How much pain did this cause you?

[BobBigBoy 0]

& in what ways?

& Where on you did it hurt?

Did it hurt inside where they did stuff?

Did the holes they put in your belly hurt as they healed?

I've read some on this site about some sort of shoulder pain?

& on a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate the pain?

Was it more of a ache or an actual pain..

Were you able to take pain pills for the pain?

[jen36 1]

I had abdominal pain the first 2 days but the pain meds took care of that but then the shoulder pain from gas that was trapped was the worse part and I still get it in my left shoulder every now and then which I never did before. If I could do it all over again I def. would, the pain was so worth it. I wouldn't be down almost 45lbs in a little under 5 months. I feel great!!!! Are you banded yet?

[BobBigBoy 0]

Are you banded yet?

No I go to talk to my Doctor about it tomorrow.

I was all set to get my labs all done so I could go get the Gastric Sleeve, when I started having 2nd thoughts & now I'm thinking the Band might be a better option for me.

Well That's why I'm going to talk to the doc tomorrow.

I completed a 12 week course, but that taught more about gastric sleeve & by-pass & the band was not mentioned too much.

for the most part, I suppose the class did teach many of the other things that will help me with the band as well.

[jen36 1]

Well good luck tomorrow at the dr. and just do alot of research on the band. This website is so full of information it is awesome. Whatever you choose I am sure you will make the right decision for you.

[BobBigBoy 0]

Well good luck tomorrow at the dr. and just do alot of research on the band. This website is so full of information it is awesome. Whatever you choose I am sure you will make the right decision for you.

I've been researching this for about a year & am pretty much ready to go for it.....

But as I'm sure you guys did as well, I have some fear of actually doing it. :smile2:

[jen36 1]

I did too, especially I know its doesn't sound like alot I had about 71lbs to lose to get to goal but you know what I could not do it on my own, I had high blood pressure and just felt like crap for alot of years and was sick of it. I am so glad I got banded and trust me it is still alot of work you have to exercise and eat as healthy as possible but you can do it if you put your mind to it. Its a whole new way of life, I wouldn't change it. Let us know how it goes with your visit.

[MellieW 0]

I was banded one week ago today and I can honestly say I experienced no pain at all. I felt a little nauseous as they were waking from surgery and they gave me something for that and I was fine. They offered IV pain meds immediately after surgery but I didn't need them. I still have not had the need for prescription or otc pain meds.

The gas under my ribs and in my left shoulder did get obnoxious after a couple days, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle and seems to be gone now for the most part.

My incisions are not painful but they are beginning to itch now that they are healing. I can feel my port when I sit in certain positions (mostly when I'm on the couch with my feet under by bottom and leaning against the left arm of the couch) and it's an odd sensation, but certainly not painful. I understand this will go away as time goes on.

So, overall I am thrilled with my experience. I hope I've been helpful.

[BobBigBoy 0]

I know its doesn't sound like alot I had about 71lbs to lose to get to goal but you know what I could not do it on my own,

I like to lose 100 lbs.

& that's what I've come to realize, I've been dieting most of my life & look at me I was up 318 a few months ago.

Now I'm back down to 287.

I had high blood pressure and just felt like crap for alot of years and was sick of it. I am so glad I got banded and trust me it is still alot of work you have to exercise and eat as healthy as possible but you can do it if you put your mind to it. Its a whole new way of life, I wouldn't change it. Let us know how it goes with your visit.

I have High Blood Pressure & sleep Apnea.

& I just bought a new bike yesterday that I plan to start riding in attempts to get some exercise.

I don't really like walking much due to my flat feet, but a bike should do the trick. :smile2:

I'll post how my Dr's appointment went in my Intro thread here on this site after I get back tomorrow.

[jen36 1]

Well you should be proud of yourself that you lost that much so far!!!!!! YAY!!! and you bought a bike, another YAY!!!!! You can do this and we are all here to support you, just keeping thinking you CAN!!!!!!!

[BobBigBoy 0]

Well you should be proud of yourself that you lost that much so far!!!!!! YAY!!! and you bought a bike, another YAY!!!!! You can do this and we are all here to support you, just keeping thinking you CAN!!!!!!!

Thanks! :smile2:

[spoiltmom 44]

The only pain I had was the gas pains and they weren't bad. I never even took any of my Lortab. I didn't need it.

[Mandyrae 0]

I had very little pain.. of course I had liquid codeine and made sure the first 2 days I took it right at every 4 hours and not wait until I was hurting so I know that prolly had a lot to do with it. My biggest issue was the shoulder pain from the gas but that went away within a few days. I had my surgery on a Friday and was back to work on Monday.

I wouldn't worry, you will do great!

[BetsyB 9]

With pain meds, it was never more than a 2 or 3. I've had other abdominal surgeries, and this was a breeze in comparison, but I can't join the "no pain" camp; I did have pain, and it did require medication. It was not excruciating, but it was definite surgical pain.

If your doctor is skillful, a good deal of the gas used to insoufflate your abdomen will be removed before your incisions are closed, so you won't experience horrible gas pain. I was lucky in that I had almost none.

Walking a lot postoperatively helps tremendously. So use whatever meds you need in order to get up and moving quickly.

The pain the persisted the longest is at the port site; first, the incision is the largest. But more, it's because the port actually works to embed itself into muscle tissue, which creates gnawing twinges that really persist. They're not excruciating, but it's a nagging discomfort long after everything else resolves--it just sort of reminds you it's there from time to time.

ETA: I just saw that you've taken the classes for bypass and sleeve. I am not sure how your doctor does it, but mine combines classes--his postop recommendations for bandsters are the same as they are for bypass patients (same diet, etc.) This is good for bandsters, because our rate of loss tends to be higher than the average as a result of having the same dietary restrictions.

Edited September 29, 2010 by BetsyB

[jingleboob 5]

when i woke from surgery it was a 10. After getting the max dose of morphine and sleeping a bit more it was an 8 or 9... a few hours after surgery I'd say I was a 7... by the following day I was sore, but the pain meds did the job and I was actually walking around Walmart with mom 24 hours after surgery... by the 4th day I was off pain meds and pain was averaging a 3 or 4... a week after surgery just sore, like I'd overdone it at the gym.

It wasn't nearly as bad as my gallbladder was!

[dm5201 1]

I was banded on 8/24 and had very little pain. I had some slight shoulder pain, but was able to get through it. The only nagging problem that I had was a knot in one of my incisions was kind of bothersome, more irritating than anything, but I felt really good.