Question:
How bad is the pain after open WLS?
I have a freind who had open surgery and says that when she woke up she was in so much pain that she couldn't move.She was kinda sreaming and stuff.I would love some other stories about post-op pain,I'm trying to prepare myself for this and it sounds awful when she talks to me about her experience!!!!! — natalie J. (posted on September 27, 2003)
September 27, 2003
I had open RNY on 9-3-02/ -130 lbs / I remember having a pulling sensation
were the staples were, but no great amount of pain. I was on morphine pump
for first 48 hours, then dropped down to oxcotion oral and went home on
that I took it about 3 days at home and discontinued all pain meds by
9-11-02. I was told by my dr and nurse staff that I was the poster child
for OPEN RNY procedure (keep in mind I am a female in a VA hospital which
populates 98% men) my point is men don't tolerate pain as well at least
that's my opinion. So as far as your friend is concerned it's hard to say,
each of us tolerate pain at different levels. I slept through most of my
contractions when I was giving birth, the woke me up to tell me to push.
Which totally annoyed my sister. So review your own past pain threshold and
make your own determination. We all tolerate diffrently. Good Luck....
— Jeana S.
September 27, 2003
check out my profile. good luck to you
— franbvan
September 27, 2003
The pain was the biggest concern for me as well too when I was pre-op. Now
that I am post op I can honestly say that it wasn't too bad considering
what was done. It really felt like I had pulled all my stomach muscles from
doing like 1,000 situps. Now writhing and screaming just general soreness.
The pain meds are really adequate, and soon after you get home you wont
even bother. Don't sweat it, just accept that there will be some pain, and
it isn't THAT bad, and move on. It really isn't as big of a deal on the
post op side as it is pre-op. Looking back, I don't know why I was worried.
The doctors and nurses at the hospital will bend over backwards to get you
comfortable. All you have to is say something and they will take care of
it. Trust your surgeon, he doesn't want you to be in pain. You'll do fine!!
Open RNY 11-11-02 Down 150lbs
— dkinson
September 27, 2003
I'm almost 5 wks post-op & agree it depends on the person. The pain
meds really worked & took nothing after 3 days. Just remember to
"head off" the pain by using the meds.
My pain evolved more into discomfort, which led to extreme frustration
because I was constantly thirsty/dry mouth & weak. I was stuck in the
hospital bed because in my room there was NO chair for me to simply sit in!
So like I say I think the frustration through this process is worse than
any of the pain!!
But it does get better.
Best of luck.......
— Vicki V.
September 27, 2003
I am 14 months post op and I can remember some pain, but after the second
day I stopped pain meds... I know when I woke up I was in a great amount of
pain, but the nurses took care of that, I was a zombie and could move
right, my mom had to fight to get nurses in there to help me get moved up
right on the bed, but after that I think things were pretty well under
control. I'd say as the other poster, that it's not too bad considering
what they've done...
— MF
September 27, 2003
When I woke in recovery it was bad but they started the pain meds right
away. My surgeon requires we get up 2 hours after surgery. The pain of
having to move was very bad. Getting out of bed in itself was bad, but I
knew I needed to do it for my health and to avoid blood clots. That first
time it probably took me close to 10 minutes to turn on my side and get
out.
<p>The bottom line is no matter how bad the pain is it is worth it to
have an opportunity at this new healthy life. I'd do it over again in a
heartbeat. Each day the pain improved and I actually used pretty minimal
amounts as if I did it just knocked me out. I would press the button
before getting out of bed, but that's about it. I had surgery on Monday
morning and pushed my cart of stuff out of the hospital on Thursday
morning. So obviously it improved quickly. I had some soreness for like 2
weeks but literally it just kept improving. I only took extra strength
tylenol from 5 days PO. I hardly used any of the liquid percoset I was
given. Trust me you will survive and the pain will be manageable. If you
are in severe pain and not getting any relief tell the nurses so they can
do something about it. Some people have very little pain, so it does vary.
Don't focus on the pain. Focus on your new life! Good Luck!
— zoedogcbr
September 27, 2003
I thought it was a cake walk. Pain was fine and my doc doesn't use
Morphine. The key is speak up and to make sure you're getting pain
medication on time and before the pain gets out of hand. Everyone is
different so don't be scared by her experience.
— ZZ S.
September 27, 2003
I think your friend may have had one of those uncommon experiences - like
maybe her anesthesia wasn't right or something, because my friend had his
done open and had much less pain than mine which was done lap. With an
open you can have an epidrual for a few days which means no pain through
the worst part of it. I would disregard her experience as a fluke -
anytime you wake up from surgery you need lots of pain control, maybe she
didn't get hers?
