of it.

As far as recovery time? I am not for sure what is meant by a paritial rectal resection. Are they resecting part of the sigmoid colon? That is what I had done. I was off work 6 weeks but I am more than twice as old as you are :D Some people have gone back to work in several weeks. How long did the doctor say you'll be in the hospital? That sometimes helps figure how long recovery will take.

Maggie

I also support the epidural. Sounds like you are having some kind of keyhole surgery, which will definitely reduce your recovery time and also your scaring.

In Nov 2004 I had most of my rectum removed as well as my sigmoid section (in total about 25% of my large bowel), and now I live an almost normal life. I have to go to the loo more often and the average person and I do get occasional pain when I try to do too much.

I have had a number of colonoscopies and you really do not have anything to worry about on that score. A few days on a fibre free diet, a day taking large doses of laxatives (stay very close to a toilet all day!!!), and a sedative to knock you out. Trust me - don’t worry about the colonoscopy - if you want more details let me know.

I wanted to thank everyone for their responces! My doctor's office told me to take at least 2 weeks after the surgery off. I have to submit for short term disability and the doctors have to write down how much time I will need off for the surgeries so that should give me a clue. I have read lots of things about bowel preps and even prepairing for them a week in advance by just eatin salad and fruit. I will cut out cheese and meats all together. I am lucky enough that my husband's sister is going to be staying with me to halp me out after the surgery since my husband works full time and his company is not very understanding about taking time off. He will do what he can.

I will ask my doctor about the epidural and my options for pain management since I am such a wimp about those kind of things.

Thanks again!!