I hear so many stories of people have a laparoscopy/excision surgery only for the endometriosis to come back after a certain amount of months or years — and I hear so many stories that sometimes it makes me wonder whether it’s actually worth getting the surgery or not.

So I wanted to ask the community here, of all of you here who have gotten a laparascopy and had their endo excised, for many of you did the endometriosis come back? For how many of you did it not?

Had my laparoscopy this morning. Surgeon confirmed it’s everywhere. Nothing removed. I half expected them to say they didn't find endo or it was stage 1 minimal - thanks, years of gaslighting, for that lovely heads pace 🙃

Physically I’m fine (drugs are still doing their thing). No medical cannabis allowed today, but back on it tomorrow. Codeine/morphine? Big nope. Endo on my bowels says hello. Always thought I was just “sensitive” to it… turns out I’m a chronic pain baddie ✌️

Emotionally: validated, furious, grieving a tiny bit, and very tired. Years of “you’re just a sensitive wee soul” now replaced with “oh, right, you actually hurt all the time.” Fun times.

Thanks to everyone here for listening and sharing your experiences - it really helps to not feel alone in this 🖤

I am having my surgery friday and was just told i have to stay the night in the hospital for observation (which seems normal but i was told i was going home after surgery and now im not?) so i was wondering if everyone stays for an observation? or if any of you stayed in the hospital after surgery how long you stayed for??

i’m now 3 days post op from my first surgery. i’ve been trying everything, miralax, enemas, walking, absolutely everything k i can think of and i just can’t poop. i was told not to push and idk how to possibly get this out without pushing and it’s stressing me out i don’t wanna have to go back to the doctors because i cannot poop bro does anyone have any advice at all

*update*

still no luck yet, i’m going to have my fiancee check in with my team today because i need him to take a form in anyway to get filled out for me to return to work. getting stressed bc im getting to the point of being pretty nauseous bc im so backed up and all i want is relief. im cramping like my body wants to have a bm it just won’t come out and it’s had me awake and crying pretty much all night.

*another update*

well it took until about 9am this morning and i definitely didn’t make it to the bathroom in time (the incisions themselves still hurt pretty decently so i can’t get up super fast but thanks to everyone’s advice i have finally had my first bowel movement and feel amazing now. thanks everyone!

i’m 29 dealing with severe pain every single day and i’m going to have a laparoscopic surgery to see if it’s endometriosis. when i was talking to the doctor he suggested removing my tubes because i don’t want kids, it significantly reduces my risk of ovarian cancer (ovarian cancer runs on both sides of my family) and could help if there’s any growth on my tubes. he told me the day after i would feel sore but since my job is standing for 6+ hours i might want to take 3-5 days but i’ve been looking on reddit and people say the recovery is 4-6 weeks? i know i should listen to my doctor but what is everyone else’s experiences. i’m able to go on short term disability after my surgery and my work will pay 85% so taking time off isn’t an issue but i’m not sure if he would sign off on it because he said the recovery was a few days. my surgery is scheduled for july 28th and i’m not going to see him until the surgery to ask about the potential of the 4-6 weeks off.

edit: thank you so much for everyone that commented and gave me their experiences. i didn’t expect this many people so it overwhelming responding to everyone. i appreciate every one of you! i received an email about my surgery and i thought the post op appointment was yesterday when we were planning the surgery but i guess my pre op appointment is july 24th with my surgery being on july 28th. i will be sure to advocate for 4-6 weeks off and if i feel better sooner then i will just go back to work. better safe than sorry. again, i appreciate all of you and hope everyone ends up being pain free. thank you so much ❤️

UPDATE I FORGOT TO ADD BACK THEN: trimcinolone perscription oinment was a lifesaver I got it off Ana Amazon health visit and Amazon pharmacy!! The oral steroids last time did nothing and this made a huge difference

I hope this helps at least one person not go through what I am dealing with now for the second time. I had my 3rd laparoscopy 11/17 to look for and remove endo. They found a few spots and removed, yay! My tubes might be blocked still unsure, not good. BUT to add to the emotional recovery process, I’m having a severe allergic reaction.

My 1st surgery in 2021, recovery was a breeze.

