Post-operative tips:

This article deals mostly with post-operative tips. It's been compiled from several sources including friends, family, and the nurses and hospital staff from my previous surgery. I hope it is of help.

• Nothing vaginally for at least 5 weeks; this means no tampons, douching, or intercourse.
• Don't lift anything heavier than 10 pounds for at least 6 weeks.
• Don't push or pull anything for at least 6 weeks; this includes vacuuming and doing laundry. Have someone else take over the housework for a few weeks.
• Having a heating pad handy can really take the edge off the pain. I like drinking a cup of tea while warming up my belly with the pad.
• Have a small pillow handy at all times in case you need to sneeze or cough. It also helps to support your belly if you like to sleep/lie on your side. Definitely have it handy in the car as a protective barrier from the squeeze of the seatbelt.
• Have someone stay close to you for the first week while you are in the shower; this is just in case you get too dizzy or need help getting in/out.
• Keep your diet fairly bland for the first week or two. It helps to regulate your bowel functions and also keeps nausea down.
• Drinking ginger tea or eating some ginger candy helps with the nausea and gas.
• Narcotic pain killers have a tendency to make you constipated so make sure to drink plenty of fluids. Try to take the lowest dose possible to minimize constipation. You can supplement prescription pain killers (and thus minimize the narcotic dosage) with over-the-counter like Aleve or Tylenol.
• Make sure you keep an eye on the incisions. If there is any redness and/or excessive itching/tenderness around the incisions, it can mean a sign of infection. Also, take your temperature regularly during the first week. A temperature of 100 F or over can also signify infection. A low-grade fever (i.e. 99 F) is normal post-surgically.
• Try to avoid dairy, excessive roughage, raw veggies, and any other foods that may cause excess gas for the first couple of weeks.
• Have someone else do the driving for the first few weeks, especially if you drive a stick-shift. Moving your legs, pushing the pedals, and moving the steering wheel all work out the abs a little bit and doing this right after surgery usually results in a lot of pain.
• Avoid high-impact exercise like aerobics and jogging for at least 6-8 weeks. Avoid walking long distances for at least 4-6 weeks. Try walking short distances as soon as you feel comfortable, but don't push it. I normally tried walking a block or so. That was enough to poop me out for hours!
• Give yourself permission to feel like crap for a while. You just had a major trauma to your body, even though everyone says it is only a minor outpatient procedure. You will feel tired, irritable, and sore for a while; it is perfectly normal. Listen to your body--rest when it tells you to. It is often hard for women to stop being the superhumans we have gotten used to being. Think of your recovery time as your time off.
• Doing some light stretching, meditation, and light yoga can really speed up the healing process. I would recommend starting a gentle yoga class as soon as you feel ready (for me, this took about 5 weeks).
• Also, the anesthetic stays in your system for a long time and can make you depressed. I had post-lap blues for both my first lap and this past one. It lasted about 5 weeks. Allow yourself to have these feelings. Talk openly with your partner/loved ones about what you feel. Let yourself work through this. Also, some light walking or stretching every day can help ease the blues.
• This is all I can come up with off the top of my head. I didn't know about a lot of this after my first lap and I know I pushed myself too hard too fast. Be careful; this is the prime time for your body to start forming adhesions. Most of all, be kind to your body. It's the only one you have.