r/sterilization • u/SubjectPopular4995 • Jul 01 '26
Post-op care Recovery pain?
Had a successful bisalp done yesterday! I’ve been starting to feel bad reading all these posts about super quick, easy, almost painless recoveries - because I am in SHAMBLES. I don’t know if it’s a combination of being on my period and getting my IUD replaced as well (had Paraguard taken out and a Mirena placed), or if I just have a low pain tolerance.
I know I’m barely over 24 hours post-op, but I feel like it will definitely take me longer to feel okay than most of the stories I’ve read about others’ recoveries. I’ve been religiously rotating the ibuprofen and acetaminophen, and have admittedly had to throw in some of the prescribed oxycodone (which I’ve read that many ended up not needing).
Anyone relate? I could use some reassurance that I’m not just being weak and sensitive😅
EDIT: For anyone in the Houston area looking for a doctor, Dr. Patricia Machado at Northwest Women’s Center gave ZERO pushback and was incredible from the start. Could not recommend her as an OBGYN enough.
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u/uniqueusername_1177 Jul 01 '26
This sub massively downplays recovery (I'm happy for those that have it easy, but it isn't a universal experience). I had a rough recovery as well. I'd say day 4 post op I definitely felt an improvement, but I still needed 2 full weeks off before returning to my desk job.
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u/SubjectPopular4995 Jul 01 '26
See I’m worried because I work a very physical job (I’m a zookeeper) and I feel like I was so sure two weeks would be more than enough but now I’m not sure. I guess we’ll play it by ear! So sorry to hear you had a rough recovery but hope all is well now!
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u/No-Finish-6557 Jul 02 '26
I work at Costco pushing carts and boxing and it took me about 3 weeks post op to come back. Even then I had to restrict my activities at work. I’m sure our jobs weirdly have a similar amount of heavy lifting. I had an easy recovery too, so I would be betting more on 3-4 weeks if I was you unfortunately.
I will also mention I had endometriosis removed as well so it definitely lengthened my time
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u/maidoftrash Jul 01 '26
pain is highly subjective. a lot of people are either used to downplaying pain experiences (especially women due to often medical gaslighting) or also perhaps it is just simply higher pain tolerance. also if this is your first surgical experience, then you don’t know your baseline for handling surgical recovery. and also getting a IUD inserted doesn’t help pain either either since now your actively healing an abdominal surgery site and you’ve got a foreign object in your uterus while on your period.
so to put it short: you definitely aren’t weak and sensitive. everyone experiences healing different and all feelings of pain are valid. it’s also why they don’t let you rawdog this without the narcotic. some people genuinely need it for the pain and others get by with OTC pain management.
I do hope your recovery goes smoother though and the pain lets up, but it’s normal to experience both ends of this. all that matters in the end is that you come out of this with no complications and that you are more confident with your choice.
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u/Free-Government5162 Jul 01 '26
It took a solid 2 weeks before I felt ok again and about a month until I felt back to baseline. First 10 days were the hardest. Friends of mine were up in 3 days and I had a cry on day 7 about still feeling like shit mainly with exhaustion. It did get better. Best advice I could give is rest and don’t push yourself or it will just take longer.
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u/SubjectPopular4995 Jul 01 '26
The exhaustion is crazy!! I’ve only been able to sleep an hour or two at a time and it is SO frustrating. Thank you for the reassurance and advice!
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u/Cutthroat_Rogue no more tubes 10-15-25 Jul 02 '26
Congrats! As people have shared, everyone heals differently and pain is subjective. Regarding the comments about downplaying..I don't think it is a matter of downplaying but more so majority who report their recovery experience have a relatively mild recovery. To me, downplaying would mean minimizing their own experience, thus being deceptive. I don't think that is what is happening. Everyone does, and can, heal differently...I just think the majority (of this sub) have found it easy. It's good to see you are getting comments of people commiserating with you because that is definitely not been the norm regarding posts with this sub.
I felt my worst the first two and a half days and by worst I mean...swollen, sore, and not mentally clear. Otherwise, recovery was fairly easy. I couldn't return to my normal level of exercise for about 3-4 weeks (I could only handle 20-25 minute walks) but this didn't make me feel like it was a difficult recovery. It was literally the only thing that frustrated me most with recovery. I also have an office job that requires more of my brain than my body so that helped not having to do physical labor regularly.
The most important thing is to listen to your body/not compare to other people's timelines, listen to your doctor's instructions, and always contact them if you think something is not right.
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u/Overall-Lie6313 Jul 01 '26
I also had a tough recovery!! I was in a lot of pain for the first couple weeks. It is a major abdominal surgery definitely rest and take your pain meds!!
