I am pre op but i have a theory about pain. I watched my sister and brother in law get sleeved in Mexico and my niece get sleeved in Michigan. I have been reading through the forums.

It seems to me that the difference between people who have pain and those who have little is whether or not they have a drain.

A lot of doctors in the US don't use drains. I think it is because they discharge the next day.

In Mexico they use drains. My niece was in terrible pain and was on morphine for over a week. My sister and brother in law had little pain and were out walking around the town the next day.They were given Tylenol. If the abdomen is full of blood and you have to wait for it to be reabsorbed there is pressure on everything. Sis and Brother in law are both doctors. They tell me that blood irritates the peritoneum, the lining of the abdomen. More pain.

I also think that opiates are not a great idea. We know that they are constipating and are hard on the stomach.

Again This is my theory. What do you think?

I'm hoping for a discussion and I'm putting this here so people could ask for a drain before they have their surgery.

I had surgery on July 22. I didn't have a drain and I didn't have pain. I was prepared for gas pain and stomach pain. My surgeon said he tries to extract as much of the gas they pump you up with as possible. He must have done a good job. I walked as soon as they let me and walked often. Only used my morphine pump a couple of times the day of surgery and that was because they told me to use it before I walked. Would a drain have made a difference? Since I felt so good, I don't think so. It might have made it worse.

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I had a drain (2 days in the hospital) and I had a rougher than average recovery. Didn't help that it took my dr an extra 30 mins to dig my lapband out of my stomach.

There's much more to post op pain than having a drain/not having one. I'm not usually a big baby (my lapband 4 yrs ago was easy peasy) but I was on my liquid Vicodin for 12 days.

I insisted on a drain due to research I did. I can't recall the reports to cite (not all were online, or are on databases you pay to access, so I circumvented the expense and got print-outs), my apologies but it should be on here, initially I think I cited them in a post that explained my decision (that has been since before my surgery 1-4-12).

Drains, done properly, promote the discharge of fluid, the resettling of tissues AND if there is a leak it can aid in noticing that fast. That is why if you have a drain many doctors will encourage blue jello, pops or just tinted water - red is common in a drain, so is yellow - blue is a 'red' flag.

If there is additional "minor" bleeding it can also make the doctor aware of that. Minor bleeding is not often addressed here, but I read papers on it and it does happen and can create discomfort, even become an issue. It is thought post-op temporary anemia can be associated with these minor bleeds. You are bleeding out somewhere which you should not be, enough that over time (or not so short of time) that a drain can catch this. It does not even have to be in your tummy. They are rooting around in there quite a bit; a nip in the wrong area can cause this. A drain can catch this.

I seriously advocate drains; they keep the doctor honest, so to speak.

This is the way I look at it - you go through all this effort - make every reasonable attempt to do what you can to have this go smoothly, because many things are out of your control. So I got the drain.

I had no desire to get one. I never felt pain. I hardly used the pain pump during my 2 night hospital stay. although I was prescribed pain meds on discharge I still to this day have never had to take 1 pill. I never had to take anything for nausea either. My surgeon was excellent. Everyone heals different and everyone has different levels of pain they can handle.

My thought on drains is if you and feel like you just have to have one talk to your surgeon about it.

had a drain, removed day two. Did not have more than "some discomfort" but the pain pump sure made the music on the iPOD nice!

Thank you for the replies! It looks like it is not a black and white issue. I still think the drain helps but am happy that some of you didn't have pain without it.

I had a drain and my surgery was done in the US. Spent 3 days in the hospital because i was having trouble keeping liquids down. I was in pain but it wasnt due to the drain site. I could definetly feel the drain in me but it wasn't a pain it was more bothersome. My pain came from the incision my surgeon worked through. I did use the morphine pump but mainly before I'd go walking(which i did every few hours).

I did not have a drain. I was sleeved in the morning, outpatient and took a 4 hour nap in the afternoon. That evening I took my wife out to dinner and played a little blackjack.

I had a little gas pain, but nothing I would call being in pain. I walked no less than 5 miles each of the next two days. I attribute my recovery to getting my endurance up the previous month by hitting the elliptical machine hard. I was able to go at a pretty good rate for 45 minutes straight.

I know with having 26 years combined experience of being a paramedic/registered nurse (ICU and ER) pain is very subjective. I have people get a paper cut scream like they had their arm ripped off and a gentleman get his arm ripped off in a round bailer who said it hurt a little. So as I teach about pain control pain is subjective so listen to the patient.

As for drains, they are useful as another person stated for helping with surgical complications (ie. bleeding). Some docs believe in them and some don't just preference.

I did not have a drain and I didn't have a drain. I did use morphine to get me through the 2 night hospital stay. No big deal. I'd so it again the same way.