It’s normal to experience some pain while you recover from gastric surgery. But you don’t have to suffer your way through it; your bariatric surgery team can offer you safe and effective medication to make you more comfortable. In fact, controlling pain can help you heal better and avoid complications. When you feel good, you’ll be able to walk and perform deep-breathing exercises, which can prevent pneumonia and blood clots.
Tell them if it hurts
Everyone’s perception of pain is different. If you feel uncomfortable, let your nurse know. You and the hospital staff are a team working together to manage your pain. Be as accurate as you can about your level of discomfort to help your nurse determine the best medication and to chart your progress over time.
One way to describe your pain level is to use a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 for no pain at all and 10 for the worst pain possible. You can also describe your pain as none, mild, moderate or severe.
Plan ahead for comfort
Some people report that if they wait until their pain is intense, it’s much harder to control when they do take their medication. Increasing your activity can also increase your need for pain relief – if you’re comfortable lying down, you may still need medication for walking around.
Some patients are reluctant to take pain medication because they’re worried they could become addicted. But patient research has clearly shown that the risk is very low when medication is used for a specific medical purpose. So no worries – let yourself get comfortable so you can heal.
The risk of becoming addicted to pain medications is very low when it is used for a specific medical purpose.