Preparing for Endometriosis Surgery: What to Expect and What to Pack
If you have a date for endometriosis surgery, you may be feeling a mix of relief and nerves. After years of pain and waiting, it's a big step. Knowing what to expect, and having your home and hospital bag ready, can make the whole experience calmer.
This guide walks you through preparing for endometriosis surgery: what happens before and on the day, what to pack, and practical tips for a more comfortable endometriosis surgery recovery at home. Every hospital and every body is different, so always follow the advice from your own surgical team.
What is endometriosis surgery?
Most endometriosis surgery in the UK is done by laparoscopy, also called keyhole surgery. The surgeon makes a few small cuts in your tummy, usually including one near your belly button. Gas is used to gently inflate your tummy so a small camera can see inside.
Depending on what they find, your surgeon may:
- Diagnose endometriosis by looking and taking a small sample (biopsy)
- Excise endometriosis, cutting the tissue away
- Ablate endometriosis, destroying the tissue with heat or laser
- Remove cysts such as endometriomas on the ovaries, or divide adhesions
A diagnostic laparoscopy usually takes 30 to 60 minutes. Treatment takes longer, and more extensive surgery, for example on the bowel or bladder, may need a hospital stay of a few nights. Ask your surgeon which type you're likely to have, as it shapes how long your recovery will be.
Before your operation
Your pre-op assessment
A few weeks before surgery you'll usually have a pre-operative assessment. A nurse may check your blood pressure, take bloods and ask about your health and medicines. Some people are asked to stop certain medicines or to stop smoking beforehand. If you're having bowel surgery, you may also be given a bowel preparation to take the day before.
Questions worth asking your surgeon
- Will this be diagnostic only, or will you remove endometriosis if you find it?
- Will you use excision or ablation?
- Is there any chance of bowel or bladder involvement?
- Will I go home the same day?
- How long should I plan to be off work?
- What pain relief should I have ready at home?
Writing questions down before your appointment helps, as it's easy to forget them on the day.
Get your home ready
A little preparation now means you can rest properly afterwards.
- Arrange a lift. You can't drive yourself home after a general anaesthetic.
- Line up help with children, pets, school runs and shopping for the first week or two.
- Batch-cook or stock the freezer with easy meals, plus high-fibre snacks and plenty of water to keep things moving.
- Set up a recovery nest on the sofa or bed: pillows, blankets, a phone charger, water bottle, snacks and the TV remote within arm's reach.
- Bring everyday items to waist height so you don't need to bend or reach.
- Stock up on sanitary pads (not tampons), paracetamol or the pain relief your team recommends, and peppermint tea.
On the day: what to expect
You'll be asked not to eat or drink for a set number of hours beforehand, so check your hospital letter. Once you arrive, you'll change into a gown, may be given compression stockings, and will meet your surgeon and anaesthetist. This is a good moment to ask any last questions.
The operation is done under general anaesthetic, so you'll be asleep. Afterwards, you'll wake in the recovery room and be given medicine for pain and sickness.
In the first few hours it's common to:
- Feel sleepy, sick or have a sore throat
- Feel bloated, crampy or sore around your tummy
- Have shoulder-tip pain, caused by leftover gas irritating nerves under the diaphragm
- Have some light vaginal bleeding
Most people go home the same day or the next day, once they've eaten, had a drink and passed urine.
Your endometriosis surgery hospital bag checklist
Even for a day case, it's worth packing as if you might stay overnight. Here's what to bring for a laparoscopy.
Clothes and comfort
- Loose, soft clothes to go home in: a dress, oversized joggers or a nightie, with nothing pressing on your tummy
- High-waisted cotton knickers that sit above your incisions
- Slip-on shoes or slippers, so you don't need to bend
- A dressing gown and warm socks, as hospitals can be chilly
- A small cushion or pillow for the car journey home
Practical bits
- Your hospital letter and a list of current medicines
- Maternity-style or heavy-flow sanitary pads
- Phone, an extra-long charging cable and headphones
- Lip balm, as anaesthetic and hospital air can be drying
- Toiletries, dry shampoo and face wipes
- A refillable water bottle with a straw, easier to sip from while lying back
For the wait and the first few hours
- A book, downloaded shows or a podcast
- Peppermint tea bags or mints, which some people find help with trapped wind
- A plain snack for when you're allowed to eat again
Endometriosis surgery recovery at home
Recovery time varies with the type of surgery. According to the NHS, recovery usually takes up to 10 days after a diagnostic laparoscopy, though you may need up to 3 weeks before returning to work. After operative surgery, a full recovery can take 6 to 8 weeks.
