How bad was the pain post Abdominoplasty?

I'm not a  wuss but I  am  nervous about how much  pain I  will be in  after a  surgery  like this.  How long did the worst of it last?

Mine was bad the first 3 days, but manageable on pain meds. After day 3, it got a lot better for me. I also had a buttock auto-augmentation at the same time as my lbl which was what caused most of my pain. It was hard for me to get comfortable.

I was uncomfortable but never really in "pain" - but I did NOT have any muscle tightening, so that may have made a difference. I was also really nervous about the pain of a recent thigh lift, but just like before... I didn't feel any pain, just uncomfortable! You may get lucky and experience the same. It's always so hard to tell how people will react!

9/10 on pain but I had muscles tightened.  First 3 days worst.   Stay on top of pain medication!  Don't stand up straight.   Sleep in a lazy boy.  Results are worth it.

Thanks. I  think I  can  handle  a   few  days. I  have 4  kiddos  at  home  so I am  trying  to figure   out if  it  i  feasible. :)

I am on day three right now. I had the muscle tightening and skin removal. I am better today. I felt awful day one and a bit better day two. It is hard to get up and down because you use the stomach muscles a lot. I walk hunched over like a 90 year old, walking slow and kinda shuffling. I hate the drains and the stitches feel like they could come apart, but dr assures me they won't.  I keep saying, one more day. LOL. I take the pain pills and a muscle relaxant and an antibiotic. Oh, and sure seem to need to pee a lot. I drink a lot of water anyway, but don't usually have to go so often. 

I am post op day 10 lower body lift with Tummy Tuck and arms. Ive never really had any true pain per say. I am uncomfortable, my skin feels tight etc but I've not had any uncontrollable, writhing, spontaneous crying type of pain. Take your pain meds, they are your new best friend. Also I rented a lift chair from the local medical supply store and that was a life saver since it "stood me up" without me having to use my arms or abs! 

Thanks! That is  really  helpful!  I  friend of  mine who has a  flare for the  dramatic  said  she was in  agony for  3  weeks. That  didn't  sound  right to  me.  :)  I  will look into the  chair. 

I had the same question and like you found these replies very helpful. Thanks guys!  Unfortunate that your friend put you in a panic. A bit like first time pregnancy, you hear all these horrendous stories that scare you to death only to find it's not half as bad as you expected. Good luck and stay strong.. 

Pain control should be a big priority for your doc, as pain limits your recovery and is no fun ! I begin by understanding what type of pain medications have worked for you in the past and what side effects you have experienced. Anxiety is a big part of pain, and an anti-anxiety med the night before surgery and of course right before surgery really helps.

Knowing that patients may not be able to take pills right after surgery, I like to cover pain by proving a PCA. This is a pump you control to dose yourself with IV narcotics as needed. The nurses can administer additional meds if needed too.

In surgery, the pain control procedure actually begins with numbing the areas we are going to manipulate with a long acting medication before we actually operate on them. Although you are "asleep" I think it is still useful to block pain impulses at the source. Then we place a tiny catheter connected to an automatic pump that soaks the area for 2 days after surgery.

This approach greatly decreases the requirement for narcotics in most patients. 

So discuss with your doc what the approach to your pain control will be...it should be a lot more than just writing a script for pills that may or may not work.