Pain levels

[Arual85 26]

I have my bypass Wednesday afternoon. I know I just had major surgery and don’t expect to be painless but I just wonder when it takes a turn for the better? I have hard time getting up by myself and the most pain isn’t near any incision, it’s to the left of my belly button where I assume they cut the intestine.

[cellbell 113]

My discharge info said I shouldn't need painkillers beyond Tylenol after 2-3 days but I was in more pain than that. I took the oxycodone and Lyrica for 3 days and then just Tylenol on the 4th until I broke and had to have more oxycodone on the 5th. That said, everyone's experience and tolerance varies! I feel like my pain may have been worse because my nurses were super unhelpful and didn't show me how to get up safely (there's apparently a trick to it that a lot of people get explained), and I also didn't have any info about needing to sleep sitting up or anything like that.

You can always check in with your surgeon if it doesn't start improving too!

[Soon2bFit21 109]

It just depends on the person. I have a very high pain tolerance and was in agony for the first 4-5 days post surgery. Most of the pain was gas in my chest/shoulder and from the hernia repair vs the actual VSG. I had almost no incisional pain. The surgery is so individual it’s hard to judge how your body will react and I know plenty of others that were in very minimal pain and needed zero pain meds after the same procedure.

[learn2cook 501]

I was miserable the first two days. Then I used Spanx to keep the loose stuff inside still so I wouldn’t feel pulling. I’m four weeks out and still sleep with spanx. I avoided the couch because it was too low and couldn’t get up without pain. I also bought a raised toilet seat to be independent. It was $20 on Carewell.com . Do whatever you need to do to get through it, no shame. You will get through! Talk with your bariatric professionals. They know what’s normal.

[Wickerbuni 17]

So not everyone gets a binder to wear? I thought I read somewhere that wearing a binder helps a lot with the pain.

[Arabesque 6,565]

There’s pain & there’s pain. Our tolerance to it is different & we heal & recover differently. Around day 4 +/- you shouldn’t need the extra strong pain meds & over the counter ones will suffice (remember not NSAIDS). Often the gas pain is what lingers or the pain from your abdominal muscles being stretched & strained from the surgery) .

Some people swear by binders others don’t use or need them. I was one who didn’t use or need one but I was also able to sleep on my side & tummy pretty much from day one. I do think that if you do struggle with mobility & movement (especially getting up & down) or carried a lot of your weight in your tummy region (we all carry out weight in different places:) you may find one helpful.