How painful is gastric sleeve post-op?

[LaLaLand 17]

2 minutes ago, Tomo said:

When I had my vsg, I took Tylenol powder packs when I got home for a day, it went very smooth. I did have gas pains so when I went for my revision to RNY this past August, I remembered to chew on some mylanta mini tabs too. No gas pains, and was even smoother.

Thanks for the reply, Tomo. Are you allowed the Mylanta mini tabs straight after surgery to help with the gas pains? Seems like this is the main issue with a lot of sleevers post-op & I’ll get some if it helps, thanks!

[LaLaLand 17]

1 hour ago, ThinIce said:

I'm 7 weeks post op today, so happily losing weight with pain a distant memory. However, my recollection is that my worst pain was horrible back muscle spasms as I woke up from anesthesia. This lasted for a few hours. Nurses told me I was on the surgical "board" for quite a long while due to complications elsewhere and I believe it. I struggle to lay on any sort of flat surface due to my "curves." Just doing the dexa scan was torture and I was deep breathing the whole time just to get through it. The tech felt sorry for me it was so hard for me to get up afterwards. Told her hopefully the 6 month post op scan will be much better since my butt will be so much smaller!

Anyway, while inpatient they gave me tordol IV for the pain which has always been my favorite for incisional pain - but you can only have so many doses. They sent me home with hydrocodone which I took very little of.

Gosh, it sounds like you went through quite an ordeal. I’m sure you’re looking forward to a smaller frame so that it is less painful for you. How is the curve now? Better?

I sleep on my front so I’m going to struggle with getting used to being on my back. I guess it’s a small price to pay!

[ShoppGirl 3,341]

1 hour ago, LaLaLand said:

Seems like it’s one or the other & there’s no way of knowing until you go in. Eek!

Yea. I have been around here going on a year and a half now and the BIGGEST complaint seems to be the gas pains which go away in a few days for most. There are alot of people that didn’t have much pain though. We don’t like to seem like we’re rubbing it in when others are currently in pain (at least I don’t) and of course didn’t need to post anything looking for help so we don’t say it as often but I have seen quite a few.

Edited August 25, 2022 by ShoppGirl
Corrected to speak for myself only. Lol

[suzecate 67]

The nurses called my case "outside the bell curve." I had so much pain I couldn't get up for the first time until 13 hours after my surgery, and that's saying something since I don't have a low pain tolerance. I also had to spend a 2nd night in the hospital in the cardiac wing (not the bariatric wing because of my blood pressure going through the roof), but then suddenly I turned a corner in terms of pain and everything else, and now I'm 3.5 days post-surgery at home and doing quite well. I've had one dose of Tylenol since getting home yesterday afternoon. Hurts when you'd expect it to hurt... getting up, going up the 2 flights of stairs in my townhome, getting into a tall pillowtop bed, coughing hard, but it's quite low and manageable all the rest of the time. I'm getting up every half hour to move for 2 minutes.

[ThinIce 33]

6 hours ago, LaLaLand said:

Gosh, it sounds like you went through quite an ordeal. I’m sure you’re looking forward to a smaller frame so that it is less painful for you. How is the curve now? Better?

I sleep on my front so I’m going to struggle with getting used to being on my back. I guess it’s a small price to pay!

Better - I think. The real test will be the dexa scan table at six months. I do know I'm sleeping SO much better now 38 pounds lighter which now that I think of it may be related to more normal joint positioning as things shrink and shift. I no longer wake up in pain at all which just dawned on me.

[Tomo 1,135]

Thanks for the reply, Tomo. Are you allowed the Mylanta mini tabs straight after surgery to help with the gas pains? Seems like this is the main issue with a lot of sleevers post-op & I’ll get some if it helps, thanks!

Yes. And the fruit ones tastes so good and they are tiny tiny.

[LaLaLand 17]

7 hours ago, suzecate said:

The nurses called my case "outside the bell curve." I had so much pain I couldn't get up for the first time until 13 hours after my surgery, and that's saying something since I don't have a low pain tolerance. I also had to spend a 2nd night in the hospital in the cardiac wing (not the bariatric wing because of my blood pressure going through the roof), but then suddenly I turned a corner in terms of pain and everything else, and now I'm 3.5 days post-surgery at home and doing quite well. I've had one dose of Tylenol since getting home yesterday afternoon. Hurts when you'd expect it to hurt... getting up, going up the 2 flights of stairs in my townhome, getting into a tall pillowtop bed, coughing hard, but it's quite low and manageable all the rest of the time. I'm getting up every half hour to move for 2 minutes.

Hi, Suze. This is my fear as I have a low pain threshold. Glad to read that you’re doing better now.

[LaLaLand 17]

5 hours ago, Tomo said:

Yes. And the fruit ones tastes so good and they are tiny tiny.

I’ve been told by my clinic that I can’t take anything in with me & that they’ll supply any meds needed. I might sneak a packet in anyway to have at the hotel afterwards! 😅

[LookingForward22 320]

Everyone is different, but this is my experience.

I was given meds before surgery to help with after. Immediately after surgery I had gas pain, as expected. It was notable, but manageable and it disappeared quickly.

In the hospital they gave me a muscle relaxer (made me sleepy), medicine for nerve pain (had that for three days post release), and Tylenol. I also woke up from surgery with a binder on.

I was walking and moving pretty easily that day, I was sore… but honestly once the gas pain dissipated, it was really manageable. I was there over night, and walking pretty normally by discharge.

