What to expect after surgery?

I have been reading through the posts and I am wondering what to expect, pain wise after surgery.

This whole time I have been telling myself that recovery will be easier than my c-section. I am 40lb lighter now than with my c-section and I had internal sutures, tube sutures that went from the muscle to the outside and then stables closing the incision. In my mind I am thinking that 6-8 smaller incisions will be easier for me to deal with than one large 6" incision.

What I am expecting is....
1. Sleeping on my back and being unable to side sleep for 2 months, unable to stomach sleep for about 4
2. Difficulty getting out of bed
3. Difficulty going from sitting to standing
4. Phantom pains on my side or sides from internal muscle tearing

Is there anything else that you guys can think of to help me mentally prepare for how it will be after surgery?

Thanks!

-Crystal

I know each person can be different so it's hard to answer.  Here is my experience... initially the pain was not too bad.  It took quite a bit of meds to get me from recovery back to my room but then I was fine and up walking. Late of day 2 in the hospital the pain hit hard and bad on my left area of stomach.  I don't want to say 'side' cuz it wasn't in my side.. it surrounded the largest insicion on the left area of my stomach.  In fact the pain was so bad they kept me through day 3 and I went home on 4.... surg. Monday morning and discharged Thursday noon.
At home, it was much like you stated, hard to move, get up.. o' to cough or sneeze was murder.  I slept in the recliner mostly.  The liquid Lortab would make me nauseous so stopped taking it.  After two weeks, I was feeling better except this horrible pain still in the left area of tummy.  I took two weeks off and began full time at work.. desk job.  At 3 weeks post op I couldn't take the pain any longer, mostly had wore me mentally down.  Surgeon did a ct and found nothing, said there was extensive bruising and tissue/muscle damage near that incision as that is where the largest instrument goes in and sometimes two cross and pinch stuff.  He gave me pill form of Lortab which I took 3 days and poof... all better.  :)

As far as compaired to c-section... this was much worse than mine.  My c-sect was back in '87 though, emergency for twins and sliced me from one hip to other.. but still, RNY was worse.  Guess it is an aging thing.

As far as your items.. #1 I think is extreme.  I am only 2 months out and can sleep however I want now.  I would say after 4-5 weeks, side sleeping felt good!.
#2 lasted for about 3-4 weeks... after pain pills.
#3 resolved once I took the pain pills in week 4
#4 again.. once thepain was resolved during week 4.. after the ct.. I have not had any pain.  I have began working out and all if fine.

As I mentioned above, I took 2 weeks off.. would have loved to have 3-4 and actually had to go home early many days.  But once the pain pills took the edge, I was good.  And I only took them 3 days.
Other people have said 1 week off was plenty, great for them but would never have worked for me.

Best of luck.  Expect the unexpected.  And no matter what.. when you start doubting yourself and thinking your a wimp... don't listen.  You just had your insides cut in half and rerouted... all through some itty bitty holes with instruments stretching, pushing, and pulling. 

Pamela

Breathe in, breathe out, move on.
Breathe in, breathe out, move on.
Breathe in, breathe out, move on.

(repeat as necessary)

Crystal,

I am about 2 weeks out. As the previous poster said everyone is different but this is my experience. I had surgery on a Wednesday morning, I was pretty out of it all day but by 8pm was up walking. The pain was annoying...but nothing like my C-sections. The next day I had to stand for about 5 minutes during the leak test then went back to my room, I was still on the pain pump. I slept both evenings on my back.  When I left the hospital Friday morning I was on liquid pain meds..took those for 2 days then pain was manageable without meds. (Plus meds can cause constipation which I did not want)

1. I slept on my back for about 8 nights..now I can do my sides.
2. The sitting up motion needed for getting out of bed was hard, but if you roll on your side and use your elbow to prop up..it is easier.
3. Sitting to standing was not hard...just slow and straitening up was slow as well. Just for the first 7-10 days. Now no problems.
4. No phantom pain for me.

As I said all of us are different but this is my experience. I wish you well..I am sure all will go smoothly.

Michele

Pain tolerances vary with the patient.  Most patients have minimal problems from the LAP RNY procedure, and from your reference to "6-8 smaller incisions", I'd guess that's the procedure you're having. The issues you note are probably most common with OPEN RNY procedures, not the LAP.  These issues may be present for the first few days after surgery. But ther real thing you need to be mentally prepared for is the LONG HAUL after surgery. I'd suggest locating a support group to address the many questions you'll be having after surgery.  Learning to swallow foods, portion control, keeping up with vitamin schedules, dumping issues, etc. are far more challenging than the first few days after surgery. DAVE

I had mine on 9/11.  I was out of it until about 9PM and then I was up and walking.  I got to go home at 4pm on 9/12.  I had a little bit of gas pain in my shoulders but it was gone by the end of Sunday.  I didn't have any pain...I filled the rx my surgeon gave me but haven't taken any of them.  I was able to sleep on my side with a pillow under me. I work from home so I was able to work on Monday with no real issues...just a little tired.  Started driving on Tuesday and have been getting stronger each day. 

I think I might be lucky but I also followed my doc's instructions to the letter before, during and after. 

I had 2 C sections and this was easier for me.

My first week I have lost 17 pounds!