Does it Hurt?

[Scofield67]

Ok, my mind is virtually made up but I have one more question...

Does it hurt immediately after the op? and is there much scarring/stitches?

Thanks in advance to any replies.

[Ladyinwaiting]

Mine didn't, but I have a very high pain tolerance. It was sore, definitely not excruciating. There are 5 incisions (at least my dr anyway) biggest one being about 1.5 inches maybe, less then 2 near my belly button. That is where they removed the stomach. Your muscles inside are cut slightly to remove the stomach and so they are healing as well. You will feel a slight pulling sensation for about a week. Other then that, the worst part for me was the gas. And the pain from that only lasts about 4-5 days (different for everyone). the more you move, the better everything feels, including the gas. It is certainly doable. Good luck.

[Big Jon]

I was in pain in the recovery room, but when I got to my room the Morphine was flowing. I'm 3 weeks out... I had 4 incisions.

[DebbieD]

People are different but I was one of the really lucky ones. Virtually no pain at all. No gas pains, very minor nausea the first day. It was actually hard to imagine I had even had surgery I felt SO GOOD! Five small scars-no stitches- they used some kind of adhesive. No drain, NO HUNGER, I've lost 60 pounds since May 7 and feel great! If I had known how easy recovery was going to be I would have saved myself a LOT of worry.

[valdonlon]

I'm with DebbieD...I had NO gas at all. It helped that I used my pain pump A LOT and did 26 laps around the halls of the hospital...The pain was like if you did too many stomach crunches. Use your pain meds. That's what they're for...My doc used Dermabond, which is a glue adhesive. Stitches on the inside that dissolve. My glue came off in shower number 2. Seriously, the pain isn't nearly as bad as I expected. The people here seem so dramatic about it. I guess it was dramatic for them, but for a good few handfuls of us, we skated through with virtually no pain or problems. If you're not one of us lucky ones, it still won't be that bad. Most people have a 24 hour hospital stay. If you're vomiting a lot they will sometimes keep you longer.

[Jill S]

No pain. None. It's uncomfortable, sure, but they keep you on IV pain meds for the first 2 hours, then switch to oral meds, which they send you home with. You're not going to feel great, but it's not actual pain.

[abcmom03]

I had very little pain other than pulling when I would stand up or sit down. I had 5 incisions and 15 staples.

[mlrisser]

No pain for me. I was up walking as soon as the anesthesia wore off and I walked all night. Almost no nausea - my only complication, if you can even call it that was the fluids they gave during surgery and all day are high in salt which made my BP shoot up and my restless leg syndrome drove me nuts! My legs wouldn't stop jerking from the salt water so it was a VERY long night. I never actually went to sleep. But it was a small price to pay!

[JerseyGurl]

I had no idea what was going on for the whole rest of the day lol I don't even remember going up to my room from recovery. The first memory I have was in the night going to the bathroom and asking for pain meds. It wasn't unbearable pain but I wanted to stop it right then before it possibly had a chance to get there. The next day I felt good with the pain because I was getting dilaudid every 4 hours and nausea meds. I threw up most of the day anyway though and they had to switch my medicine to morphine. And everything was great from then on.

[Laura H]

I really had no pain they had a pain medication pump for the first day or so but I didn't use it much I had four 1" or 1.5" incisions kinda around my stomach area and one incision for the drain they were kinda super glued no stitches they did start to itch after 3 or 4 days

[bessie.marshall]

I had a hiatal hernia repair with my sleeve....no pain....just discomfort. I dry heaved a few times after surgery and that was painful, but honestly just sore. Im almost 3 weeks out and I'm still sore, but it gets better every day. It is well worth it! Ive lost 27 lbs since start of pre op diet....so less than 5 weeks.

[shastatan]

I had some pain after the surgery, especially in recovery and right after they moved me to my room. I was uncomfortable but kept saying no to increasing my pain meds. My mom finally convinced me to let them increase the dose and after that I felt much better. I used my pain pump every chance I could for the day I was there- I think it was set to every 10 minutes. The gas was uncomfortable but walking definitely helped. I was up using the bathroom and walking within a few hours after surgery. After that I walked every 2 hours or sooner even at night just because when I had my C-section 13 years ago I didn't walk because it hurt so bad and I remember my recovery took sooo much longer than it should have. Getting up sleeve post op I was sore- felt like I did a couple hundred sit ups the day before. I'm on day 8 post op now and haven't used any pain meds in 4 days. I'm just miserable now from the hives I got a couple days after surgery from an allergic reaction to the antibiotics they gave me. Once those clear up I think I'll feel normal again.

[MichelleH]

I had 6 incisions, 21 staples. I didn't really have any pain, not much nausea, and I was up walking quite a bit. The first day was a little shakey, but after that pretty good. I was tired a lot. I was out shopping with my 2 year old daughter on day 4. Although, by the time I got home I was a little swollen and needed a nap. LOL. My left side, from the mesh they put in my abdominal cavity, where they pulled the stomach out, is still a little sore. It's more of just a twinge. Other than staples itching, it hasn't been bad! Oh, I WILL say that the GAS from surgery was BY FAR the worst thing — and I've had a c-section! The gas lasted for a few days (4 or so) and it was INTENSE. Not like intestinal gas, but just like stuck in your belly gas (which is what it is). I popped gas-x strips and tabs like nobody's business. I still struggle a bit, but it's different kind now. Don't worry, momma! It's not too bad! I learned the hard way to use my pain meds as a PREVENTATIVE, rather than using them AFTER I already had pain. That was a huge help! I'm 10 days PO and feel great. Small price. Good luck.

[sososoph]

I would class myself as having a high pain tolerance. The day of surgery I had no pain at all - probably cos of all the drugs! The day after was painful, not excruciating pain or anything more uncomfortable especially after drinking. But I'm 3 days out now and hardly any pain x

[buster_ks]

I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of pain. I know I was and I was expecting to not be in much from my research.