To all of my fellow Dec. sleevers how long will the pain last. Im two days post op an still having pain.

To all of my fellow Dec. sleevers how long will the pain last. Im two days post op an still having pain.

Hi Erica,

Each person is different in their pain. I am 17 days post op, and I still have pain when sleeping on my side, walking more than 15 minutes at a time, reaching for something, bending down to pick something up (good heavens, dropping the soap in the shower has led me to tears before).

I was always told this - I have to remember that I just had major surgery, and that majority of your tummy is gone, this is not an easy recovery for some people, but it WILL get better. Make sure you are getting your walks in, and keeping the effort off of your abdomen when doing things...you need that time to recover!

We're rooting for you!

I am six days post opt and I guess it depends on the type of pain you mean.

My first day home, the back of my neck and shoulders were killing me. It felt like someone had punched me repeatedly in those areas because they were so tender. When I would go to sit up in bed, those muscles would scream at me. I can still feel a little twinge of that pain, but it's mostly gone now.

As for my stitches...they hurt a little less each day. The first couple days they were sensitive to the touch and tender. Now, three of my five steribanaids have fallen off and when I carefully view the skin, it looks like it's pieced together. At first I felt achy in those incisions, but now I only get pain in two of them.

When I cough/sneeze/hiccup my insides do hurt. Sometimes when I laugh (I'm one of those deep, belly laughter types) it hurts a lot and I feel like I am going to tear my stitches. So I hold my hand to my stomach and try not to laugh hard.

I was also sleeved the 26th. I worry that I am being a baby because I am still in recliner and it hurts to move my abdomen at all. I can't sleep but short periods at a time. Pain the worse when taking deep breathes! But everyone is different... So I won't be super woman and go back to work after 2 weeks or start housecleaning or packing up from Christmas until February! Good luck to you... I do feel a little better each day!

I was also sleeved the 26th. I worry that I am being a baby because I am still in recliner and it hurts to move my abdomen at all. I can't sleep but short periods at a time. Pain the worse when taking deep breathes! But everyone is different... So I won't be super woman and go back to work after 2 weeks or start housecleaning or packing up from Christmas until February! Good luck to you... I do feel a little better each day!

Girl my first few wks i didnt want to move either. It was week 3 that i started feeling a ton better for me. And that first wk i practiced wht i preach to my patients and used my incentive spirometer. And coughing and deep breathing to open those lungs

I was also sleeved the 26th. I worry that I am being a baby because I am still in recliner and it hurts to move my abdomen at all. I can't sleep but short periods at a time. Pain the worse when taking deep breathes! But everyone is different... So I won't be super woman and go back to work after 2 weeks or start housecleaning or packing up from Christmas until February! Good luck to you... I do feel a little better each day!

Jhealan,

I know what u mean about being a baby. I am getting a little better each day but I guess I was prepared for such a slow recovery .I had my lap band put in on February the 16th 2012 and I only needed two or three days to recover nothing like this I'm 6 days post op an my abdomen is a little and my back and shoulder are very sore I am using ice and heat an seems to help little!

I was on pain meds at night until 3 days post op.... I had no real pain other than the gas pains...I walked and rolled back on forth on the bed to work it out...well..not rolled all the way, I guess rocked back and forth. By day 4 it was way better.

My large incicion has been sore ever since...but not painful..it is in a bad place were I bend, turn etc..so that is not helping.

I am 4 days post op and now have excruciating left shoulder pain l know its probably from the the gas they pump in your stomach any suggestions on how to get rid of it that is the only thing that is not possible to me right now I walk I roll I don't know what else to try. Any suggestions

I think left shoulder pain can be from a hiatal hernia fix. Did you have that? I would definitely call your surgeons office to let them know of the new pain you are having. Hoping it's better soon!

As someone said above - everyone is different. I happen to have had very minimal pain. I have taken no pain killers since living the hospital. Dr. Baker encouraged me to take a one dose of liquid pain killer before I left the hospital. I really didn't want to but since he suggested it - I did it.

I had a hysterectomy last December and had no pain killers other than what went into the IVs during surgery.

I am lucky and can't complain at all!!!!!

Hope things are improving for the new sleevers!