Truth! What's the pain really like?

[sheavens 9]

Going from a band to a sleeve on OCT 6th and I am starting to freak out a bit. My main reason for doing the band in 09 was that NO CUTTING was being done other than lapascropicaly. Soooooo anxious about what the pain factor will be in regards to being sleeved? The idea of my stomach being CUT and removed to 20% is hard to comprehend. Truth?? Can you feel your stomach afterwards? Can you feel the staples? Does it hurt to take your first drink? Pain on a scale from 1-10? Gas Pain? What was worse? Fearing what pain I will be in post op

[Carlos' Girl 32]

Well, one i have no pain tolerance what so ever....but i just was sleeved on monday.... the gas felt like i was being stabbed with a knife but that is all over now. The dr said i did so well bc i had taken it upon myself to start my liquid diet two weeks prior vs 7 days....I'm totally ready for this new journey! My stomach was 40 oz now its 8...i was told not to eat more than 4 oz at a time....it maybe rough at first but well worth it at the end! Good luck!

[Carlos' Girl 32]

Too this was the first time I had ever had surgery of any kind!

[DaniCan 17]

I was sore for 3-4 days but after that I was at about a 2 for pain. I couldn't stand the liquid pain killer they prescribed so I went without and it wasn't bad. Now I'm sure everyone has different experiences. I went from a band to a sleeve and they did mention my band came out really easy. I had had it since 2005. The surgeon said that it was the easiest band he's had to remove so that could mean the difference in my pain level. Anxiety is a given going into this. I'm so proud of myself for staying the course and going through with it because I am so happy with the results! I've lost 25 lbs as of today and the hard part (like getting use to the completely different eating habits) is getting so much easier during my 2nd month. Try and spend less time worrying about how you'll feel and try and prepare for the big day. I know, easier said than done right? To get your mind off it, go out and buy your sugar free liquids, look up some tips and recipes, maybe buy a few books or new pair of exercise shoes and try focusing more on the vast upcoming changes to your life (positive changes by the way). I sincerely hope all goes well. Healthy regards!

[HalloweenBaby24 447]

I was sleeved 9/8/14.

I didn't experience gas pain, But I did have incision pain and it was managed well in the hospital.

After I was released the next day, Pain was minimal but still present they sent me home with pain meds which helped. You aren't able to feel the stomach inside that's been cut and it hasn't been painful to drink, Since day 2 I've been getting all my liquids and Protein in no issue.

Honestly, Not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be.

[Kindle 8,667]

Everyone is so different when it comes to postop pain. I had none and required no pain meds. A little discomfort and cramping from the drain, but really no gas or surgical pain. I was out shopping the day after surgery, traveling via taxi, plane, and car (driving myself) within 3 days, plowing snow 5th day and back to a physical job within a week. Very tired, but no pain. Eating/drinking early on just left me very full and feeling bloated but not painful.

Now if you ask me about my gall bladder attacks...... I can't imagine anything hurting more :{

[gregthegroove 130]

The pain isn't that bad to be quite honest, although some people have more pain than others for a variety of reasons. Surgical technique, pain meds, pain tolerance etc...If I had to make one generalized comment about the pain, I'd say the worst for me is the main incision where they pull the stomach out. It was flat out painful for a few days and now has moved on to the tender/sore phase for me. sleeping was very tough for me that first night as I am not a back sleeper, so it took some adjusting.

Every day is better than the last for sure. But that exit incision can be tender or sore for even up to two to three weeks even a month. I'm day 7 right now post op, and I was comfortable enough to stop pain meds on day 5 altogether and just once at bed time on day 4.

[slimagainsoon 88]

I got my sleeve Dec 3, 2012. Wow time flies. Yes there is pain but if you have children, it's like that. It hurt but it's so worth it. Everyone pain tolerance is different. Some feel little some feel a lot, some feel none. So don't worry, before you know it you will be on your road to recovery and focusing on menus and shopping lol. I started out 226 @ 5'6. Now I am 150. Soooo happy. Wishing you the best and remember its a tool we still need to eat healthy and exercise. I don't exercise much. I walk is basically my exercise. Everyone is different. Welcome to the losers bench!

[thesuse2000 698]

The first 24 hours I was very uncomfortable, but not in any kid of extreme pain. I was hitting the pain button mostly because I wanted to sleep and I just felt kind of awkward and tired. But by 48 hours I felt really pretty normal. Never had any painful gas pains. Had no feeling of the internal stomach - mostly just sore incisions. Really not much different at all from the band surgery.

[amazon 579]

If I didn't end up dealing with acid reflux pain, it would have been a breeze.

I wasn't hooked up to a pain pump post surgery. I think they gave me tylenol via the IV the first day.

I didn't notice any gas pains. Just the incisions were bothersome. I was up out of bed, sitting in a chair not too long after getting to my room. That felt good, and may have helped with the gas since I didn't have problems. I also got to walking as soon as I could.

The first time I drank Water I wondered how it would feel too. Totally normal. I didn't even have a sore throat from being intubated. I just took little sips, and there was no issue.

The incision pain after I got home was the only thing holding me back, so to speak. Getting up from a chair, or getting up from laying down was a little painful - but not awful. Just a reminder that things were still healing.

I know everyone's experience is different. If you're uncomfortable, just ask for the pain med. That's what it's there for, to get you through.

You've got this!

[alyssaajoan 36]

The pain to me felt like I had done hundreds of sit ups! I didn't really have any gas pain.. I can't remember the day of surgery and the day after very well, I slept through most of it! Taking the first drink wasn't painful it was just different. I was prepared for it to be so painful so when it wasn't at all I was so relieved. Everyone experiences pain and surgery differently but that's how it was for me(:

[bluesclues 49]

Honestly, my gallbladder was 10xs more worse. Correct me if im wrong, but they dont take out the rest of the stomach...they leave it in and just stitch it up where the make it smaller

anyways i have diabetes as well and other issues and am healing well....i had to get up and pee a million times the first two days (couldnt control my blood sugars) so that helped a lot w/ gas...honestly it was a joke compared to my gallbladder. i would rec to it to anyone....im out 2.5 months and my incisions are still healing (slow healer)...and i havent lost a lot of weight b/c of insulin and other meds but very happy w/ my decision. GET IT!

[Kindle 8,667]

Honestly, my gallbladder was 10xs more worse. Correct me if im wrong, but they dont take out the rest of the stomach...they leave it in and just stitch it up where the make it

No, they remove the majority of the stomach. Pull it out of the largest incision. Check out You Tube, there's lots of videos. There is a procedure called a banded gastropexy where there use a band and staple part of the stomach but don't remove it, and they don't remove any part for plication, but for VSG they do....that's what makes it irreversible.

Edited September 19, 2014 by Kindle

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I had the gas pain and felt like I had done 1000 signups due to hernia repair. No pain from the partial stomach removal.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I had my band removed in a separate surgery...the port spot was very sore and weird for weeks...