The first few days
- Rest, but keep moving gently. Short walks around the house help with wind, circulation and reducing the risk of clots.
- Shoulder-tip pain usually eases within a few days. Walking, peppermint tea and a warm (not hot) heat pack can help.
- Support your tummy when you cough, sneeze, laugh or get up. Hugging a pillow firmly against your abdomen makes a real difference.
- Keep your wounds dry for the first 24 hours, then shower. Avoid baths for 2 weeks or until your wounds have healed.
- Take pain relief regularly as advised by your team, rather than waiting until the pain builds.
Getting comfortable in bed
Sleep can be one of the hardest parts of recovery. Lying flat on your back may pull on your stomach, and turning over can be uncomfortable. Many people find these positions easier:
- Propped up at a gentle incline, with support behind the back and under the knees
- On your side with a pillow between your knees and another hugged to your tummy, so your abdomen isn't pulled
- Reclined on the sofa with your arms and back supported, for daytime rest
To get out of bed, roll onto your side first, then push up with your arms.
When to get help
Contact NHS 111 or your GP urgently if you have a high temperature, worsening tummy pain or bloating, severe vomiting, redness, swelling or discharge from your wounds, unusual bleeding, or pain and swelling in one leg. Call 999 if you have chest pain, a very fast heartbeat or severe difficulty breathing.
How a BellaMoon pillow can help after endometriosis surgery
Our pillows were designed for pregnancy and feeding, but many of our customers tell us they've become recovery essentials after endometriosis surgery. The reason is simple: after abdominal surgery, you need support in exactly the places a pregnancy pillow gives it.
- Hug it when you cough or sneeze. Holding your BellaMoon 3-in-1 pillow firmly against your tummy helps brace your incisions when you cough, sneeze, laugh or stand up.
- Sleep on your side without strain. Curl the pillow along your body so it sits between your knees and under your bump area. Your hips stay aligned and nothing drags on your abdomen.
- Sit up comfortably. Wrapped behind your back, it props you upright in bed or on the sofa, which many people find easier than lying flat in the first days.
- Protect your tummy on the drive home. A smaller pillow such as the Mini Moon placed between your lap and the seatbelt cushions your incisions from bumps and braking.
- Avoid the pillow fort. One shaped pillow replaces the pile of cushions that keeps sliding off the bed every time you move.
Every BellaMoon pillow is made with organic cotton and our signature prints, so it's soft against sensitive skin and lovely to have around long after you've recovered. Many of our customers keep using theirs for period pain flare-ups, or simply for a better night's sleep.
Shop the BellaMoon 3-in-1 pillow
Endometriosis surgery FAQs
How long does it take to recover from endometriosis surgery?
It depends on the surgery. Recovery from a diagnostic laparoscopy usually takes up to 10 days. After excision or more extensive surgery, a full recovery can take 6 to 8 weeks.
Why does my shoulder hurt after a laparoscopy?
The gas used to inflate your tummy can irritate a nerve under your diaphragm, which is felt as pain in the shoulder tip. It usually settles within a few days. Gentle walking helps.
What should I wear after endometriosis surgery?
Loose, soft clothing with nothing tight around your waist. Dresses, nighties, oversized joggers and high-waisted cotton knickers that sit above your incisions are most comfortable.
How should I sleep after a laparoscopy?
Most people find sleeping propped up, or on their side with a pillow between the knees and against the tummy, more comfortable than lying flat. A long, shaped pillow such as a pregnancy pillow makes this easier.
When can I drive after endometriosis surgery?
The NHS advises not driving for at least 48 hours, or until you can do an emergency stop comfortably. Check with your insurer and your surgical team, especially after more extensive surgery.
How long should I take off work?
You may need up to 3 weeks off after a diagnostic laparoscopy, and longer after excision surgery. Ask your surgeon for guidance based on your procedure and your job.
Be kind to yourself
Endometriosis surgery is a big moment, and recovery isn't a race. Plan ahead, pack for comfort, accept help and give your body the rest it needs. Small things, like a supportive pillow and a cosy recovery nest, can make those first days much easier.
Wishing you a smooth surgery and a gentle recovery.
This article is for general information only and isn't a substitute for medical advice. Always follow the guidance of your own surgeon and healthcare team.
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