Left shoulder pain

[ElfiePoo 109]

I am now a little over a year postop and I've had almost constant shoulder pain since the day of surgery. It only happens when I'm lying down or riding in the passenger seat of the car (maybe because of the way the car seat back is molded) or if I try to take my arm and move it behind my back. It is not affected by eating or drinking. Everyone says it will go away. It hasn't. When I first mentioned it at the clinic, they looked at me like they had never heard of this happening and their suggestion has been to get my regular doctor to prescribe pain meds.

I'm going to call my clinic tomorrow and tell them I need to see the surgeon because they either need to take the band out or fix whatever is causing this pain to continue and worsen. Taking pain meds the rest of my life is not an option. I've actually woken up in the night crying from the pain...and this is from someone who never took pain meds after the surgery.

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[cwm812 11]

Elfie,

I know you're in pain and I realize this started just after your surgery, but have you considered that this may have nothing to do with your band?

I have some left shoulder pain, too. It didn't start with surgery and it isn't anywhere near the level of pain your describing. I talked to my primary doctor about it and yesterday. She suggested waiting a month and if it's still a problem we'll go the MRI route. She says at my age, shoulder problems are not uncommon. I've had 2 friends (not banded) who have needed shoulder surgery. I also think my problem is related to years of sleeping on my left side with 300 lbs weighing on that poor shoulder.

I think you are right not wanting to spend your life on pain meds, but I'd hate to see you go through a band removal and not have any improvement in your shoulder.

I hope you find the answer to your problem.

Cindy

[jingleboob 5]

I get horrible left shoulder pain at times. But it only happens when I've eaten too much. Getting better at feeling the signs before that happens as it's been a few weeks... but I did as the surgeon about it at my 1st fill.

He told me that where the band is placed is right above your diaphragm, and if the diaphragm is irritated you get that left shoulder pain. So when I eat too much and my pouch is overfilled and putting strain on the band, it's pushing the band into the diaphragm. Maybe your band is just placed so that when you're in those positions it's touching and bothering the diaphragm? It's worth talking about. It's pain on the same level as a slipped disc, and I'm so sorry you're feeling it so often.

ps- love the tink pic, but the piggy in boots was my favorite!

[ElfiePoo 109]

Hi Cindy,

No, it's definitely related to the band...and it's not uncommon. There are people who have been dealing with this for years. It has to do with some part of the band rubbing against the diaphragm...phrenic nerve pain. I didn't have a problem putting up with it when it was just an irritation, but now it's full fledged pain that interferes with my sleep and is causing frequent headaches as a result of tensing from the pain or sleeping in an odd position to alleviate the pain.

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[Apples2 19]

ElphiPoo...I, too, got looked at like I was nuts when I mentioned my little symptom I have had since the night I had surgery. Nothing too irritating but I KNOW is related to the installation of my band. I would swear it's related to nerves in that area.

Anyway, whenever I lay down, I get a itchy left shoulder blade. Weird, huh?

[ElfiePoo 109]

Itchy...yeah...mine was sort of an itchy but almost painfully so. Now it just plain hurts like a deep ache.

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[Apples2 19]

Itchy...yeah...mine was sort of an itchy but almost painfully so. Now it just plain hurts like a deep ache.

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Elpie...if the pain has intensified, I would make a visit to my doc about it. I'm 2 yrs out and it's the same. Just an itch that needs to be scratched and once scratched, all is fine. Weird.

[cwm812 11]

Elfie and Apples,

Thanks for educating me. I'm just glad I'm not having your problem. I'll deal with my run-of-the-mill shoulder pain, it's tolerable.

Elfie, I hope you find the answer, even if it means losing your band.

Cindy

[MaryDivinsky 0]

I am now a little over a year postop and I've had almost constant shoulder pain since the day of surgery. It only happens when I'm lying down or riding in the passenger seat of the car (maybe because of the way the car seat back is molded) or if I try to take my arm and move it behind my back. It is not affected by eating or drinking. Everyone says it will go away. It hasn't. When I first mentioned it at the clinic, they looked at me like they had never heard of this happening and their suggestion has been to get my regular doctor to prescribe pain meds.

I'm going to call my clinic tomorrow and tell them I need to see the surgeon because they either need to take the band out or fix whatever is causing this pain to continue and worsen. Taking pain meds the rest of my life is not an option. I've actually woken up in the night crying from the pain...and this is from someone who never took pain meds after the surgery.

I believe that the left should pain does have something to do with your band. I and several other people I have spoke have this same pain. I was banded in 4/07 and dd great til sep 08. Lost 102 pounds then everything changed. I have encounted so many problems since that have been believed by some md's to be caused by the band. I deyhdrated/passed out/went into full arrrest/have had numberous ct's and ugi and egd. My band had been emptied and allowed to rest and refiled so many times I have lost count. Last week my surgeon said no: He is scheduling me for removal and I would have to wait one yr to even considereing re banding or other lws. I would have to think long and hard before I did it again. I regained 70 lbs so far.