Still struggling a bit

[Nowarnp 12]

So I had my RNY on May 6th and the surgery went fine. I went home late on the 8th. My surgeon routinely uses a JP drain for RNY surgery and I went home with one was supposed to come out the following Tuesday. The program I am in is one of the centers of excellence and has great work up protocols in place and very specific post op teaching and guidelines. They are a great group of nurses, dieticians, doctors and other support staff to work with overall. Compared to other people though I seem to be having more pain and a much slower recovery and frankly, I still feel like roadkill.

At 0430 Tuesday morning I got up to go to the bathroom and in my sleepiness I managed to put my hand down on the drain and discontinued it accidently myself. My pain though was even before that. No other parts of my abdomen are overly tender. I don't sleep well because of this pain. Its hard for me to stand for any length of time. I am not running any fevers. Basically, I still have this pain which has not diminished much over the past 10 days and feel fatigued and kind of terrible in general.

It just seems like everyone else has bounced back so quickly. So many people post how quickly they returned to work and right now I know I couldn't make it to work. Officially I have a max of 4 weeks to take and I let them know yesterday I am taking all 4. I am hoping I will continue improving and do well returning to work then.

Is there anyone else who is in the slow lane like me? Anyone been like this in the past with any suggestions?

[mattie7632 24]

We all are different. The older I get, the less I tolerate procedures and it takes longer to bounce back. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, if you are within the normal healing range, enjoy your time off from work! We never get enough of that

[BBdoodle 483]

Has your doctor given you anything for the pain? When your body is in constant pain you do not heal as quick. If there is nothing surgically wrong I would as for more pain meds.

[Ms. Laydee2014 9]

Have to agree with other poster..... you aren't alone and every person's heal rate is different. I had my RNY last Monday 5/12 and I still have a terrible pain in just one of the incision points (right below left breast) that's also still swollen.. the other ones are fine. Also, my steri-strips still haven't come off with the daily showers etc.

In looking at You Tube vids and talking to others, it seemed like no one else was still in pain or they bounced back 2 days after surgery... Not me .... so you're not by yourself.

I stopped comparing my healing rate and just making sure to do everything they tell me in post op. I also called my Dr. when the pain from eating pureed chicken got to me. (That's what we paid the Drs. fees for)

[Wallflower7522 328]

I was the same way. I felt like I was healing so much slower than everyone else. Another girl on here who had the same date as me was doing a 5k before I could even walk a mile. You'll get there. It took me about 3-4 weeks to not have as much pain and about 6 weeks to feel "normal."

[Nowarnp 12]

Thanks for the support! I feel better knowing I am not the only one not racing around the block right after surgery. I have a 2 week post op recheck tomorrow so I will talk to my surgeon too.