Is pain normal?

[Hiccup 32]

Hey everyone!

Had my surgery on September 4th.

I'm 37 years old and I weighed 445 lb 2 weeks before the surgery. Lost 11 lb by d-day.

Surgery done, doctor said my kidney was so far from my stomach so much so it all went perfectly well.

Now, come to day 4 and I still have pain in my upper chest it feels like someone is stabbing me. it's not constant, it comes and goes but when it comes it's painful, not extremely severe but pretty damn painful, ESPECIALLY WHEN I BURP which is happening quiet a lot eventhough I'm regularly releasing wind (aka farting) is this normal 4 days after the surgery? I read in most cases the pains will go by the second day or so.

Also, the wounds where the cuts were made feel oddly itchy today which wasnt the case before, could it be that they're healing or did I not clean/dry them well after my first post-op shower today?

And lastly, what's up with sleeping? does anyone else who did the surgery in my weight feel like they're unable to lay down anymore from the discomfort of their big belly? I feel like not only is it painful to sleep on my tummy or sides but even when I sleep on my back I feel an enormous pressure from my tummy pushing towards my inner stomach and way to my back which gives me the feeling of choking and I'm unable to breathe.

Let me know what ya'll think.

Thanks!

Edited September 7, 2021 by Hiccup

[Sunnyway 344]

That chest pain can come if you consume "too much". You'll learn to recognize your new "full" sensation and stop consuming IMMEDIATELY. A bite or two more can cause pain.

When sleeping on your back your stomach and other organs press on your lungs which lie closer to your back. can This can give you the feeling of being unable to breathe. Lying supine is probably not the best position for you until you lose a significant portion of your weight..

Try sleeping on your side with a pillow under your belly. This prevents pressure and straining on your incisions and supports the weight of your belly. Hold that pillow over your belly when you are getting up, too.

Some patients like to use a belly band to prevent jiggling.

Gently rubbing Vitamin E oil on your incisions can help the itching and encourage healing.

[Jodikins67 13]

6 hours ago, Hiccup said:

Hey everyone!

Had my surgery on September 4th.

I'm 37 years old and I weighed 445 lb 2 weeks before the surgery. Lost 11 lb by d-day.

Surgery done, doctor said my kidney was so far from my stomach so much so it all went perfectly well.

Now, come to day 4 and I still have pain in my upper chest it feels like someone is stabbing me. it's not constant, it comes and goes but when it comes it's painful, not extremely severe but pretty damn painful, ESPECIALLY WHEN I BURP which is happening quiet a lot eventhough I'm regularly releasing wind (aka farting) is this normal 4 days after the surgery? I read in most cases the pains will go by the second day or so.

Also, the wounds where the cuts were made feel oddly itchy today which wasnt the case before, could it be that they're healing or did I not clean/dry them well after my first post-op shower today?

And lastly, what's up with sleeping? does anyone else who did the surgery in my weight feel like they're unable to lay down anymore from the discomfort of their big belly? I feel like not only is it painful to sleep on my tummy or sides but even when I sleep on my back I feel an enormous pressure from my tummy pushing towards my inner stomach and way to my back which gives me the feeling of choking and I'm unable to breathe.

Let me know what ya'll think.

Thanks!

I had surgery June 22nd. I had pain that I thought was gas….it got pretty intense. It was actually spasms in my pouch and esophagus. I drank warm peppermint tea and used a heating pad on my upper stomach and chest. Pain was totally gone in 1 week. Good luck!!!!

Edited September 8, 2021 by Jodikins67
Also, I slept up just kind of reclined for about a week

[Arabesque 6,494]

There’s pain & there’s pain. Towards the end of the first week most if not all the surgical pain requiring strong pain meds tends to have passed. But you may still experience discomfort, twinges, & short, sharp stabs of pain. Yes, the pain across your chest could be from drinking too quickly & putting strain on your healing tummy (remember all those stitches & staples holding your tummy together). Burping is likely also putting stress on your tummy pressuring the tender muscles & forcing your oesophageal sphincter to open. Watch swallowing too much air as you sip & sip slowly. It could also be oesophageal spasms. As @Jodikins67 suggested warm drinks like herbal or green tea & heating pads can helps. It can also be the surgical gas which can take a week or more to escape your body. It can also be muscle strain from where your muscles were expanded & stretched during surgery.

The itchy wound sites can be from healing (of the wound itself but also nerve endings) but if you notice redness, a discharge, swelling, a smell call you doctor or go to the hospital as it could be an infection.

Many say they struggle to sleep on their side or tummy for a short while after surgery. Don’t know if it’s starting weight related or just one of those things.

Good luck & congrats on your surgery.

[Hiccup 32]

thank you so much everyone for your tips and opinions I really appreciate every one of you who commented it really helped me understand it better. Thanks again!

[jenny8791 11]

Regarding the pain - walking helped me immensely. I had pain for two reasons - the gas pain from the air they fill the body with during surgery and pain/pressure whenever I ate or drank anything. The thing that helped me the most was pacing up and down the hallway. To this day I still do that if I'm feeling any discomfort at all.

I had the best luck sleeping on my back, but elevated and with my legs elevated. I was so thankful that my best friend had the surgery years ago and knew exactly what I was going to go through. She has one of those adjustable beds and offered for me to recover at her house. The bed was just what I needed to sleep well. I stayed for almost a week, but learned to still elevate myself and my knees when i went home. I just had to use pillows. This also made it easier to get up without straining. I couldn't tolerate being on my side or my stomach. It was a few weeks before I went to my side, and I still used some pillows to help lower pressure points.