How will i cope with the PAIN???

Hey fleastar!
I am 5 days post sleeve and I promise you have nothing to worry about. I had minimal pain and was high as a kite on the patient controlled pethidone that for the first few days I had no pain. I was pampered by the nurses and given heat packs and bed adjustments and even a shoulder massage. It was more of a resort style holiday than hospital admission for me! (I don't get out much, he he he). The only pain I had was shoulder tip pain, which I still have, but easily managed with heat packs, deep heat and massages. You have access to all the pain medication you need so don't sweat it, you will barely know you've had surgery. I was pretty worried about the pain pre-sleeve as well and I needn't have been. You will be fine!
Kell x

I didnt really have pain either, just a bit of discomfit too but easily managed with the IV panadol. But like Loser I was very nauseous and had to head back to my GP after I left hospital cos I still had terrible head spins. He gave me some different med and I am feeling so much better!! I am now 5 days post op and going quite well getting liquids and vitamins etc down. Fingers crossed for you :-)

I can honestly say I didn't experience any pain. The worst thing for me was around 24 hours of nausea.

Ahh I cant say that I had no pain but the pain I had (worse on the first night and next day) was easily managed by regular IV panadol, I had a PCA machine that I had control over my pethidine and together they worked well. Muscle soreness in my back from those stupid beds was worse than the tummy pain tho...but nothing too bad either.

I walked to the toilet in the recovery room and made sure I got up and about as soon as possible...made very doable with lots of analgesia...dont be afraid to ask for it...some medications are given on a schedule and some are by request...request it if you need it!! IV panadol was fantastic,and for me worked better than the Peth.

I also made sure I had a dose of something about half an hour prior to the drain tube coming out(not as bad as I thought it would be), and before the physio was due..

Learning your capabilities with food is a learning experience too, so expect a few mistakes.

I think I was pretty much off the panadol by about day 6, and sleeping very comfortably once I got home...that helped the most I think.

Good luck and try not to stress too much...just let your anaesthetist and nursing staff know you have a low pain threshold and they should sort something out for you.

Deb

You can do it Felisha. Just keep pushing the button and getting the liquid panadol - it is managable. By day 2 it is more discmfort than pain. By the time I went home there was no pain. Discussing it with the Doc is a great idea - he may be able to drug you up soo much you don't feel a thing!

My pain was really only straight after surgery and I slept through that for the night anyway. Just discomfort for the next couple of days and by day 4 not needing any of the pain relief they sent me home with. I have had an amazingly quick recovery. Have been very lucky. Good luck. I think there are far more success stories than complications.

I also had no pain. I went fully prepared, bought the disposable heat packs etc. But had nothing. Thank goodness.
I think all you can do is just take it very easy, follow all the rules and you should be ok. Tell the nursing staff if you are uncomfortable. You have to speak up, keep up with the pain relief to keep on top of it. Even if you are feeling ok.
The most painful part for me was drinking chicken soup with protein powder in it 3 meals a day! lol

The pain from the surgery will be managed by the drugs that are available. Other pains are your job. Some of those pains are

1. Water is a hard object early on. Use some flavoring in it.
2. Follow the schedule of eating. You have to wait quite a while before eating hard protein solids.
3. Get ready for a new tummy with a much much smaller capacity. I am more than a year past my surgery yet last week I ate too much too fast (admittedly in a new situation) and it hurt.

Hope this helps.

Zoe

Like many others, I had no pain. I had IV Panadol for the first few hours in hospital, then nothing more after that. That is standard, but I never once felt ANY pain or asked for ANY pain relief. Speak to your anaesthetist and tell him/her your fears. They do not want you feeling or fearing post-op pain. Do ask for Buscopan or similar to prevent stomach cramps in the first few days (this is becoming 'best practice').

All the best!

MiddleWoman

The way I described how I felt after surgery was that it felt like I'd been to the gym and done too many crunches - not sore but a feeling of tightness.

I felt bleugh on day 2 - the gastrograffin swallow thing was gross and felt like I'd have to chuck, altho I didn't. No real pain though, apart from the shoulder tip and that was managed with panadol and heat pack. Don't freak about something that may never happen.

The stomach doesnt have as many sensitive nerve endings so its not as painful as you might think. Which is dangerous - a few on the forum write "I feel fine, supposed to be on liquids but eating normal food". Not good - the inflammation is there, you just cant feel it.
Roundabout way of saying: minimal pain. :D

I honestly did not have any pain at all. When I woke up in recovery, I asked the nurse whether they actually did the operation, as I couldn't feel any pain at all.

