Post-surgery experience (10 days post-op - robotic lap myo)

Hi everyone! First and foremost, I just want to express my gratitude for this community. I was diagnosed with fibroids in August 2024. Before finding this Reddit thread, I felt frightened and alone. I had never experienced any medical conditions/complications prior to this diagnosis and felt incredibly overwhelmed once I learned that surgery was my only option. Eventually, I found this Reddit thread - reading everyone’s experiences helped me better understand how this condition affects so many of us, the medical gaslighting, and ways to prepare for surgery/post-surgery care. Thank you all for your words of wisdom. Here is a bit of my experience:

I had a robotic laparoscopic myomectomy on 2/13/25. Thankfully, my surgery went well and the surgical team was able to remove 8 fibroids. My biggest one was 10cm! Unfortunately, I still have 2 small ones in my uterus. My surgeon and I had agreed before the procedure that they would remove as many as possible and leave any that would negatively impact my fertility.

Context: I am 31 years old, have no children, work out 4-5 days a week, and eat pretty balanced.

The Day of Surgery:

I packed a recovery pillow for the drive home and to offer me extra support while getting up, coughing, sneezing, etc. I also packed an extra bag with my toiletries, maternity underwear, and loose clothing as I would be staying with my grandmother for a week post-surgery.

My surgery was performed at UCLA Medical Center and I couldn't be more grateful for my experience there. Everyone validated my feelings, answered my remaining questions, and walked me through the process. My surgeon and nurse even asked what song I would like for them to play while they prepared everything in the operating room. I clearly remember hearing "This Must Be the Place" by the Talking Heads before knocking out for 3.5 hours.

Post-Surgery

The first night: I awoke in a daze. I was in pain, exhausted, and freezing! My nurse placed multiple blankets around me, including the top of my head. After an hour, the nurse mentioned I needed to pee before they would allow me to go home. This was probably one of the most painful and uncomfortable experiences in my life. Not only was I in excruciating pain, but I was also still heavily feeling the effects of anesthesia. After 3 long hours and multiple attempts to use the restroom, I was finally discharged. The drive home was long. I kept a pillow close to my incisions and pressed it lightly against me whenever the road felt bumpy. When I arrived at my grandmother's, I took Oxycodone and my mother placed pillows to support me in an upright position. That night was tough, to say the least. I felt shortness of breath, pain, and needed to get up to use the restroom every 30 minutes (this was due to all the liquid the nurse gave me post-surgery). It's important to highlight that THIS WAS THE WORST OF IT. By the 15th hour post-surgery, I was finally able to prop myself up with minimal help and was able to use the restroom without assistance.

Day 2: Started coughing throughout the night which HURT since it felt like my bikini line incision was being pulled apart. I was also constipated, so I began to take stool softener. My meals consisted of oatmeal with chia seeds/fruit, chicken noodle soup packed with veggies, papaya, and fish. I was finally able to pass stool that night. For medications, I was alternating between Tylenol and ibuprofen which I would take every 4 hours.

Day 3-5: My bowel movements were back to normal by this point (1-2x day). My biggest challenge continued to be my sudden cough attacks which would leave me teary-eyed because of the pain. By this point, I was getting out of bed more, walking around my grandmother's house, and getting water.

Day 6-9: I went home on day 6 and was able to climb the 3 stories to my apartment (unfortunately, we don't have an elevator). I started being more independent - washing my dishes, preparing meals, and other light tasks. I still experienced pain when coughing so I drank tea with honey and kept cough drops with me at all times. Additionally, I stopped taking medication by day 8.

Day 10 (currently): I am no longer coughing (knock on wood). The only pain I felt today was in the morning when I climbed out of bed to use the restroom. My bikini line incision continues to be the only place where I feel pain during these moments. Today I tidied up my space a bit but avoided heavy lifting or pushing. I walk around my space 1x/hour to get some movement in to avoid any pains around my body.

Overall, I FEEL RELIEVED. I am eager to continue moving through my recovery process. My biggest words of encouragement for anyone preparing for surgery or those who are just wrapping their heads around having fibroids is that you ARE NOT ALONE. Use this Reddit community to ask your questions, read about people's experiences, and write down any questions you have for your medical provider. They should take the time to hear your concerns, answer your questions, and help you plan/prepare for your treatment. Further, find a doctor you trust, find your support people as they will be crucial during your first days of recovery, have snacks/fruit/meals that are easy to consume, eat papaya, buy maternity underwear and pillow to squeeze whenever necessary, keep comfy/loose clothing easily accessible, and keep all the things you love and provide you comfort close to you. You've got this.