The question about how long of a relief one receives after surgery differs from person to person. My experience....I had surgery July 24, 2000 and just recently had surgery on May 30, 2002. After the July surgery I was literally pain free for almost two months. Then one morning I woke up - put my feet on the floor only to double over with a tremendous amount of devil pain! I went to pain specialist after pain specialists, doctor after doctor then finally I received some pain medication for my pain. During the 2 years prior my last surgery May 30th of this year, the pain became so bad that I would vomit. Or I would vomit and my left leg would go numb. When the feeling of my left leg came back, more vomiting and much more pain. That's when I knew it was time for a "clean" out of my inners. And I was right, it took them 6 hours to remove all the yuckies from inside me. Numerous hernias, adhesions, my gallbladder along with it's stones, and then was diagnosed with Serosal Fibrosis. Serosal Fibrosis is just another name for a more harder, thicker, crustier adhesions. So other than the normal elastic type of adhesion, I also have the thicker type as well. Ohhhhh, lucky me..teeehee So far I have no naval and the surrounding pain I did prior to my last surgery. It's too soon to feel that my left side is pain free, I do know my lower back pain is there. But then again, I've always had a lower back pain - ever since I was very young. I hope my mini story has helped you out a bit. Please know if there is anything that I can do, I'm right here for ya honey bunny. Hugs and Love, ~Chrissie xo's