C-sections and the band

Has anyone been banded and has had a c-section? I am curious about the discomfort/pain versus the two procedures. I have had 3 c-sections and the last one was really bad. I only wish I had been put under general anesthesia. Anyway, I have had a bad reaction to morphine so I have only had vicodin as pain medication. I am trying to see if the two procedures feel remotely similiar. I want to gear up and be mentally prepared for any possibility! Thanks!

Hi Ashley, I had a c section with my second daughter. It was much worse than the band. Post op with the band I had more stomach discomfort, gas pains and was able to walk around with no problem. With a c section, it hurt to get up, sit down, move around etc. It is a much bigger incision and a longer recuperation period. Good luck! Mary

I have never had a c-section, nor a baby, but I will tell you I'm 2 days post-op and I just feel like I'm getting over a work out for the first time. I came home yesturday from the hospital and started to clean up the house and felt fine. Then later that evening, my husband and I went for a short 15 minute walk outside. Even in the hospital I didn't need any help getting in and out of my bed. I've seen women who have had c-sections, and they do look painful. No worries.....cuz everything.............will be just fine. -Lea

Hi-Jack!! WOW Lea sounds like your doing great!! I'm so glad your doing well and your up and moving around. It might be too soon, but we are having dinner tonight at the Spring Creek in Lewisville if you and your hubby want to come and hang out w/us. We are meeting at 6:30, everyone would be blown away if you showed up. I wish you a continued smooth journey, sounds like your going to do "GREAT"!! ((HUGS)) ~Cher~

Ashley- NO Comparsion at all. I had 2 very easy c-sections, but there is no way these two surgeries are even close. Lap is so much easier(Of course that my opinion) I agree the gas pains and shoulder pain can be uncomfortable but walking seems to really get rid of that, and it is so easy to get up and down the incisions cause no pain, unlike a c-section. I agree with others that the stomach will ache like you just did 500 sit-ups thats the type of pain I felt. Not to bad. ANd if you are really tired and sore, you can lay down without a newborn screaming...lol Vicodin is the only thing I took, for 2 days at home then I was fine without any meds. 4 days later I felt great Good Luck! DA

had a c-section two years ago and was banded this past Jan. They are NOTHING alike! The c-section was much worse and the recovery was considerable longer. Banding was a walk in the park for me compared to my c-section.

Hello Ashley, I've had a really difficult c-section and a few abdominal surgeries related to getting pregnant or trying to stay pregnant. The lap band DOES NOT make the charts in discomfort and pain as compared to c-sections and other abdominal surgeries in my opinion. My c-section was a long vertical incision, not a horizonal bikini cut as is common right now. The baby was long, transverse and breech. They kept making the incision longer and longer and when I was put completely asleep (I also had a epidural), they cut almost to my chest and all the way down to my pelvic region. I had lots of scarring and adhesions from previous abdominal surgeries and the OBs had to cut on bowel and other organs to get a good view of my uterus to cut the baby out. I was in ICU for three days after the baby's birth, but she was (and still is) just fine and very healthy. That was nearly three years ago and I'm still having problems related to that c-section incision and my abdominal cavity wall has developed hernias. After my initial hernia repair, I developed a staph infection and had three more surgeries related to that between February and April. Through all this, we have worried about the lap band and the port area getting infected or swelling or "anything," but it's been the perfect little camper while the rest of my body has made the journey back from "pot." I think the lap band doesn't compare to c-sections and other abdominal surgeries because it's lap AND there are no internal levels of cutting going on during surgery. My first hernia repair was lap, but I had internal cuts and stitches. My angelette Nikki had the lap band a few weeks ago and she was walking and clear within a couple of hours. She's yet to feel the pain and discomfort that she expected and I don't think she had to use any time of narcotic pain killers. Any difficulties I had recovering right after the lap band were because of my pre-existing woes from the hernias and abdominal surgery scarring and adhesions. My liver was enlarged and it was nicked during surgery. I lost a unit of blood from that, but I've found that's common with the severly mobidly obese cases. I was near 350. Morphine does all kinds of head-tripping things, but it's not all that great for relieving my pain. I prefer Demoral in the hospital and Vicodin or Lortab at home. Mentally, it wasn't a hard surgery. Pain wise, if you've had three c-sections, it will be walk in the park. My best to you in your journey. Frances Journey and blog: francesspencer.blogspot.com (or push the "www" below)

I am probably going to be the only one saying this, but my C-section was MUCH easier than this banding surgery. With my C-section, I was out to eat and to the grocery the day after I left the hospital. This surgery is causing me much more pain and discomfort. Everyone is different. Mare

Ashley, I've had both procedures, and lap was WAY easier than c-section. Granted, I could eat after c-section........but then again, it's not weight loss surgery! duh! Everyone is different, though. It took only 2 days after lap for me to start feeling pretty darn good. Still had gas problems, but all in all, GOOD! With c-section, I didn't feel like I could walk for 4 days after! The incision bothered me for way longer than these tiny ones have irratated me. I only fely heavy pressure right after surgery the first day, then second day, was worst....hard to lean up cause tummy muscles were sore. But by the 3rd day, very good! I used liquid Vicadin for 3 days, every 5 or so hours. (didn't want it to get too sore) and mostly took it the third day cause I wasn't able to take my hip pain meds, and the Vicadin helped. Best of luck in your decision! Marti

My c-section was WAAAYYYYY more painful than the band. The day of the band I could get out of bed and walk around without any help at all - it wasn't that way for me with my c-section. You're still having surgery, so you can't expect it to be without discomfort and some pain, but compariatively, the band done laproscoptically is a walk in the park. Best to you, Teri