TAP Block for pain

Hi All,

I am now 5 days post-op for my lap band conversion to VSG. Prior to going in, a friend of my recommended I get a TAP Block. He had one for his RNY and said it made a huge difference. I had never heard of it. Basically it is like an epidural for your stomach. It numbs up your entire lower abdomen (inside and out). I didn't realize how much it helped until post-op day 2 when it wore off and my pain in my lower right side came back. It really helps getting out of bed and doing your walking. A less important bonus is that you don't feel the Heparin shots going in.

It wasn't offered to me pre-op, but you can ask your anesthesiologist to do it for you. They were glad to do it.

The transverse abdominis plane (TAP) block is a peripheral nerve block designed to anesthetize the nerves supplying the anterior abdominal wall (T6 to L1)

EJ