Recovery from Ooph itself

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Member_of_the_Club
Member_of_the_Club Member Posts: 3,646
edited June 2014 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

Hiya everyone, its been a while.  In September I will have my ten year cancerversary.  I was on tamoxifen for five years and have now been on arimidex for four, plus zoladex to put me in menopause. I have been reluctant to have my ovaries out but since I will probably finish the arimidex in a year I think its time.  I am meeting with my gyno next week to discuss but I am curious about why there's a two week recovery for a laproscopic surgery.  I had my tubes tied laproscopically and bounced back the next day.  What are your experiences with a laproscopic oopherectomy?  Also, since I am already post-menopausal thanks to the zoladex, will I have additional hormonal symptoms?  Finally, I have a tough time with narcotics and NSAIDs because of GI issues (long story) so I am hoping to avoid taking anything for pain.  Is that possible?  I didn't need anything after my tubal ligation.  Thanks!

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  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited April 2014

    Member, I had an laparoscopic ooph a few years ago. There's more internal trauma with this than when you have your tubes tied, hence the longer recovery. You really do need that amount of time to get back to yourself. I had no pain AT ALL with this surgery - the incisions were tender if I pressed on them (so I didn't press on them.....). Most people get pain from the gas afterwards until it's absorbed in your body - since it's not in your digestive tract it doesn't have the usual impolite exits. I was very lucky - I didn't even have pain from the gas. I did need the full  2 weeks to get back to myself. I was also post-meno, and the night after the surgery I had 2 very mild hot flashes and that was the extent of the hormonal symptoms I had.

    Best of luck with your surgery. I hope you have as easy a time as I did.

    Leah

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  • peggy_j
    peggy_j Member Posts: 1,700
    edited May 2014

    Member, I haven't had an ooph (but may soon) so I've been talking to friends who have. One said that the surgery wasn't painful but she felt really wiped out for a week. She arranged to work from home and was surprised that each day she got tired easily and could only work 1/2 day. She was around 47 at the time of surgery. My SIL had her ovaries out (in her late 50s) and she had a lot of pain in her shoulders some days later, as the gas left her body. My friend didn't have that at all.  So maybe the docs tell you two weeks, since everyone responds differently. Maybe they want you to prepare for that and then be happy if you're only wiped out for a week!  ;) Your questions are valid. Maybe just ask your doc next time you see him/her? FWIW, my gyno said that if I had my surgery laporascopically (remove 1 ovary and both tubes) it would take about a week to get back on my feet. If I need an incision (for a full hysterectomy), then 6 weeks recovery.

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  • rgiuff
    rgiuff Member Posts: 1,094
    edited May 2014

    Member, I remember how you were against this surgery, so wondering why you feel it's necessary to do it at all?  You could have stopped with just the 5 years of tamoxifen,  but I remember that you chose to continue on with the more aggressive treatment  for another 5 years, so I'm puzzled by this.  Are you worried about ovarian cancer?

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