Let's talk pain..

No one likes pain and I am no different.

As I prepare for my surgery in the weeks ahead, can you share with me the pain you felt after surgery and what did you surgeon give you to calm the pain?    Once home were you able to sleep flat on your bed without pain and discomfort.  What type of pain relief did your surgeon give you when home and post surgery?

Pain is very subjective. I have known many individuals who during their hospital stay were on nothing but Tylenol 3 and needed nothing once they were home. While others were given Morphine (or Dilaudid) in their IV's the first night, then given liquid Hydrocodone (Vicodin) for a week or so after while at home. 

I had Dilaudid in my IV the first night, then I took it orally the 1.5 days in the hospital. Then I was given a script for the liquid Vicodin but didn't even need half of what I was prescribed. 

As far as sleeping in bed, everyone has a different story about how they made themselves comfortable. I was able to sleep in bed, slightly propped up and did feel some discomfort when raising myself off the bed. The discomfort only lasted a few days. I am almost three weeks post op and haven't had any discomfort starting a week afterwards. 

A good friend of mine had surgery two days before me and is still having left incision pain (totally normal) and is not ready to go back to work. I've been back to work since about ten days after and don't have any issues. 

In other words, everyone is different. 

I had very little pain.  I am 58 and have had quite a few surgeries. I knew what to expect from surgery so there was no surprise. I'm not sure what kind of pain you have had. Have you had a tooth ache, a root canal, broken bones, any type of pain in the past?  For me the pain was a tenderness to the area, bright-sharp pain of gas like when you pull a musle or break a bone, but mostly very tolerable like a dull sinus headache pain.  Everyone is different.

Good Afternoon, I can't remember the names of the pain meds but I had a "pump" while in the hospital and my surgeon did call in something when I got home that I didn't take. Most of the pain I experienced was due to gas (shoulder pain) and that needed to go away on it's own (with walking and such). I felt most comfortable sleeping sitting upright (against the headboard****il the gas pains went away. The abdomen pain at the incision sites wasn't too bad for me, but each person of course has a different experience.

I got Vicoden to take home, and took myself off it after a few days because I had to drive and function and work and raise kids.  The pain was annoying (and in the case of one particular sneeze, tear-inducing) but I got over it.  

I did sleep upright in a chair for a few weeks after surgery, which helped a lot.

Audrey

I had an obstruction in my sleeve so I had a longer than normal hospital stay since I had an RNY the next day.  I had dilaudid in the hospital all day Tuesday (VSG), Wednesday (RNY), and Thursday.  I moved to percocet pills on Friday and Saturday.  I went home with an rx for percocet on Saturday that I only used for a couple of days.  

If you are young and this is your first surgery, the pain might seem unbearable.  If you are older (I was 59) and have had other surgeries, this one will likely seem extremely easy.

This was my first surgery,  so I expected it to be pretty painful.  I was surprised at how little pain I had.  I think the most painful part of the whole process is when I ate the wrong thing at 10 days post op and thought I damaged my pouch. I just irritated it,  so I went full liquids for a few days and was as good as new.  

I have nothing additional to add about the pain. But as far as sleeping, most people seem to prefer sleeping in a recliner the first few nights home. I sure did.

I took one dose. Of pain med day of surgery and that was it. Slept on back first week. Not bad. 

Best of everything to you. I hope you have as essay a time.