Another question about pain....

[Guest (Lightsider)]

I have had a number of surgeries.

Here they are: These dates are approxamate

2005. Large 7' by 8" lipoma removed. It was in the groan area. When I woke from surgery there was really no pain. Pain was managable. The only thing that really took me out was a bad infection and it took a LONG time for the incision site to close. I did become septic at some point. Pain about 7-8 at most easily relieved by pain meds.

2008-9. Gall bladder went supernova. That was one of the worse pains I have ever felt up to that point. I compaired it to a lage ape slamming down on my back. The pain was extremely intense and persistant and pain meds were slow to react. Surgery was performed and the gal bladder was removed. Pain was off the charts bad prior to surgery after surgery it was perhaps a 3 out of 10..

2009. Orchiectomy. Outpatient, pain about a 4. Seriously mild. It was the easiest recovery so far. I took meds for maybe a day. I had at one point a phantom "Kick to the testicals".

2011. Gastric Bypass. Pain was about a 6 out of 10 though out recovery. It some times dipped down but there were times when I was getting used to digestion and that was a problem. I took pain meds for about week.

1012 Abdominoplasty. pain coming out of surgery and waking up was off the charts. That was probably the worst searing paing I have ever felt. I begged for pain meds and it was given to me through IV and the pain came down to a dull roar. Over all I was on pain meds for about 5 days. In fact I have spare pain meds.

Waking up from that surgery in pain was a surprise.

So now it leads me to this question. When I get SRS, how is that pain going to compare to all of that listed above pain wise. What exactly am I in for? Am I going to wake up in pain again? Perhaps some of you have had some of the surgeries I had before and can give me a fair assessment?

Thanks.

[Guest]

Hi Nicole,

I can't answer your question, but am interested in the answer too. Sort of. I'm having SRS whether the pain is off the charts or not!

Like you, I've had seven surgeries, but nothing in the core of my body - 4 orthopedic, and 3 nasal. The biggest operation of the seven cut most of the nerves to the area and I seriously asked the doc if he'd done the surgery or just put a cast on my arm!

For me, I don't really care about the intensity of the pain, but do hope that it's also something that's quickly resolved. Lasting pain is much more difficult for me to manage than that immediate stuff --- don't wan't more wrinkles on my face than I already have!

Love, Megan

[Guest (Lightsider)]

Hi Megan, I am pretty certain nothing is more painful than a gallstones. But you never know. So if some one comes back and says "I had SRS and had Gallstones and SRS was worse" as fair as pain goes...I will wince and cringe but I will still have the surgery. Pain eventually goes away.

[Guest Leah1026]

Everyone is different. Personally I experienced very little pain. Most of my discomfort was from my bowels being slow to wake up after surgery. I didn't get any relief until I was finally able to go around Day 5. A lot of the pain most people feel is from swelling. I was lucky and had little swelling with either my FFS or SRS.

[Guest (Lightsider)]

Everyone is different. Personally I experienced very little pain. Most of my discomfort was from my bowels being slow to wake up after surgery. I didn't get any relief until I was finally able to go around Day 5. A lot of the pain most people feel is from swelling. I was lucky and had little swelling with either my FFS or SRS.

That is what scares me most about surgery is the Bowel stoppage. When I had surgery in 2005 I did not have a movement in like 7 days. I was with Kaiser CA. Those guys nearly killed me. When I became septic they sent me home. Now when facing surgery I prepare for the bowel problem. That is my number one fear above all else.

[VickySGV]

For my first 14 hours, the epidural anesthetic kept things in the 5 range and Dr, B. had ordered my choice of two strengths of morphine which helped me to relax and get sleep. I got by with the lower of the two. I was 6 to 7 until the major dressing was removed at 36 hours, and then things went down to 4 to 5. I had increased pain later from having to get out of bed to go for my first walk, but the walk itself lowered the pain back down. Gas attack that night got me back to an 8, but lower dose Percocet got me back to sleep and I was reasonably down to 2 or 3 by morining. I just took a dose of advil that will hopefully knock down a 4 from pressure from sitting for a bit. At least I am coherent enough to write this, albeit slowly.

