Post Op Pain

I thought I published this question yesterday so forgive me if a duplicate turns up!  I am now 10 days post op from VSG.  I am still having a lot of pain that is located on the left side.  I'm sure its where they removed the rest of my stomach, and stitched to the abdominal muscles but it seems to be getting worse every day instead of better.  I can't bend over, I have difficulty getting up from sitting or lying (even using the log roll)  Yesterday, I went to the movies and after 2 hours sitting, I couldn't stand without wanting to just cry the pain was so bad.  I am supposed to go back to work on Tuesday, and am an RN in a hospital.  Will this get better?  Any suggestions?  I have found that if I take my big belly and pull it up to support its somewhat less but not a whole lot.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.  Thanks!

You should be getting better not worse. You should be a little better every day.  As an RN we tend to want to treat ourselves and not seek help.  SEEK help.  It is your doctor's job to make sure all of his patients are doing well.  They need to know what is wrong so they can treat it. He may need to write for some more time off too.  Keep us informed.

Thanks.  I know as RN's we like to self diagnose.  I figure to call on Monday after this long holiday weekend is over.  This is a stupid question but Tuesday at my post op visit, they were concerned that I wasn't getting enough protein ( after 2 weeks of protein shakes, I just cant face another, tried and vomited) SO they told me to go ahead and advance my diet to soft foods like deli chicken, babybel cheese, etc.  Could this sudden advancement cause more pain?

I guess it is possible.  I had a variety of shakes just in case I didn't like one I could grab another.  Seems like I was on soft foods for a while.  Yogurt, protein broth and soft soups. I made up the protein intake with shakes.  Every plan is different as the docs that make them.  Maybe with vomiting you strained a muscle or something. A heating pad made me feel better but my pain levels got better.  You know your pain.  I would call as soon as Could.

Call your surgeon!

psychoticparrot

Please call your doctor.  Every day should be getting easier not worse. Please take care of yourself :)

Hugs

My left side incision did get worse before it got better.  It took a full two weeks to get it under control.  A binder helped me more than anything, because it put continuous pressure on the painful area.  

You'll start feeling much better soon, but if not, call your doctor.

It sounds like the advanced diet is straining your sleeve.  Go back to liquids for a while and try again in a week or so.  You should be wearing an abdominal binder to support your stomach while healing.

Sounds like as an RN you need more time off work. You have a strenuous job and I doubt so soon after VSG you are ready for that. What would you tell a patient of yours who told you the what you told us? Your turn to be the patient! Do take care of yourself and call the dr for advice. As others have said it should be getting better not worse.

I'd call your surgeon and not wait. I didn't have pain issues that bad. A binder does help a lot, but I didn't need one a week after surgery, really. I actually had a painless and easy recovery. If you have pain so bad going from sitting to standing I'd definitely call just to check.

I felt pulling standing and rolling over, but there was never agonizing pain so bad that I'd cry.  After abdominal surgery there will absolutely be discomfort, but wanting to cry from pain sounds atypical to me.  I've had three abdominal surgeries and even with the worst one (I had an incision from my diaphragm all the way down past my belly button) didn't have pain like that.