Painful to drink/eat? How sore after surgery?

[mrsv825 0]

I hear a lot of people mention they have a hard time getting their liquids in etc. post op. Is it becaue it is painful? Does it hurt to swallow or something? After surgery, where is the pain felt? And for how long was pain/soreness and issure for you? I am having surgery in August right before my kids head back to school and I know I am supposed to take it easy and while I don't have to be at a "job" all day, Starting a week post op I need to at least get the kids to school. I wish I could have scheduled a week earlier but it didn't work out for that week. I've read the posts about the scars tissue causing some pain a couple weeks out etc. What are your stories on what you were able to tolerate as far as activity etc. and when did it get better?

[SWANY 1]

Im 6 days post op. I didnt have a problem getting the liquids down at all, but you do feel a bit of restriction and that can be from the swelling from the surgery. Now for the pain, I cant speak for others but the pain of the actual surgery went away the very next day for me. I only had a little discomfort from the incisions but they are healing very well. I didnt have a drain, I didnt have stitches, just sterie strips which is keeping things together. Im even able to sleep on my sides at night which help with the gas. I hope this info helps you. Good Luck

[SParkle 4]

I had a drain which was removed before i left hospital. I have had a couple of twinges which I think was from scar tissue inside but it was literally a twinge, not pain and not long lasting.

Regarding liquids - I was more scared to start with about drinking - so built up my Fluid intake slowly but have no issues getting mine in. I keep a drink with me at all times and log what i am drinking during the day to make sure I'm drinking enough.

I felt 'normal' again at 2 weeks regarding ability to do stuff. Before that I did feel weak and more tired doing everyday things so too kit very easy during that time and didn't push myself too far.

Everyone heals differently, so it'll be interesting to see how others reply as well for you to gauge how you can expect to feel.

Good luck

[Morgandobes 0]

My experience was similar to Swany's

I did have trouble sleeping on my sides for the first night or two, but liquid tylenol pretty quickly dampened down the pain.

I had surgery on wednesday, was release thursday and was up and doing the things

I had the energy for on friday. Saturday was good and now, 6 days post op, I have almost

no pain. Certainly nothing to keep me from doing pretty much what I want while still following docs orders(no lifting, strenuous exercies, etc).

The big thing for me was no energy. I had 3 days fulls, 2 days clears post op, then nothing by mouth until the following friday which was then just a few sips.

Still dont have tons of energy, but very little pain, you should be ok.

[mrsv825 0]

Thanks so much for the input guys. It has helped to relieve some of the anxiety about the pain. I can't wait to hear what more people have to say!

[educationrulz 18]

I have a lot of difficulty with drinking because of pain in my esophagus area. I'm sure this is because I had a hernia repaired during the surgery. The pain in that area was so intense when I woke in recovery and it's just fading slowly everyday. But, drinking still hurts.

I'm having to experiment with what works best and it changes from day to day. Warm liquids are better going down than cold, but I discovered today that slushy cold liquids go down fairly well too. So, I've been making low cal juice slushies with my majic bullet and it has helped me stay hydrated today. I am VERY hopeful that this pain from the hernia repair will disipate over the next month or so. From what I've found on the internet, it should resolve itself. I plan to talk to my surgeon about it at my 2 week follow up.

As for general pain, I was sore in my stomach area and from the gas pain for the first 4 or 5 days. That is totally gone now. Every now and then I get a twinge in one of my incisions, but I generally don't think about them. I think this is just one of those things you can't plan for until it's on you. You never know how your body will react. I usually bounce back quickly, but I didn't this time. Overall, I think you will be able to do what you need to do around the house by the time a week has passed.

[cwalker 12]

I'm 53 yrs old and was told I might heal slower but by the 2nd day I was in Walmart, 4th day gro shopping and 8 th day drove roundtrip 5 hrs for post op. I washed,cooked but I also made sure I drank 2 oz every 15 minutes for the first week, adding unflavored Protein to anything I could. I've had 3 previous surgeries and expected something similiar to the pain of those but there wasnt any. I requested my pain meds to be given the first 24 hrs. I came home the next day, walked,sipped,rested. There was only soreness of feeling like you did 1000 situps. Good luck. I say go for it!

