This post will be brief, but it covers an important topic that frequently comes up.
After a gastric sleeve, the main discomfort you might experience is gas pain from the surgery. Since the procedure is done laparoscopically, your abdomen is filled with carbon dioxide (CO2) to create space for the operation.
While most of the gas is removed before the surgery ends, some of it might rise up to your shoulders, causing discomfort for the first 24 to 48 hours. You can help relieve this by doing some simple arm exercises, like windmill motions.
Apart from that, there isn’t much pain directly from the surgery itself, but you may experience some discomfort. For example, during the first week or two, you’ll likely find that sleeping on your back is the most comfortable position. Trying to sleep on your side or stomach might be uncomfortable, and possibly even painful.
It’s important to keep in mind that everyone’s experience is different. Kirsten, for instance, could sleep on her side about a week earlier than James. When she did, she felt some discomfort but no significant pain. James, however, found that trying to sleep on his side too soon caused discomfort that eventually turned into pain.
Overall, the pain and discomfort after surgery are quite manageable. The pain is usually minimal, and any discomfort is temporary, which is to be expected after a major surgery.