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Pain post-op

Shari558

Shari558

Member
Hello all,
I had laparoscopic RNY last Thursday and am still in considerable pain. I don't know why I thought their wouldn't be this much pain. Did anyone else feel that there was more pain than they expected? My surgeon encourages minimal use of pain meds, but it is difficult to keep up the level of activity they want with the level of pain. How long will this continue to be at this level?
Thanks all,
Shari
 
Shari558 said:
Hello all,
I had laparoscopic RNY last Thursday and am still in considerable pain. I don't know why I thought their wouldn't be this much pain. Did anyone else feel that there was more pain than they expected? My surgeon encourages minimal use of pain meds, but it is difficult to keep up the level of activity they want with the level of pain. How long will this continue to be at this level?
Thanks all,
Shari
Click to expand...

Hi Shari! My pain level was much better than I thought after my RNY. I did receive strong pain medicine for the first few days. However I refused to do all the walking and exercise they wanted me to do at the hospital. My surgeon told me to do as much as I felt comfortable doing because I hadn't been exercising much before surgery so he knew I had to work up to gaining strenghth but the nurse in charge of the bariatric patients had other ideas. She pushed and pushed to try and get me to do laps around the floor. Before surgery I went to my doctors appointment in a wheelchair. So how could I do all that walking instantly after my surgery? No Way! I walked to the nurses station and back and to the bathroom and that was it at that time. As I lost more and more weight I increased my walking distance and now can walk several hours at a time shopping. I have bad knees and I need a knee replacement which would allow me to go a lot longer.

I would recommend to do what you feel up to and increase your distance a little every day. Your body needs to heal and as you lose more and more weight you will feel better and better. It took me a month before I felt strong enough to walk any distance.

Hopefully you will feel better soon. Good luck!!! :)

Cheyenne :cool:
 
I had the sleeve done a few weeks ago, was in pain the first week and my doctor said its better to take the pain meds and be able to walk then to not walk by not taking the pain meds...I felt better much quicker from walking :)

Jodie
 
Shari558 said:
Hello all,
I had laparoscopic RNY last Thursday and am still in considerable pain. I don't know why I thought their wouldn't be this much pain. Did anyone else feel that there was more pain than they expected? My surgeon encourages minimal use of pain meds, but it is difficult to keep up the level of activity they want with the level of pain. How long will this continue to be at this level?
Thanks all,
Shari
Click to expand...

Take your pain meds. I found that after the first week I didn't need them anymore. In fact, I didn't need much during the first week. However, the key to pain and pain meds is to stay ahead of the pain. Don't wait until you are hurting before you take the pain meds. Some of us have more pain, others have less. I found the pain to be manageable as long as I took my pain meds; especially the first few days. If I found that on a scale of 1 to 10 with the 10 being the worst pain and my number was under 5 I would see if I could manage with Tylenol. If I cound great. I especially wanted my pain med at night so I could sleep at night.

Ralph
 
If your in pain, take your pain meds.
Each person is different as to pain tolerance.
My surgeon explained that people who have had previous belly surgery / surgeries will most likely experience more pain due to the pre-existing scarring and adhesions from previous surgeries that need to be removed in order to perform the new surgery.
Some people who may have had their gallbladders removed are more likely to have post-surgical pain than those who still have their gallbladder.

If you hurt take your pain medications, slow down, relax and build up your activity... Keep moving but do NOT do it to the point of making yourself hurt worse.
 
Jodie M. said:
I had the sleeve done a few weeks ago, was in pain the first week and my doctor said its better to take the pain meds and be able to walk then to not walk by not taking the pain meds...I felt better much quicker from walking :)

Jodie
Click to expand...


Hi Jodie! WELCOME to the Forum!!! :) Glad you are here.


