Help me please

[nokaoi 0]

I was banded on 11-19-09...overnight in the hospital and went home next morning, incisions no issues, but I had this vicious stabbing pain in my left shoulder running up my neck. I told the Dr before I left the hospital and I told all the nurses...everyone said it was the gas they used during surgery and that it would go away. A week went by and then 2 and I still had the pain (although not as bad but still horrible worse when I ate) so I went in to see the Dr about it ...this time he thought I was having esophageal spasms and that with time it would go away....I then went back for my 5/6 week chk and again I complained about this horrific pain in the top of my left shoulder shooting up the side of my neck like someone stabbing me. It happens everytime I take in food or drink. With food it lasts longer...now the Dr and his nurse both said they had no one else complaining about this kind of pain and had no idea what it was....( it is now only when I eat) Fast forward to the present...last week I was searching the net as to possible causes and came across others who have the same problem and they turned me on the Vagus Nerve which runs down the esophagus and along the length of the stomach. From what I can figure it is being pinched either by the band itself or from the hyatal hernia he fixed during surgery. Now I find out that damage to this nerve can cause your voice to go hoarse and even stop, can cause heart palpitations, depression, pain in the neck and other things.

Please if anyone who reads this has the same problem---get in touch with me I want to hear from you --I also want to know what can be done about this, short of removal of the band (which I do not want) --so please write and let me know:confused:...

thanks for reading:sneaky:

[Katy517 1]

Sounds very troubling. I would consult another doctor and get a second opinion. Good luck getting it resolved and also with your weight loss.

[robynbaker 0]

Hi... I had a hernia repair at the same time as the lapband. I had horrific stop-me-in-my-tracks pain in my left shoulder. If I laid down on my left side it would stop. Felt like a knife digging in my shoulder. Mine stopped almost completely at 2 weeks. Didn't ease off... just kinda stopped... I still get it every once in awhile... mine is from a radiating right by the diaphram.....PHRENIC NERVE.... still kicks up once in a while but nothing like before... the pressure on the nerve during the surgery from moving the diaphram as well as the gas they pump you full of caused it.....

Edited May 22, 2010 by robynbaker

[DianaG 0]

I have had trouble with the vagus nerve with my last three fills. The surgeon says that when he gives me a fill, there is new pressure on the nerve and that causes me to slime :smile:, sometimes gag or burp bringing up "foam", have some nausea and be unable to drink anything without it immediately coming back up. He told me that the symptoms would stop about 24 hrs after the fill.....and lo and behold he was right!

It stops almost exactly 24 hours later. By then I am so tired from being awake for all that time, that I drink some hot tea and take a nap!!!! After that all is well with my world.

The last time I had a fill (I am at 7cc's now) I asked my surgeon if the nerve would eventually adapt so that it would no longer bother me. He replied "I'm sorry, but as long as I irritate the nerve with a fill, it will irritate you for 24 hours".

So, I will be really, really, glad when I reach my "sweet spot"! I bet that irritating vagus nerve will be happy too!:thumbup:

[♥Amy♥ 5]

Hmmm...Im almost 2 months out and it's been 2 weeks since my first fill and I've noticed some heart palpitations the past couple of days. I guess it could be irritation of my vagus nerve but I was chalking it up to too much sodium intake. I've cut down my sodium starting today so I'll see if it resolves itself or continues. If it continues I'll let you AND my surgeon know. I hope the pain stops for you :thumbup: