Is this much pain normal?

[LeanerLena5426 61]

I am 8 days post-op now, and still in a huge amount of pain. It is all around the one incision--presumably where he took the stomach out (I had a lapband removed as well...). The incisions don't look infected, I think they're ok.

I can barely walk, it hurts so much. I can't stand up straight, and getting from sitting to a standing position is excrutiating. I'm sleeping ok (on my back, in a lazy boy chair), and while I'm sitting back I feel perfectly fine. But as soon as I move a muscle, it KILLS!

I'm reading about other people going to restaurants, amusement parks, doing exercise DVDs, and I'm thinking, what is wrong with me?

Should I be worried????

[teacher 36]

I was the same way. I was in extreme pain for 2 weeks. I was a little stubborn though and thought I didn't need to take pain meds, didn't need to wear the stomach band and I was sent home with Pepcid that in my haze of coming home from the hospital I didn't realize that I even had the prescription. Once I started taking the pain meds regularly, wearing the band 24 hours, and taking the Pepcid, I almost immediately started feeling better. I too was reading posts about people up and out doing normal things after 2 days of surgery. Even with doing all of these things correctly, there was not way that I could have been doing that. I kept reading about people out walking miles and there were 2 occasions where I was in so much pain that I could not raise up from the bed and then another time from the recliner. Luckily my husband was home or I would have been stuck. Taking a shower was pure torture too. My husband shaved my legs for 2 weeks because it hurt too much to bend over. Hang in there. I am now 5 weeks out and feeling so much better!

[ShrinkingMama 42]

Don't be worried! Everyones progress & recovery is different! Don't compare yourself to anyone else. Rest, take your pain meds, and make sure your staying hydrated. And of course, when in doubt call your surgeon!

Stay positive! You can do this!

[Lurpa 20]

Ya everyones recovery is way different. For me I was discharged with a script for pain meds and nausea, picked them up, and never once used them. My incisions havent hurt at all (they used the new fancy glue to put me back together). The only real pain I have had was a little discomfort from my hiatal hernia they repaired. Right now, Im a week out and really trying to figure out why they say for me to take a month off work. I was ready after I got sent home from hospital. I havent had any problems with food or Water or anything going down. Matter of fact, I hope they tell me that I can move to next stage today at appt.

Take your meds and walk walk walk. It might hurt but it will work it out

[uccmart 23]

Loopy, you may not have passed all you gas yet. Walking is so important to clear the air. There is air in the intestines that needs to pass and also air in your abdomen that needs to be absorbed by your body. I found the abdominal air really caused lots of pain at my large incision and also made breathing deep very painful and difficult. Walking help the air move upward to your shoulders. This will relieve the abdominal pain, but may cause shoulder or neck pain. My doc said get out and walk 3 times a day. It might be hard, but when the air passes you will feel 100 times better.

[ShrinkingMama 42]

Ya everyones recovery is way different. For me I was discharged with a script for pain meds and nausea' date=' picked them up, and never once used them. My incisions havent hurt at all (they used the new fancy glue to put me back together). The only real pain I have had was a little discomfort from my hiatal hernia they repaired. Right now, Im a week out and really trying to figure out why they say for me to take a month off work. I was ready after I got sent home from hospital. I havent had any problems with food or Water or anything going down. Matter of fact, I hope they tell me that I can move to next stage today at appt.

Take your meds and walk walk walk. It might hurt but it will work it out[/quote']

I have had the exact same experience! Not one problem with any food or anything! Im 7 months post op and have lost 103lbs! I also had a hiatal hernia they repaired.

[LeanerLena5426 61]

Thanks Everyone!!

[SarahBeth1217 19]

My surgery was on 7/25 and I'm still having some pretty significant pain with my incisions. I'm glad to know that there are others out there who couldn't jump right back into everyday life. For those of you that did have pain for longer, what medication were you prescribed and how long did you take it for? My doctor seems reluctant to refill my Rx and I'd just like a little validation that I'm not a crazy drug addict. :-(

[uccmart 23]

In the hospital I was on a Tylonol drip. They gave me Morphine when the pain was bad. At home I had Tylonol with Codiene. Walking a lot makes a huge difference. It will help you get any lingering air out and will also help strengthen your abs. Remember that you have a stitch in your muscle at the large incision site. Each time you move it pulls on the stitch a little. I found holding my hand firmly against my abdomen when I moved around it help minimize the pain (going from sitting to standing and rolling over in bed mostly).

Prescription pain meds can quickly become an addiction. Being post was puts you at a higher risk of becoming an addict. The doc is just looking out for your well being. Do you have Tylonol you can take? I have children's chewables.

There is and end the pain. The stitch will Pop in another week or two and all your pain should then be gone. Hang in there. You can do it!

