Pain levels

[Jen_Bach 9]

Just wondering how much pain everyone had post-op and for how long it lasted. Just trying to be prepared. I know everyone's pain tolerance is different. Oh, and what is it that actually hurts, incisions or insides?

[ArmyOfMe 82]

Oy ... I was in pain for the first month. I have zero pain tolerance. Forget it. If I don't take pain meds, I am useless.

liquid Lortab was my best friend. I took it as needed and did not think twice about it. I still have some left for dark times.

[Jacqueline K 93]

I only needed pain meds for about a week. I wasn't really in that much pain after the first couple days.

Sent from my iPhone using RNYTalk

[terry1118 1,274]

I stopped pain meds during the day after four days. I continued to use them at night for a week.

Everyone is different. If you need them, use them. Don't try to tough it out.

[terry1118 1,274]

My incisions didn't really hurt too much. The first couple of days they stung a little like any cut would but it wasn't bad. My left side hurt but it wasn't unbearable. Just achy. Sometimes it felt almost cramp-like. I took two weeks off from work but thought I could've gone back after one. I probably would have except I developed an allergic reaction to something related to the surgery. I had a horrible itchy rash that prevented me from wearing anything but a loose-fitting dress the whole time I was home.

In my case, the pain wasn't that bad at all. Maybe because I had another surgical experience to compare it to that was worse. I had rotator cuff surgery in '09. That was WAY more painful and the pain lasted for a long, LONG time!

[Jeepchick42 193]

Just wondering how much pain everyone had post-op and for how long it lasted. Just trying to be prepared. I know everyone's pain tolerance is different. Oh' date=' and what is it that actually hurts, incisions or insides?[/quote']

My pain was minimal. I only took my pain meds at night to sleep because they really kicked my you know what. I would take my liquid Vicodin I my kitchen and by the time I reached my bed, 30 feet away, I was messed up. Lol. The best way to describe the pain was it felt like doing a ton sit ups. It was more of a muscle pain then an incision pain. However my incisions were SUPER itchy. It really only last a few days tho. By week 2, I was fine.

[bloreorbust 286]

I'm in week one and my pain was pretty rough the first couple days. They had me on a hydromorphine pump and I pressed that button every 10 minutes. Since I've been home, I take an oxy every 5-6 hours. I've been pushing myself a little more every day with walking and doing things, and I tend to start feeling it pretty hard by mid-afternoon. I'm also dumb and started wearing a bra too soon which I think has been causing me some unnecessary pain. No more bras for a week or so.

[Jen_Bach 9]

Well I guess I will just have to wait and see for myself. I had an emergency appendectomy a couple years ago... thinking it sounds like similar pain. 21 days and I guess I will know LOL!

[slwyse 7]

I am 10 days post op and still taking pain meds. I tried to cut down on ibuprofen and after 24 hours was extremely painful across my upper abdomen, right below my ribs. I keep thinking my pain is more extreme than I expected but, with the liquid vicodin a couple times a day and ibuprofen every 6 to 12 hours, I feel somewhat better each day. I can't imagine going back to work soon though! Am thankful I took 4 weeks off!

[oldoneyoungagain 200]

Had surgery on a Wednesday, used the pain pump about every two hours, sent home next day. Used liquid Vicodin every 6 hours for two days, then went to 12 hours. Took my last dose on Sunday morning. Actually was ready to go back to work on Monday but I took two weeks off. Can't say that I was pain free, yes there was discomfort where the drains were at, but each day it got better and the more I got up the better I felt. Going back to work next Wednesday. I happen to have a very high tolerance to some types of pain, surgery is one of the high tolerance pain I can handle.

[slwyse 7]

Oldoneyoungagain it sounds like you have had a better time of it than I did. I am probably a pain wimp though! Grateful I don't have to go back to work for a while yet! I did end up with some Fluid in my lungs and that is what the pain is from now. Of course, started using the incentive spiromoter again and walking more. Now that I know it's not the actual surgery site that hurts I am more willing to push myself. So when they say walk, walk, walk that means walk, walk, walk! Obviously I wasn't walking enough. Well, onto a speedy recovery for all!

[MamboMan 6]

I am 10 days post op and still taking pain meds. I tried to cut down on ibuprofen and after 24 hours was extremely painful across my upper abdomen' date=' right below my ribs. I keep thinking my pain is more extreme than I expected but, with the liquid vicodin a couple times a day and ibuprofen every 6 to 12 hours, I feel somewhat better each day. I can't imagine going back to work soon though! Am thankful I took 4 weeks off![/quote']

I'm sorry you are having such a difficult time with the pain. Did your surgeon recommend using the ibuprofen? I ask because it is generally recommended we DO NOT use any NSAIDS after surgery, or forever, due to the high risk of ulcers in the remnant/blind stomach and new pouch... this applies to IV NSAIDS as well, like Toradol. If your surgeon recommended using it, then follow what he says. Just wanted to give you a heads up in case you didn't know about the NSAIDS...they can cause a lot of pain.

[slwyse 7]

RickySpanish : You know, ibuprofen wasn't in his post op orders but when I talked to him on the phone he said it was fine. Then yesterday, when I was talking to one of his partners she told me not to use NSAIDS for the reasons you stated. I had wondered why it wasn't used when it is so good with decreasing inflammation. Anyways, needless to say, I have stopped taking ibuprofen! Pain is somewhat better today and just using Tylenol when needed and Lortab at night. Thanks :-)

[deaddemmama 474]

RickySpanish : You know' date=' ibuprofen wasn't in his post op orders but when I talked to him on the phone he said it was fine. Then yesterday, when I was talking to one of his partners she told me not to use NSAIDS for the reasons you stated. I had wondered why it wasn't used when it is so good with decreasing inflammation. Anyways, needless to say, I have stopped taking ibuprofen! Pain is somewhat better today and just using Tylenol when needed and Lortab at night. Thanks :-)[/quote']

Be careful taking tylenol and lortab together...you dont want a double dose of tylenol...very dangerous!

[TurnThePage 220]

I had morphine the day after surgery, but no pain meds were needed after that. My abdomen was a wee bit tender the first week, but I was careful not to bump it and sometimes wore the abdominal binder for support. That was all.

Resumed working in my home office one week post op. Just have made time for lunch time naps and gone to bed early most nights to give my body time to rest and heal. Pleasantly surprised to be doing so well! I'm much more worried about my upcoming shoulder replacement!