Abdominal past surgeries

Hi, Just wondering if you anyone had pass surgeries and found this is easier.  I have had three C-Sections and I found that the first C-section I thought I was going to die from the pain but the second and third I didnt have near the pain and was told becasue the abdomin muscles had been cut and it made it easier.  Any thoughts on this? Thanks

If you are having laparoscopic WLS, you will definitely find it to be easier than recovering from any kind of open surgery!  I'm not sure I understand what you were told about why your second and third C-sections were less painful (I mean, they cut the muscle for each surgery), but often people find that the first time they have any kind of surgery, they perceive the pain to be much greater than for subsequent surgeries (probably because with the first surgery the pain experience is new, whereas for subsequent surgeries you have already experienced the pain of surgery so it is not a surprise).

I had open RNY and it hurt more than my hysterectomy, but more muscle was cut.  When I had a hernia repair (using the same incision line as for my RNY), it hurt more than the RNY because of the pain from where the surgeon stitched the mesh in.  I have had a number of  surgeries, both lap and open, and the lap ones are ALWAYS much easier in terms of pain and recuperation than open ones.

Just keep in mind that even if you only have 4-6 small incisions, it is still MAJOR surgery internally, so although you won't have the muscle pain, your insides have been traumatized.

Lora

My first section, I thought I was going to die also.  Second one was a breeze. Within the last 14 months I have had 3 open abdominal surgeries to remove a Endometrioma in my abdominal wall.. It was the size of a hamburger patty.. It left me with a huge defect, therefore I had to have 2 peices of mesh.  One also included a laparoscopy. Then again on April 15, I had to have surgery again because my intestines bulged around the mesh (incisional hernia). It was done laparoscopic.  They removed to two peices of mesh they put in in January, and put a very large peice of mesh to correct me.  Let me tell you, I really asked The Lord to take me out my misery.  I stayed in the recliner a whole week, could barely walk.  I have never had so much pain in all my life.  I would've rathered to have a baby all over again.. I am 7 weeks out and still feel some pain, and I am deathly afraid to lift anything.  Things are slowly improving and it's just going to take time.  If they ever have to go back in I would much rather open surgery..Good Luck to you!

The pain from where they attach the mesh is horrible, isn't it?!?  I never would have imagined that it could make such a difference in post-op pain!  

I had a large piece put in for a large incisional hernia repair, and then about 2 years later I had a serious issue with adhesions causing my bowel to "grow into" the mesh (causing severe pain), so I had to have a lengthy surgery to remove the adhesions AND the mesh so that it wouldn't happen again.  I won't ever let anyone put any mesh into me again!

Lora

I am also afraid of adhesions.. I don't think I have any choice on the mesh because the mass they removed was in the abdominal wall and it was large(like hamburger patty size).  I pray I don't have any future issues!! 

For me, the lap RNY was very easy.   I had to remember that I did have healing to do on the inside because I felt so little discomfort after the surgery.  Having previous surgeries definitely made a difference for me in pain tolerance.

I would definitely agree that laproscopic is much more easier than full cuts. I found that my C-section was easier to recover from than my later open cut hysterectomy. I also remember that I had the burning sensation after the c-section that I was told was the nerve endings reconnecting, where as I did not have that after the second surgery....but I also don't have any feeling anymore where the cut was.