What to Expect During Your Laparoscopy: Part I
A laparoscopy is a surgical procedure done to either diagnose endometriosis or treat its symptoms (go here to learn more about endometriosis). I’ve suffered from the symptoms of endometriosis for 12 years, and I finally had a laparoscopy recently to determine an official diagnosis. I want to share my story with the world, so that hopefully other women won't be as scared as I was to undergo the procedure.
The day before my surgery, I got a call that I should be at the hospital at 6:00 AM so that they could begin the operation by 7:15. I arrived promptly at 6:00, where my husband and I were taken to a waiting room. After a couple of minutes, a nurse came back to get me, telling my husband that he could join me after some standard measures were completed.
I was escorted into a pre-surgery room. It had a counter, cabinet, two chairs, and a patient recliner. I was asked to give a urine sample, and then a different nurse came in to assess my health (I worked with several nurses throughout the course of the day). I told her about my allergies and took out my piercings when prompted (two in each ear, one in my belly button). Then I was given a cap, gown, booties, and robe to change into. I also had to wear a T.E.D. sock to prepare for surgery.
The second nurse told me that she would be putting an IV into me. She gave me an initial injection of a numbing agent into my left hand, which felt like a mosquito bite. She then put an IV into one of my veins, which was basically a plastic catheter. Apparently, plastic IVs are in vogue now, as they’re much more comfortable than a needle in the skin.
After that, my husband was allowed to join me in the room and an anesthesiologist entered. She asked about my current medications and previous experiences with surgery and anesthesia. I had “gone under” when I had my wisdom teeth out and also when I had a colonoscopy in high school, so she was pretty confident that I would handle it well.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
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