Is It Harder After 40 For This Surgery?

[Looking Ahead 239]

I am 41 and just sleeved 5 days ago. I've had a lot rougher time with it than the ones I read about in post sleeve forums. I still move around like Im ninty from the pain when I walk. I walk bent over holding the drain bandage. Going through all kinds of emotional things. Has anyone else over 40 experinced this? What did you do to make it through the first week? When do you start to have hope of "normal" again?

[skane10 64]

Sorry you are feeling so bad. I think it varies with everyone and their doctor. I'm 44 and was sleeved 5 days ago. My drain was removed two days later. I walked alot so maybe that helped. I hope you feel better soon and get that drain out. I know when I had previous abdominal surgery I had a drain in for a week and I swear it made me hurt worse.

[Chimera 644]

I am 47 and I was well prepared after a year of prep for this - May 21st was my surgery day and it was like I was hit by a Mack truck lol. Lots of complications and it is taking ages for energy to return - then two weeks ago I injure my knee so severely I cannot bear weight on it and am back at the hospital for more medical shenanigans.

I am close to 6 weeks out and sloooowly mending. My husband who is younger than I had his sleeve done two weeks prior to mine and is now like superman lol - everyone is different I guess. I can absolutely relate to slow recovery and adjustment. My energy is returning and still trying to reconcile to food + mouth + stomach size issues that come once you are on solids (learning to teach my mouth that no, you cannot eat that much food lol) and getting used to feeling every ache and pain now that we cant use NSAIDS.

[Looking Ahead 239]

I thought I was walking enough. May need to walk more. Hopefully the drain will come out Monday and make the difference. Thanks for the input

[karenb4729 309]

I think it's harder when you are older. Your body seems to heal a bit more slowly, at least that's been my experience. I'm 54 and was sleeved on June 4th. Next week I will go back to work and frankly would love to have another couple of weeks off. While the first two weeks were the one that seemed the toughest because I was so fatigued, I am still not where I was before the surgery. But, time usually heals everything and eventually it will pass. The hardest part for me now is scheduling everything, when to take my meds, having my1st Protein shake of the day and waiting the time before having Breakfast, then lunch, dinner, etc all while trying to get in my Water. Sometimes I feel much more obessive over my eating than I did before surgery.

"looking ahead" - I stopped walking like a 90 yr old at about 2 weeks - I had a bad pain on my left side where I couldn't bend down or anything then one day, in the middle of the day it just simply stopped hurting - it was so weird, there one day and then just gone!

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

I've had a lot rough time

Looking Ahead

hey there, so sorry you have been going through these hard times. as they say nobody promised you a "rose garden".

you are still only a virgin at 5 days out. Things will improve.

People of any age go through these similar problems. They could be 20 or 41 or my age of 59. I don't think age matters, no one age has the corner on hurting pains. Now with that being said...... lets talk about YOU

Walking w/such difficulty, holding your bandage in pain - just feeling awful is so hard, must make you feel so bad.

Do you have anyone around you that can help in any way, even there to hold your hand and listen to you.

Could someone come and be with you for a while til you feel alittle better? give you support

if no one lives around you, you can always reach out to us on the board,. we don't bite

but, the phone cord reaches all sorts of family/friends all over the word as if they were next door. Its not the same as being in the next room,, they are still there to listen to you and help you,

Many people are in a bad way, especially those first few days, but it will pass. You will feel better and get on that road to success with a long journey ahead to health and happiness for the rest of your life and yes loosing weight helps you feel much better.

this long journey will make you feel so much healthier and better

FYI i've gotten off my diabetes medicine after 20 years! - and my blood pressure meds are gone. too.

You will feel so much healthier, its amazing what losing weight can do.

I'm trying to say that all this terrible pains will not be in vein what ever physical ailments you have, things will turn around for you.

5 days turns into 6 days turning into 7 days, etc. etc. etc. You will feel better and stronger every day.

please take it slowly with a deep breath, things will get better sooner than later

take care

feel bettter

kathy

[MinaT 669]

I'm 49 years old with Lupus and a small brain tumor and I have a neurological disorder. I think pre-op 6 month prepared me a lot for surgery, as I worked really hard to try to lose weight before surgery.

I had some serious complications during surgery and I had hernia repair and adhesion repair. Everyone thinks I have done pretty well after surgery. Surgery was June 4th. I still have some soreness and swelling in my stomach, I can get things off the ground. I am tired but I'm doing well. Monday it will be 4 weeks.