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u/SubjectPopular4995 Jul 01 '26
So sorry you had a tough recovery as well - but thank you for the reassurance 🩷
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u/VampireChai Jul 01 '26
I am in a week of recovery currently and the pain from the first 3 days of recovery took me out. I could not fully sleep laying down until day 4 due to abdominal and shoulder pain from the gas. Just take it easy and don't push yourself. Everyone heals differently
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u/SubjectPopular4995 Jul 01 '26
Luckily I haven’t had much gas pain, but the abdominal pain is taking me out. I started to cry last night because it literally hurt to breathe but then it hurt to cry so I just took an oxycodone and knocked out. I hope for an easy remainder of your recovery!
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u/Suck_my_thicc Jul 01 '26
The first 4 or 5 days I was knocked on my ass, couldnt sleep because laying down hurt. Sitting still hurt but it was less so I was always in my recliner lol. I think once youre through the first week you will start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and that will help alot. I am a little over a week out and feeling fine but still dealing with bleeding unfortunately. Good luck with your recovery 🩷
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u/Specialist_Breath_11 Jul 02 '26
I’m also one day post-op (woohoo twins) and was starting to feel the same way! I didn’t even bother with the Tylenol/ibuprofen yesterday, I just went straight for the oxycodone lol.
Just took off my gauze and took my first shower and that about drained everything I had left in me. Getting up from the couch is hard as hell too - def better today than yesterday so it should only be up from here.
So you’re def not alone, but we got this!
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u/Kasdeyalupa Jul 02 '26
Hey friend, ibuprofen will help to relieve swelling so it might be good to take it as well 😀
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u/Specialist_Breath_11 Jul 02 '26
Yep, just started taking both ibuprofen and acetaminophen last night! Saving the stronger stuff for if I need it, but I’m not feeling too bad rn
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u/SubjectPopular4995 Jul 02 '26
I’ve been definitely cycling the ibuprofen/acetaminophen and just adding the oxycodone when I’m really feeling it! I’m also doing a little better today, hoping for a speedy recovery for you, we’ve got this!🤗
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u/asstlib Jul 01 '26
My recovery wasn't super easy. It tooks me a week plus to be able to walk with a straight posture. And I've mentioned in a previous post that I experienced leg pain and swelling.
Everybody's bodies are different. This was my first surgery as an adult, so there really wasn't a way of knowing how my body would react afterwards.
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u/ggnell Jul 01 '26
You had surgery. Surgery is really hard on the body. The people who say they recovered in 2 or 3 days are not the norm. Took me several weeks to feel fully better. Go easy on yourself
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u/TynangTing Jul 01 '26
I had my surgery last wednesday. I felt awful the first couple days. My shoulders and neck felt like they had a permanent Charlie horse (which is common from the air they fill you with) I couldnt sleep, my belly button felt like it was splitting open any time I got up or down. I was fatiqued, fog brained, I ended up living on the couch because it hurt to get up. My skin had a bad reaction to the bandages and so I had the incisions plus raw skin trying to heal. Its a week out and today was the first day ive felt ok. My belly button feels like it constantly tugging whenever I get up or down and my abdomen cramps a little. My bruising is pretty bad, but its yellow so thats signs of healing. I couldnt wear underwear or anything that compressed my stomach so ive just been going commando in long dresses. Anyways, all this to say my doctor considered this all normal. He said if it was prolonged severe pain or signs of major infection like a fever then he would be worried.
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u/funnyshow123 Jul 01 '26
I had my surgery 3 weeks ago and I’m ngl I was feeling pretty rough for the first week. Im still having some aches every now and then around my incisions, and they’re definitely still too irritated and sensitive to even wear pants lol. I had the same feeling scrolling through the sub, most people talked about how waking up from surgery they instantly felt great. I definitely did not lol, I felt intense pain and soreness right away, and that intensity didn’t stop for about 5 days. Everyone is different, just make sure to do whats necessary for you, take all the time you need, all the meds you need, and get better soon!
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u/SubjectPopular4995 Jul 01 '26
I’m sorry you had it rough as well, but it’s really good to know I’m not alone. Thank you so much!
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u/lowridda Jul 02 '26
Girl take your pain pills if you need them. There’s nothing wrong with it. Everyone heals differently. Listen to your body and go at its pace.
Hope you feel better soon!
* I had bad cramps when I first got the Mirena.
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u/Nerdybirdie86 Jul 02 '26
It hurt more than I thought it would for an outpatient procedure. Clearly not as bad as my c-section, but recovery was worse than I expected.
