After I get the surgery, should I avoid taking the prescribed pain meds? My girlfriend had VSG recently and got Roxicet and liquid Vicodin. She's tough, so she didn't take much of either, but truth be told, I have a lower threshhold for pain than her and might need the prescribed meds.

Is it "bad" to take the painkillers -- does it impede the healing process in any way? Or can I just take the prescribed doses as needed and not worry about it?

Your doctor would not give them to you if they weren't necessary:). Although you will be suprised how little pain you will have from the actual surgery. Not to say there is no discomfort, gas etc. But for me there was relatively no pain. I take a pain pill for my back and it has not effected my sleeve. I'm exactly one week post op today!

I didn't need anything that strong, to me it wasn't very painful either. Other then my lungs and chest (from being tubed and inflated during surgery), there really wasn't any pain.

I quit taking pain meds after my flight home on day 3, and I took it that day as a precaution.

Get a heating pad & a refillable reusable ice bag and you might be surprised how much those help. I think the only downfall of the heavy meds is that you sleep alot more and feel groggier - so you walk less and eat/drink less. I feel better when I am not taking them.

If I had to tho, it wouldn't be vicodin! Makes me hallucinate after about 24 hours!!! LOL Dilaudid is so much better :thumbup: