For pre-oppers, the Pain of Surgery, the truth....

[phatgirl]

I was one of the lucky ones as far as pain goes, I had bypass keyhole and healed fast. When I woke I was sore, and a bit nauseated and had pain. Meds were given & I went back to sleepy time. I then woke up every so often and complained I needed a wee. I had had major surgery & the only thing I complained about was needing to wee. Less than 6 hours after my surgery I was able to get out of bed with assistance and go to the toilet. By 12 hours post op I was off morphine and walking around the ward in my pjs. They forgot to give me liquid pain control (whatever they had planned for me can't be given to asthmatics so they took it back) and I barely noticed. I did ask for something when I came back from my chat session in the other ward. I took pain relief for about a week (soluble co-codamol) just to keep the edge off but by week 2 I was on paracetamol only. I suffered with back pain & gas but nothing extreme. It was all easily mananged and naps helped alot. At the end of week 2 I was well enough and pain free enough to spend the entire day at the Trafford center with HC & Shel. I actually walked from my house (1/4 mile each way) to buy a new blouse for the meet the day before. So overall, my pain was a level 5 (1-10) directly post-op, down to a 2 with meds. Once home I was mostly at a 2, except when the gas pains or my sore back made it rise to a 3. I was sleeping for crap because of my unsupportive bed & not being able to sleep on my side. I got some sleeping pills from my doc at my 2 week appointment and took them for about a week which really improved my mood and feelings of pain since I was resting well.

I did have some twinges on my lower left scar for several weeks post-op. It was really the only one that actually hurt. I was sore getting up for about 3 weeks, just had to do it slow and clutch a pillow to me in the early days (first 10 days home). I avoided bending for about 2-3 weeks, I did alot of 'honey could you get my ___' so I didn't have to bend.

That is how it was for me but everyone is different. Everyone has different other medical issues that can effect pain or even recovery rate. I count blessings. My mother was shocked when I called her just 6 hours post-op & could hold a conversation. I guess I was a bit surprised myself.

HTH,
Nic

 

[Sambucca]

I think this should be made a sticky. Brilliant responses so far.

 

[Minimetobe]

Key Hole Gastric Band
I think I too must have been lucky with post op pain. Although the incision sites felt a bit sore the only 'pain' I experienced was in my left shoulder, when I woke up in recovery it was pretty bad but as I drifted in and out of sleep it eventually got less and less intense. Once I was fully awake I was topped up regularly with soluable painkillers and carried on taking them for about a week post op. On the morning after my surgery I was able to get up out of bed and shower without any problems. The pain in my shoulder varied in intensity for the first 7 days and was worse at night when lying down. Now 9 weeks post op everything has healed up nicely (scars a bit itchy at times). My most frightening experience was last Thursday having had my first band fill the day before - Went to bed on Thursday night and had what I think was a panic attack - its never happened before but I couldn't swallow or breath, almost passed out. Eventually calmed down and have been fine since.

 

[Lesleydb]

I do have quite a high pain threshold but count myself lucky compared to some people. The worse pain I felt was from the shoulder pain and the gripe water and just soluble paracetamol eased that. I had my op Wednesday, got up Thursday and got in the shower unaided, yes it was a little painful lifting my legs to get them over the bath but I would say more uncomfortable than actual pain. I left hospital on Thursday lunch time and didnt take any extra painkillers than I take for my other problems. I was driving the week after and pretty much back to normal. I do occasionally feel a little discomfort from the port area though even now.
Would I have it again definetely!! xx

 

[serenitylove]

i woke up after being banded feeling very sick so was given anti sickness stuff and painkillers went back to ward and slept another hour then got up yes it hurt but only in tummy and took it slow was on paracetomal from then on pain id have rated in recovery room about a 7 once i was up and about down to a 4 and that was as bad as it got was more uncomfortable than painfull, i think getting up and walking every 20/30 mins from 4 or 5 hours after op really helped had no great wind problems, i dont think it was that bad at all

 

[AA1234]

Thank you so much for this thread. I have my banding on 30th April and reading this has totally put my mind at rest.
having had had a laparoscopy before and 2 sections I now know what you are describing is the same as my lap op and know what it expect.

I think at the end of the people want this op more than anything and all this thread is doing is preparing people for the post op experience.

Thanks again and good luck to everyone.

 

[teen]

My first night home I went to bed 7.30am next morning I needed to get out of bed took me half hour just to sit up and the pain was unbarable I cried like a baby. So for a week after that I slept sitting up

 

[Mrs_CakeyBun]

bumping for Bookworm

 

[charliegirl]

I woke with no pain, never used the morphine drip at all. I doubted they had done the surgery as I felt so good, first chance I got I checked my wounds...I had keyhole surgery and also did not suffer from wind pains...x

 

[swizzlestick]

Wow good thread, thanks for sharing your experiences. Still not got my date but looking at around autumn time doc told me last time I saw him.

I think Im going to look into investing in one of those back rest frames, as I usually sleep on my tummy as I have back probs (amongst a plethorer of other things).

 

[tendersage]

I had a very easy time post op up until my complications set in, i was told that i had been in a lot of pain in recovery and thats why i was so long coming up to my room but i have no memory of it, i remember being in discomfort when slowly and carefully getting up from the bed to sit on the chair or take a walk along the passageways. I took my meds for a week after getting home and then did not need them, i was unable to lie flat for the first week but by the start of the 2nd i was moving myself into positions that allowed me to get more comfortable ie on my side

 

[swizzlestick]

Hi there tendersage WOW your looking good in your new pic Hope everything is going ok with you

 

[baby jayne]

Thanks for this thread I feel a lot better knowing what to expect.

 

[Postop]

I had a morphine drip which made it bearable (it was lap. & I think whether its done lap or open will definitely make a difference regarding pain). Then I had Vicodin (pills) to take home after I left the hospital (5 days in). I only took the Vicodin for 2 days at home and should've taken it longer (esp. to sleep). 5-7 days would've been about right as I was very uncomfortable at home.