[Guest Leah1026]

Everyone is different. Personally I experienced very little pain. Most of my discomfort was from my bowels being slow to wake up after surgery. I didn't get any relief until I was finally able to go around Day 5. A lot of the pain most people feel is from swelling. I was lucky and had little swelling with either my FFS or SRS.

That is what scares me most about surgery is the Bowel stoppage. When I had surgery in 2005 I did not have a movement in like 7 days. I was with Kaiser CA. Those guys nearly killed me. When I became septic they sent me home. Now when facing surgery I prepare for the bowel problem. That is my number one fear above all else.

Notice Vicki had an epidural, not a general anesthesia, and that usually means a lot less chance of bowel issues. So maybe you should look to a surgeon that will give you the option of an epidural. FTR I had a general.

[Guest (Lightsider)]

Everyone is different. Personally I experienced very little pain. Most of my discomfort was from my bowels being slow to wake up after surgery. I didn't get any relief until I was finally able to go around Day 5. A lot of the pain most people feel is from swelling. I was lucky and had little swelling with either my FFS or SRS.

That is what scares me most about surgery is the Bowel stoppage. When I had surgery in 2005 I did not have a movement in like 7 days. I was with Kaiser CA. Those guys nearly killed me. When I became septic they sent me home. Now when facing surgery I prepare for the bowel problem. That is my number one fear above all else.

Notice Vicki had an epidural, not a general anesthesia, and that usually means a lot less chance of bowel issues. So maybe you should look to a surgeon that will give you the option of an epidural. FTR I had a general.

Well laying there while some one is cutting me up is not too pleasant a thought either. LOL Maybe they will let me listen to my ipod? What is your opinion of just strait liquid diet? I had a gastric bypass so my caloric intake is low any way...But I was thinking perhaps a liquid diet for like 5 days post surgery would be a way of getting around the issue?

[VickySGV]

Note -- the main anesthetic Dr. Bowers has used is epidural, but you are asleep from a short term "super sleeping soup". I was not conscious during my surgery, but did wake up an hour after she was finished, but before the full effects of the lower part of me had come out.

[Guest Leah1026]

Well laying there while some one is cutting me up is not too pleasant a thought either. LOL Maybe they will let me listen to my ipod? What is your opinion of just strait liquid diet? I had a gastric bypass so my caloric intake is low any way...But I was thinking perhaps a liquid diet for like 5 days post surgery would be a way of getting around the issue?

They give you a sedative that zones you out.

One more note. After surgery go easy on the narcotics as they can constipate you as well.

[Guest (Lightsider)]

Well laying there while some one is cutting me up is not too pleasant a thought either. LOL Maybe they will let me listen to my ipod? What is your opinion of just strait liquid diet? I had a gastric bypass so my caloric intake is low any way...But I was thinking perhaps a liquid diet for like 5 days post surgery would be a way of getting around the issue?

They give you a sedative that zones you out.

One more note. After surgery go easy on the narcotics as they can constipate you as well.

I was off Narcotics after my abdominoplasty in about 5 days. I see no reason to be constantly numbed by narcotics once the pain is gone. I am glad I said somethng about this. I had no idea they sedated you for the procedure. That is good info.

[Paula ult]

SRS was the only major surgery i have had, i have a high pain tolerance, i would say for me the first 24 hours was the worst, after the anesthesia wore off i was pressing the morphine drip button fairly regularly that first night, the next morning i did not press it and around noon they took it away, however that night i was in pain again, it was about an 8 or 9 out of 10, Dr. Mcginn ordered a shot of morphine, that was the last i needed it, the rest of the time if i needed something i took Tylenol.

Paula