My Insurance Case Manager has just managed to freak me out!!

I had pain meds in the hospital, but got up and walked the halls 4 or 5 times, starting 4.5 hours after surgery. I was released in 23 hours and took regular Tylenol once that first night, then nothing. I had lidocaine cream for occasional incision discomfort, but it was more annoying then painful. I do believe people's pain perception is relative to what they experienced in life. Things that were more painful than bariatric surgery: osteoarthritis of knee, plantar fasciitis, ruptured ovarian cysts, an c-section incisions. I hope you have a great experience. I had lots of people praying for a wonderful outcome and speedy recovery and I truly believed in my doctor's skill and planned regimen.

Thanks everyone...this made me feel so much better. I was up and walking right after my previous laproscopic procedure and back to work in the Emergency room 4 days later. I try to avoid narcotic pain meds because I am very sensitive to them. After my last Laproscopy my MD ordered Vicodin extra strength, I took one dose and slept for 12 hours with out moving. It freaked my husband out so much he had to hold a mirror under my nose to see if I was breathing.

I am going in with a positive attitude because I think it makes a huge difference.

As others have said, everyone is different. However I had very little pain. I didn't take any pain meds at all just because I didn't need them. My abdomen was sore but not anywhere near agonizing. The gas pain wasn't bad for me either. The surgeon had me on anti gas and gallbladder meds and I barely noticed the gas. I hope your experience is just as easy. For me the hard part started after the surgery. Good luck with your journey.

I personally had virtually no pain. Just standing up and sitting down felt like a muscle cramp. I never took anything beyond Tylenol. I didn't for either of my c-sections. A lot of times it's more about how you perceive pain. If you had an induced birth with no meds this will be a cakewalk.

I had some pretty bad incision pain at one of my sites (which seems to be fairly normal), and of course the very uncomfortable gas. Be ready for some pain, but some people are lucky enough to get through it with minimal pain. Hopefully you will be one. I was not. The CM definitely chose her words poorly. I bet she'll think next time.

People who never had surgery before have a much worse time because they are so scared.

If you have had surgery before you know that after surgery pain is expected, manageable, not permanent and you don't turn it into drama and agony.

Wooooow. I am a case manager at one of my jobs and I'd never phrase it that way. I might say, "I will follow up with you on X date to see how you are doing and to let you know I'm rooting for you!" Of course, I'm a different type of clinical case manager. That's horrible, though. Nurses aren't case managers the same way social workers or counselors are, to be fair. But still.

I had no pain post-op and didn't even take Tylenol, however I am freaky and rare, and this was also my 4th abdominal surgery. You will likely be in pain for sure. My ovarian torsion was awful in comparison by a significant order of magnitude. Of course, I'm also the person that walks around who needs a total knee replacement and does not take any painkillers, OTC or otherwise. I have a very good tolerance to discomfort.

Thing is, we can't predict what type of pain we're going to be in. My revision may have me doubled over and crying. And, there are sometimes complications. I am preparing myself mentally for pain as I do before any surgery, however I hope I will be pleasantly surprised that there won't be much. Still, it's good to prepare because surgery is random and we can't control certain ways our body reacts.

Oooooook! I am a grade A weenie that used to carry BC powder constantly for the faintest headache. Pain...I just don't do it.

The night of surgery isn't fun. Not painful, but you're just weird. Anesthesia all that bleh...nurses bringing cups of hydrocodone to drink, then your GasX mixed with water, 1 ounce sipping wwwwhhhaat??? Good news is ... You're so hazy from the meds, you are not even that aware. Then, say 3 am...you wake up and think can I walk? Then the coolest thing happens. You realize the pain is not near what you thought. And it gets better from that point on. I'm 12 days out and on a scale of 1 to 10 pain was a 2? 3? I've had paper cuts hurt worse. No kidding. You'll be perfect and on to your new you in no time hunny!

She let her mouth run away with her. I had some pain, and it was well managed. It certainly wasn't agonizing.

Even though your surgery was approved, this sounds like a last ditch effort by the insurance company to get you to back out. Don't let them discourage you. The pain was not very bad for me at all. I had no incision pain. Trying to drink water and liquid protein was the hardest part, but doable. Blessings