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Question about Post-Op Pain



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Hi all! I will be having my surgery in December. The actual date is still up in the air since I have two appointments to go to satisfy my surgeon.

Where I work, I have 6 people that I know who have gotten the sleeve and all were back quickly (week or two) and claim some nausea but very little actual surgery pain. The people I have met that were working out at the hospital's gym ($4 a visit and nutritionists and nurses available!) pretty much echo what my friends have said. Minor discomfort and some nausea. My surgeon also said that nausea will be the biggest issue and not so much the incisions. He said that since I did well (almost no pain... like scratches imo) with both my gall bladder and appendix removals, I will probably be fine with this. I went to work the next day with both of those surgeries (I work at a desk. Now I can take my work laptop home and handle things there anyway).

Anyway, I come to this forum and another and all I see are people saying that the surgery is super painful and they are out for weeks and weeks. Is this a case like bad reviews on Yelp where the dissatisfied tend to make more noise (not invalidating their claims, totally believe them) and the satisfied folks tend to just go on?

I have a high tolerance for pain. Big baby about nausea but I am prepared lol. Just wondering why when speaking to patients here in my real regular old life the experiences are so much more positive than many I read here.

So please, good and bad. Let me know!

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Besides being in the hospital for 2 full days, and getting torodol for pain those 2 days, I have only had to take 1 Narco since being home. The nausea was terrible. But it has become minimal. I have been sleeping in my recliner since getting home also. I am a live in nanny, so I stayed off the rest of last week but she is 3 1/2, so does not need me to do much for her except feed her! Next week I will start walking with her. Good luck!


SW:350
BSW:260 (10/17/17)
CW:256
GW:175

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Thanks! They gave me morphine after my appendectomy and it did nothing so I asked for plain old Tylenol. After my gall bladder surgery, I got a little sore in the afternoon at work and I took a Percocet. All that did is make me tell my coworker that I loved her and that I could see there was such a nice person deep on the inside. Never again. There was NO nice person hiding in there. I took Tylenol after that.

I just spoke to my surgeon's office and it looks like either the 20th or the 27th of December. I am hoping I can get the 27th because I have annual leave and can incorporate the holidays in. I am low on sick leave but I have a ton of annual. Paid time off is paid time off!

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12 minutes ago, Lufifi said:

Hi all! I will be having my surgery in December. The actual date is still up in the air since I have two appointments to go to satisfy my surgeon.

Where I work, I have 6 people that I know who have gotten the sleeve and all were back quickly (week or two) and claim some nausea but very little actual surgery pain. The people I have met that were working out at the hospital's gym ($4 a visit and nutritionists and nurses available!) pretty much echo what my friends have said. Minor discomfort and some nausea. My surgeon also said that nausea will be the biggest issue and not so much the incisions. He said that since I did well (almost no pain... like scratches imo) with both my gall bladder and appendix removals, I will probably be fine with this. I went to work the next day with both of those surgeries (I work at a desk. Now I can take my work laptop home and handle things there anyway).

Anyway, I come to this forum and another and all I see are people saying that the surgery is super painful and they are out for weeks and weeks. Is this a case like bad reviews on Yelp where the dissatisfied tend to make more noise (not invalidating their claims, totally believe them) and the satisfied folks tend to just go on?

I have a high tolerance for pain. Big baby about nausea but I am prepared lol. Just wondering why when speaking to patients here in my real regular old life the experiences are so much more positive than many I read here.

So please, good and bad. Let me know!

Congratulations on your upcoming surgery.

I think it's who you talk to online. Many of us have had positive experiences. An individual's pain tolerance is going to be different for any surgery procedure.

You have experience with prior surgery. I believe you have the right head space with what your pain level will be.

My perspective is the pain was minimal. The surgery was nothing compared to giving birth to a child..lol I was up and walking the day after surgery (helps the healing process) I bounced back quickly. No nausea. I had no appetite.

When you are online at any forum, take what is useful to you.

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Just now, jenn1 said:

Congratulations on your upcoming surgery.

I think it's who you talk to online. Many of us have had positive experiences. An individual's pain tolerance is going to be different for any surgery procedure.

You have experience with prior surgery. I believe you have the right head space with what your pain level will be.

My perspective is the pain was minimal. The surgery was nothing compared to giving birth to a child..lol I was up and walking the day after surgery (helps the healing process) I bounced back quickly. No nausea. I had no appetite.

When you are online at any forum, take what is useful to you.

That's what I thought. I stayed overnight with my appendectomy. (Had it as an adult. I like to be different.) They had me walking that night.

I'm so excited though! My mother had a bypass 14 years ago and has kept it off, and at 70 only needs a Multivitamin. Glad I have her as support and also I have seen what she went through and know what I am in for. I know it's a different surgery but so many things the same.

Thanks so much for your input!

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Hi all! I will be having my surgery in December. The actual date is still up in the air since I have two appointments to go to satisfy my surgeon.
Where I work, I have 6 people that I know who have gotten the sleeve and all were back quickly (week or two) and claim some nausea but very little actual surgery pain. The people I have met that were working out at the hospital's gym ($4 a visit and nutritionists and nurses available!) pretty much echo what my friends have said. Minor discomfort and some nausea. My surgeon also said that nausea will be the biggest issue and not so much the incisions. He said that since I did well (almost no pain... like scratches imo) with both my gall bladder and appendix removals, I will probably be fine with this. I went to work the next day with both of those surgeries (I work at a desk. Now I can take my work laptop home and handle things there anyway).
Anyway, I come to this forum and another and all I see are people saying that the surgery is super painful and they are out for weeks and weeks. Is this a case like bad reviews on Yelp where the dissatisfied tend to make more noise (not invalidating their claims, totally believe them) and the satisfied folks tend to just go on?
I have a high tolerance for pain. Big baby about nausea but I am prepared lol. Just wondering why when speaking to patients here in my real regular old life the experiences are so much more positive than many I read here.
So please, good and bad. Let me know!


