Question:
Of all the wls procedures, how would you rate them on a pain scale?
Which would be most painful, least painful, in-between? Not sure which procedure to go with--I like different things about them all--so I'll try to figure in the pain factor next. Thanks for the input! — [Anonymous] (posted on August 31, 2000)
August 31, 2000
I can only speak for myself because I only had one of the procedures.
<g> I had an open RNY in January of this year and have lost a grand
total of 147# from my all time high. I can tell you that the pain of
surgery is soon forgotten when people call me "thin" and I can
fit anyplace at any time and buy clothes and breath and sleep on my back
and cross my legs and I don't have to take any more medication for my
diabetes and the list could go on forever. The pain is just a few weeks of
reminding me that I had all my comfort from the food that got me to 322#.
As I step off of my soap box, I would compare it only to child birth and
for me it is similar to intensity and duration. But of course that is
different for everyone too. :o)
— S S.
August 31, 2000
I had the open VBG. Pain was one thing I worried about before my surgery.
How I felt was my ribs had been broken.
They gave me pain meds that helped alot. I think I had more discomfort than
real pain. On a scale of 1-10 1none 10 worst. I would say about a 6
I would do it again in a minute! I just had gall bladder surgery , I think
it hurt worse!
— Kristin H.
August 31, 2000
I agree w/ Ava. Tolerating pain depends on the individual. What may bring
you to your knees may be considered a minor annoyance to someone else. So,
it's not really possible to answer your question. Before I had my surgery,
someone in my support group told me if I "stayed ahead of the
pain," (meaning, rather frequently using the morphine pump) I wouldn't
remember the immediate post-op period as being that painful. So, I pumped
away. I thought I was fine and perfectly coherent during my 3 1/2 days in
the hospital. My sister claims I was looped out of my mind and talking
crazy. Since there's no audio or video, I'm chosing not to believe her.
lol. Anyway, the advice proved true. I don't remember having much pain at
all.
— Maxine E.
September 1, 2000
I had an open RnY, and used the morphine pump afterward. There was some
pain, but I found it tolerable. Six months later, I had a big hernia
repaired, and the pain was horrible! I was begging for more drugs, but
they didn't seem to help. The RnY was considered "major
surgery", and the hernia was considered "minor surgery", but
the pain was the other way around. What I'm trying to say is, The WLS
procedure you have probably doesn't determine how much pain you will have.
Maybe if you had a lap procedure, you would get the least pain that way.
— Lynn K.
September 1, 2000
I've only gone through the open rny (1-4-00) so I cannot give you a
comparitive. I was in the ICU 1 day and then on a regular floor for 3 more
days. I used morphine the whole time and it felt like I was kicked in the
stomach badly. Once I got home on day #5 I was walking 1 mile/day outside
in my neighborhood. On day #7 post-op I drove my stick shift to the gas
station down the street. On day #30 post-op I went back to work at my
secretarial position where I sit at a computer and do light errands in the
car.
— [Deactivated Member]
September 1, 2000
Hi. I had the open duodenal switch with a tranverse incision.
My pain was non-existant. I was uncomfortable. I had no epidural or
morphine. I did beg for pain meds on my second day post-op,
because of the horrible gas pains I was having. I got a shot and that
was it. As soon as I was able to pass gas, I was just fine. My
recovery was little more than a cake walk.
— Kris S.
September 6, 2000
Hi... better late than never. I didn't notice anyone respond that had a
Lap RNY. I was in the hospital for 3 days and had very little pain with my
medication. By day 2, I was feeling sore but not that bad. I didn't get
one of those bariatric beds either, I had to climb out of a normal bed.
Also, I drove myself home from the hospital in NYC to Southern NJ.
Although I never told my surgeon that...lol!! I never experienced any
post-op complications, I really recommend the Lap procedure if you are
concerned about pain... Good Luck!
— DOROTHY A.
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