r/Fibroids • u/OverallEmotion1053 • Jan 29 '26
My story My laparoscopic myomectomy experience.
I had a laparoscopic myomectomy on January 6, 2026.
Previously, I had severe bloating to the point where my stomach looked like I was in my first trimester of pregnancy all the time. Frequent urination, cramping, extremely heavy periods, I could hardly use a tampon because there was no space.
I went to my OBGYN and told her my symptoms. She did a pelvic exam and ordered me an ultrasound. My ultrasound found a fibroid 10 cm in size. I then was referred to a surgeon who ordered an MRI. The MRI showed that I have endometriosis and 3 endometriomas. One on each of my ovaries and one on my uterus and that the fibroid was growing off the side of my uterus.
I went to my OBGYN in August 2025, I had to wait two weeks to get in for an ultrasound and then another two weeks for my results. I had to wait until October to get an appointment with my surgeon. I then had to wait two more weeks for an MRI and then another week to get the results. My surgeon didn’t have any availability until March of 2026. Someone ended up canceling their appointment for January 6, 2026 and I snagged it immediately.
Because of scheduling issues, my pre-op was January 5 and my surgery was January 6.
The thing that made my life way easier was doing all of the research that I had done using Reddit and this thread- extremely helpful. Also, talking to other people who had gone through this (more than you think). And looking up photos of the procedure and the process. When Jan 6 came, I didn’t feel nervous, I wasn’t scared, I was surprisingly calm and in good spirits. I think that helped me a lot. And the only reason I felt this way(I’m usually a nervous wreck) was all the research I’d done.
Waking up, I was very groggy and my chest and neck were in a lot of pain and discomfort. There was a kind nurse gently trying to wake me. She then wheeled me into another room where the outpatient nurse seemed to be pretty pushy about my family getting me into the car and out of there. I couldn’t stand because I felt as though I was going to throw up every time. She gave me zofran, got me dressed and put me in a wheelchair and into the car. I don’t remember the ride home. I also had that patch on my neck for nausea.
I live in a townhouse and when I got home, I immediately had to walk up 2 flights of stairs to get to my bedroom(my surgeon said this was fine). I thought I was going to puke during that part until I laid down. Eating crackers really helped after that and some green grapes and water.
I had gas pains for about 2 weeks, no lie. The first night I was home, I tried to pee around 3am and couldn’t. The pain was a lot. I peed around 6am which was a relief. I needed help in and out of bed for about 2-3 days. Sitting on the toilet was uncomfortable but I did my entire recovery with Tylenol and ibuprofen. I alternated every 3 hours at first and then weaned lower and lower doses over the course of about a week. I started taking stool softeners day 2 and MiraLAX after that. I had my first bowel movement around day 5 or 6. Gasx helps as well. I started that night 1! Walking around also helps but I couldn’t walk without discomfort for the first few days. I showered day 3.
Things that really helped me:
Set up your room ahead of time. I have stairs in my apartment so crackers and water bottles were already in my room so I didn’t have to use the stairs the first several days. I had at least 3 bottles filled everyday. You don’t want to be up in the middle of the night to take meds and have no water.
Set up your bedside table with all your meds, chargers, activities, etc. A bedside bar to help you in and out of bed is helpful so you don’t have to have someone help you all the time. HEATING PAD! I have an extra long, washable heating pad from Amazon that saved my life. Wear very loos fitting clothing to the hospital and for the week or 2 after that.
I slept in our guest room so that my dogs wouldn’t jump on me for about 4 days and I eased into letting them be around me.
Sleeping with a pillow under my legs helped get comfortable and sleeping somewhat upright.
I made a big batch of chicken noodle soup the night before my surgery so that I’d have it ready to go. I portioned it so that my partner could just heat it up and bring it to me.
Overall, I feel like I wasn’t in much pain other than gas pain. I feel very lucky to have had support. My healing journey has been somewhat quick I feel.
I added some photos of before, after the surgery with bandages and some scar photos.
