Pain???? DONT LIE!!!!!!!

Jaimie, Thanks for answering my post. I sent you an email. Someone said the WLS experience is better than childbirth experience, cuz when you come home you dont have a crying baby to care for,just yourself. That will be soooooooooo nice! take care willby

Willby, dahling.....................I would never lie to you or anyone on this board. I woke up and kinda remember my mom and hubby and I remember saying "Mom my back is killing me". I think from laying flat for so long and I did have back surgery a few years ago. I had a pain pump and I used it. Now are you sitting down. I'm not gonna sugar coat this one. My surgeon gets you up the night of surgery. I'm gonna tell you this I had to wear a binder for six weeks and the first time I had to get up, I swear, I thought my guts were spilling out on the floor. NO LIE. No pain, just a very weird feeling. Very weird. Now I had my surgery open. So he cut me wide open!!!! I had no drain tubes, no visible stitches, no staples no nose tube. I woke up with a gauze strip like a pad down my belly and a binder wrapped around me. That's it. Pretty cool. So don't get all freaked out about it. It will be ok. Do you realize how many of these surgeries are done now????? Also, I've never had kids so I don't know about the child bearing thing, but with the pain I had before my back surgery, I would have GBP everyday for the rest of my life, before I'd want that pain again. And just remember....."Thin feels wonderful, I'm learning that". It was worth everything I went through and I am still struggling with. I'd have the surgery again for you if I could. Hope this helps!!!! Luff ya!!!~~~ Carmella

carmella, You are such a sweetie! Your offer to go through this surgery again for me was sooooooooooooooooooooo nice. I'm going to stand tall and not complain or be scared anymore (well, today at least). Your words of encouragement are really appreciated!! take care willby

Willby, Don't let anyone kid you, there's pain with any surgery ... but this surgery pain wasn't as bad as I was anticipating. I've had two other major surgeries (breast and carotid) and delivered twins ... and, even though this is the longest incision I've ever had, it's been the least painful in healing. Post-op I was on a pain meds pump, but the morphine solution really weirded me out, so I quit it as soon as possible. I'd have to vote for "Oh ... this isn't so bad" in terms of pain. Myra

Oh and I left out back surgery, so make that 3 majors ... *that* was definitely the most painful of all. (see how we tend to put the most miserable things of our lives out of our minds? LOL) Myra

Myra, thanks for taking the time to answer my post. Everyone seems to be on the side of "its not so bad". you all have definitley made me feel better! Thank you! take care willby

Wilby, The only thing that I felt at all was where my drain was and that was just a little pressure and not painful. I have several medical issues that keep me in constant pain so I know pain. This was NOTHING... I know that isn't the same experience that everyone has but surgery really was a walk in the park for me. I actually was in less pain while in the hospital than I have been for years because of the pain meds (I had a PCA pump and used it VERY little and refused any other pain meds becuase I didn't need it). I was up and walking within hours or surgery and drove myself home two days later. I was off work a total of 6 days and those were spent doing some resting but each and every day I was out of the house doing something... a movie, church, shopping, etc. I know that others have a very hard time of it and I also know that having mine done Lap helped a great deal... so, I now preach to do a pre-op diet to shrink your liver so there is a better chance of being able to have surgery done lap... and I am HUGE... my high weight was 499 and I was 453 the day of surgery... but by losing 26 pounds the month before surgery it made it so I could just have 6 tiny holes and I am SOOO glad. Good luck and don't stress over the pain... you may have some, you may not, and really you won't know until you wake up. Patti

This is a great question to ask, and teh open and honest answers are very much appreciated by me...who hasn't had the WLS yet! *smoochies* ~NEVER SURRENDER~ *~T~*