Post Surgery Pain -- What's Normal?

As of tomorrow, it'll be 2 weeks since my hernia repair and full fundoplication. I'm doing quite well, I think, and taking things (eating, moving, exertion, etc.) very slow.

My question is about pain -- although I'm over the basic pain, I find that certain movements are extremely painful. Specifically, anything that compresses my upper abdominal/chest area where all of the surgical work was done. For example, when I sit upright, I have to sit very upright and not slouch -- slouching compresses the chest area and the surgical site hurts a lot. Same goes for bending over or down more than a little. If I bend down, like to tie my shoes, I simply can't -- my innards hurt like heck. After standing or being upright for any significant length of time, I also find that gravity seems to cause some pain inside. Of course, I'm avoiding movement that hurts to give myself full time to heal.

Are these types of inside pains, along with these pains upon movement, normal? What has been your experience post-surgery with slouching, bending down, or anything that crunches or compresses your insides?

Thank you!

Thanks, Aero. It just feels so odd -- such a deep, intense internal pain when I try to sit, bend or twist. I don't have shoulder pain any longer, thank goodness, but this inability to bend or slouch in the slightest is really difficult... and painful! I'm wondering how I'll be able to comfortably drive a car soon...?

Thanks, LGSE. Glad to know that this is not unusual. Today I took extra strength Tylenol (1,000 mg) this morning and that seemed to take the edge off a bit. I'll save my pain meds for night time and sleep so that I can get a good dose of healing rest. Baby steps, for sure... I have to keep in mind that although I'm feeling much better than I did post-op 2 weeks ago, I still have a long way to go and can't push too hard or too fast. *Sigh*