3 Things You Need to Know About Endometriosis Excision Surgery

Whether you already know you have endo or suspect you might have it, you’ve probably heard about excision surgery for endometriosis. As an endowarrior myself, I opted for this surgery back in 2018. I was hopeful that the surgery could shed some light on my symptoms that had been reducing my quality of life for over a decade. And it did! Knowing that I had endo lesions proved that my pain and symptoms for years weren’t just “all in my head.” And that made it more than worth it for me.  

I’ve connected with countless women who are hesitant to have the surgery, usually because of fears around the endometriosis excision surgery recovery. It’s totally normal to feel this way (I had anxiety around it too before I had mine!). Before you make your decision, there are three things you should know: the pros and cons, the pre-op preparation, and post-op care. I’ll cover everything you need to know to help you with your decision. Let’s get into it!   

What Is Excision Surgery for Endometriosis? 

Excision surgery for endometriosis is the top recommended procedure for managing endometriosis. This surgery is performed through a laparoscopy, where endometriosis lesions are removed via excision, under anesthesia and through 3-4 small incisions in the abdomen. It’s not a cure for endometriosis but it can help improve symptoms, restore fertility and help to diagnose the disease.  

Remember that there’s no one set-in-stone endometriosis excision surgery success rate. The “success” of the surgery correlates to the goals and small wins that are unique to each endo sufferer. Every endo experience and body are different! 

Still on the fence about the surgery? Take a look at some of the pros and cons to help decide if it’s the right move for you:  

Pros 

- It provides a diagnosis for endometriosis, which provides clarity in knowing what’s causing your pain and symptoms. 

- It can give you clarity and connection between symptoms and where the endo is located.  

- It can guide future fertility plans or how you approach management moving forward. 

- It’s often the gateway to further referrals to specialists to find the care you need.  

- You may see improvements in bowel function, bladder function, pain with intercourse and more.  

- It can produce changes in hormone levels that may lead to cessation of mid-cycle or abnormal bleeding.  

Cons 

- The overall cost of surgery is expensive, with travel often required and costly labs or pre-surgical tests. 

- There may be a slight risk of infection. While it is rare, it’s still a possibility.  

- Your surgeon might suggest taking antibiotics proactively, but this can negatively affect your large intestine microbiome, making recovery more difficult. 

-Any surgery will introduce scar tissue, but this can be mitigated by the skill level of the surgeon  

Excision Surgery for Endometriosis Pre-Op 

Once you’ve decided to have the surgery, it’s important to know all of the pre-op details before you go in for your appointment. Part of having the best endometriosis excision surgery recovery starts with the pre-surgery prep. Ensure you pay close attention to the instructions given to you by your healthcare professional.  

Here’s what you need to know about prepping before you have your endometriosis excision surgery:  

Pre-surgery 

- You’ll likely have to restrict your food and drink intake 12 hours prior to surgery.  

- You might have a bowel prep plan to ensure your bowels are empty, reducing the risk of infection or injury during the surgery. This is more likely if you have or suspect bowel endometriosis.  

- You’ll have diet guidance in place, mainly adding more protein into your daily meals and snacks to set yourself up for a speedy recovery and immune support.  

- Eating a diet that helps reduce inflammation (such as a Mediterranean-style diet) will help your surgery and healing go smoothly.   

- You might be prescribed antibiotics pre-surgery, so adding a probiotic and prebiotic plan can help to boost your immune system and promote healing. 

- Pre-surgery anxiety is common and can be reduced with melatonin, lavender (oral or essential oil form), or listening to binaural beats.   

Endometriosis Excision Surgery Recovery  

I’ve seen so many comments from those in my community who are worried about the recovery and possible after-effects of the surgery. Recovery from endometriosis excision surgery is different for each endobabe, so not everyone will have the same experience. After my endometriosis excision surgery, I had odd gas pain for weeks, and my cervical mucus totally changed. It’s important to follow the advice from your healthcare provider for all post-op care.  

Keep these things in mind when you’re in your endometriosis excision surgery recovery phase:   

Post-surgery 

- You may experience pain with bowel movements, urination, or intercourse after surgery (taking 1000mg of vitamin C + 800 IU of vitamin E or melatonin can help!) 

- You’ll likely feel constipated after surgery, especially if you’re taking narcotics for pain (try ginger, artichoke, 5-HTP, motilpro, or motility activator to promote healthy bowel movements.). Keep easy high fiber foods on hand like avocados, berries and canned beans.

- If you’re looking for a natural pain relief option, CBD products are useful for post-operative pain. 

- Promoting blood flow through your diet and supplements can promote healing and reduce pain (supplements like grapeseed extract, CoQ10, and pycnogenol or foods such as cocoa powder and nitric oxide-rich veggies.) 

- If you’re dealing with gas pain (like I did!), drinking peppermint tea or taking charcoal capsules can help. I also love St Francis Herb Farms Gas and Bloat product and Traditional Medicine Belly Comfort tea.

- You’ll need to continue to add a minimum of 20g of protein to your meals to support immunity and wound healing (think soft proteins like Greek yogurt, tofu, edamame, protein powders, soft lentil, bean, or chicken soups).  

Finding Comfort in the Relief of Endo Diagnosis  

Even though my endometriosis excision surgery didn’t resolve my pain symptoms, it did give me the peace of mind I was so desperate for 15 years before my diagnosis. Knowing that I had endo and also where my endo was located helped me make sense of my symptoms. All of this combined helped me to create the best plan for my approach to endo management.  

Knowing what I know now, I want to help as many fellow endowarriors as possible! Whether you’re someone in the endometriosis excision surgery recovery phase, having surgery soon, hope to have surgery, or have no desire for surgery, this is a safe space! I’m here to support you along the way with managing your endo. 

Book a FREE discovery call with me, and let’s chat about how I can help you with my 1:1 coaching program!