Banded yesterday.. wooow the pain!

[gingerjane 5]

Definitely use the heating pad. I practically lived with one for the first two days after surgery. I'd take it off to get up and walk around but still carried thermacare and a portable heat pack. It really helped it to move out of the shoulder area.

Trust me - in two weeks, you won't feel a thing. Maybe sooner. For me, I was sore for a week. No real pain, just sore. Like I'd done 1000 sit-ups. But, the gas pain was rough for the first few days.

Hugs to you!

[AllegrasGramma 0]

Amazing how different everyone's experiences are. I am feeling better today, but still dizzy upon standing. I had a bleeder on top of lots and lots of vomiting so had to stay longer and get some monster stitches to close the port site but it did eventually stop the bleeding - I have a monster bruise from the bleeding until it managed to tamp of the bleeder. The whole right side of my abdomen looks good and doesn't really hurt much. The left side is an altogether different story. It helped that I got a big band because they put me on full liquids the day after surgery to help with the nausea. The pain from vomiting was worse than any of the gas pains. it will take some time for all of this to work, but I am mentally prepared for that - at least I think I am :thumbup:

[acp1974 0]

Amazing how different everyone's experiences are. I am feeling better today, but still dizzy upon standing. I had a bleeder on top of lots and lots of vomiting so had to stay longer and get some monster stitches to close the port site but it did eventually stop the bleeding - I have a monster bruise from the bleeding until it managed to tamp of the bleeder. The whole right side of my abdomen looks good and doesn't really hurt much. The left side is an altogether different story. It helped that I got a big band because they put me on full liquids the day after surgery to help with the nausea. The pain from vomiting was worse than any of the gas pains. it will take some time for all of this to work, but I am mentally prepared for that - at least I think I am :thumbup:

Hang in there, and thanks for sharing your experience. Indeed no two people are the same. I had the dizzy problem you described for the first 24 hrs or so, wherein I would stand up, then start sweating and get a huge round of nausea. I managed to avoid vomiting by lying back down, but only barely. I can only imagine how painful that must've been.

Sounds like you had some complications with the bleeding, but I don't think that's uncommon either. I'm glad they were able to get it stopped, and in the long run it'll be just a distant memory.

A friend of mine today reminded me that there is no such thing as minor surgery, and that there's always some trauma involved in surgery. Our experiences are all different, but we all went through the same surgery and we all need to go easy on ourselves and concentrate on resting, healing, and thinking about the big picture: we did it, we're on our way!

[jsbnme77 0]

The gas pain has sucked and the meds haven't seemed to help as much as the walking did but I haven't tried the gas x yet either. I had my surgery yesterday so I can only say that since i have been home my biggest wish is that I could burp and get my soar throat to go away and get the phlegm out of my chest and throat. Coughing is not so comfortable I keep a pillow over my belly to help with it. I also had a hernia fixed. But really other than that I haven't had any major pain, none that I am debilitated by anyways! Which is a blessing. :thumbup:[link=http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/wCQgVQ0/]

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Edited May 23, 2010 by jsbnme77
added my ticker

[jsbnme77 0]

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[AllegrasGramma 0]

Thanks - that is so true!

[Bandmom 0]

The gas pain has sucked and the meds haven't seemed to help as much as the walking did but I haven't tried the gas x yet either. I had my surgery yesterday so I can only say that since i have been home my biggest wish is that I could burp and get my soar throat to go away and get the phlegm out of my chest and throat. Coughing is not so comfortable I keep a pillow over my belly to help with it. I also had a hernia fixed. But really other than that I haven't had any major pain, none that I am debilitated by anyways! Which is a blessing. :biggrin:[link=http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/wCQgVQ0/]

[image noborder]http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wCQgVQ0/weight.png[/image]

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Yeah I had the congestion in my chest as well, started about day two, and it was not fun. but the gas was still worse. You would think if they could pump it into you , they could figure out a way to pump it back out!!!!