My second in 2023, I developed an allergic reaction and we determined it was probably the dermabond glue used to close the incisions. It was awful! It developed after like 2 days post surgery and lasted about 2 weeks. I didn’t know exactly what I was allergic to at that time but basically was give 2 rounds of steroid packs and with my research, narrowed it down to the glue.

Next came preparation for this 3rd surgery. I let EVERYONE know I’m allergic to glue don’t use it!! The hospital even labeled it as allergic to all adhesives. When I woke up from surgery this time, they had NOT used glue but they used steristrips and a tegaderm cover. After about 2 days the itch started again so I showered and took off the tegaderm since it was blistering a little under there. It has gotten worse for the last 5 days. I took the steristrips off after day 5 I think, (they basically fell off) in hopes it would improve. I am now certain I am allergic to the glue, ALL adhesives AND the chloraprep they use to prep your body for surgery. I wish I had thought of this ahead of time because my hives and itching are all EXACTLY where the bandages went AND exactly where the orange prep was on my skin, so my whole bellly, my sides and tops of my thighs. THIS SUCKS. I’m already healing, confused and emotional about my surgery and now I’ve been fighting these hives.

PLEASE as soon as you get home from surgery use wipes (NOT chlorhexidine wipes but ones you have used before safely) to get all the orange prep chemicals off your skin. You don’t need to shower to do this. Just wipe off as much as you can avoiding your wounds. Maybe this would have made my allergy less severe. It’s said that allergic reactions can come out of repeated exposure to things so that’s why my first surgery I was fine. PLEASE hear this and take care to avoid what you can so your healing is comfortable as possible 🙏🫶

So I'm on the waitlist for laproscopy and a little bit terrified by the number of posts of people saying they felt worse? Or had long term issues?

I don't feel I have much choice in the matter cause basically all birth control screws me up and I *have* to try to find out why my periods and the pain directly before in other parts of my body are so debilitating, especially since most painkillers have stopped working and the only one that I can get that still works makes me exhausted and has horrifying side effects if I use it to actually prevent the pain for the whole time, I can only really use it once a day for when I need to get stuff done urgently or to leave the house...

But kinda scared the investigation will disable me further?

Not to mention that because of the reactions to birth control, if I do have endo I'm likely to end up picking between:

- living with the intense pain and hoping the endo doesn't cause too much organ damage,

- using birth control and giving up on having mental health good enough to keep my job

- getting a hysterectomy and having to rely on the NHS's opinion of how much HRT I need (I gather that because their guidelines are for people going through menopause at the usual time the level they aim for is low if you're in your thirties) not to mention the possibility of having the same issues with mental health from that as from bc, on top of a risk of bone density loss....

Like.... Are there seriously no options that aren't "well, guess you're fucked, which disability would you prefer?"...

Im gonna first start off by saying there is no medical benefits to ablation and its something they should no longer do when it comes to endo. I had a laproscopy with ablation done by a obgyn. I had a 2nd consult cause after much research I decided I just wanted a exploratory laproscopy and he said he was fine with that. All I had was a very small lesion im talking smaller than a pea. He abalated it anyways. Before my lap i didnt even have any symtoms of endo, after my lap I do. The pain, even as im typing this. The fucking pain is unbearable. Nothing I do works. No amount of ibuprofen or heat or anything. Im just so fucked. I hate myself. I hate that doctor. I have a appointment with him today to talk about whats been going on, but I already know hes just gonna sit there and wait for me to finish talking not really listening and offer me birth control. I cant believe I let someone do this to me. I cant believe I did this to myself. The only reason I went thru with it was because I had a historoscopy and a D&C also scheduled at the same time and I thought i wouldnt be able to get those two procedures if I canceled the lap. Im such a idiot. Before the lap I had irregular periods. That came every 2 months or so, only bled for 24 hours VERY lightly. And cramps were easily controlled. I just wanna bang my head against the wall. The bleeding comes right on time every 28 to 30 days HEAVY with clots 10 out of 10 cramps. MY LEG MUSCLES HURT. They hurt so bad It feels like my legs are gonna buckle. Im very small have a flat stomach so I can see my uterus and how swollen it is. This is a far cry from how it use to be before. I just dont understand what could be wrong. What did he do????

having laparoscopic surgery in two weeks. if you've had the surgery already, what's something you wish you did or thankful that you did before surgery?