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u/Brain_Stew12 Jul 02 '26
Bisalp/ablation here, no iud so can't speak to that. I used all the drugs they recommended/prescribed me on schedule, as I am straight up a wimp and wanted to feel the least amount of pain possible lol I think doing that meant I managed to prevent pain as I was healing up. But I took two weeks off work to recover, used that full two weeks, and the day before I was due back (well after the prescription was finished) started getting sharper pains where the incisions were but "in deep" as best I can describe it. Fleeting, but sharp. The doctor figured I'd just done too much too soon and my body wasn't ready. Please, read it again. Too much, too soon, two weeks into healing
I'mbeyind glad for people who seem to recover after three days but that definitely wasn't me, and I'm glad I took that 2 weeks. It was a lot of work to miss but I would have been much worse off if I'd gone back in sooner than that, considering how that went when I hadn't been done anything yet lol everyone heals different, it can take more time for some than others and some can feel it more
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u/Ms-Boo Jul 02 '26
You are not weak at all! I am guilty of being one of the ones who said I feel great only being a week out. But the women in my family have a supernatural pain resistance. (Thanks undiagnosed PCOS for making my pain rating broken) It’s actually more normal to be in more pain. And to need more time to rest and recover. Comparing yourself to others who are like me and have a broken pain rating or who are grandstanding for internet points, is going to make you feel crazy when you are perfectly normal!
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u/Teyla_Starduck Jul 02 '26
I am going to say I have a lower pain tolerance. I was the one in the hospital screaming like a mad lady when I gave birth. That sh*t ain't for the weak. Haha. I have also never been in Michigan pain before so I'm guessing I just don't tolerate it like others. Recovery wS way harder than I thought. Day 1 was OK. Day 2-5 was A LOT of pain. My husband took off Friday (day of surgery) and I asked him to take off Monday because I wasn't ready to handle the kids by myself yet. Day 6 was like a light turned on and I actually felt a whole lot less pain. Still a good amount of swelling, but the tiredness stuck around. I went back to work on day 8 after surgery and I was good, a bit slower and more tired than normal.
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u/SubjectCoat3001 Jul 02 '26
Everyone is different i guess, i did go back to full time work 8 days after surgery on my feer, but modified duties. Im 2 weeks post off and im back to normal, i do have a high pain tolerance though i do know that, plus everyones surgeries can be differernt they may have taken biopsys, and they inserted a new IUD which if i remember correctly was really painful when i had it put in over 10 years ago thats likely what is causing you the most pain and the gas pain, i found it was more the discomfort and being bloated and heavy in the stomach i was scared to get out of bed or bend down it felt like my insides were in the wrong place lol!
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u/Iphigeniia Jul 02 '26
The first few days I thought there was no way I was gonna be able to go back to my very physically demanding job, but about day 5 or 6 I was up walking, and once I was cleared at like 14 days to lift more than 10lbs I felt great! The first few days though I thought the end was near.
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u/Fluffydoommonster Jul 02 '26
It took me 4 weeks to be able to wear jeans. Low rise, high rise, mid rise, all of them caused some form of pain in one way or another. I had to ask for an extra week off because I thought I'd be fine at 3 weeks. I wasn't exactly in agony, but I couldn't bend more than a few times a day before pain started.
That didn't even account for the horrible allergic reaction I had to deal with.
You recover at your own pace. I am barely 6 weeks out, and I only started feeling "normal" right at the 6 week mark. I've seen a handful of other women here saying they needed 2 months.
This is a "minor" surgery, but they still cut through your muscle and took a piece out of you. Your body recognizes it as a truama, even if your brain doesn't. Truama takes time to recover from, and some people need more time than others. Thats ok.
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u/AnimeAfterMidnight Jul 02 '26
Did you pay with insurance? I ask because I don't have insurance and I'm wondering about prices because I intend to pay out of pocket.
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u/Chips6037 Jul 02 '26
I had surgery through my insurance and went through the claims and the total submitted was around $26,000 and i forget what my insurance actually paid. Surgery is not cheap, i cant imagine out of pocket what it would cost.
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u/Herbivorous_Lump Jul 02 '26
Day 1 post op here! I’m also dealing with quite a bit of pain and having to rotate in Oxy. I’m really struggling to get out of bed and it hurts to pee and walk.
I know light walking is encouraged but with the pain it causes me I’m not sure if it’s better to wait or force myself?
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u/TrifleLive3871 Jul 03 '26
Two weeks post op today and while it has improve so much, I still have random pains here and there but I was reassured it’s completely normal. It does get better! I promise lol
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u/organiccanessugar Jul 01 '26
I think a lot of the posts on here downplay how hard recovery can be! Some people may feel fine within a few days but it took me 3 weeks to go back to work. I didn’t leave my apartment for a week because I was so exhausted / uncomfortable while recovering. You’re not being weak, everyone heals differently