Question:
Pain?
Hi guys! I wanted to ask anyone out there who has had this surgery (gastric bypass) if anyone has NOT experenced any pain from the surgery? Some people have been telling me that they have hardly had any pain after surgery. How true is that? Thank you! — MissAuntieK (posted on April 16, 2000)
April 16, 2000
Kristin,
I was uncomfortable but never had any really bad pain, it twinged when I
laughed but I think part of that was the staples. 8 Mths post-op down 115
lbs.
— Carrie G.
April 16, 2000
Kristen, I don't remember being in any real pain. The meds in the hospital
worked real well after surgery and I came home without any pain meds 3 days
after surgery. I was uncomfortable at first when moving around especially
while laying down and trying to get up.
— BOB J.
April 16, 2000
I think it really depends on the person's attitude and preparation
going in.. Also the type of pain medication, and if that particular pain
medication works for that individual. I had an epidural and I
experienced "NO" pain at all. I was up and walking in the
ICU less than 8 hours after surgery, I actually wanted up earlier, but
the nurses said not yet. I never had to have any pain shot or pill
other than the epidural. I was given a prescription for pain as I
was leaving the hospital but never had it filled. With my Apnea
being as bad as it was, and all I had read about morphine and sleep
apnea, I felt the epidural was the best way to go for me and
discussed it with my anesthesiologist before surgery. Good Luck in
what ever you decide..
— Victoria B.
April 16, 2000
Kristin,
I was in a lot of pain following surgery. Until about 3 and a half weeks
post-op, I was hurting, but being weaned down to lighter and lighter pain
killers. I don't think it had didly to do with atitude. I think that the
fact that I had two surgeries in three days (I had internal bleeding and a
blood clot in my lung), and a nine day hospital stay had a lot to do with
it. I was miserable then. I'm now in my 6th week post op, and feeling
about 80% fine. and down 44 lbs! Best advice is to ask your doctor what
kind of pain management he/she offers in CASE you need it. My doctor was
too conservative in this area. He siad, "I can't keep you out of
pain, but I can make you as comfortable as possible". -- but he
didn't (after I came home). ...but by the looks of it I'm only one of four
who had any pain to complain about. GO FOR IT! All the best!
— lisadiehl
April 17, 2000
I don't know about painless...I just had surgery last Monday on the 10th of
April and I have been in considerable pain. I think that's reasonable,
though. Consider the area they are slicing through. I have a high
tolerance for pain anyway so I just plug along knowing it's gonna get
better slowly so I don't dwell on it much. Ultimately, it's like
childbirth I think, the more time we get behind the event and enjoy the
benefits the less likely we are going to remember the negative aspects like
the pain...Monday and Tuesday already seem like a dream to me...next week
it will be harder to remember I had dificulty sitting in one place for too
long...and so on...and so on...and so on...
— Alicia B.
April 17, 2000
Yes there was pain. The first days getting out of bed hurt
like H..... You feel like your incision will rip open.
I'm not exagerrating. I used my morphine pump when ever
I felt pain. I always used it before trying to get out of
bed. After the first few days, the pain lessened. I only
used pain med at night for a few days after I came home.
I had liguid Tylenol with Codiene, boy was that nasty.
The more I walked the better I felt. Be prepared for pain
the first few days. Good luck. I've forgotten how the pain
felt, kinda like having a baby. You'd do it all again.
It's worth it. 13 weeks post and down 51 pounds.
Lou Ann
— Lou Ann J.
April 17, 2000
I must say that the pain is real TOUGH. I am 10 days post op from an open
RNY and I did have a lot of pain in the initial days. I can honestly say
though that it has gotten much better with each day and I finally took a
shower yesterday by myself, am able to do other personal toiletry things
myself (picture that! lol). The pain does lessen quickly and steadily.
Follow the instructions and use the morphine pump as needed. Good luck and
God Bless!
— Lisa ..
April 17, 2000
Kristen, I have to agree with Victoria, I think attitude has EVERYTHING to
do with the way we manage our pain. I'm 3 1/2 months post-op. I have
adverse reactions to pain-killers, so I had to go in with the attitude,
that I needed to be tough. I had surgery on Tue {open RNY} was on Demerol,
{which made me sick} until Thur. afternoon. After that all I had was 1
tylenol for the 4 hr. car trip home. All I can say is that the pain of the
surgery is tolerable. The more I got up and moved around the better I felt.
They had me up and walking 5 hrs. after surgery. Good Luck!
— Dani J.
November 13, 2002
I use to be a firm believer in it being all in your attitude. I had
several surgeries with a positive attitude and did well and then I had one
and I had a horrible recovery. I still believe the attitude DOES matter a
great deal, but it also matters who your surgeon is, if you had a heavy
nurse leaning on you during surgery, how much tugging there was, and
espcially how long your surgery was. Every surgery is different and no two
patients will every have the same outcome.
— Jane S.
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