The first lap is absolutely 100% worth it because you need to have that diagnosis before you can effectively treat it. Every person's recovery is absolutely different...even one person's experience between surgeries is different. My first recovery was the toughest because I'd never had surgery before...but my third surgery was the more rough surgery. My 4th was the most extensive surgery (had a little endo removed and my right ovary removed)....it was the best recovery I ever had! Possibly because by then I knew what to do and what not to do. I have a very physical job so I took 7-10 days off for each of my regular laps and the last one I took 15 days. I honestly do not understand how some women go back in three days. I was still taking pain meds and so tired....and technically you aren't supposed to drive until after your post op (though I drove TO my post ops!).
Sometimes you have to do a bowel prep beforehand. Not fun....but helps post op.....you shouldn't need to use the bathroom for a few days! I made meals before and froze them. Take gas x for the gas pain. For the first few days take your pain meds on time...not based on how you feel....It's terrible to let yourself get in pain and try to get on top of it. I slept for the first several nights in a recliner. Lots of people mention needing laxatives after the surgery but I've never needed that .I felt really tired after work for about 6 weeks after every surgery. I have to run and pick up kids from school....if I think of anything else I'll post again!

Everything Christine said is spot on. I also went ahead and bumped a post the ladies here made a while back about what to expect from a laparoscopy (the link is: http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Endometriosis/forum/16159248-expect but it should be on the front page for a bit).

I definitely think you should do it though. Would it be frustrating to be back in pain sometime afterward? Yes, absolutely but it puts you in a better place to get the treatment you need in the future if that happens. You will know what areas are most effected, how likely further surgery is to help, if there might be other underlying conditions, etc.

Mine told me I had bowel, ureter, rectal, etc involvement so I had to find an endo specialist who could handle those things for my next surgery. I was also told I will probably need a third down the road because it was just so extensive, but that after that he feels my odds are good. If he had done my first lap I probably would only need two...so a good surgeon/specialist makes a BIG difference!

Oh I knew I left something out!!! I used ice packs on my tummy (I bought the cloth like ones at walgreens)...and a heating pad on my back. Try to get up and walk about every couple hours the first day or two....it helps the gas pain. You will have the gas pain in your left shoulder (this is because during the lap the gas irritates your diaphram....and there is a nerve that goes from your diaphram to your left shoulder....it gets irritated and causes pain. I used a heating pad on that on that too when I needed).

Good god this is freaking me out worse. How do you get rid of the gas pains? I'm literally about to take off work again and go to the ER I am in so much pain its absolutely terrible.

The gas gets worked out of your body in a few days....I don't know how the gas x works since the gas is in your abdomen not your intestines but it does!! It was my saving grace my second and third laps. You will do just fine.....but you'll need to calm down a little! :-) as far as surgeries go it's a pretty simple one! It's totally normal to be nervous but you have awhile before your surgery....freaking out isn't going to help you.
You will be just fine!

Try not to freak out (I know easier said than done).

Keep in mind that everyone is different and you might not even have the issues other people had. For instance yes I had gas pain with my first surgery and it hurt, but it wasn't unbearable I don't even think it was as bad as my pre-op endo pain. It was just weird and frustrating that after pelvic surgery my shoulder hurt...I mean what the heck?! I didn't take anything other than my pain meds (percocet) for it because I had my first lap before I found this site and all the great advice, and honestly it was all ok!! It lasted only a few days for me and tapered off.

Even better though my second lap I had absolutely zero gas pain! So be prepared just in case, but don't stress over it, you will be ok!

Yeah, I just called back cuz my pain is worse- I have nonstop bleeding, pain, headache, nausea, and they told me to double up on bcps, double up on pain killers (for 3 days) and if in 3 days I wasn't feeling good they wanted to rule out pregnancy and anemia (lord help me if I'm preg- my boyfriend is supposed to be sterile! well hes at a 3 when most men are around 50-60 AND I'm on the pill haha). But I take an iron tablet once a day, but I guess I could double on that too? Ugh good god this is the worst week I have had in quite sometime. Do you have noticeable scars???

My scars are barely noticable....Though they have been cut through 4 times now so they are a little more noticable to me. My only one that's really noticable is the one they took my ovary out of....It's a little more than an inch long and near my right hip (well on my abdomen obviously...but in the direction of my right hip.). My other incisions are kind of hidden (one in my belly button, one right above my public hair line). Also it's only been 8 weeks since having my ovary removed so I'm sure with time that one will fade too.

Just one ovary whats the procedure for that???

Don't double up on your iron it will make you constipated. The scars are small and over time will be less noticeable. When you are in pain every single day you cherish any painfree time. You definitely need the first surgery to diagnose you.

I've never had gas pains after a lap. And I was always back at work 7-10 days after.

I had problems with a lot of cysts on my right ovary so when I had my 4th lap I just had her take that out at the same time. She did it with the lap instruments (and one other) but the incisions for those are only about half an inch or less...so she had to make another slightly larger incision to remove the ovary from. Same procedure....My surgery was an hour, recovery was 2 hours then I headed home!

I just want this bleeding to stop its getting worse. What can they do??

There are different things they can do but they have to figure out first what's causing the heavy bleeding (hormonal imbalance, cysts, etc).