[Havens 0]

The gas pain is the worst! I take gasx, use the heating pad, and walk. The Gasx helps just a tad bit, it stops me from wanting to cut my shoulder off. The heating pad is the same way. The walking makes it 10x worse. Walking does not help with my gas pains AT ALL.

The only thing that helps is laying on my left side.

Im 3-days post op and the pain is still pretty bad. I am def in the stage of "what did i do to myself"

I was there too. I was also banded on the 17th and for the next 3days I thought my lord, should I have not done this??? But, getting much better now. Gas is going away, incisions ache and I'm achey in my gut area....eating fine. No vomiting. But, I feel ya.....felt the same way!

[acp1974 0]

I think the one general rule is that it gets a little better every day, so definitely hang in there! The gas will pass (literally), the shoulder pain will subside, and the swelling will go down. Not at the same rate for everyone, but it does get better each day after surgery.

It is a good question though - why can't they get that gas out of you at the end of surgery? And why is the gas pain in my shoulder or chest, not my stomach? Mysteries of the universe....

[Bandmom 0]

I think the one general rule is that it gets a little better every day, so definitely hang in there! The gas will pass (literally), the shoulder pain will subside, and the swelling will go down. Not at the same rate for everyone, but it does get better each day after surgery.

It is a good question though - why can't they get that gas out of you at the end of surgery? And why is the gas pain in my shoulder or chest, not my stomach? Mysteries of the universe....

Exactly, they pump it in your stomach and your shoulder hurts? Gives some credence to the accupuncture theory. Maybe we need someone to develop a therapy for this, if you put needles in this spot it will ease the gas pain, or better yet, if you put a needle in that spot you will magically release all the gas....Oh that one might not be so good after all.................:biggrin:

[suebydoo70 0]

Like everyone else who posted, I too had the shoulder pain and it was worse than child birth for me! It lasted an entire 7 days without letting up. The only thing that helped it was if I leaned on it, like against the couch. It immediately relieved the pain. After the 7 days, it would come back periodically when I ate something, and finally after week 2 it has been completely gone...knock on wood. hang in there....I am on week 4, and finally feel human again (and a lighter human to boot!)

[acp1974 0]

Like everyone else who posted, I too had the shoulder pain and it was worse than child birth for me! It lasted an entire 7 days without letting up. The only thing that helped it was if I leaned on it, like against the couch. It immediately relieved the pain. After the 7 days, it would come back periodically when I ate something, and finally after week 2 it has been completely gone...knock on wood. hang in there....I am on week 4, and finally feel human again (and a lighter human to boot!)

Yes, lighter indeed - let us not forget the purpose of this whole enterprise! I am looking forward to solid food again, to complete healing and zero gas pains/digestive issues - and to exercising more vigorously than just walking - but the weight loss since I started my pre-op diet at the beginning of the month, and since my surgery, is kind of thrilling. I know it'll slow down, but for *right now* it more than makes up for the relative discomfort.

[rocketray 0]

Yes, I agree with all of the above. I was banded Friday morn. so it's my 4th day and all I really have is soreness at the port incision. I didn't have the shoulder pain but lots of gas. The heating pad was a miracle for me, I got the most comfort from that and am still using it. GaxX strips, took them, they helped a bit. Walking definitely helps. Stay hydrated. It does get better. Once you get off Clear liquids and go to full liquids, you'll also feel a lot better. The other thing and most important---it took four days for me to go to the bathroom. I didn't want to use milk of magnesia or any of those other brands. So once that happened I also felt better, like things will go back to normal.

One thing I found that I love--Ralph's carried Vosko's Greek Yogurt, it comes in a 5.5oz cup and it has 9 grams of Protein, I found the yogurt went down easy and felt fine in my stomach. good luck!

[mterry 0]

I had alot of pain, I was banded on the 17th. I would get up and the chest pain would be incredible. Walking really helps. I feel so much better now. I promise it will go away.:biggrin: