Over the past few years I have spoken with women who have decided that surgery is the best option to reduce their pain and symptoms related to endometriosis. Everyone’s experience is different depending on the severity of your diagnosis, your past experience with surgery and your activity level before surgery. With these key factors in mind there are also some key things that you can do to make the process easier, not only on yourself also your support system, as well as your recovery. Please remember that these pre and post surgery tips suggestions are purely from my own experience and research. Always follow the medical advise from your doctors.
Pre Surgery Tips
- Do your research! Not all doctors use the same techniques or have the same approach when it comes to endometriosis. Some are more aggressive than others, different techniques are used to remove the damaged tissue and endometriosis implants. Is your doctor a leader in the field or have they gotten into a routine with their technique. Check out my list of resources to get started. The Center for Endometriosis Care has a great list of questions when looking for the right doctor.
- Ask questions about your procedure. What to expect during and after surgery. How long will the recovery be? What is common for someone to feel in their body as they recover? Are there any activities to avoid? How long? Most doctors have a general handout for you to follow, make sure you read it and contact your doctors or nurse with any questions before the day of surgery, don’t wait to get your answers. You may forget your list or not even see your doctor before surgery. Dr Seckin’s website offer a comprehensive list of questions about what to expect during the procedure.
- Set up a support system. You will need someone to drive you to and from the surgery. Is this person able to stay with you for a couple days? Will they be there at night? How comfortable do you feel with them. This surgery is personal and you may want help going to the bathroom the day after. Keep this person in the loop. If they aren’t going to doctors appointments with you, make sure they know all the information from the doctor ahead of time, things to look out for, how long the surgery will take, etc.
- Meal prep. Even having someone there to support you, you will be going through this process together and it can be helpful to have meals ready so that they can be available to help you, not cooking. Keep it simple; have ready made snacks, like my grain free saltines or flax seed crackers ready to go. If you are someone, like me that likes to have a tasty treat when I don’t feel the best make some low sugar jello ahead of time. Bone broth with veggies or cooked greens are easy to prepare ahead of time and will provide your body with healthy nutrients it needs to recover. This includes having some electrolytes available. Try to choose an all natural option, like watered down apple or grape juice. Adding sea salt to your water is also a fantastic option. If you have ever tried Evian it has a creamy taste to it because of the natural minerals it contains, electrolytes. Adding a dirty or colored sea salt like Celtic, Himalayan or Red Sea salt to your water (just a couple granules) can achieve the creamy taste of Evian and add the essential minerals back to your water that may be missing.
- Change your sheets. Before you leave for your surgery put clean sheets on your bed. Your future self will thank you.
- Get all your supplies ready. I’ll explain why in the post surgery tips. Have plenty of pillows on hand (I suggest 4-5). Have more than one heating pad. Milk of magnesia for the day after. One or two water bottles. Movies or TV in the space you will be hanging out. A small table for your snacks and water (a night stand will also do). A diffuser with lavender essential oils (or your favorite scent). I love lavender because it has calming properties. I would also recommend having an inhaler with essential oils for after the surgery for the ride home to help soothe your nerves. You can make your own super cheap and a great way to personalize your own preferences. Arnica gel or cream can help heal your sore muscles and around your wounds. Arnica Tablets or Pellets can help heal from the inside.
- The day before your surgery you will be instructed to clean your abdomen with an antiseptic. I you are like me I am picky about what I put on my body. So I opted for an all natural approach with a Tea Tree Antiseptic soap. You will also ingest a cleanser to clean out your bowels. If you can I recommend spending the day before your surgery prepping for your big day. As you get ready listen to music, finish up your meal prepping, get any last minute supplies, clean the space you will be spending time in, clean out your car. Incorporate things that will leave you on your day of surgery feeling prepared. This also keeps you in a space where you feel comfortable to go to the bathroom so you can clean out your insides.
- The day of surgery I would recommend wearing your most comfortable outfit. For me I wore my go-to comfy dress. I can wear it without a bra and it was easy to slip on after my surgery and wear on the ride home (I drove 2 hours). Fuzzy slippers/socks. They give you some, but it’s so nice to have your own. Sandals or shoes that can slip on and off easily. You don’t need to take much into the surgery center with you (leave your jewelry at home).
- In the car I had a blanket and a couple pillows. I made sure we took the “comfortable car” where I could recline a little and still be safe.
- If you have pets make sure you have a plan. Do they sleep in your bed? Do they jump on you? You don’t want to have to figure this out when you arrive home and your furry friend is excited to see you.
Post Surgery Tips
Like I mentioned in the pre surgery tips there are some essential supplies that can help make the recovery process easier.
- Having multiple pillows. During surgery they will fill your abdomen with gas. This gas will remain in your body until it naturally dissolves. If you are familiar with gases, they tend to be lighter than gravity and rise and can create discomfort in your diaphragm and abdomen. To help ease this pain (or in my case not experience it at all) you can prop up your legs with pillow. This helps keep the gas from moving up. I put two pillows under my knees, two pillows under my feet and had one under my head. I slept like this and hung out like this. And never once did I feel the discomfort that so many other have described.
- Have multiple heating pads. If you can invest in a bio mat I would highly recommend it. They are amazing and you can learn more about them here. Heat can be incredibly soothing to the body and nervous system. At times I had one on my abdomen and back. I would move them around to where I felt I wanted comfort. Having more than one didn’t limit me in where I could put it. If you do invest in a bio mat just note that they are a little on the stiff side, so having a soft back up is nice, just to change it up.
- We are going to get a little personal now. Milk of magnesia helped me with my first bowel movement. The last thing I wanted to do was strain at any point and this guaranteed that I wouldn’t. Just make sure you read the bottle and follow the directions.
- Even if you have someone there to support you (you can even have some fun and get a little bell) you won’t need them for everything. Having a couple water bottles next to you will keep them from having to tend to your every request. Since water is so important to flushing out toxins and keeping your body hydrated and healthy hopefully you will see the value in drinking a lot of it. IF you use a glass I would recommend a re-usable straw with a little bend, it just makes things easier.
- The first day or so after surgery you will probably not want to do much. Having a visual can distract and entertain you. Books, magazines and puzzles are also great, although you may not feel up to reading the day of or after your surgery. I would have a back up plan to just veg out, like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime. If you have a DVD player changing the movie is the perfect time to get up and move around.
- Having a small table or night stand can be nice to have all of the items you need at reach; your water, snack, tissues, essential oil inhaler, etc. This helps you with not having to re-situate the pillows and allows you to stay comfortable.
- Having an essential oil diffuser in the room can help you relax and sleep. Lavender in particular has analgesic effects that help calm your nervous system and helps you sleep.
- Arnica is amazing. If you haven’t been introduced to it yet, now is the time. It helps heal bruises, and helps regenerate your cells faster. Making it perfect to take internally as a tablet or pellet and use topically.
- Don’t forget to move around. It may not be the first thing on your mind, but is important to do. Movement helps your body move toxins, like anesthesia out of your system. It also helps your muscles recover faster. If you need, set a timer to walk around the house or yard, maybe to get more water, go to the bathroom, get a snack or get a change of scenery. Just remember to do what feels comfortable and follow the instructions of your doctor.
I hope that these pre and post surgery tips help you feel a little bit more prepared for the steps you have chosen to feel better. Remember that everyone is unique and what works for some may not work for others. Be patient with yourself and now that you are making this decision to improve your quality of life, decrease your pain and hopefully your overall being.
Curly Broccoli does not contain medical advice. The contents of this blog, such as text, graphics, images and other material are intended for informational and educational purposes only and not for the purpose of rendering medical advice. The contents of this blog are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Please consult your physician for personalized medical advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.