Ouch my shoulder

justamom · January 26, 2006

:help: Is this a new disability of the band? I have been banded 10 days and I get these awful sharp shoulder pain. It started about 4 days after surgery. These don't feel like the gas pains which get better by walking and eventually burping out (sorry for the visual).

These pains occur when I'm up and about - even if I'm sitting around as opposed to walking around. Ibuprofen helps some but laying down on my left side is what fixes it. Is it just me - anyone else out there?

La_madam · January 26, 2006

Turst me friend, these are gas pains..may not seem like it but they are. It takes 2-3 weeks for them to subside, you may even experience them after a fill..I did. Dont worry, what you are experiencing is normal...just keep walikng and some GAS X may help

January 26, 2006

Totally normal, I had them for almost 2 weeks. A heating pad helps to relieve some of the pain though.

kim2bhealthy · January 26, 2006

Hey justamom! Congrats on your surgery! I'm not banded yet(going through the insurance/consultation process), so I'm no expert, but in the seminar that I attended and in the brochures that I received I was told not to use Ibuprofen (after banding) because it is rough on the tummy. I think it can cause ulcers, which is not good for your band, or your stomach (erosion). You may want to switch to Tylenol for help with the shoulder pain! I would suggest asking your surgeon about it. Hope this is helpful! Good luck with the weight loss!

Kim_8 · January 27, 2006

justamom - i was banded 2 weeks ago and finally today only had the shoulder/collarbone pain for about an hour. Prior to that I had it easily 8 or more hours a day. I walked around with my fingers pressed against my collarbone trying to make it go away. Sometimes it was so bad I wanted to cry ------ that said, it does seem to be getting better each day! Yea! Hang in there - I hear it's gas and it won't last forever. I found that when I can't stand it anymore a heating pad will help a little. Gas X didn't touch it.

aligirrl77 · January 27, 2006

I WAS THE SAME WAY! omg after the surgery i was like what the HELLL!!!! i was in so much pain. I used ICE instead of heat- someone told me the ice works better (i dunno if its tru) ...and just tried to rest and lay down as much as possible until it went away...

the only good thing about it was that it took all the pain away from the actual surgery itself!! haha

NurseTeresa · January 27, 2006

Sorry to hear about the pains that you are having. I am in the process of getting things together to have the banding done myself. However, I am a nurse and work on a surgery trauma unit and we also will be doing lap banding and rny starting feb. The pains that you are experienceing are from the gas that they use to expand your abdomen so that they can see what they are doing in surgery. All you can do is get up and move. The more you walk the more it will break the gas up and make it not so strong in your collarbone area. Sometimes it also settles in your chest and you feel as if you are having a heart attack. Experienced that one myself after gallbladder surgery. It will pass thank god, just keep walking walking walking......

aligirrl77 · January 27, 2006

when i said 'lie down and rest'... i meant until the acute pain subsided...not just to lay and rest for the duration of ur recovery! haha i just wanted to make myself clear...

justamom · January 29, 2006

Thanks for all your thoughts! I am now 2 weeks post banded and you all were correct - my pain is almost gone.

It only comes when I have over exerted myself during the course of the day or if I haven't eaten in a while. Once I eat something it gets better.

BTW - I lost about 10 pound the first week - nothing this last week. Is this normal?

Suzi D · January 31, 2006

Reference the sharp shoulder pain... I get it too. Really badly. I called my doctors office today and they said it was either from eating too fast, or eating too much. I told her I hadn't eaten very much, so that meant it was the type of food I ate. As I understand, some food passes much easier through the band than others. I had eaten something that couldn't pass through my band quickly enough. Therefore, since the food had no where else to go it stayed in my esophogus hence causing the pain. I tell you what, thats a quick lesson I learned to learn to slow down & cut back. I told the nurse I still felt hungry and she said to try something like yougurt or applesauce and that I should feel full in about 15 - 20 minutes. Guess what? She was right!