I’d say I mostly had discomfort - certainly pain if I moved around to quickly (bend or reach) but it was not sustained.

I also used heat packs in the hospital and shortly after - and ice packs on my incision where my stomach came out and over areas of the nerve pain.

Today I’m 10 days out… I still experience some mild nerve pain (but not bad at all). Of my 5 incisions, only the one where the removal was is at all tender around the incisions area - but that’s more of an intense bruise feeling. I still wear my binder as it helps keep the skin pulling but I carry a lot of my weight in my abdomen. I take Tylenol occasionally - but really needed all the time.

[Tufflaw 463]

I don't think Mylanta will really do anything - these aren't typical gas pains which are in your actual stomach, it's pain from the air that's pumped into your body to give the surgeon room to work so it's not actually in your stomach but your body cavity itself, which is why it doesn't hurt your stomach but your shoulders and back because it's rising.

[suzecate 67]

5 hours ago, LaLaLand said:

Hi, Suze. This is my fear as I have a low pain threshold. Glad to read that you’re doing better now.

Don't let me scare you off. I'm only 4 days post op, but I'm still convinced this was my best choice--no regrets. I also could have taken more of the heavy pain meds, but I've always been scared of those with a family history of addiction, so I was taking half doses for a day then only Tylenol the second day.

[RaisnHL 20]

So I might be the minority here, but I want to keep it real because I wish I would have been more prepared….

Pain initially after surgery wasn’t bad, largest Incision hurt the worst. However, waking up from anesthesia did not go so well. I woke up incredibly nauseous, and vomited multiple times, As you can imagine it was incredibly uncomfortable. Due to the anesthesia, I slept most of the day following my surgery. Most say that they have intense gas pains post Surgery, however I never felt any gas pains.

The biggest struggle for me in the hospital was not being able to go to the bathroom by myself. The anesthesia caused me to not be able to go. I ended up having to stay at the hospital an additional night due to this. This wasn’t some thing that I was prepared for, or some thing I had seen mention from anyone else on these boards. Apparently I just had a difficult recovery from anesthesia.

Once I came home, the pain was very minimal. However, the nausea was still difficult to deal with, and made it hard to drink anything. I noticed after a day or two at home my legs were very weak I was having a hard time even going up my stairs. Once I stop taking pain meds, the weakness in my legs was gone. So just a heads up when you’re taking pain meds to watch out for other side effects. Those are just a few things I wish I would’ve known before surgery.

[AlyA 1]

Hello! I had my VGS surgery 8 days ago, and for me, there has been a lot of pain. Not while I was in the hospital - they gave me Demerol for the post surgery pain, but at home. Actually I woke up from the surgery and anesthesia in pain and told them so, first thing. They gave me the max pain meds they could and more pain meds when I went back to my room. So for me, there was and still is pain. The pain I am having now comes from one particular place on my abdomen - on the left side where my stomach is, and I understand there is an incision there from which the stomach is removed to make the sleeve and then closed in a way which prevents surgical hernias. This area has made it uncomfortable to sleep, I still cannot lie on my left side to sleep and I am a side sleeper. Its sometimes hard to stand upright or if I twist or bend a certain way the pain is sharp and intense. It’s getting better, but this has been the greatest issue for me. They sent me home with Tylenol only, so beyond the first two days in the hospital after the surgery, I have had no serious pain meds. Oddly enough, my sister had the VGS done ten years ago (she’s still doing great) and had no pain at all. BUT she was given some serious pain meds to take. Good luck, I regret nothing, so happy I did this, lost 7kg+ and it’s only been 8 days, onward ho!

Edited August 26, 2022 by AlyA
Error in capitals

[Tomo 1,135]

6 hours ago, LaLaLand said:

I’ve been told by my clinic that I can’t take anything in with me & that they’ll supply any meds needed. I might sneak a packet in anyway to have at the hotel afterwards! 😅

They may give you GasX, the kind that dissolves on your tongue. That seemed to work ok too. It's just I prefer the taste of the mylanta mini tabs and I still use them regularly if needed. Maybe you can call and see what gas pain relief they give you. My surgeon said GasX but any is fine. Above all, walk as much as possible. Forgot to say that part.

Edited August 26, 2022 by Tomo
added more info

[LaLaLand 17]

10 hours ago, LookingForward22 said:

Everyone is different, but this is my experience.

I was given meds before surgery to help with after. Immediately after surgery I had gas pain, as expected. It was notable, but manageable and it disappeared quickly.

In the hospital they gave me a muscle relaxer (made me sleepy), medicine for nerve pain (had that for three days post release), and Tylenol. I also woke up from surgery with a binder on.

I was walking and moving pretty easily that day, I was sore… but honestly once the gas pain dissipated, it was really manageable. I was there over night, and walking pretty normally by discharge.

I’d say I mostly had discomfort - certainly pain if I moved around to quickly (bend or reach) but it was not sustained.

I also used heat packs in the hospital and shortly after - and ice packs on my incision where my stomach came out and over areas of the nerve pain.

Today I’m 10 days out… I still experience some mild nerve pain (but not bad at all). Of my 5 incisions, only the one where the removal was is at all tender around the incisions area - but that’s more of an intense bruise feeling. I still wear my binder as it helps keep the skin pulling but I carry a lot of my weight in my abdomen. I take Tylenol occasionally - but really needed all the time.

Thanks, LookingForward. I’m going to write this down & ask for the medical staff to let me have these. How are you doing now?