3 weeks still in a lot of pain anyone else?

Hello Everyone,

I will be 3 weeks tomorrow and I am still in a lot of pain, I am still on pain killers. I was told by people I know personally that have had this surgery that by this point they were feeling better, and I just want to get some feedback from you guys about how are you doing pain wise and how many of you are still on pain meds, what type and how often. I am just looking for a little reassurance. My doctor said that some of her patients report that one morning they wake up and the pain was gone, anyone else experience this overnight change?

thanks!

 That is exactly what I experienced. I wasn't able to even sleep in my own bed, I had to sleep in the recliner in the living room. Then in my sixth week post op I realized that I was bending over w/out having any abdominal pain and that I hadn't taken any Tylenol that whole day. It was like a switch had been flipped. I was finally able to sleep a whole night in my own bed. My doctor's office had told me that it takes some people 6 weeks to get back to feeling "normal", and thats exactly what it took. Good luck with everything.

I still have some soreness on my left side but I can manage most of my day wiithout taking the liquid Roxicet. I feel soreness and some sort of numbness on my left where the largest incision is. I had surgey on 11/17 and about a week and two days later I woke up and felt alot better. A lady who had her surgery last month is 5 weeks in and she said she is still a little sore on her left.

I will be out 2 weeks tomorrow and my pain is very little.  My left side and the top of my tummy are sore, but I can't really say it was pain.  I've been off pain meds since my 5th day from surgery.  I'm trying to go to the gym today.

I'm sorry you are still in pain.  We are all different, so you may just take longer.  If you are concerned you could call your Dr office.

 Tomorrow makes two weeks for me & I have not had pain killers in two days.  I have pain on the upper right & sometimes left incision.  My bruises are finally improving.  I do wake up hurting at night so I might take them tonight.  I found the pain killers allow me to do more which I am afraid is slowing down my recovery because I then do too much.  Good Luck

I had surgery 12 days ago & I'm still on pain meds all day.  I too thought my pain would be better by now but it's still an issue.  I can't sleep in my bed at night, I have to sleep & hang out in a recliner chair in my bedroom (laying flat on my back in bed & rolling on my side to get out are just too tough for me right now).  Taking a shower is what really kills me since I have to take my support band off.  I thought I was one of the only ones who's still experiencing pain, so as much as it sucks at least you know you're not alone.

I take Roxicodone (I think that's what it's called; it's liquid Percocet without the Tylenol) every 3 hours while I'm awake.  I don't take any meds while I'm sleeping, so I usually go about 7 hours at night without any meds.  But, as soon as I wake up I take a dose of meds & take it every 3 hours after that til' I go to bed at night.

I'm also worrying that my weight loss is going more slowly cuz' I'm taking the pain meds & therefore have a bit of constipation.  I'm not sure where my weight loss should be at this point, but since my surgery 12 days ago I'm only down 7.6 lbs.  I know everyone loses weight at their own speed, but I thought I would be a little more down in weight than that.  How has your weight loss been while still being on pain meds?  I've been making myself get out in the morning to walk for 30 mintues everyday to see if that helps get my weight loss going, so we'll see if that helps some too.  I can't walk anymore than that cuz' I get really sore & exhausted.

I hope our pain will just magically disappear one day, and hopefully soon.  Just know you're not alone in still experiencing pain.

I hope this pain will magically disappear for you too. It so frustrating when it feels like you are doing everything "right" and you are in a lot of pain to boot! I went out and bought an adominal support, (Don't ask me why nobody suggested this to me earlier!) but I found it made a big difference. I am also quite constipated from the pain meds, I am taking colase to help that along. I only weigh myself once a week, and at the 3 week mark I had lost 17 pounds, not sure if thats good bad or normal, but yes I know everyone says we should not try to compare ourselves to others but I think it is only natural. thank you for your post and yes it is nice to not feel alone, when you see posts from other people that are out and about like nothing happened. Do not get me wrong I am happy for them but seriously jealous!

Good luck!

Hey Molly,

Just wondering how you were felling and if your pain was getting any better! :)

Amanda

Hey Amanda,

Thanks for asking, the pain is about the same, but I picked up an abdominal support, and it made a significant difference in my mobility and pain level. When I take it off I am very uncomfortable and pain level increases, but when it's on I came move about with little to no pain. I feel like I was given a life line with that thing!

I am not a medical professional but I wonder if the fat on my body is pulling on my healing incisions and that is causing some of the pain, where as early out in the recovery the bat and swelling was sort of acting as a "support" to the week abdominal wall? I do know it's just a thought.

I hope you are doing well in your recovery, thanks for checking in! Best wishes!

Oh Hello to Everyone,
Am I so very glad that I have read your posts. I was banded on 11/25/2009 and thought something was drastically wrong since I have been in so much pain. Thank Goodness this is somewhat normal.
I am going out to find that abdominal support wherever I can find it. I have no idea where to go, but I'm going to find it and hopefully it will help. I have not been on any pain meds nor even tylenol and I'm going to purchase some tylenol today (liquid) so it tastes not too bad.
Thank you so much for sharing. I'll keep posting and when I feel somewhat back to a normal feeling I'll be jumping for joy (no, not even trying to walk fast at this point).
I'm 13 pounds down and feeling very good about that.