I am pretty sure that it will take me another month or two and I'll be feeling better than before surgery.

My sleep apnea is gone, my diabetes is gone, I can breath better, I am definitely walking up and down the stairs better than before I started this process. Last year I needed help getting up the stairs.

It's been worth it to me.

[Looking Ahead 239]

My husband has the computer so I'll have to post more later. Reading these pists letting me know this IS normal truley helps. My husband has tried to help since seeing my stomach yesterday. But most of my support is on here while I am at home. I go back to work next Thursday. I think that will help with having my mind occupied with something other than pain. Thank you for your responses. Prayers and hugs to all if you who are doing this journey also.

[Looking Ahead 239]

Finally got the computer back Im sitting in my recliner with a chair vibrator on the left side of my back. Directly behind the drain is horrible pain. I hope the vibrator is ok. It seems to be the only thing that relieves the pain enough for me to breath. The pain isn't constant but when it comes, it hits hard like a charlie horse. I am going down in weight. Down 10 lbs since surgery 5 days ago. I can have pureed foods but staying on liquids because nothing else sounds good. Is this pain gas pain or surgery pain? I did research this procedure before doing it but didn't bet on the 1 out of 10 who go home hurting and in pain for weeks. I foolishly thought I'd come home like the rest of the ones on here and be back at work in a week with very liittle pain or discomfort.

Looking forward to a no pain day...soon! I have my first post op Monday. Trying to not take the liquid Lortab unless I have to.

Any other suggestions for the back pain? I keep re reading the posts to make sure I am reading them right that the pain will leave and it will be all good in the end.

[shortypants 26]

It could be gas pain. Maybe try the gas-x. I'm 42, surgery was May 7. I really didnt have any complications. Didnt have a drain, so I'm not sure how that feels. I can tell you, yes it does get better...just seems like it takes forever!! ugh! You do have to walk, but you also need to rest. Do what your body tells you!! Hope you are feeling better soon!!

[LR6909 10]

I was 41 when I had my surgery. I was up walking that night and even had a sip or two of Water. My doctor called at 10:30pm to see how i was doing after he found out, i had walked the halls 5 times. LOL. I didn't have any issues but HORRIBLE motion sickness when i got home. I tried to go back to work the next week but my co-worker who is a perfume bomb made me sick! I couldn't take it! I went home and returned the next Monday and was fine.

My best friend however, had surgery and said that I pulled a fast one on her, she was in the hospital for 3.5 days.

Everyone is different. These few moments of inconvenience are worth the end result.

By the way, I didn't have a drain.

[Looking Ahead 239]

When did you feel "normal" again? I walked two to three times a day in the hospital. Was in for 3.5 days. I wonder why some have drains and some don't . Seems like the ones with drains are in more pain. Mind if I ask how much you've lost and when did you start your exercise after surgery?

[quietcougar 29]

Have you talked to your Doc about the pain? You're far enough post op now that it may not be gas pain but could be something else. The fact that it's near the drain...hmm. Do you have redness or any unusual drainage (foul smelling, dark, etc.)? My drain was removed 7 days post op and I never had any significant pain.

[Looking Ahead 239]

The pain was severe enough I was back in the ER Friday afternoon. They did an MRI and CT for blood clots. It all came back fine. Was sent home saying it was surgery pain and see you Monday for Post Op. The drain isn't red and doesn't look irritated. It drains about 8 cc a day of blood/liquid. The pain is directly where the drain is and behind it in my back. I've started using a chair vibrator for my back. Worried about using it but it does ease the pain with a heating pad. I change the bandage on the drain every day with my shower. It feels like the weight of my stomach on that side pulls on it causing me to walk bent over holding it in pain. I hope everyone is right and he takes out the drain tomorrow and the pain passes.

[Happy Camper 266]

Looking Ahead,

I am 46 and had a drain which abscessed and I had to have a second emergency surgery. So, for your pain right now 1)walk ,sip and take your Loritab accordingly. Even if you do laps around the inside of your house, which is what I did, walking helps. Sip your Water, g2, broth to keep hydrated and 2)WATCH the drain area. I developed hardness and slight pink on my tummy and ignored it. Don't ignore symptoms. Any fever call doctor immediately.

This is a great tool and I look forward to seeing your success.

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