Is this Normal??

I finally had my lap band surgery on 3/22/07! I guess I was unrealistic thinking that it would be a simple procedure with hardly no pain at all. I have had quite a bit of pain and I am 6 days out and I still have pain that is requiring me to take my pain medicine at least once during the day, once at bedtime and I have had to get up half way through the night to have pain medication. I also have a burning feeling between the 3 incisions on my left side. There is no reddness or swelling but it kinda concerns me because I haven't read about anyone experiencing that. Can anyone give me some insight? I think the swelling is decreasing around the band because I am starting to get hungry. I am so glad I did this and I am not having any problems not drinking any carbonated soda or any caffeine drinks--which was probably my biggest fear! Well, I am so happy to finally be on the Losing Side!

Congrats on your surgery.... since I wasn't lapband I am not sure about how long the pain lasts. I was RNY and I didn't have alot of that far out and I had my stomach stapled and intestined redirected. You may want to call your surgeon and ask them if your pain level is normal. Everyone heals different and at different paces... your body might just be going "Whoa, what is going on!!!" My one friend was only taking 1 week off from work for when she had a her lapband done and she ened up needing 2-3 weeks to recover because of her pain level was high also and discomfort. Definitely call and ask, they may say it's completely normal. Feel better soon and Congrats! ~Nicole

Hi Sherry, I had lap band 1/26/07 and my husband had his 11/06/06. I had a little more pain after surgery than my husband did. If I did too much walking around my incisions would kind of throb, so I took my pain mediction and just rested. I think I had a lot of inflamation going on even 3 weeks out. If you need the pain meds, by all means take them. No one gives you extra points for suffering. If the burning keeps up, definately check with your doctor, but it could just be your body trying to heal. Even though it's done laproscopic, there's a lot of moving things around in there for them to place the band and the port. I thought I would have trouble too not drinking diet mountain dew, and my morning coffee. You just kind of loose your taste for it. I just made up my mind that I needed to follow my doctor's eating plan to the letter during the time of healing, which is where you are right now. You might also get some relief from a heating pad on medium heat. That worked better for me than the pain meds. Remember not to lift anything, not even a grocery bag the first 30 days. You want to heal during this time and not have any problems later. I started exercising at 1 month out. I only walked prior to that. You can't hurt yourself walking, unless your into power walking! Take care, let me know if I can help you further.

Thanks Nicole and Carole for your words of encouragement! I did call and speak to Randy today because I do have an area about 2 inches around the "port" incision--it isn't red but I will continue to watch it. He said the burning is from the muscles and layers of skin they went through. (he is really in tune to our feelings because he never did say "All the fat they went through to get to the stomach." I still have probably 6 more doses of pain medication left and asked for a refill but he said that Dr. Blackstone's policy is "no" unless I come in to see them; which if I am in pain I am not going to drive the two hours to Scottsdale. So I will really try to cut it down to just my nighttime dose and take tylenol in between. Anyway, each day is getting better. I saw a girlfriend of mine today and she can already tell in my face (just where I want to lose it first!) that I am starting to lose weight. It made my day! Thanks again for your support! Sherry