Stabbing pain post op

Hi everyone. I had VSG surgery a little less than two weeks ago. It's been going really good! My pain has been at about a zero for the last three days or so, and I figured I was in the clear... Until this morning.

I woke up and had a pretty sharp take-your-breath-away stabbing pain in my abdomen when I stood up. It's right under my largest incision. Since then, the pain has come and go, but each time it's worse. It feels like something is ripping inside of me!

I texted my surgeon, and his reply was, "if you're concerned go to the ER". I just don't know! Should I be concerned? Could I be damaging my stitches? It seems pretty closely tied to my movement. Is this normal? Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

I'm still pre-op, but it seems like your surgeon didn't give you much to go on, like if that is normal or not. If I were you, listen to your body and check it out. If it weren't the weekend, I'd go to my PCP.  Good luck, and let us know what you find out!  I want to know if its normal!

~Jan

If you're concerned about leak, my surgeon said i will have unbearable, Constant pain post in the abdomen and it wont be a pain that comes and goes. Did u try having a glass of water? I used to feel pain too maybe because of going a long time without eating or drinking.

Source: 3 weeks post-op myself

Thank you! It's definitely not that, all the plumbing seems intact, and the pain goes away almost entirely when I lay on my back.

That's the answer your surgeon gave you? Wow. If I were in that kind of pain, I would see my surgeon first and see if he can diagnose it there and then without a trip to the ER. I hope you feel better.

Yeah I was pretty frustrated with his response. I am going to take it super easy and see if things improve

I had similar pain near my big incision for a while off and on post-op.  When I asked my surgeon he said that's where he stitched through the muscle, so it's completely normal.  

I would try calling my surgeon instead of texting - some people suck at texts. 

I had searing pain when I tried to stand or sit, after my surgery.  Someone on here told me to try and abdominal binder and it really did the job.

I had a similar pain that started a week after surgery, got better, and then came back after I came back to work and stretched a little to far reaching for something on the floor.  So, I wouldn't call it abnormal but would never advise someone to not seek medical help if they think they need it.  How's that for wishy washy?  haha 

(My surgeon told me it sounded like skin, muscle, and stitches pulling on each other through healing process and he didn't need to see me unless it continued to worsen.)

For me this pain was pretty normal from 2-6 weeks out. I would compare it to a leg cramp except it was in my left side under my biggest incision. I would get it going from laying to sitting and sitting to standing. I also got it if I tried to do too much or overstretch. I always considered it my bodies way of keep me from doing too much. When I seen my surgeon post-op and mentioned it he stated there are 7 layers of flesh, fat and tissue and that it takes time for each layer to heal.

I hope you do feel better and listen to your own body, if it continue to be bothersome get it checked out for your own piece of mind.

Keelan.