Questions about post op pain

[kimpossible67 608]

I am 8 mths post op. I remember asking how bad it would hurt on this board. I've had abdominal surgeries and a scope surgery. I wanted to know how similar it was to those. I was surprised to get the responses as I was preparing for the worst. I got a lot of "like menstrual cramps" responses.

I'm curious as to how many of you had like a c section or a gallbladder surgery before the sleeve and how did the pain rate in comparison?

[georgiare 63]

That is a very funny question to me. As compared to the c section I had 8 years ago, this surgery and the lapband surgery I had last year were both a cake walk. But then there is also the comparison of responsibility change to consider as well. The c section involved cutting across my entire lower abdomen, the scar is about 6 inches across, plus the recovery of pregnancy in general and the addition of having to constantly care for a new little person. This surgery was a couple small incisions, with the sole responsibility of caring for myself. Pain-wise the c section involved so much cutting that I had shooting pains accompanied by general numbness for about a year (I had no skin sensation between my belly button and my frontal pubic bone). Comparatively, this surgery has involved done small crampy feelings, but since about 1 week post op I've been relatively pain free. The worst part was the first day or two. So, for me, the two surgeries were nothing alike.

[haleytrim 244]

I can't even call what I had pain. It was more like an uncomfortable bloated feeling. My doctors thought I was just being a trooper, but I seriously only had a little gas when I first woke up and by the time I was in my own room at the hospital I was fine.

[Elode 8,093]

@@kimpossible67 I've had c-sections (3) and I asked that same question and got all the "oh it's not near as bad" well I can tell you the First moments directly after waking up were worse! For about 15min..the two days in the hospital I was on morphine but still had some pain (not too bad) first 2 days at home worse! I am not a medication taking person but after day two at home I called my surgeon and told Them the pain pills were pretty much worthless...they gave me another prescription for a much stronger pain pill and I was good after that. I think a lot of my issues also came from having a JP drain and staples. Now , after a week all the pain was pretty much gone. I was lucky not to have any gas ect...so I try not to complain, for me it was not "painless"'and I don't know why I ever thought it would be?! It's surgery! Glad it's over and glad I did it????

Edited November 24, 2014 by Elode

[kimpossible67 608]

I can't even call what I had pain. It was more like an uncomfortable bloated feeling. My doctors thought I was just being a trooper, but I seriously only had a little gas when I first woke up and by the time I was in my own room at the hospital I was fine.

My c-sections ran vertically, cut thru the belly button down. I thought the gallbladder removal recovery was way worse than the sleeve. I woke up post op from the sleeve with some discomfort where the stomach was removed. No gas troubles but major nausea! I never felt the "I feel like I just did 4,000 sit ups" muscular pain.

Alas my recovery didn't go to hell until the car ride home (2 hours) and the 3 months following. I was overwhelmed with the changes. What things I thought were going to be easy turned out not so much.

I think it's important to include in our responses to those curious about pain post op, that we consider asking if they've had any abdominal surgeries previously. It's a good indicator what you may experience.

[kimpossible67 608]

I guess the difference between c section pain and VGS surgery is...you have a baby to cuddle to keep you occupied from the pain, right?! There's nothing to cuddle after VGS!