PAIN for preops!! Post ops welcome!

I received a message from a gal (having VSG) about the pain I was having, I wrote back to her candidly because she wanted my truth. After a while I decided I should go ahead and post it for others. Post Ops feel free to put your opinions and experiences in, cause everyone is different. Preops please feel free to ask more questions here. This is not meant to scare you, just thought since one person had the question others might too. Remember, I also had a hernia so, I don't know which pain is from which procedure. For me the first day is over tenderness, over all achy (thrown down the stairs feeling), you aren't alert but the strong pain in your gut reminds you mostly when you try to move. Getting up felt like your stomach muscles could only expand 1/2 inch, so it hurt to stand up right. There is stabbing pain when trying to reach for something to far away including wiping. I also had uncomfortable situation with my soft palate due to the tube going down my throat. That was more annoying than anything and cleared up at home. At home just walking and making new move started the stabbing pain. While I was having constant dull pain as things are healing. I wouldn't call the next things pain but new sensations. I felt whooshes go from my left to right. I would feel a pressure (now I know means stop eating), I also felt a churning 2 types (one I'm hungry, the other was stuff moving through intestines). Now the big pain (hard, sharp) is pretty much gone 3 of my 5 wounds seem to have no pain at all. I can wipe up front, reach for things, even do some turning exercises, but then comes the bloated solid feeling that puts pressure on your already sore muscles. That's the gas. Everyone complains about the gas! It sneaks up on you because you think you are feeling better, than there's all the pressure, bloating and it pushes on sore muscles. I've never felt so much relief as when my cannons let loose! They are loud and give temporary comfort. Now with the big pain gone I'm still whining about my right abdomen, it's very tender, gets a little warm and reacts to everything, but you see now that the other pain is gone, that's all that's on my mind. I put a cool compress on it when it gets warm or aches too much it help and noticed those two would are getting better looking. All in all keep in mind that they are opening you up, moving your liver aside, cutting a piece of you and pulling it through a small hole. Your muscles are bruised inside. They don't normally get touched so bruise easily. That said, I should have known better, I had a c-section and appendectomy, but as time goes on the actual pain memory is harder to remember in detail and it's the good nurse or bad nurse, the good food or bad food that will stick your memory. I'm day 6 and already trying to describe to you some of the early pain was hard. Pain makes you live in the moment, so you only focus on what's happening now. Some had good experiences with morphine and even more on the loritab. There are items Dr. or nurse can give you for gas or stool softeners, not to mention nausea and gerd. There's a lot of knowledge out there, be prepared. Stock your shelves now for your 3 week liquid diet, get your chewable vitamins, protein drink, B12, calcium and adult Tylenol now. Before you are discharged form the hospital make sure they give you items for gas, gerd, nausea, pain and stool softener. Also, I took home 15 new 1 ounce cups form the hospital. It helps me keep track, and it's easy to measure and get down. I hope this helps you. Remember though everyone is different. ::hugs:: Cyndi

Cyndi, Thanks for the post, it was very informative!! Hugs, Nicole