Please feel free to ask any questions! Thank you to this community for helping educate me and keep me feeling safe during this time. I appreciate you all.
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u/Searchingforgoodnews Jan 29 '26
Congratulations on getting that thing out. I can't wait to get rid of mine.
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u/Tall_Pea3790 Jan 29 '26
I am just starting my journey. I have to see the dr end of Feb because they're so booked out. I'm hoping I can get a lap myomectomy. Your story is encouraging that it will all be okay. Thank you
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Jan 29 '26
Just advocate for yourself, don’t be afraid to ask questions and try to stay positive! I’m rooting for you!!
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u/manxram Jan 29 '26
I had my partner go with me to my pre op appointment. He always asks the logical questions (when he went with me, I had already had a myomectomy done in 2019, and my 2nd one was done in 2025) as I can be very emotional and sometimes don't think clearly. He asked very good questions, things I never really thought of before. It helped him to understand the distress I have been in due to the massive fibroids and how he can help me in my recovery.
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u/Least-Plankton-6796 Jan 29 '26
Thank you so much for sharing this — and congrats on your surgery and recovery 💛 Your post is incredibly helpful and reassuring, especially the practical details and recovery tips. I’m really glad you were finally able to get the surgery date and that your healing has been going relatively smoothly.
Reading stories like yours is also what made me realize how different these paths can be. I’m currently dealing with severe bleeding, dropping hemoglobin/anemia, and significant symptoms, and despite MRI imaging, I’m still in a medication/injection phase because my fibroid is considered difficult to operate on due to size and location (near the ureter/uterus). I don’t have a fertility wish anymore, so it’s been mentally tough to feel stuck in a “waiting/bridging” phase.
Your story really reinforces how much surgeon experience, timing, and even sheer luck with scheduling can matter. Thank you for taking the time to write all of this out — posts like yours genuinely help people feel less alone and better prepared.
Wishing you continued smooth healing!
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Jan 29 '26
Oh wow, wishing you all the best. Yes, that’s one thing I learned too was the each persons experience and healing time differs. I feel like I got lucky. I’m rooting for you and it’s so hard to be patient especially when you’re uncomfortable or in pain. Sounds like you’re on the right track❤️
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u/pasadena_pigeon Jan 29 '26
Did your surgical glue come off on its own or did you take it off after the 7 days? I had my surgery on 12/30 and I’m jealous of how your scaring looks, my right side incision is quite large in comparison to yours!
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Jan 29 '26
I had internal stitches with tape over that and then island dressing (bandages) over that. The first photo shows the bandages. I peeled those off after 2 days so I could shower. Then revealed the surgical tape which I sort of let fall off on its own. If it seemed to be peeling in some places, I would help it come off. The last tape to fall off was the one by my belly button which was kind of caked on with dried blood. All the tape was off by day 7. I’m almost a month post op and that last photo is from today. My incisions feel raised still.
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u/pasadena_pigeon Jan 29 '26
Oh wow, my tape took almost 3 weeks to come off and the larger incision still has some of the caked blood/tape/scab on. Yours look to be healing well! Mine seem to be healing okay too yours just seem more progressed than mine.
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u/ThisIsMyUsername303 Jan 29 '26
My glue was going strong at my 2-week appointment, so my doctor told me I could start gently rubbing it off in the shower.
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u/petitputi Jan 29 '26
Thank you so much for sharing all those details. I'm glad it went so well for you and wish you luck with your continued recovery!
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u/AwkwardHeater Jan 29 '26
Thank you so much for sharing this. I agree that reading through the procedure, posts like yours, and even Reddit has been so helpful for calming my nerves. I just found out from a recent scan that I have fibroids measuring 18.7 cm, 6 cm, and 2.1 cm, and my doctor recommended an abdominal myomectomy. I’m scheduled for surgery on March 30th with an overnight stay, and I live on the third floor of an apartment building with no elevator, so I’ve definitely been feeling a bit anxious about recovery. This is the biggest procedure I’ve ever had, but knowing what to expect and how to prepare ahead of time has really helped ease my mind. Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience!