Cheyenne:cool:
 
Hello Shari! My name is Christina and I just had the same surgery along with other repair . I couldn't have ever imagined this kind of pain. Did you get up walking the first day and continue make yourself ? not judging just asking cuz someone I talked to said they didn't so is continued to hurt but I had my surgery on Mon. OCT.06 and I've walked since day one and I continue to try and do something like even if it takes me all day I do the dishes. But here I am and with very lil pain . I also recommend a wedge pillow to help you sleep. I hope some of all this mumbling cuz I don't wish anymore pain on you ! good luck
 
Hi Christina - Thank you for your reply. Yes, I was walking from the second day on. I found that part of the problem was that I was on Neurontin and Tramadol on a regular basis before surgery. Following surgery, I was only on a narcotic from the surgeon due to the pill size of the Neurontin and not thinking I needed the Tramadol. Once I was able to get the Neurontin in liquid form, the pain was MUCH better. I am not a wimp with pain, so I couldn't figure out why it was so bad, but both my PCP and Surgeon agreed it was due to my lack of other meds. I am doing very well now - much better than I thought I would be. I have more energy and am off several meds, my glucose is so much better, and my blood pressure med has just been cut in half. My only disappointment is that I am not losing weight yet. Seeing how little I am eating and my increased activity, I don't understand it, but my doctors tell me it is okay, that due to several other medical factors, my body is just taking more time adjusting and that once it starts, it will drop quickly. My PCP kind of snickered at me and told me that "it has never been known to not work" (we communicate well). We had our surgery days apart - how are you doing?
 
Shari558 said:
Hi Christina - Thank you for your reply. Yes, I was walking from the second day on. I found that part of the problem was that I was on Neurontin and Tramadol on a regular basis before surgery. Following surgery, I was only on a narcotic from the surgeon due to the pill size of the Neurontin and not thinking I needed the Tramadol. Once I was able to get the Neurontin in liquid form, the pain was MUCH better. I am not a wimp with pain, so I couldn't figure out why it was so bad, but both my PCP and Surgeon agreed it was due to my lack of other meds. I am doing very well now - much better than I thought I would be. I have more energy and am off several meds, my glucose is so much better, and my blood pressure med has just been cut in half. My only disappointment is that I am not losing weight yet. Seeing how little I am eating and my increased activity, I don't understand it, but my doctors tell me it is okay, that due to several other medical factors, my body is just taking more time adjusting and that once it starts, it will drop quickly. My PCP kind of snickered at me and told me that "it has never been known to not work" (we communicate well). We had our surgery days apart - how are you doing?
Click to expand...

Yes your body needs to adjust. Also, you have a lot of extra fluids in you right now. I gained 5 pounds post op as a result. But, everything will come off! The extra fluids are added to make sure you don't dehydrate in the early stages of your post op regimen.

Glad the pain is getting managed now.

Ralph
 
I'm so glad you are doing much better I hate to hear about anyone in pain . I'm doing well a lil concerned this morning I had been loosing weight every morning fist about 10lbs due to swelling I assume then 5 and yesterday 2 and today I gained :( I'm so upset . I can't really call my Dr. office cuz the ladies in the front don't like me much for 8 months they told me my insurance didn't cover it cuz they were submitting it wrong . so since it was so important that I have it I fixed it and fought it so now not a lot of trust !! Wow I just noticed we are the same or close to the same weight goal . thank you for talking to me I'm new to all this and to FINALLY find people that understand . I have so many questions have my followup on OCT.21
 
It cracks me up, just because you went through the surgical procedure, you will magically be able to walk a mile! My surgeon acts like I HAVE to get into serious exercise after I have the surgery, I will push myself but I know I am limited BECAUSE OF MY WEIGHT! As the weight comes off, i'll be able to do more. I know this from experience and it is common sense.!!!!!!!!!
 
Hi - I had gastric bypass done on Dec. 2nd. I have had the worst pain in my life caused from gas which was placed inside for the surgeon to easily see what he was doing. Today (6 days out from surgery) I am finally getting some relief, very little gas pain now. Now I can concentrate on healing and becoming a lean, mean, momma!
 
Lizzie Ray said:
Hi - I had gastric bypass done on Dec. 2nd. I have had the worst pain in my life caused from gas which was placed inside for the surgeon to easily see what he was doing. Today (6 days out from surgery) I am finally getting some relief, very little gas pain now. Now I can concentrate on healing and becoming a lean, mean, momma!
Click to expand...

Happy to hear your gas pains are lessening.

Ralph
 
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