Others do feel some pain, for a day or two afterwards. Some people have pain relief through an iv. I had pain relief available, just didn't need it.

Don't stress about this. You will handle it. It will be worth it.

Good luck.

Ditto for me.

I am a big baby when it comes to pain.

I would call it discomfort for the first week, but not pain unless you do something silly and try to do too much too early.

Any discomfort controlled by panadol and rest

Easy peasy, you will be fine

Anna

you said you have had kids....... that is the worst pain they say so you will be fine. They give you enough pain relief if you need it to make you comfortable. Honestly it's not that bad. relax you will be fine.
Nick xoxoxo

Same for me - minimal pain and I managed it with IV Panadol in hospital and regular Panadol at home.

Pain???? What pain?
Most people experience very small amount of pain, and then only briefly easily controlled by panadol. In any case, pain is our body's way of telling us that something needs attention, it is a natural and good thing. So you may have to "tuff up" a bit.

Do not destroy the gift of this day fearing something that may not even happen.

hugs to you, may your fear be just puff and smoke and vanish.

sassysmum

I had NO pain when I woke up from surgery - it was 0 out of 10, then I got back to the ward and needed to go to the bathroom and was expecting pain when I tried to get up - and NO pain!!!!

First sip of water gave me a 4 out of 10 for about 10 mins and I also had a 0.5 out of 10 at another point. The only pain killers I was given was IV Panadol and that was mostly to try and reduce the inflammation in my throat from the NG tube

My surgery was not an easy one either - I had major scar tissue and all my organs were stuck together so the surgeon spent at least an hour unsticking everything - (liver was stuck to stomach) and cutting out scar tissue.


I have had no pain since leaving hospital either - I actually would not believe that I had had surgery - but I can only eat a few teaspoons of food at a time

Yeah, the pain is really minimal - especially compared to other stuff. Can be quite uncomfortable for a while, though not everyone finds this.
And pain relief is there - grab some soluble panadol for when you get home and you'll be right.
The only REAL pain I had was when I had the bloody soup the hospital gave me - don't trust it if it looks like it's more than broth!
Lots of people have bad gas pain though - best remedy I found was walking, even if just to the door and back (and lots of farting!) There are also chewable de-gas tablets that help a lot of people.
You'll be right!!!

I honestly didn't have any pain - just some minor discomfort. However I have also had an easy run altogether .... could drink 250ml any fluid in 5 mins from day 3!
There is no way to prepare for the surgery and the recovery is unknown so try not to stress. There is PLENTY of pain relief available in hospital if you need it so there will be no need to be in severe pain :)

Hi Fleastar honestly the pain is not that bad. For the first few days you have liquid panadol running thru you're drip and if needed they also give you tramadol which I had twice but it was for headaches not my stomach. All I took for pain relief at home was panadol and honestly that was enough.

Good luck with everything

Sunnie x

For me I was out of it as I had extra pain meds due to neuro problems and taking morphine for pain at home which makes your tolerance for meds weird. But If you let your team know how you feel and keep up with the meds they offer especially panadol, don't underestimate it!

Good luck

Hello everyone,

ive posted in the gen asking about how everyone coped with the pain of the sleeve the waking up after surgery and after, but i thought id come and ask here as u all have been through it.

I dont handle pain at all :( i have a friend whos had the sleeve and pain of all sorts she handles well but the sleeve pain was not good :(

so im wondering for someone like me whos scared crap of how much pain ill be in, what can u tell me to i guess help prepare for the worst pain ever or maybe things that helped u all.

This surgery is a must to me as we all know how life changing the new tool is for our lives :) i want to grow old watching my boys and grand and great grand and great great great grand children be born :) not die at a young age :(

hugs fleastar1977

Hello everyone,

Im 8 weeks out from having my sleeve done :) ive always been worried about the pain i am going to be in once i wake up from my surgery and how i will cope with the pain over the healing stage :( i dont cope to well with pain at the best of times let alone want to be in hospital crying as i cant cope with the pain :(

This surgery is life changing as we all know n this surgery will help me with so many health issues. I will b able to be healthy and happy and be the real me not someone who is dying inside my body :(

I have a friend whos not long had her sleeve done n i wanted her to be honest with me about the pain, she copes very well with pain n she even said she didnt cope well with how much pain she was in :( this has not, and will not scare me out of my surgery as i know without having my sleeve i wont b here to see my boys grow up :(

But im just not sure how i will deal with the pain side of my sleeve????

Any thoughts or ideas or shared stories that will help me id love to hear :)

Hug to everyone fleastar1977