How long did you do liquid Lortab?

Kim, I only took it once when I got home ... and that was at hubby's insistence. It was my abdominal binder that saved me! It's a big, elastic and velcro abdominal binder .... it felt great! I had it on all the time except when I was in the shower. It cut any pain by at least 75%. I could run it up you if you want to borrow mine .... it's clean and I'm not using it anymore. Just let me know. It won't hurt anything and it was like a gentle and firm hug holding everything in place.

Edited to add: During Dr. Nelson's bariatric surgery fellowship, they had done a study regarding post op pain and how that was relieved significantly using an abdominal binder. She now uses them on all her post op patients. My binder did more for me than anything else in regards to pain control. 

I also recommend using your heating pad. It won't hurt anything either and it feels good.

You are so sweet to offer to bring it to me!  That's way above the call of duty for a sleeve sister especially since I live in Edmond and you're in Norman.  I appreciate the offer but I'm doing well with the heating pad and I would never ask you to do that.  But thank you from the bottom of my heart for the offer!

Kim, I took mine until it was all gone, LOL. If you need it, you need it. That's what it's there for and there's more where that came from.  Please check with Dr. Walton before you use a binder. I'm sure he has his reasons for not utilizing them.

Rita, I'm an RN with many, many years of experience. I would never recommend anything to anybody that may have a possibility of being dangerous or damaging. There are many reports and documented details of the benefits of abdominal supports/binders in the post op patient recovering from abdominal surgery. It is not tight enough to cause any circulatory problems, but it has been shown very useful in speeding incisional healing, lessening stress on incision sites, and aiding patient comfort. I did not intend to offend and would certainly never intentionally endanger anyone or want them to go against a physician's orders. I am only trying to help Kim with her post op pain management. 

Shelly, I did not incenuate that you were trying to offend or intentionally endanger anyone with your offer of loaning your binder. I simply stated and gave my advise to Kim to ask Dr. Walton about it first if she should choose to borrow it. I have also been in the medical field with many, many years of experience and would never recommend anything without a patient consulting their Dr. first. I am truly sorry that you took this out of context. I too did not intend to offend anyone. If you read most of my post on OK OH and the main forum you will see that my advise usually is "to always check with your Dr. or nut first".

Kim. I hope that I didn't insult your intelligence by saying you should talk to Dr. Walton first. I know that you are smart enough to know that.

"My bad" as the teenagers would say these days. In the future I will remain silent or send a personal message. Rita 

Rita - if it had not been you stating that, it would have been me.  I was almost finished writing the post and stopped myself.   Shelly - we appreciate your words, please know that.  Rita's concern is heartfelt at all times with the "patient" in mind. She doesn't know how to do it differently and that is something I love about her!  Drs. Walton & Broussard do not routinely utilize binders in their WLS practice, neither do they (routinely) use catheters, stomach tubes, etc.  But, that is not to say that other surgeons who DO use them are wrong, just different. That is why sometimes it is difficult (and we talk about it frequently) to give advice sometimes when a patient comes from a different surgical practice, because we KNOW WeightWise, but that doesn't always equal (good or bad) the other surgeons.  I have to bite my tongue sometimes when discussions are started about eating and dietary plans what works and what doesn't, because the plans are set up differently between programs. Everyone of us are "experts" with our own set of knowledge and it definitely is not intended to hurt or upset anyone when we (innocently) direct to a surgeon or nut for consult.  That is the BEST way to ensure that there is a "blessing" for doing something a particular way. We are all on the same journey together and without sharing our views, we wouldn't be getting as far (in my opinion!).  Sisters and brothers in a REALLY crazy family here!  Woohoo!

I fired up the heating pad and it's nice!  Thanks everybody!

day 3 for me was the worse with pain.  I took most my meds that day.  It should start to get easier from here