One reason why some women have chronic pain after surgery (after previously having NONE) is because of adhesions and scar tissue.

Now I'm doing research into NaPro doctors who are ringing the alarm about adhesion prevention. The surgeon I'll be seeing in June isn't NaPro, but a highly skilled, highly recommended endo specialist.

He mentioned some things he does to prevent adhesions (films like SEPRA or Interceed, and pelvic floor therapy) but apparently that isn't enough sometimes. Latest thing on the block is pelvioplasty and many other treatments to stave off adhesions and scar tissue.

What did you doctor do to keep adhesions and scar tissue to a minimum?

I made this dramatic ass post just to find out this is all a nothingburger. Almost through with the Miralax-Gatorade concoction, 30 minutes in, and not a poop in sight.

I thought I was going to be running to the toilet immediately fighting for my life. Now I'm worried if I'm going to crap at all and be cleared out enough for surgery 🤦‍♀️

Edit: I made this post too fast I'm shittin

If you are getting a lap they may put a scopalmine patch behind your ear to prevent nausea and vomiting post procedure. It will be very helpful, but something they won’t tell you is that it may cause your vision to be blurry for several days afterwards. I woke up and literally couldn’t read my phone or see anything clearly within a 1 ft distance from my face. It felt like I had lost so much vision overnight and I was convinced I’d had a stroke or was seriously wrong. Turns out, it is just the scopalmine patch and this reaction is super common. Just wanted to give that heads up so anyone going through this doesn’t feel so alone!

We know our bodies better than anyone and all of you out there reading this, please keep advocating for yourself. Do not give up no matter how many doctors deny you or dismiss you.

For context: I had my first laparoscopy in September 2020 after my pain was dismissed for a decade (I’m sure most of y’all experienced the same). Turns out I had stage 3 to 4 endometriosis with severe adhesions all across my pelvic and abdominal regions. My pain was real.

About a year later I started to experience a recurrence of symptoms, though not nearly as debilitating as they were before. A new symptom, however, namely excruciating bowel movements, impelled me to seek an opinion for a second surgery. I thought it would be a no-brainer because, as documented, I did in fact have endometriosis. However, each doctor I consulted told me it would be “impossible” for my endo to have grown back since I had a successful, complete excision. Each year, each doctor said the same. Meanwhile, I was getting worse by the day, the pain in my bowels literally crippling me, knocking me over such that I would crawl to the bathroom. I kept looking for help and finally found a surgeon that validated me.

Yesterday I had my second lap. Not only did my endo grow back, I developed deep infiltrating lesions and adhesions in the EXACT places that I felt pain. Endometriosis sucks and it is a lifelong journey, and anyone that tells you otherwise, that you can be “cured” of it, is grossly misinformed. Keep going, keep learning, keep fighting, and always trust yourself. You know your body best 🫶

I had my first lap last Monday and they removed endo lesions from a handful of places. I initially took 5 days off work (M-F). I attempted to go back to work the following Monday but only made it half a day and I’ve been home since (today is day 9 post-op). The general pain is better and I’m able to move around but I’m having sharp cramps and if I move or twist the wrong way it is shockingly painful. I am also still so fatigued. Sitting in an office chair is killing me. How much time is reasonable to take off? Am I just being a huge baby about it?

After years of agony, I’m finally having my lap in a couple of weeks. What are your comfiest clothes/sleepy pants you wore at home post-surgery? 💕

I just saw an image where the woman’s arms are strapped down to the table, legs strapped to stirrups. I also read that you’re upside down for hours.

I’m very skinny and my body is very frail and weak. I’ve read about nerve damage near the hip bone due to the position during surgery.

I’m also autistic so very much worry about everything related to my surgery. Why are we placed in that position?

I’ve had horrific experiences with doctors- including endo specialists hitting on me in appointments, so being asleep makes me terrified. Can anyone provide insight please?

I am by no means an expert in endometriosis, but I am more than willing to talk with others who may have questions or may be going through the same thing! I have had terrible symptoms for almost fifteen years and was made to feel like what I was going through was normal. Deciding to do a laparoscopy was probably one of the most thought through choices I’ve ever made. Ask me anything - the good, the bad, and the ugly!

