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Why doesn't anyone discuss the pain?

By Soniak on 15 Feb 2012

None of the doctors I spoke with told me how excruciatingly painful the recovery is. Everyone talks about the 'mild discomfort' for the first 10 minutes of the procedure till you get numb. Yeah but guess what, when you get un-numb after 3 days, your nerves have gone haywire and are firing off at random. yesterday, I woke up in the middle of the night howling in pain. It's non-stop stabbing with varying intensity and location. I honestly can't take it anymore. I want to curl up in my bed and never get out. NOTHING is helping!! all I've been doing all day at work is browsing the web for ppl with similar experiences and not surprisingly, have found plenty other ppl. I called up the spa and told them about my symptoms and they were very surprised (really???) and told me it's very unusual. They've prescribed what sounded like a nerve block, which I'll pick up on my way home from work. I am honestly never going to get this procedure EVER done again. agggggggggggggh 

Comments (34)

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Laureli 17 Feb 2012
Hi Soniak,

I had my procedure done 8 days ago (2 large panels on abdomen and 1 smaller one on each love handle). The pain became almost unbearable yesterday and last night (in abdomen only...) I put an ice pack on my abdomen last night and it provided much needed relief. Have you tried this yet? It is still hurting me quite a bit and all I can say is this had better be worth it. Hang in there...

Laureli
Soniak 17 Feb 2012
Hi Laureli,

I ended up taking the nerve block (neurotin). I had two pills yesterday. While the pain isn't completely gone, it's more tolerable. I was able to sleep through the night without waking up in pain. I'll take another one around lunch, hopefully that will further reduce the pain. I would recommend telling your doctor about the pain. They will also prescribe neurotin for the pain.
Laureli 17 Feb 2012
Hello again,

