Hello from Alabama - ThinnerTimes

Shelli413 · 06-28-2007, 02:07 PM

Hello everyone!

I will be having gastric bypass surgery July 19th. Even though I have read tons of material, been to many classes, I still feel like I have a million questions to ask everyone. One question is......how much pain is actually associated with the surgery. I know everyone's pain is different, and I know even having the pain, it still cannot outweight the great results. I guess since I am going on this journey in just a short few weeks, I am trying to get a feel for several things.
Any and all advice would be helpful. Thank you!

Mavisavis · 06-28-2007, 02:11 PM

From everything I have read and know of from friends....this varies so much. I was fairly miserable for a few days, but was out and about quickly, just a few days and I was doing quick errands, a week and I went out to karaoke, about 3 weeks and I took an actual vacation. For me, it was more a nausea thing, a life change, a large adjustment, and lots of discomfort and feelings of being unsettled. The actual pain was short lived. But every pain was well worth my new life.

Shelli413 · 06-28-2007, 02:16 PM

I have heard there is lots of nausea...I am also having my gall bladder removed. I am fearful of there being gallstones in the bile duct...if that is the case, I will most likely have to have an "open" procedure.

JenBear7 · 06-28-2007, 07:54 PM

From what I hear... its a good thing you are having the gall bladder taken care of Now.. too many people with gall bladder issues lately!

Best of luck to you.. you are 10 days behind me...

Exciting isnt it... wait til you are sitting at your desk and you think... In 2 weeks... I'll be HOME from surgery! That was my first panic moment! lol.. ive been calm as a cucumber.. til then.. Back to being calm now.. not worried about the surgery.. pain doesnt last forever (for most people).. and I know this is what I need to do with my life... as I am sure you know this is what you have to do with your life.. so.. dont worry about the pain or it will be worse.. think about how you are going to rock the tool...

Good luck.. and keep us posted

MiladyB · 06-28-2007, 08:25 PM

In general the pain wasn't a major issue for me. If you are having an open procedure that may be a different story but what I have heard from most people is that the pain is usually relatively controlled with the pain meds.

I used the Diluadid PCA (pain pump) the first night before getting up to walk. Other than that I was fairly comfortable. The next day they started me on Loratab and got rid of the Diluadid. For a couple days I took it twice a day but didn't like the way it made me felt so I just went to the Tylenol Elixer for adults. (Don't take the children's liquid Tylenol. It has sugar in it.)

Pain is a very individualized thing but most people seem to find it tolerable with an occasional pain med.

Shelli413 · 06-29-2007, 07:01 AM

Wow! July 9th! I know you are ecstatic! I cannot believe it is almost time for my surgery. I went to my first meeting about the surgery November 2006...and here it is...surgery right around the corner. It almost doesn't seem real. Thank you for your kind words and best of luck to you!

Shelli413 · 06-29-2007, 07:02 AM

Beth- you look awesome! I hope I have such good success!

coptergirl · 06-29-2007, 07:04 AM

I had my surgery open and had my gallbladder removed at the same time (my choice). The pain was minimal, but i was gassy and nauseous and a bit dehydrated. Once I started to be hydrated things started to improve for me...Best of luck to you!

ceekerr · 06-29-2007, 07:46 AM

Hi, Shelli!

I had lap RNY and really had very little pain. I had a pain pump while in the hospital, was sent home with liquid loritab. I think I took 2 doses - really at night to sleep comfortably. Pain was really not an issue.

Good luck to you - it's good to see another Alabamian here! Tell us more - where you are in Alabama, any other details you care to share...

Carol

AlabamaChick · 06-29-2007, 07:52 AM

Hi Shelli! Where in Alabama are you located? Just wondering if we are close. I'm in Florence, which is the NW corner in Lauderdale County about an hour and 15 mins. from Huntsville. I'm very close to Carol, above who just posted.

To address your concerns, I had pretty intense pain and was on a morphine pump. I was supposed to be released within 24 hours after surgery, but was unable to tolerate the pain off of the pump that soon, so had to stay another night in the hospital and then I was fine to come on on Lortab liquid. This is more likely due to the fact that I was on chronic pain med before I had surgery, so I had built up a tolerance to pain med and it was harder to keep mine under control. As far as it being unbearable from what I remember now.....it was not. Yes, at the time I thought it was. But thinking back and it was not "OMG I'm dying" type pain. It was just VERY uncomfortable. I actually enjoyed getting up and walking while I was at the hospital. Sometimes I even felt better when I was up.

Now, my advice to you......Stop worrying about the pain, it will drive you nuts. By common sense and natural instinct, you know it's gonna hurt worse than pricking your finger, but yet at the same time, look how many people go through this every day...it's nothing you can't handle! Put that at the back of your mind and go into this with a positive and determined attitude until the very minute you go under and you will wake up as psyched as I was and totally determined to get out of that bed as soon as possible after surgery and be up in that hall doing my walking and healing. I knew that walking was my #1 priority after surgery to get better and I stayed focused and expected alot of myself. I was VERY determined.....so think POSITIVE and be DETERMINED! This is for your life honey.....make it a good thang! I was so excited to be working towards getting my life back!

Meanwhile, tell us a little bit about yourself. How much you weigh, what is your goal, etc? Put in your signature under your name like the rest of us so we can all see it. If you don't know how to do that, you look to the top and on the left side in the light blue bar and click USER CP and then on the left side on the top click EDIT SIGNATURE. Type in what you want in the little box and then click SAVE and waaaaaaaaaalaaaaaaa, you have a siggie.

If you have anymore questions or concerns feel free to express them here because we are a VERY open group and willing to talk about anything. Welcome to the forum family. It's always nice to have another Southern Sister on the board!