still hurting

ive read many post and profiles trying to figure out if this is normal but im 2 weeks out and still have a lot of left side pain, also in my back. im supposed to go back to work in 2 days but i dont think i can, i cant bend over or lay down. still waiting for call back from dr.

I am sorry you are hurting but so glad to see there are two of us who didn't just sail thru this like a breeze. I had open RNY 8/23/05 and today I am 16 days post op. I weighed 237 and now am down to 223 today. I had to fight with my Dr to prove to him I really am hurting and finally he gave me 15 more pain pills 2 days ago. I know they are careful to make sure we don't become addicted to pain killers but I realize I have almost a Zero tolerance to pain. My ribs feel like a mule kicked me and when I lay on my side it feels like the muscles near the incision site are wadding up. When I draw a deep breath my right lung feels a pinching kind of pain. I realize I am going through healing from being opened and the gall bladder removed but I attribute my hurtin as the fact that my body being 59 years old is just not liking the ordeal it had to go through. Actually I am wondering where my new tummy is, right or left of the incision? Boy your question surely made me feel better thinking that I am the lone one on the boards that has not whipped up and feeling like a wonderful recovered patient. PS I think we are just plain slower to recover than most???????????

ME TOO, ME TOO! My left side hurt like a bi#ch for about a week and a half. At my one week check up I asked my surgeon what the deal was. He said there was a port that was stitched into my abdominal muscle during surgery. I forget what the purpose of that was for, but the stitches are the dissolving kind, so when they go, the pain will too. And sure enough, about 10 days out I was able to get a little more comfortable. I still need a pillow to lay on when I'm on my side, but it is a lot better than before. My pain was an intense, searing pain from the inside. It felt exactly like an ovarian cyst that burst on me 5 years ago. I couldn't walk when that happened. Can you get another week off? I was cleared to go back at 2 weeks, but I asked for an extra one, just in case. And I'm glad I did. Hang in there, and use every last bit of whatever pain medication you can . Michelle

my pain was soooooooo intense, where the drain was! the past week & 1/2 it has disappeared, thank God! i didn't think it would EVER go away! i have had 2 c-sections & a hysterectomy AND my gallbladder out....none of that hurt like my side from this surgery! however....it does get better, hang in there! get a note from your dr. for extra time! you & only you know when it is time to go back to work!

Tommorow I'll be 4 wks out (open RnY) also had my gallbladder removed. I too had alot of pain and still am sensitive but I also carry most of my weight in my belly. I'll tell ya though... a surgical abdominal binder does wonders, especially when your trying to sleep. Ebay sells them very cheap (I got 3 for $17 including shipping) Also, if you have a control top type of one piece bathing suit... try wearing that when you lay down... it was a life saver for me. (I actually like this better than the binder I got) Hope it helps Tamela

Hi - I, too am still in a lot of pain. My surgery was 8/30/05, so I'm only ten days out, and I am back at work as of today, but the pain is still barely tolerable. At night I'm taking pain pills, but during the day it is just tylenol. The good news is that I have already lost 15 pounds since the surgery, and 21 pounds since two weeks before the surgery. My bmi has dropped below 50!!! I am so happy about that, and also that my blood sugars are almost normal on NO INSULIN!!! I was taking over 160 units a day, and now I am taking none. I am so, so happy that I will get to keep my eyes and feet and kidneys. Peace and hugs to all - this board rocks. elizabeth

Thanks tons everybody- Now I know lots of people hurt for over 2 weeks and most likely we are doing just fine medically speaking. Not everybody heals at the same rate and many studies show that each person has their own pain tolerance level. Now I will just finish my protein shake and try to nap a bit. I still don't understand why it feels like your entire insides are about to drop out when I turn on my side to sleep? ( I sleep on my back, because of this feeling). I really do appreciate others jumping in to say, Hey, lots of us are hurtin' and some do and some just don't hurt like that! Here is to our future slim Person! Ruthann

thanks for all your repsonses, guess we all heal differently, i just get impatient sometimes wanting to feel normal again. i can finally sleep laying down now if i use a pillow to hold against my stomach. it really helps to be able to sleep in my own bed and not flat out in the recliner. i did get another week off work and the Dr said this is all normal i really hope everyone going through this feels better soon

Gosh everyone, Isn't it easier to talk to bunches of people through the method of cyber space? This makes a much broader base to have our questions and concerns addressed by people who are going through the very same thing we are all across the country. Even though we all are patient's of our surgeon to me personally some surgeons are unfortunately interested in the new business and NEW surgeries, not the follow up care of patient pain or questions. These message boards are an emotional help to me personally. PS my open RNY date Aug 23,2005. I was 237.5 and today 220.0. My pain is day by day getting easier to deal with and my fear that anything has gone wrong surgically speaking or me lifting too much to cause a hernia, etc etc etc. is just that WORRIES! Boy, these comments have helped me a lot! Thanks all!

I had lap-rny on 8/22. I had some minor pain when I first came home. I took the pain meds for a day or so. Now, though, I've been in pain off and on for about 2 weeks. The pain is at my left side. I don't know if I've done too much. I'm so worried that I have a hernia even though I haven't done any heavy lifting. My doctor's appt is 10/6 so I'm hoping that I'll get some answers. I think the pain just maybe from all the real healing going on, but I'm still worried. I felt better the 3rd week out. Jackie