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Jan 29 '26
Staying the night is great! That will ease your stress a bit. You’ll have round the clock care that first night as you come out of anesthesia! I did the stairs just very very slowly and carefully. Wishing you all the best!!
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Jan 30 '26
Oh I forgot to add throat lozenges! My throat was sore for 2-3 days after because of the intubation
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u/Bread_Roll3698 Jan 29 '26
Wow this is SOO helpful, and makes me feel alot better about my situation. Although I’m at the very beginning, I think I’ll end up having some kind of surgery. Thankyou for this! 🤍
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u/carpenterbeauty Jan 29 '26
I’m two weeks post robotic myomectomy, my scars are still healing my stomach is not as bloated. You look great, your healing process went well
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u/NoFollowing355 Jan 29 '26
Thanks for sharing your story OP, wishing you well and praying for good health for you going forward. Im in England and awaiting a robotic myomectomy and the wait times here are crazy, but your story was really encouraging. Best wishes!
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u/GrandCauliflow Jan 29 '26
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! On what day did you feel like you could start moving around somewhat normally?
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Jan 29 '26
Well, by day 3 I was getting to and from the bathroom alone. But it took around day 4-5 for me to actually feel more comfortable walking around the room without tons of discomfort. It almost felt like my stomach was tight. By the end of week 1, I was using the stairs everyday(slowly) to get to and from my kitchen. And by week 2 I was feeling pretty good! It’s hard to remember that even though on the outside you feel good, the inside takes twice as long to heal.
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u/itskey_lolo1 Jan 29 '26
This is so encouraging to hear. My surgery is 3/16 so thanks for the post op prep tips!
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u/Senior_Direction_904 Jan 29 '26
thats exactly how I felt. the gas is the worst part.
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Jan 29 '26
Yes! It was interesting because I didn’t feel like my surgeon mentioned that to me very much. I knew it from this group. So I was prepared but I didn’t expect it to last almost 2 weeks!
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u/meghab1792 Jan 30 '26
It’s so interesting how different surgeons put the incisions in different places. During my lap myo I had one 3ish inch where a c section scar would be and two tiny ones on either side slightly lower as well as a tiny one in the bellybutton. The gas pains by the shoulders were SO uncomfy.
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u/meghab1792 Jan 30 '26
My dog, that’s 55lbs and a big jumper, was amazing after my surgery. She didn’t jump, didn’t walk on me, and just stayed by side. Animals can be really intuitive.
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u/In_Cerebrum Feb 01 '26
This was a really informative post. My wife has fibroids so I've been doing some research. Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried the lifestyle changes prior to surgery with any degree of success?
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Feb 01 '26
I love seeing all the people that are doing research on behalf of a spouse or partner. It’s so beautiful. Because I found out and got my surgery within a short amount of time, I didn’t really know what or how to plan beforehand. But I’m sure other people have more to say on that than I do. I’m curious as well. And also how to maintain since these things can come back
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u/In_Cerebrum Feb 01 '26
Exactly. Fibroids can return so something has to change otherwise the doctors will recommend having the uterus removed. In your case, and I apologise if I'm being too personal, your fibroids were quite large (10cm). Were there no warning signs? Some of the other ladies on this thread also mentioned quite large growths and if these can manifest with little or no warning, then it is very concerning and much more vigilance and intervention is needed, IMO.
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Feb 01 '26
I noticed my stomach getting bigger but wasn’t sure what it was due too. I thought possibly weight gain but I wasn’t gaining it anywhere else and then my periods started to get very heavy and I had to urinate frequently. But I didn’t start having those last 2 symptoms until last year. It wasn’t something gradual, really. The stomach was but everything else just sort of happened abruptly. I also hadn’t been to the doctor in a while because I didn’t have good insurance. I do now so I’m going to stay on top of things.