Just had surgery yesterday (10/24/17). In fact still in my hospital room waiting to.be discharged. The best way to describe the pain is: I feel like I did waay too many sit.ups and crunches at the gym. Abdomen is sore, but it is bearable.

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3 minutes ago, Killian said:


Just had surgery yesterday (10/24/17). In fact still in my hospital room waiting to.be discharged. The best way to describe the pain is: I feel like I did waay too many sit.ups and crunches at the gym. Abdomen is sore, but it is bearable.

That is EXACTLY how I have described my gall bladder and appendectomy. Anyway... CONGRATS!!! Are you nauseous? Getting discharged today?

So exciting!

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Everyone is different, of course, but my experience was excellent. I had virtually no gas pain, no incision pain, stomach muscles were fine and no nausea. never took any pain meds. I told my surgeon that I've had worse paper cuts!

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1 hour ago, Lufifi said:

That is EXACTLY how I have described my gall bladder and appendectomy. Anyway... CONGRATS!!! Are you nauseous? Getting discharged today?

So exciting!

Discharged today at 12:15! Not nauseous, but on meds for that..have a patch behind my ear until tomorrow. They did give me a sript to take as needed if nauseous.

Edited by Killian

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Hi all! I will be having my surgery in December. The actual date is still up in the air since I have two appointments to go to satisfy my surgeon.
Where I work, I have 6 people that I know who have gotten the sleeve and all were back quickly (week or two) and claim some nausea but very little actual surgery pain. The people I have met that were working out at the hospital's gym ($4 a visit and nutritionists and nurses available!) pretty much echo what my friends have said. Minor discomfort and some nausea. My surgeon also said that nausea will be the biggest issue and not so much the incisions. He said that since I did well (almost no pain... like scratches imo) with both my gall bladder and appendix removals, I will probably be fine with this. I went to work the next day with both of those surgeries (I work at a desk. Now I can take my work laptop home and handle things there anyway).
Anyway, I come to this forum and another and all I see are people saying that the surgery is super painful and they are out for weeks and weeks. Is this a case like bad reviews on Yelp where the dissatisfied tend to make more noise (not invalidating their claims, totally believe them) and the satisfied folks tend to just go on?
I have a high tolerance for pain. Big baby about nausea but I am prepared lol. Just wondering why when speaking to patients here in my real regular old life the experiences are so much more positive than many I read here.
So please, good and bad. Let me know!

I don’t remember having pain but then again They kept me very comfortable with pain meds. I only got nauseated when I walked the first day. I was back to work at almost two weeks. I am 5 weeks post surg and have lost 30 pounds. I am very happy about having the surgery but was very apprehensive about having it at all.

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I did not have any nausea and had a pain pump for the incisions. I felt great about day 3, just weak and tired. I work from home and was glad I took off a week. It took forever to eat/drink my meals and walk. I would do it over again in a heart beat! Totally worth it.


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I only had a bit of nausea and it was due to the anesthesia and is an issue I've had (I've had an appendectomy, a C Section and 3 D&Cs since 2008) in the past. I had no nausea from the surgery or while moving through the stages.

As for the pain it's tolerable. I was out of work for 2 weeks and I have a desk job. I had most issues at night trying to sleep and while in the hospital while my drain was in while in the hospital is was painful.

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Hi all! I will be having my surgery in December. The actual date is still up in the air since I have two appointments to go to satisfy my surgeon.
Where I work, I have 6 people that I know who have gotten the sleeve and all were back quickly (week or two) and claim some nausea but very little actual surgery pain. The people I have met that were working out at the hospital's gym ($4 a visit and nutritionists and nurses available!) pretty much echo what my friends have said. Minor discomfort and some nausea. My surgeon also said that nausea will be the biggest issue and not so much the incisions. He said that since I did well (almost no pain... like scratches imo) with both my gall bladder and appendix removals, I will probably be fine with this. I went to work the next day with both of those surgeries (I work at a desk. Now I can take my work laptop home and handle things there anyway).
Anyway, I come to this forum and another and all I see are people saying that the surgery is super painful and they are out for weeks and weeks. Is this a case like bad reviews on Yelp where the dissatisfied tend to make more noise (not invalidating their claims, totally believe them) and the satisfied folks tend to just go on?
I have a high tolerance for pain. Big baby about nausea but I am prepared lol. Just wondering why when speaking to patients here in my real regular old life the experiences are so much more positive than many I read here.
So please, good and bad. Let me know!

No nausea or gas pains. Just soreness.


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I had pain from the gas they blew me up with .. I had to have help getting out of bed for about 3 days because it literally felt like my gut was being ripped when I moved but it was quick and the pain didn’t last only when I got up.. I was giving pain meds at hospital and stopped them on the second day and haven’t taken any since so the pain is more like discomfort unless u get up.. but it’s quick and it goes away .. incisions are tinder


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For me, The pain from the incisions was minimal. The pain from the gas on the other hand was pretty awful for the first 5 days in my shoulders, It felt like an elephant was sitting on me. I didn’t take any pain meds after my stay in hospital. I took a month off work as I have a very active job with lots of lifting but I could have gone back after two weeks with no problems. In saying that, You really don’t realise until after the surgery how much of a new full time job this is, Trying to reach Protein and Water goals takes a lot of effort, So I don’t think having the extra time off was a waste for me :)


VSG: 1st Sept 2017. [emoji1037] 30. SW:130kg. CW: 102kg.

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