— bethybb
September 27, 2003
NOT a cake walk by ANY stretch of the imagination. Waking up screaming in
pain not it either. However, I must echo the other posters here. Everyone
has a different tolerance for pain. Also, a lap procedure is a bit
'easier' to recoup from than the open.
— Ginger M.
September 27, 2003
I have had several surgerys, and the open RNY was honestly the easiest. I
would say my hysterectomy with rectal and bladder repair was the worst,
them TT 15 years ago, then gall bladder, then open RNY in that order. On a
scale of 1 to 10 it was about a 3 as far as pain and recovery.
— Tawnda C.
September 27, 2003
Oh yeah...they kept asking me to rate my pain the first few days of my 5
day stay in the hospital. At first, I told them on a 1-10 scale (1 being
hardly any pain and 10 being truly severe)that I was a 6 or 7. It went
steadily down with each day. By the time I left the hospital, I was a 4-5.
By 3-4 days at home, I was 2. Rate a Pain...I love it!
— Ginger M.
September 27, 2003
I had the Open RNY on 5-8-01. I swear the first thought I had when I opened
my eyes was "My God what have I done!" Yes, it was bad. True
everyone has a different pain tollerance. Bur I've had 14 surgeries (so
far) and this was the third most painful. No picnic. These people who say
they'd do the RNY all over again in a moment (if they had to) must have
short memories. lol No, I certainly did not wake up screaming. My pain was
not a screaming pain, but it was a pretty damn good strong pain
nevertheless! I did'nt have morphine or any of that stuff. Actually I don't
know what they gave me. I just know there was (and probally still is) a
shortage of nurses and you needed to call 90 minutes in advance of needing
pain meds. So order them BEFORE you are in much pain. I do think it would
have been alot less painful had I thought about getting an abdomial binder
to take with me to the hospital. (Of course have a nurse put it on). I
would have gotten up to walk much sooner and walked more, had I been able
to get up without my guts feelikng like they would come pouring out. Yes, I
know everyone has a difference pain tollerance. But I'm certainly no sissy
when it comes to pain with 14 surgeries and more to come! So I have many
surgeries to compair pain with. Again, this one is about the third worse...
4th worse at the very best. But do be aware that no two surgeries are
exactly alike, even the RNY. What hurts one person very badly, may not
another. So you may waltz right through it without much discomfort. ;)
— Danmark
September 27, 2003
I had no pain, just discomfort. I hardly used the pain meds at all. Now,
my abdominoplasty, that was another story, but percoset came to the rescue.
— Leslie F.
September 27, 2003
Natalie....I remember waking up from surgery and being really hot and
uncomfortable. I was put on a morphine drip, so that took much of my pain
away. You will be very sleepy and will sleep much of the first two days
after surgery. I've had three abdominal surgeries and each one was pretty
much the same. Good luck to you!!
— Terri G.
September 27, 2003
In regards to pain after surgery. I was on a morphine button after surgery
and didn't really experience too much discomfort or pain. I actually moved
around in bed after surgery the first day. The second day after surgery I
got out of bed and sat in a chair for a couple of hours upright. Third day
after surgery I actually got up and walked around in the hospital hallways.
So, I believe the pain depends on each individual person. I heard some
struggled with it and others like myself were fine with the pain and didn't
struggle to badly. Hopefully this answers your question about pain. Good
luck with your weight loss journey and remember to stay motivated, listen
to the surgeon's orders, and sincerely lose your weight.
— Brian G. H.
September 27, 2003
Natalie, Don't spend your time worrying about those first few minutes
waking from surgery. A LAP would be less severe
than an OPEN but you will have people there to get it under control in a
hurry and you're back out. Each time you wake the pain has lessened.
If you've ever experienced any pain in your life, and what woman hasn't
with her periods, child birth etc. you know we all handle it different.
I've just had my surgery Monday, 5 days ago. It was LAP and I can tell you
they were constantly asking if I needed something for pain the moment I
opened my eyes. After the first dose of Demoral I walked the ICU with 2
nurses help. After the 2nd dose I slept through the night in ICU in chair.
They then put me on Morphine and then Loratab Liquid as the pain continued
to decrease.
By the way, when I had a hysterectomy and years later Exploratory surgery
for Appendicitis I woke up both times screaming when took to my room and in
pain. I was immediately got med and in minutes was asleep again.
