I felt unprepared
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Getfittrill
Posts: 1
Aug 6th 2014 at 3p I went under for the gastric vertical sleeve. I was so excited so mentally and physically ready!! Yet when I woke up I felt like I was hit with a 18 wheeler truck. I'm nausea and my stomach feels like it was cut open with an infected knife. I am still grateful for the opportunity to do this but I wish someone was honest with me about this pain and uncomfortable feeling so that I was more prepared mentally. Everyone talks about how much weights lost yet not enough on the first 24-48 hours. I cannot wait to get through this but I really hope if anyone is coming upon their surgery date that they can feel a little more confident about the truth on what to expect and can work with their doctor to help reduce the pain and nausea.
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Sorry you felt that way. I was sleeved on 7/23, and didn't feel that bad. I had a bad reaction to the anesthesia and was really nauseous and threw up a few times but that always happens to me because I get motion sickness. My incisions didn't hurt unless I moved the wrong way but that's to be expected since it is major surgery. My pain went away in about a week and now I feel pretty good. Hope you start to feel better soon!0
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I was surprised about the pain too- and felt the same way. I'd had a lot of surg in my life- and this was the first time I woke up in pain. Plus the nausea. It does pass though- it's almost like a switch gets flipped -for me it was about 4 days- and it's been fine ever after. Good luck!0
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I don't think anybody was trying to be dishonest. In fact I have written about my first few days pain in past posts. If anybody asks about the first few days post surgery, I know people here answer honestly according to their experience. Some folk on here even felt as though they had had no surgery done as they had no pain at all. I on the other hand was in a lot of pain. But again,,,not about dishonesty? Did you read past posts related to this subject? It is major surgery! Did you ask your surgeon about pain?
Anyway, the pain does improve as healing occurs. For me complete pain free living was at about 2-3 months. I rarely get any pain unless I have over eaten OR drink a fizzy drink.
I relate this surgery to childbirth. For me, a lot of early days pain for a lot of gain (or loss if you like). It is easy to forget the pain when you are rewarded a lot.
I hope you do well.0 -
Everyone is different and there are lots of various reactions to surgery. I had my gall bladder removed about 25 years ago, they didn't do laproscopic surgery back then, so it was an incission from the top on my stomach to my waist. It was a horrible surgery to recover from. Having my sleeve 3 years ago with 5 tiny littile incissions was nothing in comparrison.
I am so sorry you are having a rough time. I hope you heal quickly with no further issues. Take care.0 -
I felt unprepared also. But mostly, because I hyped my own self up. I thought because I was bending over the day after my c section and I was out and about and off pain killers in two days that it would be a walk in the park. LIES. I literally am now just feeling better and it is day 15. And I still have a pretty sore spot. I am actually more nauseous now than I was before, but was told that was normal. That surgery was the hardest thing I have ever gone through. But I know it is going to be worth it!0
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So sorry you are feeing that way - but I have written about my exprience and it wasn't pretty. Although I had no pain - i did have complications - ended up in the hospital twice for a total of 18 days.
Every "body" is different - some heal faster than others. try and be patient (easier said than done) - i am feeling much better now - still not 100% - but getting there.
Just think of the healthier you in the near future.0 -
I am so sorry you are struggling. I know when I was getting ready for surgery, I knew there was a chance I could have a lot of pain after. Honestly, I didn't have much pain at all. Everyone is different, and it's so hard to predict who will be in a lot of pain and who won't. Keep sipping water, getting in your protein, and move as much as you can - these things will help you. You WILL start feeling better as you heal. Wishing you a speedy recovery!0
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A friend of mine just went through the surgery, she was at another friends bday party 3 days later all smiles and no complications. When I had my surgery done back in March, after 3 days I could barely get out of bed and was still wearing a catheter. Different for everybody but 5 months later I'm very happy with the results!0
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You'll get past this and one day you'll be the rest of us and say, 'Yeah, it was hard but I don't regret it."
I try to warn everyone that you'll probably be very grumpy that first two to few days. You won't be able to have your stress-reducer like you used to - kind of like a smoker having their cigs taken away. EVERYTHING irritated me and I hated the stomach tube they left in. The bed and the furniture in the room were uncomfortable.
I've had three C-sections, an appendectomy, a lymph node biopsy, endometrial surgery, etc and this was the worst.
I'd do it again.0 -
I too am sorry that you are having a tough time. I did not have alot of pain afterwards, but did feel terribley nauseuas for the first 3-4 days. After that it got much easier. My doctors had good medicine for it and it was kept firmly in check. I think after most surgery you feel like you were hit by a mack truck, but that generally passes pretty quickly. I do know that 4-5 days out I felt really like myself again and was definately on the mend and through the worst of it. Of course I only had open heart surgery to compare it too, so this really was not bad at all.
The first month or so I had very low levels of energy and did not feel like I had any strength. That too passed after I was able to start eating soft foods on a regular basis. Alot of people never experience that either.
Hang in there...it will get better.
Susan0 -
I don't remember a lot of pain, just my back pain, which is always there. I was thinking the other day that I have no memory of the recovery room, just a vague impression of people in scrubs, but no memory at all of anybody telling me my surgery went well, or waking me up, or anything. First thing I remember out of surgery was being in my room. I did throw up a lot on the second day, I remember that.
Everybody's experience is different.0 -
So sorry that you didn't know that abdominal surgery is so crappy. I went to multiple support group meetings prior to surgery. About 25% said it was not that bad, 50% said it really sucked but it was doable and 25% said it was a nightmare but they would do it again. For me the surgery was rough but doable the problem was I was allergic to the pain meds and I puked for 3 days. I begged for regular Tylenol. They finally gave in. I was headed home in 5 hours I was in pain but I don't care, I can hack pain, I am a ***** with nausea.0
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I guess I was the opposite. I expected a lot more pain and discomfort. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't fun by any stretch but it really wasn't as bad as I had expected. I guess it's all in your outlook and expectations.0
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Bummer! You will feel better soon.
For me, the nausea was MUCH worse than the pain. Then again, that could be because I made sure they didn't skip the pain meds when I was in the hospital. I didn't want breakthrough pain. Unfortunately, the onus is on the patient to make sure they are consistently medicated.
Honestly, if you are 2 days post surgery and you can manage to type out a message onto MFP (more power to ya), you may be under-medicated. Ask for some pain meds.0 -
Again sorry to hear you are going through this. Hopefully you will be feeling better real soon. Like a lot of others have posted, everyone is so different. I was off all pain meds by the time I got home. I went in Saturday morning and home Monday at noon. I discomfort I had was from the gas that they fill your stomach with. I though my gall bladder being removed was far worse. Be kind to yourself the next several days, your body has just undergone some major changes. Take care and good luck, you are now on the other side, embrace this new life and opportunity. Life is what we make it!0
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Sorry you're going through a rough time. Everyone reacts differently to surgery\trauma. My first week was honestly not that bad. I was released from the hospital a day early, never needed narcotic pain meds and was back to work the next week. I followed the food stages and never really had issues tolerating anything in particular as long as I stuck with small portions and ate slowly. There were a few times my new tummy retailiated, but each time, it was my own fault. I chalk it up to part of the learning process. Just know that whatever your experience in the beginning, it gets better as you heal and learn to live with your new tool. The end result is soooooo worth it!0
