How bad is the pain from the surgery?

[Startingover! 0]

I guess I'm just a big wimp. I thought I had a high pain tolerence--I had a vaginal delivery with no pain meds, but I was not really prepared for surgery. It was a totally different kind of pain. I rated it 6-7 out of 10. But the pain medicine helped. My doctor keeps all his pts over night--and I was so glad. HELLLLLO MORPHINE!! I also had liquid lortab at home and only took it for 1 1/2 days. It is worth it!

My doctor also keeps his patients overnight, thank god. That way they can give me whatever is needed for whatever pain I may have!! I guess it will be HELLO morphine for me also! I definitely will think that is all worth it when the weight is off! Thanks for the info!

[MamaJava 1]

First, I gotta tell you...you will NEVER feel your band through your abdomen. The band is around your stomach. Can you feel your stomach through your abdomen? Umm...no. I don't think anybody can, and therefore nobody will ever feel a band through their abdomen. The port, however, MAY be felt by some people. I haven't even lost very much weight but after my swelling went down, I noticed I could feel it when I pushed on my port incision site with my hands. It's not gross, it's not icky, it's not a big deal at all.

I was also sent home with liquid Lortab but I only used it 2 times...and those 2 times were just because I was afraid I would be in pain if it wore off...I didn't take it because I actually felt pain. The stuff tasted so horrible that it wasn't worth it to me so I stopped taking it and threw it away. I never really needed it in the first place.

My stomach was uncomfortable, but not painful. I was sleeping on my side right away and hopping in and out of bed with ease. It was around day 3 that I realized getting out of bed was a little bit more of a chore, but still not painful by any means. Just sore.

[kaninag 35]

I cant sleep on my left side either...which sux bc thats my normal position. I keep wakingup in the middle of the night bc I have wandered over to my left side and it wakes me up....oh well!

[4jin 0]

Hello everyone. I was banded on Feb 4. I was able to be home by 1pm. perhaps it was earlier but the pain med had distraught.

You cannot see your port. You will know where it is at because you will feel the most soreness in that spot. The worst part is not being able to shower until 48 hours after surgery. I gave myself babywipes bath and sponge bath in private areas. The most pain is the gas. The gas pain can get horrible if you stay sitting or laying for too long. I moved around and it has helped.

I have even had bowel movements!

[NukeChik 1]

I cant sleep on my left side either...which sux bc thats my normal position. I keep wakingup in the middle of the night bc I have wandered over to my left side and it wakes me up....oh well!

If you haven't tried already, get some pillow support. I am also a left side sleeper. I wedged a body pillow under my left side and didn't have any problems after that!

[ugagirl 0]

I cant sleep on my left side either...which sux bc thats my normal position. I keep wakingup in the middle of the night bc I have wandered over to my left side and it wakes me up....oh well!

I feel your pain...literally!

I am struggling not being able to sleep on my side. I hope I can in the near future. I roll over automatically in my sleep and it's not a pleasant way to wake up in the middle of the night!!

[Jazzywoman 0]

Sorry to be a party pooper...

My pain was a 7 after surgery, and after 5 hrs in pain, it finally subsided to a 3. I also had a hernia repair. By day 3 I was much much better, but still in some discomfort. I am a tummy sleeper, so I bit the bullet one night.. mostly because I had intense gas.. and laid on my tummy.. 3 days post op. It hurt less than sitting up!

Be realistic... you may or may not be in pain... it's definately different for everyone. However.. on day 2.. I cursed myself and wondered why I decided to do "this" to my body..

[deneicy 0]

I've had 6 surgeries--this was by far the easiest.

The most painful thing for me in the process was the manometry pre-op procedure--because we discovered I had a deviated septum, and the first drips went down my air pipe rather than my esophogus.

The shot before surgery was no worse than a tetanus shot, stung for maybe a minute. No pain at all from it a few minutes later.

No discomfort at all during the surgery. Took 3 breaths of oxygen and awoke in recovery without any grogginess or nausea whatsoever.

When they had me move a bit, I had some pain in my belly, as I recall, so they gave me pain meds, and I was fine within seconds, it seemed.

I had a mild sore throat from the intubation tube. It lasted one day and the lozenges helped.

I got a little sore inside a lip that went away in a few days. No damage to teeth.

I needed assistance in and out of bed for 2 days. Couldn't use core ab muscles without a sharp, fast pain, much like doing a lot of crunches.

I took my tylenol with codeine only 3x during the first 3 days. It numbed the discomfort completely.

The biggest challenge for me was related to GAS, the CO2 used to inflate the belly for lap surgery. I just felt bloated, like STUFFED. And the gas sometimes collects in odd non-digestive places like your shoulders, clavicle, or back. My left shoulder felt strained--like from a workout--for a week. That discomfort would come and go and was certainly tolerable. A heating pad helps.

I had some diarrhea for 2 days. It went away immediately when I moved to full liquids from clear. Didn't like being homebound. Wanted to get out.

You'll want to rest probably. Watch movies, read. I didn't want to talk on the phone for a few days.

But the surgery itself....a snap. :smile:

Certainly worth the huge payoff.

Best!!!!

:biggrin:

[deneicy 0]

PS I had a large hernia that was repaired, too. Maybe that contributed to some of my discomfort. Now that I feel almost GREAT (day 7), I hardly recall the past week actually. That's how "nothing" it was. But that manometry....tHAT I remember! lol

[JaxBandster 11]

Sorry to be a party pooper...

My pain was a 7 after surgery, and after 5 hrs in pain, it finally subsided to a 3. I also had a hernia repair. By day 3 I was much much better, but still in some discomfort. I am a tummy sleeper, so I bit the bullet one night.. mostly because I had intense gas.. and laid on my tummy.. 3 days post op. It hurt less than sitting up!

Be realistic... you may or may not be in pain... it's definately different for everyone. However.. on day 2.. I cursed myself and wondered why I decided to do "this" to my body..

From what I understand, the pain is a little worse when you have a hiatal hernia repair. I have to have mine repaired as well and that is what my doctor told me.

[Startingover! 0]

Thank you so much for everyone's input. Especially those who have also had a hernia repair. It is very useful to hear about other people's experiences. I'm a big baby, but from the sounds of it the surgery is really not that bad.

[Wammie 0]

I had my surgery yesterday. I also had a hiatal hernia and the pain is about a 5 when you move.

[pontomimi 0]

For Deniecey--Your post was very encouraging to me. I am going to be banded by Dr. Horgan on 2/12! I've had other surgeries so I'm not to scared, but it I was glad to hear that you had a relatively easy time w/ the Thornton crew. Glad to see that you have a low starting BMI, too. Our goals are very similar.

[krissyjean 0]

PS I had a large hernia that was repaired, too. Maybe that contributed to some of my discomfort. Now that I feel almost GREAT (day 7), I hardly recall the past week actually. That's how "nothing" it was. But that manometry....tHAT I remember! lol

OMG!!! I would not wish that on anyone! It was awful, but you can get through it.

[JRT Mom 919]

I guess I'm either tough or just lucky. When I woke up in recovery NOTHING hurt. I actually thought they had cancelled the surgery! I was up walking an hour after I got back to my room. No gas pain anywhere! I slept on my right side, my left side and my back and was comfortable.

The next day when I got home I got the liquid lortab prescription filled just in case but never took a single dose of it. The only time I felt pain was if I was lying down and sat up I'd get a pain across my stomach of about a 6, but it would go away after about five seconds then I was fine. Two weeks later the only thing that hurts is when I bend over and the port pulls on my stomach, and that's just a minor pain that goes away when I straighten up.

I hope it goes as easily for everyone here!