Low pain tolerance + gastric sleeve?

[Savannah Lee 10]

Is it really painful after surgery? Plus these will be my first stitches!

[JamieLogical 8,727]

The pain seems to vary wildly depending on the patient. I had no pain at all around my incisions and no soreness in my abs. My only pain was cramps caused by my drain and gas pain. Neither was unbearable and I didn't take any pain meds after I left the surgical center the day after my surgery. My cramps went away the moment they pulled my drain out. The gas pain was mostly gone after the first couple of days, but I would still get it once in a while the first week or two. Marching in place seemed to help a lot with that.

Some people have pain around their incisions. Some people say their abs feel like they've done 1000 crunches. I didn;t experience any of that.

[glitter eyes 1,398]

Everyone's pain tolerance is so different. However, I am a complete wimp and have no pain tolerance whatsoever. I did surprisingly great after my surgery. I began walking as soon as I got to my room and walked every two hours while awake. I did take my nausea and pain meds around the clock for the first week and then was able to start taking them less and less.

I am not saying there wasn't any pain, but what I had was bearable. Maybe because I thought it was going to be so horrible that I was expecting the worse. LOL

This was also my first surgery and incisions.

Good luck to you! You can do it.

[jane13 2,256]

@@glitter eyes @ - this was my first surgery. I have had wisdom teeth and stitches a couple of times but nothing like the VSG. I had three small holes and one in my bellybutton. I didn't really have cramps, just difficulty laying straight back in the bed. I figured out I could sit down, feet on the floor - and then, lay over to my side then roll to my back. I slept with a pillow in front of my stomach just incase the husband accidentally bumped me. I wasn't in my home during recovery so our bed wasn't something we were used to -

[ShrinkingPeach 1,291]

For me, I had no significant pain and I was very fortunate to not have ANY gas pains. The most discomfort I felt was from the hernia repair. I also took my pain meds religiously around the clock for the first 3 days and then stopped. I was tired but relatively pain free as long as I was conscious of my movements and didn't stoop or go to fast. A few times I felt like I couldn't stand up tall so I didn't then that went away. Good luck!

[sbg224 318]

I had pain in shoulders and collarbone when in post op, but that quickly went away, also took pain meds for the 2 1/2 days in hospital, and only 1 dose when I got home. Still have some gas, but it does not hurt. No stitches for me just steri strips and they are slowly coming off. Good luck, you'll be OK

[JamieLogical 8,727]

No stitches for me just steri strips and they are slowly coming off. Good luck, you'll be OK

You have stitches. They are just subdermal.

[Savannah Lee 10]

Thank you all for being so helpful!

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Yes, there will be some discomfort, perhaps even some pain. But the severity and duration will really vary greatly.

That's what pain meds are for.

And it goes away.

Then there's the "gas pain" -- they pump your body up with CO2 so there's room in there to navigate around and operate without nicking a nearby organ. It takes up to 5 days for that gas to dissipate. That's why you are supposed to walk around a lot right after surgery until the gas is gone -- walking helps the gas stop being a gas and dissipate.

Good luck to you. If your surgeon is good, you'll probably be happy to discover how little pain you feel.

[Gingerish 113]

I have a high pain tolerance but I went in still thinking I was going to feel like I was hit by a bus. The only pain I experienced was the night after surgery and the following day from gas pains trying to escape my body. Other than that, I had minimal discomfort and was up and about the next afternoon. I was surprised at how well I did. I felt like a rockstar. Now to continue this positive outlook

[hockeyfan7 249]

I pretty much had no pain. I had one dose of morphine in the hospital that they gave me right after the surgery. I had one dose of liquid Vicodan because I had a major headache and that's what they brought me.

I have a big bottle of liquid Vicodan upstairs because I got the prescription filled but I didn't use any of it once I got home.