The Truth Seriously...

Ok all you recent post-ops. Spill out the truth on the pain level. I have 13 days til my lap rny and am getting nervous about the pain. I handeled my c-section with no big deal, so how do you rate this. The doc is giving me a pain pump, but I am worried that will have an adverse effect on me being able to walk a lot. With my c-section I got up and walked for 10-15 min every hr, and that greatly reduced my pain, especially the gas pains. So let me have it, don'e hold back. Hahaha!!! --Angela

I would rate it a 3 or a 4. Seriously. I don't have all that high of a pain tolerance, but for the first 36 hours or so I was on a PCA pump which took care of any pain I might have. I would use my pump about 10 minutes before going for a walk, then use it again as soon as I got back to my room. Pain was very minimal. After I got off the PCA pump I would start hurting a little and that would usually be right around the time I was due for another dose of Lortab. The car ride home wasn't pleasant though. I took a dose of Lortab about 20 minutes before leaving, and hugged a pillow the whole way home. It helped a ton. Good luck with your surgery!

Thanks Ginger, I am worried about the ride home too. For me it is about a 2 hr drive. My sister will be driving me home, she has a nice big van, so I hopefully will be able to get some comfort. Good idea taking a pain pill before you left. I will definately keep that in mind. --Angela

OK so now I'm worried about the pain!!! I'm having my WLS in Belguim on Wednesday 31st and travel back to Britain by train on Monday 5th. I've been reassured by the doctor that it will be fine, but now I'm beginning to wonder Guess I'll does up on pain killers before I travel...........

Hey Ruth, I have not spoke to you in a while. Everything going ok? Well I think the pain killers will work. I have been on trains before and best I remember they were not that much different from the bumbs and bangs of a car. Probably better, because you will be able to get up and walk if you need to. Your surgery is the day after mine. Are you starting to get as nervous as I am. I have been making all these list of things to get done before I go, things I need to take with me, things I need to buy and have here at home when I get back, etc. I feel like I will never get it all done. But it is keeping me busy. Talk to you soon. --Angela

Hi Angela All these answers makes me feel less stressed about the journey and the pain after surgery, doesn't it you? I'm ready for this...I need the rest and want to get on with my life!

Okay... in my experience the worst pain came from when I woke up in recoery. I have a high pain tolerance, but this pain was incredible. But... the pain didn't last very long. As they were wheeling me out of recovery and into my room, the pain decreased. Later in the day, there was no real "pain", just a little bit of "soreness". (But I was also on strong pain meds right after surgery.) By that night I was up and walking around and having fun with the nurses. Each day the soreness decreases. Don't be afraid of the pain. If you do have huge pain, it probably won't last very long. But, when you are in pain, make the medical staff aware so that they can make you a bit more comfortable.

Honestly, the first couple hours in recovery were BAD! It hurt. The first thing I thought was, "What have I just done?" Once I got into my room, I asked to get up right away. I wanted to move around to make the gases work their way around and out. The more I walked, the better the pain got. I had a morphine drip that I could hit once every 10 minutes. I would hit it, walk for a few minutes, then lie down and doze. Wake up, hit it again, walk, nap. Sipping ice chips and water the whole way. The pain dropped really fast as soon as I started moving around. Even just sitting up, on the side of the bed is better than lying there. This shouldn't be any worse than a c-section. Your tummy will be talking to you more than you thought it ever could, but each grumble makes you feel better. Most people that have had c-sections have said that was worse than this. ---Leia

Well Angela, I am 1 week post op, as for pain, it wasn't too bad. If you had a C-sesion then I am sure you can handle the pain. What really hurts, is GAS. But here is what I did to try to help ease it. The day before surgery, I stop eating at 12 noon, and aound 4pm I took a laxitive, by 9pm it started working. By the next morning, I was empty. When I got up after surgery, I was able walk with some pain for sugery, but very little gas pain. Good luck and May God Bless and Keep you.

I had a talk with my anesthesiologist right before my surgery. I told her that when I had ACL surgery on my knee, I woke up in recovery in TERRIBLE pain & I wanted to wake up from this surgery feeling better than that. She said she would take care of it & she did. As soon as my eyes popped open, my nurse started giving me medicine & then I woke up & she gave me more to keep up on top of it.