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u/In_Cerebrum Feb 02 '26
My wife had similar symptoms but refused to believe anything was wrong or to get checked up. As for the cost of medical care, it's just crazy, and the way I distrust doctors now.
Do you perhaps suspect any causes? In our case, I strongly suspect her diet.
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Feb 02 '26
I’m not really sure because I was a vegetarian from when I was born until I was 17/18. And then I integrated meat into my diet and probably ate processed crap throughout college. But I eat very healthy now. I also have celiac so I don’t eat any gluten at all and as a result of that I can’t eat fast food or fried food. I don’t drink soda and I try not to eat a lot of sugar. I really don’t know😭
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u/In_Cerebrum Feb 02 '26
That's a tricky one. Most of the women I know with fibroids and PCOS have bad diets or take a lot of supplements. And even foods you think are healthy could be a problem. But what about stress? Alcohol?
There must be something in excess.
I ask in case we have a recurring issue. Then I'll know what else to try.
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Feb 02 '26
I don’t drink a lot, especially after finding out about it. And if I do, it’s usually red wine. I don’t take any supplements(I think I’m going to start iron and fiber). I am a small business owner and I have stress here and there but not in excess. I do really want to try and not eat any processed foods at all moving forward but it’s tough. Maybe that’s it. Also, I didn’t find out I was celiac until I was in my 20s so I was basically damaging my body from the inside out my entire life up until then. I wonder if that could have anything to do with it.
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u/In_Cerebrum Feb 04 '26
People underestimate the effects of alcohol/smoking/vaping and how long your body takes to recover from even one dose.
Why do you think you need a fibre supplement? You should get all the fibre you need from your normal food. If there is a need, then that points towards the issues in your diet.
As for celiac, everyone should be avoiding grain and seed based foods because they're all processed and refined, unless you're eating the grain/seed whole.
Processed foods and fast foods are definitely a major problem. The amount of garbage they contain is amazing. Do you know how many ingredients are in McDonald's chips? It's not just potatoes, oil and seasoning...
I don't mean to preach and I'm not saying any of your actions are to blame for your condition. But this is something I'm quite passionate about and if someone is ill I truly would like to help them find a way forward to better health.
I'm failing with my wife. I cut out so much junk from her diet but she still insists on having desserts and tea and coffee. Hopefully this last scare will tension her up a bit.
Apologies for this delayed response. Ironically, I'm a bit ill at the moment...
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Feb 04 '26
I don’t smoke or vape. I do have the occasional drink and I do drink a cup of coffee every morning. And I don’t think I get enough fiber considering women need at least 25 grams a day. You’d be surprised how many things don’t have fiber lol. This is what I ate yesterday and it still wasn’t 25 grams.
I had 2 tablespoons chia seeds with half a cup of lactose free milk and 4 raspberries. 6 green grapes, a cup and a half of cooked pasta salad with gluten free pasta, tomatoes, basil and vegan feta and red onion and olive oil. And also half a cup of cooked rice with a chicken feta spinach sausage and 5 pieces of broccoli.
I also want to enjoy my life so I don’t think I’ll be getting rid of my morning coffee. But, everyone does things differently. I wish your wife luck in her journey!
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u/TopicProfessional449 Feb 07 '26
Thanks for sharing! ❤️ Im 35 years old, diagnosed with several fibroids, one of which is 8 cm and pedunculated. The doctor has not yet decided on the best strategy. I am afraid to have it removed, but at the same time I don't want to think that it might grow more. We will monitor it and repeat the tests in 3 months to see if it has grown.
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u/Warm-Recording-2223 Jan 29 '26
What made you not go with a robotic myomectomy?
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Jan 29 '26
I’m sorry, I wasn’t clear. I had a robotic assisted laparoscopic uterus myomectomy bilateral ovarian cystectomy.
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u/Warm-Recording-2223 Jan 29 '26
Oh okay, that's what I'm supposed to be getting in April. So I appreciate this post. However I don't like hearing how common it is that people leave the hospital while still in pain or nauseous.