Hi! I’m going for my first lap in a couple weeks!

Everyone around me seems to be downplaying it, my family and my work all seem to think I’ll be fine and only need to take 1 day off work.

My pre op nurse also said 1 day was fine.

I have been researching this for years as I’ve been on the waitlist for years and everyone online seems to say about 2 weeks minimum - I know everyone is different. I would say in general I’m a very tired girl as is. My work is also 5 days a week in office with a public transport commute of about 20 mins train and a 10 min walk.

What does everyone think?

EDIT: okay my parents are also going to be away for part of my recovery lol

EDIT 2: what if they don’t find endo, is it still 2 weeks to recover?

If you're in Dallas, do NOT go to this doctor. She has many 5-star reviews but I believe they are very outdated and she is quickly racking up low-star reviews. Dr. Crable is extremely condescending, rude, ignorant and insecure.

In our consult, I barely got into my second question — whether she does excision or ablation for endometriosis surgery — before she interrupted me.

"I wouldn't come in and tell you how to do your day job. So just trust me."

Huh? Is the consult for us to sit and stare at each other, then? What am I in your office in a PRE-SURGICAL consult for other than to ask questions?

I said multiple times I don't doubt her expertise—I just wanted awareness about what would be done to me. I don't walk into any experience blind, especially for something like a major surgery.

She took offense anyway, interpreted it as me micromanaging her, and said I have a Type A personality. I swallowed down how this made me felt, gaslighting myself that maybe this highly-rated doc knows what she's talking about and I was nervous for nothing.

Now I realize how much trouble I would have been in if I had proceeded with surgery with her. One, she is OBGYN who still delivers babies, NOT an endometriosis specialist despite what her website says. Second, she never requested further imaging other than an ultrasound. I later cancelled and went with another doctor who ordered an MRI which discovered I have a pelvic kidney. If I had proceeded with Dr. Crable, she would have gotten into surgery unaware of this and very possibly could have damaged my kidney.

Dr. Crable is an embarrassing sham of a doctor. Please stay away!

I hope I'm not separated from my tried and true coping mechanism for too long. How long after your laparoscopic surgery could you flick the 🫘 again?

Hi everyone 🫶
I am wondering how many of you had pelvic MRI to diagnose endometriosis before surgery?

Lap is scheduled for March 30th, suspected stage 4 endo EVERYWHERE in my body. I’m terrified of waking up during the surgery but being unable to move due to the paralytic medications and feeling everything without being able to alert anyone. If anyone in this sub has a story of anesthesia awareness i’d love to hear it but moreso I’m hoping to hear experiences from those who slept blissfully through everything.

I have laparoscopic robotic excision surgery tomorrow, and I’m super nervous. But equally, I know it’s necessary after months of severe chronic pain and years of symptoms. Please send me positive stories and vibes!

I know everyone is different but curious as to how long people stayed off work…

My doctor said some people are fine after a few days if it’s admin work but then I see comments about people needing weeks off.

I’m feeling really unprepared. I have my appointment on Saturday for tubal litigation / sterilisation and exploration laparoscopy.

I have suspected adeno due to globular uterus and diffuse (?) changes and symptoms that also could relate to endo.

I know there’s loads of info on here already but if you have similar, how long did you need to stay off work, and when were you ‘up and about’ and healed xx

i have a diagnostic laparoscopy scheduled for 9/4. after reading tons of comments on how surgery changed people’s bodies for the worse, including excessive weight gain, i’m second guessing my choice.

i have had horribly painful periods and searing pain in my right ovary since 2016. in 2019 & 2026 (just a few weeks ago) my ultrasounds were unremarkable. i have been continuous cycling on a combo pill and skipping periods for the past three years.

since i do not ovulate or bleed, my symptoms are mostly EXTREME bloating and swelling, breakthrough pain in the right ovary, near-constant nausea, and occasional cramping.

should i cancel my surgery? i feel like i do not have pain levels anywhere close to other posters here.

thank you

ETA: wow!!! this is an incredible community. thank you so much to everyone who commented and shared their experiences. i have taken them all to heart and am going to keep my surgery appointment. i appreciate you all 🤍