[LeanerLena5426 61]

My extreme pain was directly related to the staples in my incisions--one in particular. It was like night and day when they took the staples out 2-weeks post-op; until then I was in agony. Even now (almost 3 weeks post op) I still have a bit of pain here and there in my abdomen when I'm moving around, and I still have to press my hand against it (good advice, uccmart!). I think if I hadn't had staples, but just regular stitches, or if they'd been done differently, it would have been a different story. But, who knows??? The bottom line is that my pain was real, and it lasted 2 weeks, and now it's better.

I was afraid of Rx pain meds, since I feel like I have an addictive personality, so I declined them--whoops! I regretted that decision of course. But I ended up taking regular old extra strength Tylenol at home, and that did help take the edge off. I got my husband to crush them for me, but you can also get chewables or liquid (children's).

Hope you feel better SOON. You're definitely not alone!

[SarahBeth1217 19]

I think I worded part of my last post wrong. I'm not worried about being addicted to hydrocodone (I don't like it, it makes me itchy and there would be no point in abusing it because it doesn't "get me high"), I'm more worried about my doc thinking I am because I keep requesting refills. Everyone feels pain and heals differently, it's just nice to know that there are others who are in as much pain as I am (that sounds horrible). I have an appt with my surgeon on Wed and I just want to be able to go in there and feel confident that I'm not a freak or a big wuss.

[Mimistar 78]

Same here.

Get a compression band, tank, or shorts. And take your pain Meds. Getting up or God forbid I tried to roll over in bed....I thought I was gonna die. But it gets better....promise!

A heating pad helped too.

Hang in there!!!

[marfar7 1,533]

I thought the same thing! How can I be such a baby? The dr spent 30 extra minutes digging my embedded band outa my stomach and told me Id be more sore than we discussed. Lapband surgery 4 yrs ago was a pc of cake. I took my liquid Vicodin for 12 days. Had to go to the ER on day 6 after having a bad reaction to Reglan. It totally sucked. I really doubted my choice.

Its now been 3 wks and my biggest complaint is im hungry. Still on a full liquid diet 1 more wk. Im feeling really good and have been sleeping on my side for a wek. Doesn't even bother me when my dog jumps on my tummy a nymore. No more doubts. Especially when I see I've lost 15 lbs in 3 wks. Only 29 left to my 130 goal.

About 50% of people here proclaim how they never used anything but tylenol. Great for u. The other 50% r like us. Wanting to be hit over the head with a 2 x 4. Hang in there. It WILL get better. I promise. And the rec.iner is a good diea. That hurt the most. Lying down and getting up. I wish I had a recliner.

Good luck in ur recovery

[StarryNight 20]

I too was part of the extreme pain percentage and was starting to wonder if something might be wrong. I had my surgery on July 2nd, Dr. gave me a short refill on Diluadid at my 2 wk checkup, but after that its been just Extra Strength Tylenol for 2.5 weeks. This past Saturday, the duration of the pain was really getting to me, so I made a plan to call my doc on Mon (today) and also post here, just like you did.

Imagine my shock when I woke up Sunday am yesterday, and the intense burning pain was completely gone? All day today, (Monday) again, no pain! Yippee! It took just shy of FIVE weeks but it appears to be gone. I'm so relieved. So hang in there. It's good advice to remember everyone's healing process is different (and weight loss for that matter) so although tempting, try not to compare.

(P.S. My Dr. explained that for me, the pain deep inside, and a little south of the big incision, is from the stitches that go through layers of muscles at the point where he closed the hole where he removed the excess stomach. The stitches securely seal the hole to protect against leaks, but because they sew those muscles, it's painful.)

[LeanerLena5426 61]

I too was part of the extreme pain percentage and was starting to wonder if something might be wrong. I had my surgery on July 2nd, Dr. gave me a short refill on Diluadid at my 2 wk checkup, but after that its been just Extra Strength Tylenol for 2.5 weeks. This past Saturday, the duration of the pain was really getting to me, so I made a plan to call my doc on Mon (today) and also post here, just like you did.

Imagine my shock when I woke up Sunday am yesterday, and the intense burning pain was completely gone? All day today, (Monday) again, no pain! Yippee! It took just shy of FIVE weeks but it appears to be gone. I'm so relieved. So hang in there. It's good advice to remember everyone's healing process is different (and weight loss for that matter) so although tempting, try not to compare.

(P.S. My Dr. explained that for me, the pain deep inside, and a little south of the big incision, is from the stitches that go through layers of muscles at the point where he closed the hole where he removed the excess stomach. The stitches securely seal the hole to protect against leaks, but because they sew those muscles, it's painful.)

Thank you for sharing your doctor's explanation--that really makes sense for the kind of pain I feel. Today I had a really bad day (after being so much better! Maybe I overdid it yesterday?), so it's comforting to hear that it's not unheard of to have pain that lasts this many weeks. Don't get me wrong, I'm a thousand times better than I was a couple weeks ago. But I guess I just expect it to be gone altogether now, and I should be right back to normal. Thanks for the reminder to be patient.