Incision Pain

[Jnfinney 526]

Hi all. I had a gastric sleeve this past Monday 3/15 and have had a pretty uneventful recovery. My biggest complaint is how sore my largest incision is. If I twist, get up, or bend wrong, it feels like my incision is tearing open. I do wear a girdle almost all the time and when I am not wearing it I am icing that incision. I have absolutely no pain in any of my other incisions. In fact, the others are starting to itch. I stopped taking the dilaudid that was prescribed to me because I didn’t like how it made me feel loopy all day long and I’ve been using Tylenol is frequently as is safe. I can’t even sleep in my bed because of this dang incision, I have better luck sleeping in a reclining chair.

Can anyone share their experiences regarding this? I think I’ll feel 100 times better once this incision starts healing. I’m keeping liquids down pretty well and getting up and moving, but the nagging of this incision is driving me crazy.

Thanks in advance

[Colleen 8]

Is it right in the fold? I have 2 right in the fold and they make me a little nervous. I wear a binder maybe like 10% of the time and occasionally ice. I was babying it a lot while I was in the hospital but the nurse told me to not do that too much.
It has bled **slightly** but shows no sign of infection (nothing has spilled outside my glue)- and honestly I think yours looks great!! (IMO)
sleeping in bed and on my side last night seems to be easier. I start out w my binder on and toss it after about a half an hour.
Hope this helps!!^ best of luck to ya- YOU GOT THIS!!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

Sleeved 3/16

[Jnfinney 526]

Yes it is pretty close to where my stomach folds when I am sitting, so I wonder if that could be part of the discomfort. They didn't give me too many instructions about caring for it, so I have been babying it quite a bit, but that is good to know! I see we have the same surgery date... so it will be nice having someone on the same timeline as me! Thanks for sharing!

[Arabesque 7,333]

It’s not red & that’s good news as red usually means there’s an infection. I vaguely remember some posts where people mentioned their surgeon used an internal stitch to support them & that it pulled & caused some discomfort.

Always contact your medical team if anything feels odd to you, is making you sick or causing you pain. You shouldn’t still be in that much pain.

Give yours a call.

[gabbyd 13]

My surgery was 3/18 and I am experiencing the same thing.
That particular incision send shooting pains when I go to sit/lay/squat. It is very difficult to wipe myself after I pee. It is extremely painful when I get out of bed too. I’m wearing a binder and they seems to have helped a little but wow...was not expecting it to hurt this much.

[Jnfinney 526]

@gabbyd I am 6 days out and it actually feels a bit better today. I’ve been taking Tylenol around the clock and yesterday I was up and about doing things around my house which I honestly think helped the muscles around the incisions kind of stretch out. It’s still tender of course, but I’m not needing the binder now.

[gabbyd 13]

Yeah, I’m trying to get up and move and walk as much as possible but wow. Sure is sensitive.

[FitMom 1]

Had surgery Monday also. That is the only place I am having pain too. I am using Tylenol and it seems to be getting less painful each day. Hope you heal soon!

[gabbyd 13]

Are you taking Tylenol on top of the pain meds you received from your doctors?

[Jnfinney 526]

I was allowed to take Tylenol with the dilaudid I was prescribed. I would check with your doctor first though. I’m no longer on the dilaudid and only need the Tylenol twice a day.

[jadore 6]

Sometimes the pain is still.there, am on almost 4th week n wounds have dried n looks recovered.

Kept myself busy with researching bout healthy food n workout daily..

Sent from my CPH1923 using BariatricPal mobile app

[jadore 6]

Bed rest n less sitting.. if ur already working out, avoid seating position like cycling

Sent from my CPH1923 using BariatricPal mobile app

[Taiye 1]

My surgery was on March 10th, the same night while in the hospital I was having the worst pain ever on the biggest incision also. I literally had to scream and yell before they gave me stronger pain medicine. After that the pain went down and slept like a baby, and since then just little pain and wear my pregnancy binder. Just wear the binder which helps a lot and take it easy.

[Jnfinney 526]

I’m so sorry you had that much pain. I’m mostly pain free. Had my 1 week post op appointment today and everything is going great other than I’m having an allergic reaction to the steri strips that were placed over my incisions. A little hydrocortisone cream should do the trick - I’d take the itching over pain any day! I hope it gets better for you.

[Taiye 1]

Thank you. Also that’s good to hear you are pain free. What stage are in as for as food?