I was prepared if I awoke from this the same way. Thankfully I didn't.
Don't waste time worrying about it. Talk to your Dr. if you
are still concerned.
Margaret
— Margaret T.
September 27, 2003
Natalie,
When I started to come to in the recovery room, I was in horrible pain, but
the nurses were right on top of it and kept increasing my meds until I was
comfortable. Once the initial pain was under control, I felt really good
for the rest of my hospital stay. Once I got to my room, there was never a
point where I can say I was in pain. By the time I got home I was
completely off pain meds. I had two previous C-sections plus a hysterectomy
and WLS was much easier than ANY of them.
— Barbara C.
September 27, 2003
I just had an Open RNY almost 3 weeks ago. The only excruciating thing i
remember was when they moved me from the surgery table to my bed. Other
than that... it was fine. i had moments when i had instant cramps that
lasted for a minute but seemed like forever. i was on a morphine drip and
the nurses and doctors kept telling me to press the button for the pain but
i kept telling them i only pressed it when i needed it. after a day and a
half, they took it away b/c they said i didn't use it nearly enough. I
guess i dealt with it well. I was in the hospital for 5 days. After i got
home was when the pain started for me. My bypassed stomach was full of gas
which caused PAIN and later nausea and severe vomiting. I just got over
all of that. That experience put me in tears for days. Good luck.
— mrsirizarry
September 27, 2003
I had open and i did not have pain was just a lil sore. When i went home Dr
gave me a prescription for liquid lortab 7.5 i never even got it filled .
Alot of it just depends on the person and how they can deal with pain . I
have a high tolarence to it. Good luck
— wildbrat
September 28, 2003
Natalie, I agree with the rest of them. Talk with your dr. I'm sure, like
mine, he will make sure you are kept comfortable. I had a binder on when I
woke from recovery. It was a little rough getting up and down, put pain
pump took care of that. Only used it a few times. They took it off after 2
days as I wasn't using it. Took Lortab a couple of times. Like you, I had
a friend who said it was the worst pain she ever had, but she admitted she
was a wuss. So don't let those scary tales deter you from your journey. The
other side is wonderful.
— lharbison
September 28, 2003
I am 12 days post op from open DS. I have to say that after my year of
research it did honestly hurt worse than I thought it would. Yes I did
have drugs, and I do usually have a high tolorance for pain, but even after
leaving the hospital there has been some pain involved. It is getting
better. I think the gas pain was pretty hard to deal with, and there is
nothing that the pain pill or meds can do about it. Now I DO NOT REGRET
this, but it wasnt easy as pie. It is natural to be afraid but know that
all of the people here are here to support one another. If you need to
talk about it at all email me! best of luck!
— Kim M.
September 28, 2003
Unlike a previous poster, on the 3rd day, I actually went home!
I was up, walking, within 2 hours of waking up from anesthesia, and did 6
walks the next day. Third day, I walked about 8 times, tried out stairs,
checked out and stopped at my SIL's house, then went home to climb stairs
into my house.
I believe it's vital to move as much as you can, as soon as you can, to
prevent clotting, keep the lungs clear, help heal. And I also believe in
pain meds! :o)
— RWH G.
September 28, 2003
Hi Natalie- I am still pre-op for WLS but have had 2 major surgeries at 2
different hospitals in my lifetime. The first surgery, the nurses seemed
uncaring and downright mean (oh don't get me started...) and my pain level
was of no importance to them. The pain was excrutiating. The second
surgery, the demerol (?) IV button thing was started immediately and the
nurses were caring and constantly asking me how my pain level was. While
the pain was bad right after surgery, it didn't last too long. I believe
the care and attention I received made a big difference. If you have any
choice in the matter, try and make sure your hospital (and surgeon) are BIG
on pain management! Good Luck :o) Mea
— Mea A.
September 29, 2003
Hi there. For me, the post-op pain of Open RNY was honestly not that bad.
I was expecting much worse. First, my surgeon injected my incision with
anesthesia before he closed me. In fact, when I woke up in recovery and
the nurse said "on a scale of 1-10..." and I remember telling her
my pain was a 4. I don't remember having pain while I was laying there
other than mild discomfort, like I had done alot of situps. I was off the
morphine in 2 days, took liquid Lortab for 2 more days, and then by day 5
was taking no pain meds at all. Yes, it hurts to get up and down the first
few days and I needed help getting out of bed, but that subsided after
about a week.
— beeda
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