I know I probably shouldn't compare but I'm wondering if anyone can tell me what the recovery and pain is like in comparison to a c section?

I would say c-sec was worse. In both cases the more you walk after the better it is.

I felt the sleeve was tougher recovery. Not sure if it was due to my age or the lack of food you can consume after the sleeve. With that being said, neither was horrible & I obviously lived through both! & in the end both were SO worth it!

You can say that you had a different experience than what you were expecting, but please do not call us liars, or f-ing liars. You can say that your doctor dropped the ball on pain management. Many of us seriously do not have that much of an issue with post op pain.

The one thing that gets me about the pain that I hear some do complain about, is that ridiculously painful shoulder gas from trapped CO2 in the abdominal cavity. Pre-op, I asked my surgeon about pain management and specifically what he does about the shoulder gas. He said that he extracts as much as possible. Why can't everyone's surgeon do that? I had no problem whatsoever with any shoulder gas.

The only real pain I had to overcome was in just being cautious with my largest incision for the first few days. I only took hydrocone for three days post-op and that was sufficient enough to be comfortable. And yes, I have had two c-sections. Compared to that and other surgeries, my sleeve was the easiest of all. I have had more aggravating pain from the dentist.

I am sorry that your surgeon did you a diservice. Even though we all have different tolerance for pain, your experience definitely could have been better. But please, please do not call the good people here on the forum "liars". You asked for our opinion of our own recovery, and that is what you got. An uncomplicated bariatric surgery does not necessarily have to be miserable.

To the original poster: address pain management with your surgeon before you get to the hospital. Some of what folks go through can easily be avoided.

I thought they were pretty comparable. I didn't have any complications but it wasn't a walk in the park either. I did not have any drains. I am sure that must add to the pain and healing. I do wish I would have taken more than one week off to recover. The doctor said 1-2 and I had a friend who was fine after 5 days so I thought I would be so prepare for the worst and be pleasantly surprised.

Nope. I had a drain and was up and walking in recovery. In fact I had very little pain. I didn't use any pain meds once I came too in recovery. I simply did not hurt.

You can say that you had a different experience than what you were expecting, but please do not call us liars, or f-ing liars. You can say that your doctor dropped the ball on pain management. Many of us seriously do not have that much of an issue with post op pain.

The one thing that gets me about the pain that I hear some do complain about, is that ridiculously painful shoulder gas from trapped CO2 in the abdominal cavity. Pre-op, I asked my surgeon about pain management and specifically what he does about the shoulder gas. He said that he extracts as much as possible. Why can't everyone's surgeon do that? I had no problem whatsoever with any shoulder gas.

......

I think every surgeon tries to remove all the CO2. I had no gas pains. Not single one. I did need any narcotics for pain or nausea.

I think the recovery from the sleeve was worse than my c section. I didn't have any complications with my c section but with my appendectomy and this surgery I had to get re opened due to infection with the appendectomy and a hematoma with this one. So to me from worse to not so bad appendectomy, sleeve then c section lol

I definitely thought the VSG was more painful. However, I really think I had better pain meds (morphine pump) after my c-section. I also was bedridden in the hospital for three miserable weeks immediately following my emergency c-section and kept quite comfortable. If I had to do my VSG surgery again, I would have requested morphine since it worked so well before. The pain level after the VSG is quite intense for 2 days. Like Elode mentioned, I was quite startled by the pain waking up right out of surgery. Although it is NOT the worst pain I've ever been in. I had rheumatic fever in 2003 during my first year teaching. Every joint in my body had extreme inflammation that eventually made its way to my heart.

They offered me morphine and I turned it down. Simply did not need it. They also wrote me a script for dilaudid when I was discharged and I never got it filled. It just goes to show that not everyone has horrible pain. Just keep a positive attitude and you will be fine.

I had complications with my C-section, an infected incision that was open for 2 months. That was rough! Sleeved on 12/23 but so far it has been very easy in comparison.

On the other hand I also had 2 knee replacement surgeries... Sleeve is a walk in the park in comparison!

The only part I can remotely think of as C-Section pain was at the largest incision site. Getting up out of bed was like, whoa!!! I've felt this pain before lol

Because it's where they had to separate the muscle. It's only for a few days then it's good. That's the only pain I had.

Well, I've never had a C-section, but a few years ago I had a tonsillectomy and it was a million times worse than my VSG!

Hi! I have had three C-sections plus one vaginal birth; I have four kids total. Most recently I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy (In Aug2014, Dr. took tubes, cervix, and uterus). HANDS DOWN, I would DEFINITELY say that the VSG was the easiest for me, just had the VSG on 12/31/14 so it is fresh in my mind. C-sections were hell! VSG has been quite okay for me. Please be cautioned that we all tolerate pain in different ways. Good Luck on your journey!

Edited January 2, 201511 yr by JaneJaneDoe

Never had a c-section, just hysterectomy, gall bladder, and a surgery on a nerve in my hip. The VSG, for me, was by far the easiest. I've honestly had more pain from stubbing a toe. I had some gas pain and it was uncomfortable getting up from lying down, but no serious pain at all.

I have had 3 c-sections with 10 lb babies each....

The first 48 hours of post op gastric wasnt comparable because the gas pain for VSG was way more uncomfortable and awful. BUT after that 48 hours life was 100% easier than c-section for me.

I had 2 c sections & recovered really well from both....if I didn't have newborns to take care of my recovery then would have been immediate

I had a much harder time recovering from VSG...lots of nausea & having the pain higher up on my mid section caused more pain than I anticipated. It also caused a lot of acid which I did not have prior to surgery...which was very uncomfortable. I thought it'd be a piece of cake...but instead I just laid around dreaming of cake. I must add that the nausea only lasted a week & I also quit pain meds after 4 days....so it wasn't too terrible. But the pain was not at all like a c section for me. It took me a solid 2 months to feel normal again...but now at 8 months out, I believe it was the greatest gift I ever gave myself...I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

I've never had a section but a few years back I had my appendix, gallbladder & pelvic surgery and I was so sore afterwards. I had my sleeve surgery on 12/12/14 and heard horror stories about the pain. I woke up in the recovery room and had a morophine pump to push as needed. They took me back to my room and I felt great. I walked fine, had zero gas pains and never pushed my morophine pump. They drew my laps at 4am (the next morning) and my sugar levels were low, at 61. They gave me sugars through my IV and then my sugars spiked at 180...I remember texting my mom asking her if she was up and she came up to the hospital. They removed my catheter, my pain med (which was fine I wasn't using them anyways) and she gave me something that looked like a BBQ sauce from McDonald's...I asked her what it was & she told me it was my pain meds to take at home. I literally almost threw up. It was a red cough medicine consistency that tasted awful and I had to sip it...she gave me a zofran and I finished it but was so nausea. I never took any pain meds after that. I'd rather be a little sore than sick! My doctor came in for rounds about 9am & I was sitting up in bed just smiling & he said "Whitney did you have surgery yesterday, you look great!"

Once they got my sugars under control I got to go home (they pulled that drain out prior to me leaving the hospital) & did great! I was up 5 days later getting a few last minute Christmas gifts! I'm only down 17 pounds since my preop appt on 11/25 but I only started at 236, so not too heavy!!!