[kbfrmaz]

ONLY READ THIS IF YOU LIKE A DOSE OF REALITY BEFORE SURGERY!!

I had surgery on Friday, January 11th. (lapro bypass and my gall bladder removed), came home Sunday afternoon. I had done all kinds of research on pain after surgery, and mostly heard people say they were not in a lot of pain. Well, I must be realistic and say there IS quite a bit of pain involved. (at least for me) and I want others to know that!! Any surgery that afterwards you get a morphine pump should have sent off a red flag.

I have been on strong pain meds since Friday and was told I was doing better managing my pain than most patients and I do have a pretty high pain tolerance. (plus I am young and pretty healthy) However, it does hurt! A LOT! My surgery went just fine according to my Dr. The pain level even on my meds involves the stomach of course, left side being more painful. Every movement, getting up, laying down, turning is very painful. I cannot lie in a flat bed so I am on the recliner, and even with that I need assistance half the time. Getting dressed requires assistance since lifting your leg requires stomach muscles as well.

I am not trying to scare people, (and I know it is different for everyone, but this is how it was for me) because so far I would still say I would do it again, and I have had no nausea or stomach problems. But, I do want people to know information I wish I had mentally prepared myself for. You are required to breath and cough using a spriometer often, and let me tell you, it is excrutiating. (laughing is too)

Just be prepared for pain, and managing it. I am told it gets better after the first week.
Oh, and don't get me started on bowel control.

[kiwi-leelee77]

wow. Thanks for that.

What is a spriometer?

Am really glad it went well!!

[Kenyar]

wow. im sorry the pain is that bad for you. did they give you a binder at all? it helps ALOT with the discomfort. also when you have to laugh or cough, press a pillow against your left side and it helps. maybe the gall bladder removal added to your pain experience? cant say for sure. we are all different in this area.

i cant say that my experience with pain or lack of was not realistic but i think what you are experiencing sounds a bit extreme. keep your doc in the loop just in case. I hope you feel better soon

[Trulykath]

Sorry you are having so much pain...it's a pretty major surgery, and everyone reacts in different ways!

I remember the left side being BAD...but I went back to work in 12 days, so recovery is pretty quick.....I did have a spirometer, as well.....even 2 weeks out, it was still sore to laugh, but it does pass quickly....I was off pain meds before the 1st week!

[fr1endly2]

I am sorry you experienced such pain.
We all tolerate it differently and i would
say every sugeons techniques may
vary causeing different pain levels
from patient to patient.

FOR me this was easier then my
c section recovery that had far more
pain. I weaned off the pain meds
48 hours after being home cause i hate
takeing crushed pills...that made me gag.

It is a major surgery so to be pain free
would be unrealistic.....but i wouldnt let
it prevent anyone from having this surgery
and it did take me a few nights home before
i was even able to sleep in my bed ...
cause rolling over hurt when my weight shifted.

((HUG))) may the rest of your surgery go well

[clancythecamper]

kb - if you've read my posts pre-op you know I had issues with pain too. While most people dont seem to have significant post op pain, some of us do. This surgery kicked my butt!! I was on pain meds for 5 solid weeks (every 4-6 hours) which is why several of us advised the person wanting to clean houses in 2-3 weeks to plan on 4-6 weeks. Follow your docs orders, take you pain meds as directed. Kenya had a good point about the binder and pillow- that binder became my best friend! Im glad you're not having nausea and such - dont forget to be sipping your fluids - may the rest of your journey be smooth.

[DocSanae]

Welcome back, congratulations on joining the Loser's Bench.
Sorry to hear of the pain issue for you, but as others say, this is one of the many things that are different for each and everyone of you.
For the most part, most people do seem to have had it easier than you.
Also (somebody else pointed this out, too) the fact that you had your gall bladder removed as well, may have added to the level.
Now, if the pain doesn't go away in the next couple of days, or if it seems to get worse, not better, you should call your surgeon. In any case, if you feel that uncomfortable in your pain level, I would keep the surgeon in the loop, just in case.
((((((HUGS)))))) Hang in there, hope you'll be feeling better soon.

[A new me]

Oh wow sorry you had so much pain. As we all say on here all the time all the surgeons and their ways are so different and we all tolerate things differently.
I really didnt have hardly any pain either and was off my meds within like 3 days I think or so. I took some here and there at bedtime but I do know others on here
have complained of pain.
But the good thing is now your on the loosers bench and its gonna be great for you now and soon the weight will be falling off. Hang in there.

[kitty56]

I was only on a morphine pump for a day and a half and then they took it off becasue they noticed that I was hardly was not using it. Then they put me on pain meds and once I got home I used maybe a little less than a half bottle and ended up throwing out the rest, My pain that I had when I came home came from the air in my stomach and intestines and what I did is take axcid for my stomach and that kicked in right away and releifed my pain. I took them about a week and weined myself off them and I had hardly no pain from the surgery. But I did as the doctors said and I took it easy for a few weeks and I had no problems. My problems where trying to get the water down and the fact I did not like any kind of food and that was all I really had problems with.

[kbfrmaz]

Originally Posted by kiwi-leelee77

wow. Thanks for that.

What is a spriometer?

Am really glad it went well!!

It is a little respiratory thing that you inhale air through to make sure you are filling your lungs. Then you exhale and cough. It helps prevent pneumonia after surgery. I ended up with a lot of junk in my lungs from being intubated and have had to cough a lot which may have added to my pain level for sure!