Mine was painful for a while. I didn't have a lot of pain when it was being packed.
I had mine done in September and it was healed in January but I have been left with scarring. How long it takes will depend on how deep the wound is, infection, health of patient.
Some advice.
*Finding a dressing that fits well in that area and doesn't fall off is a nightmare. I found a really good tegaderm one which was shaped and stayed on. They were really stingy with dressings and were issuing 5 at a time when I was using two a day. Insist on getting a decent dressing.
*I used to use cotton swabs to put over the dressing in my knickers to keep it in place.
*I also wore very attractive big knickers.
*In the early days, if the packing falls out they'll need to get it redone as it can start sealing over fairly quickly. Some nurses got really shitty about this.
*If the dressing/packing is being dislodged or getting wet when going to the toilet, hold a sanitary towel or a wad of loo roll over it.
*I used to have a wash/shower immediately before my packing appointment so it didn't matter if the packing fell out as it was being dressed.
*They told me not to use anything perfumed so I used water wipes to keep clean.
*Be watchful of any signs of infection. The nurses do keep an eye on this.
*Lots of protein is good for healing. I also had supplements, can't remember if it was D or E they recommended.
*I was off work for 6 weeks and spent a lot of time resting. They need to keep the pressure off the wound to aid healing so I spent a lot of time on my side.
*My GP was really vague about time off work but the nurses said the longer I rested and didn't sit on the wound all day the better.
I found it quite traumatic and intrusive. No one really explained how long the process would be in hospital. It was only the district nurse that was realistic about healing time.
I felt really vulnerable in the early days.