[brittu 42]

I had surgery on a Wednesday and left the hospital to fly home on Saturday. I never had any real pain and was able to sip liquids from the first day they let me have them. I was careful and maybe twice I took too big a swallow, it was uncomfortable for a few seconds but that was about it.

I took naps the first couple days I was home but went back to work that Monday. I think my need for naps went away at about a week. A few days later when I went on full liquids I got all my energy back and I've been fine since. I'm on purees and a couple of times have had a little to much - again it was uncomfortable, like after a really big Thanksgiving meal but that's about it.

[lillita 18]

I had surgery on Tuesday and have to say I have had no pain. Never took a pain killer -- did not take the morphine in the hospital.. It has been wonderful. As far as drinking; well, I have tried to drink as much as possible but I feel very restricted. So, I just take small sips all day. I am 2 days post op and went to Target today to walk around. My dr. said I could have Protein Shakes today so I had one this morning, a Protein Soup in the afternoon and one Protein Shake this evening. I am feeling good - I have a nutritionist appt tomorrow and if all goes well, I can have pudding and blended Soups. woohoo!!

[BeenThereWasThat 2]

This was my first surgery and here is the best way I can describe the pain...

This was for about the first 4 days after surgery. I could swallow fine but the Water would get kind of pooled up at the top of my stomach because my sleeve was really swollen in the begining. My doc explained it this way my esophagas was the size of a brat and my stomach was the size of a hot dog (nice food refrence huh?) and so the Water would have to funnel through the opening.

It still does that now if I take too big of a drink it just doensn't hurt. The water just funnels through and sometimes I have a little burp!

Your tummy area is sore because they cut through the ab muscles.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

I am 9 days post op; bending of any kind hurt a lot when I left the hospital but that has been fading ever since. At first I was frozen in a side position when I slept, propped up with many pillows, because sleeping on my back caused the gas to pool painfully in my intestines. I have pain in the form of hiccups if I drink too quickly/too much. These are not your regular hiccups, very painful. I am still struggling to get in the quota for liquids. I don't know if I am having acid reflux right now but I'm drinking warm tea and have a sort of icy burning sensation at the base of my throat. I've taken two chewable pepcids and they don't seem to be helping. I started out strong with energy when I left the hospital but I think that is because the hospital drugs were still in my system. A few days out I saw a marked change in energy levels and fatigue set in like I've never experienced, even after only 3 hours of activity. At nine days out I am walking around every day but in short bursts. Hope this sheds light.

[mrsv825 0]

Thanks guys.. I'm so excited! I go in for surgery in two weeks!

[Go Kart Mozart 44]

I was in a lot of pain the day after surgery, and I also had a lot of dry heaving that same day, which my doctor assured me was normal. That day was miserable, but I'm now 4 days post-surgery and feeling better by the hour.

[Donna4545 13]

The only pain I had was in the left shoulder. They said it was because of the way the drain moves things around inside you. Once they took the drain out there was no more pain there. The first 4 days if I took too big a swallow of liquid my stomach would hurt, but I adjusted my way of drinking so that wasn't a problem. I was tired the 1st 3 days, but got up and walked around like they said. My lower left incision is still kind of sore, but I wouldn't call it pain. It's actually the least painful surgery I've ever had. I had gas for the first 5 days, then it went away.

[Jane_J 117]

I was in a lot of pain the day after surgery, and I also had a lot of dry heaving that same day, which my doctor assured me was normal. That day was miserable, but I'm now 4 days post-surgery and feeling better by the hour.

Did they not give you anti-nausea drugs??? I had them intraveneously the moment I told the staff I felt sick when I had my op. That must have been really horrible for you, but I think your treatment was unusual from what I have read on these boards.

Jane x