I called my doctor and they would not prescribe Neurontin. They first wanted me to try the Lidoderm pain patches... that was really annoying. So, I went to the pharmacy, tried the patches, they didn't work, so, the doc finally called me in a prescription for the Neurontin, which I picked up at the pharmacy about 30 minutes ago (I immediately took one). So far it seems to be helping a little (takes a while to kick in I guess). I tried taking one of the patches off and it was SO painful! Did they make you do the patches first? The doc said I was one of the very few that had this problem! I feel like a guinea pig... but I got my Neurontin for the weekend so I am somewhat content now.
Soniak 17 Feb 2012
Even my doctor said the same thing. But judging from all the comments on realself, I seriously doubt that we are an exception! My doc did not even prescribe me the patches. I think zeltiq recommends neurontin for the pain, which is why my doc eventually gave me that. Good luck with ur Recovery! Keep me posted. I am doing a blog post too . Will update tonight.
Laureli 18 Feb 2012
Thanks - so far I have taken three Neurontin and it seems to be helping. I was able to sleep very well last night. This morning I am starting to get that "knife in the gut" feeling again, so it's definitely time for a pill. One thing I noticed is that the pain is worse being in a sitting position as opposed to a standing or lying position. Do you notice that, too? Also, I wanted to ask you - did they recommend you get the procedure done twice in the areas you have had done?
Soniak 18 Feb 2012
Yeah it's def worse while sitting. yesterday i had a flight 3 hour flight and half way through i started hurting a lot. I took a pill at night and slept like a baby. I have a wedding to attend today so I don't think I will take the pill at night as I want to drink :)
Laureli 18 Feb 2012
Ha ha I don't blame you - I drank wine with it last night and got really buzzed... felt good, though!! Have fun at the wedding!
Soniak 20 Feb 2012
The throbbing pain is gone for me and I haven't had the neurontin since saturday night. The area is still very sensitive and I can't be touched there at all as it feels strangely painful.. almost icky. it's unlike any other feeling I've ever had so I find that weird. But the pain is very tolerable now. I'll give you an update as I anything changes.. btw I so want to get my upper abs and love handles treated (i am getting married in the summer), but i don't think i can handle this again. i almost wish I'd gone the big bang approach like you and done everything at once.
Laureli 26 Feb 2012
Hi Soniak, glad to hear you are better. It has been 16 days since I had mine done and things are much better here also (except I am still a little sensitive and swollen). Haven't had to use the Neurontin or patches in almost a week (I had been using them both). Still wearing loose clothing, though. The love handles I had done were nothing compared to the lower abdomen. The upper abdomen was bad, but not nearly as bad as the lower (from what I have hear, the lower is always the worst). They recommended that I repeat the same procedure after 8 weeks, but, I am going to see what the results are first before going through this again. If you decide to go back and have more done, at least now you will know what to expect and can plan accordingly. Another thing I did to help with the lower and upper abdomen was I bought one of those "Spanx" support garments, which helped quite a bit. Let me know how you are doing (how far along are you now in the process?)
beachparrot57 21 Feb 2012
I had the procedure done on the morning of Feb. 16, 6 days ago. Eventhough the nurse explained the side effects, swapping out "intense" with "mild" would be more appropriate. As I was going through the procedure, I was thinking "this is nothing." By Saturday, I was really sore, by Monday I was in pain. Today, I could hardly concentrate to work the pain is so intense. I have on my looses clothes, because anything that even brushes my skin is excrutiating!! I think I will call the doctor to see if I can get something to help the pain. I have read that this could go on for 2 weeks! I am not sure this was less painful than lipo?!?
Sarad267 3 Mar 2012
Oh my goodness. I have a consultation with a Dr. next week because I was considering this procedure, but now I'm not sure! Does it really hurt that bad? If so I don't think I will want to do this. Maybe if I demand that I be prescribed the Neurotin right away? I'm really scared now.
beachparrot57 3 Mar 2012
2 weeks later and I am fine, but those first 10 days were doozies. It apparently doesn't effect everyone and it is usually the abdomen and the larger device when it does happen. Personally, it was bad enough I felt like I might as well have done lipo since I was looking for something painless and it was NOT. It is way too soon to judge the results. So I am going to reserve judgment on whether it was worth it or not.
Sarad267 3 Mar 2012
Wow. Yea I was thinking of doing my abdomen with the larger piece, and my lovehandles. I'm in pretty good shape but no amount of cardio is helping those areas. Ahhh I'm not sure now! Haha ill probably still get it done and just suffer through it. But I definitely want a friggin nerve blocker!
beachparrot57 3 Mar 2012
I am also really pretty thin and like you, no amount of working out (or losing weight) is going to take care of my belly unless I want to look like a scare crow! I would make sure you have something on hand for the pain which comes on after a couple of days. BTW, the procedure is not painful, just a little strange.
Soniak 3 Mar 2012
I am three weeks post procedure. The first week was the worst. I no long feel the non stop stabbing pain, but the treated area is still a little painful to the touch. also feels strange when i get touched
Laureli 8 Mar 2012
Hi Soniak, I am now four weeks post procedure and the pain is pretty much gone in the abdomen, though it still feels strange there....I have noticed feelings in the love handle areas that were not there before (sensitivity, numbness and tingling, but no pain). The swelling has gone down, but the jury is still out in regards to the procedure being worth it (from what they say, it is more noticeable as you get closer to the eight week mark) . Have you noticed the swelling has gone down for you yet? Thanks, Laureli
Soniak 9 Mar 2012
Hi laureli! I think for the most part the swelling Is gone. But I still feel the tingling that you've described. Every time I do jumping Jacks and my stomach moves, it feels weird. I usually try to compress my stomach when I do this. But given how it was a few weeks back, I 'd say we are both doing fairly well. I am hoping things will become completely normal in a few more weeks. I am thinking of going for a consult for liposonix for my live handles : p or maybe I should brave cool sculpting again?
Soniak 9 Mar 2012
I'd been meaning to ask you, when your got cool sculpting on ur love handles, did the doc apply the plates vertically or horizontally( parallel to ur handles)?
Laureli 9 Mar 2012
I am on the fence about it, too... they had said I would "want to have the procedure done again" but I don't think even THEY had any idea how it would affect me. Haven't heard anything on liposonix...
Laureli 9 Mar 2012
They applied them parallel to the love handles (they have you lie down on your side at an angle so they can get as much into the plates as possible). It really wasn't bad at all.
Soniak 9 Mar 2012
there are only a few reviews on realself abt the liposonix. But if the procedure is effective at killing the fat cells, then I might opt for it. It appears to be more flexible. I ve seen ppl get it done on every body part imaginable. Though I believe in the US, it's only FDA approved for stomach and love handles. Let's see...
Laureli 13 Apr 2012
Hey Soniak! How are you doing now? I am happy to say that I am back to normal (it has been 9 weeks post procedure). I went back for my after picture yesterday and they were so amazing that the doctor's office wants to use my pictures for their new brochure! She told me 12 weeks is when people normally see the optimal results. I am going to have the procedure done one more time. 14 weeks post procedure .. She is going to give me Valium before the procedure amd prescribe more Neurontin. At least now I know what to expect and will be "armed and ready" for the pain that comes along with it (hopefully it won't be as bad, but I am not getting my hopes up).

Hope you are doing well!

Take care,

Laureli
Soniak 13 Apr 2012
Heyy Laureli, WOW WOW that is incredible news!!!!!!! I am really happy it worked out for you. Everything is back to normal for me as well- no more pain or tingling sensation! I am also 9 weeks post procedure (had it done February 11). So far I see no difference, but I am very hopeful that I will eventually see results. I also want to get my upper abs done, but i want to wait a little bit longer and see if i get any results on my lower abs ***fingers crossed**
beachparrot57 13 Apr 2012
I hope you start to see results. Mine have been incredible. The potential pain (guess not everyone experiences it) was something I think the doctors really need to stress and prepare for. Never experienced anything like it, but all is forgotten in light of skinny jeans!.
Laureli 13 Apr 2012
Did they do any "before" pcitures for you? I didn't notice much difference until I saw the before and after pics.one other thing that is strange, I noticed a significant change when I got on the scales this morning... Maybe there is something wrong with my scales, but I am thinking it might have something to do with the results (?) Hopefully your will experience the same kind of things (I had mine done Feb 9th, so, you were a couple days after me). Everyone's different, maybe you will see more next week. Let me know!

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