surgery is in two days....what to expect

How much pain will I have postop?

Pain is different for everyone. Are you having an open or lap procedure? I had mine done lap. My pain was never bad post-op...I was on morphine the first night then vicodin after that and for about a week post-op. I only finished half my bottle of vicodin when I came home. I recently finished it as I took it for the bad TOM cramps I have been having since surgery, but those have gotten better, too.

I'm having laprascopic. I've heard the gas is painfuL ...I'm hoping its not too bad. I will have a pca pump for first day and then vicodin. Right now I have terrible heartbUrn ...not sure what that's about....has to b this liquid diet I imagine? Thx for Ur reply!

 My gas pain was never that bad. The Gas-X strips really help, so have some of those on hand. Your doctor will likely give you an antacid to take post-op so the heartburn will resolve post-op most likely.

hlacy, what are TOM cramps?  i have my rny surgery sched for 11/30/11.  

 Time of the month. I was on the pill before surgery and had not had a period in years (I take the pill non-stop). I had to stop it two weeks before and resume two weeks after surgery.That plus the surgery itself completely messed up my cycle, which sadly is very common, so be prepared for that, too!

I just had laproscopic surgery on Monday.  I had very little pain, it was more a "soreness", and the meds took care of that.  Your doctor will not want you feeling any pain, so be clear when your nurse comes in to check on you often. 

My surgical gas pain was nil.  I had no pain from it.  I started to burp the gas on the first and second day.  I started passing the gas on the third day. 

I had my gall bladder removed as well.  The surgery was 2 1/2 hours for the GBP, and 40 minutes for the gall bladder removal.  I was in ICU recovery about the same time.  My doctor kept me on an IV because I was dehydrated.  He had 1 ML of Roxycete (SP) in the IV, and I also had a pain pump that I could use ot deliver more meds.  By the afternoon of the second day, I wasn't using the pump at all. 

I was released for home on the third day, and I am doing well.  I walk around my house as often as I can (I live in Alaska, so I am not ready to walk out in the ice and snow...).  Walking helps move the gas around in your tummy so that it can be released.  I also sipped liguids as often as I could, to help my hydration.  I only eat 4oz servings of puree at my mealtimes.

Well, if you have any more questions, please ask.  Good luck to you!

So, I had quite a bit of discomfort after RNY. As previously mentioned, much of it was from gas. However lots of incision pain, and even some internal pain. In the recovery room the darn nurse wouldnt give me pain meds, claiming that i kept falling asleep so she didnt feel it was necessary. I don't k now if I was falling asleep, or passing the hell out from the freggin pain. I was frustrated, but too drugged up to make a commotion. Plus she was blurry so I could only make out that she was a brunette in her 50's.  I'm assuming it was close to shift change and  she didnt want to take the time to help me. Then this blonde lady in her 60's came in and administered pain meds. Thank the Lord. Normally, I woulda raised heck because i've had previous surgeries and nurses pulled that crap, but i was alert enough to yell. This time, i was drugged and in a heck of a lot of pain. I complained to my bariatric nurse once I "came to".

Once I got to my room (which I don't remember), I had a PCA, and I was kept very comfortable. Started walking the same evening of the surgery, and then kept walking ever 3 hours ON MY OWN. I slid between the bottom edge of the bedrail, disconnected my IV and PCA from the wall, and was moving. I aint got no time for no blood clots, or pneumonia. I live alone, and much of my recovery was ALL BY MYSELF. 

I got home within two days, drove to get my dog out of the kennel on the same day of my release. The very next day I took the rental car back to Hertz, and picked up my own car from the auto-body shop.  And then took a sigh of relief and rested until this date. Praise the Lord for presence of mind and "strength"!  oh yeah and Loritab! LOL. 

So, you will do fine.

Pain is such an individual thing.  I had very little. I have a high pain threshold. Plus the nurses encouraged me to keep ahead of the pain with pain killers.  Others have lots of pain.

I walked a lot in the hospital which I think helped (what else is there to do there?).  I never remember the gas pain being an issue.  Maybe it is due to the walking which is suppose to help. 

Lap surgery is so much easier as far as pain and recovery.  I had 3 abdominal surgeries as an adult prior to my RNY which were all open.  The recovery from the Lap RNY was so much easier.

Good luck to you.

I had no surgical pain. I had some discomfort from the gas and used a heating pad to help get things moving. I also walked every hour. I brought no pain medication home with me and was off my pain pump within 12 hours. The only pain I had was my back and I have a history of back problems (3 previous back surgeries) and that was the only reason I took the pain medicine that long. Do not be afraid to ask for pain medicine and if you are in pain do not let it get out of hand. Push the pca pump and use it as much as you need to. Its better to keep pain under control than to let it get so bad you cant stand it. Good luck and keep walking! It really does help alot!