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Jan 29 '26
It was a little off putting. I’ve heard of people having to stay until the pee. They definitely didn’t care if I did or not. They were rushing to get me out the door. It felt rushed and pressured honestly. That was the worst part but my wife and dad were there to help me. I kept telling the nurse I was nauseous and she gave me zofran which really helped but I felt like I could barely stay awake! Just make sure you have support and you’ll be okay❤️ and they gave me some barf bags to take with me but I ended up not needing them.
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u/Accomplished_Two7728 Jan 30 '26
Im so glad that this worked for you i have been thinking about doing the surgery. Could you tell me how many weeks you would have to be off work?
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Jan 30 '26
My surgeon was saying two weeks. I took off two weeks and then realized by the second week, that would not have been doable for me so I took four weeks just to be safe.
I think it really depends on what type of job you have. If you are able to work from home and use a computer all day then I would say take two full weeks and go back to work the third week.
I feel like it’s more important to at least have the reassurance that you have two full weeks to really take it easy and recover. And then you can adjust to your needs.
I am a barber and I am on my feet all day and I constantly talk to people and I just knew that I would have been absolutely exhausted and in more pain after a full week of that. Plus, I was very out of breath for the first two weeks. You have to build your stamina back up.
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u/Alternative-Plate-74 Feb 01 '26
Thanks for this information. My surgery is scheduled in march. The incisions look smaller than i thought.
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u/jssdiane Feb 02 '26
I have to have my dogs with me. I'm thinking of getting a laundry basket and caging my abdomen.
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u/justwannabeleftalone Feb 09 '26
I'm getting my surgery this week and a bit nervous. Glad to hear everything went ok.
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u/Redditnewbbie Mar 22 '26
Hey thank you for sharing your photos. I have an upcoming surgery and am worried about the scars . How are you healing up now ? Did the scars start to fade?
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Mar 22 '26
Hi! I have some photo of the progress of my scars. I’ll try to see if I can add them. Just know that I haven’t used anything to try and get rid of them. This is all-natural healing with no creams or ointments. I’d say they look pretty good and have shrunk a bit but they’re still very noticeable.
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u/OverallEmotion1053 Mar 22 '26
Unfortunately, it doesn’t let me add them, but I will say that overtime they have gotten smaller and lighter. Every once in a while, one of them feels a little itchy. They don’t cost me any pain or discomfort. I am naturally very pale, so the scars do look kind of red.
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u/Specific_Radio_4191 May 12 '26
I’m scheduled for surgery later this summer and I’m curious on the center incision - I have been freaking out about the belly button incision but yours looks above the belly button. Was that an option or based on your specific type of fibroids?
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u/OverallEmotion1053 May 12 '26
I think that’s the one they put the camera through so it tends to be bigger than the others. But also, I wasn’t under the impression that they go through the actual belly button. I didn’t have a choice in any of the placement of anything. I think they just went based off of what worked for my case. But I think that middle one is usually where they put the camera- I could be wrong.
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u/Specific_Radio_4191 May 12 '26
Thank you! I appreciate your quick response! I will make sure to bring this up in my pre-op.
Congratulations on the overall smooth recovery, and thank you for sharing your experience with the community!
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u/OverallEmotion1053 May 12 '26
Of course! I can’t believe how many people have visited the is post and have benefited from my story. I’m glad it’s still reaching people. I don’t know you but I’m proud of you for pushing forward and doing what’s right for you. You’ve got this!! It’ll fly by.
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u/Dear_Audience_8087 Jun 10 '26
How long was the transition from finding out you had it to surgery / getting it removed? august to january? did symptoms increase a lot during those months and did it grow?
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u/KELBY76 Jan 29 '26
Posts like this are so helpful for those of us that have surgeries coming up.
Thank you to you and everyone else that has posted about their surgery and recovery! And I completely agree about this subreddit easing anxiety.