Left Shoulder Pain Starting @ 15 Days Post Op?

[CCCross 31]

I've googled and searched on here and a few other sites but I didn't quite find the answer so hopefully someone can shed some light. I was sleeved 10/6/2012 and had no gas pains. Then yesterday I started with some shoulder pains; not really severe and no other pain anywhere. It feels like a gas pain (many a laproscopic abdominal surgeries) but I've never had it start so late out. I'm still on full liquids and haven't cheated (ok well chewed up some stuff and spit it out while cooking family dinners). I'm paranoid about every twinge. I did call the doc and he said it's probably gas pain but then I get to thinking....and my mind gos to the worst place possible. Anyone else have gas pains that started so late?

[SusanR 9]

Try walking a little & use doctor approved analgesics for a few days-I bet it's trapped gas.

[GeauxForIt 659]

Are you running any fever? Nausea or vomiting? How do you feel otherwise?

[CCCross 31]

Are you running any fever? Nausea or vomiting? How do you feel otherwise?

I feel fine. A little tired but it was my first day back at work. No nausea. I've slimmed twice in the past week but nothing too weird. No fever...get hot flashes but no temperature change.

[Eat That Frog 53]

I had a similar experience. Once or twice a day it would hurt for 10 minutes or so and then stop. It started about 2 weeks out and lasted about 2 weeks. My surgeon had mentioned it might happen, I thought he said it was a side effect of the anesthesia.

[iggychic 1,405]

Are you running any fever? Nausea or vomiting? How do you feel otherwise?

watch for all of this (low grade or high fever) You can develop a leak and shoulder pain is a sign (left). if you get more tired, weaker, any vomiting....get a leak test immediately. Delay can kill you (it nearly did me)

[CCCross 31]

watch for all of this (low grade or high fever) You can develop a leak and shoulder pain is a sign (left). if you get more tired' date=' weaker, any vomiting....get a leak test immediately. Delay can kill you (it nearly did me)[/quote']

Iggychic, your story is actually one of the reasons I'm trying to be proactive. I don't want to be the girl that cried wolf but as someone without health insurance, I feel like I need to pay even closer attention (not that everyone doesn't or shouldn't). I got this surgery so I could get insurance. I've had crazy weird diseases so its been tough to get something I could afford as a full time student. I hate to think I have to throw myself at the mercy of an emergency room but my co morbidities (hypertension, sleep apnea, ovarian tumors etc) were costing me more in 6 months time than the entire surgery. Sorry for the length....

[iggychic 1,405]

Iggychic' date=' your story is actually one of the reasons I'm trying to be proactive. I don't want to be the girl that cried wolf but as someone without health insurance, I feel like I need to pay even closer attention (not that everyone doesn't or shouldn't). I got this surgery so I could get insurance. I've had crazy weird diseases so its been tough to get something I could afford as a full time student. I hate to think I have to throw myself at the mercy of an emergency room but my co morbidities (hypertension, sleep apnea, ovarian tumors etc) were costing me more in 6 months time than the entire surgery. Sorry for the length....[/quote']

I was just telling a gal how important it is to share her story with the lap band folks. You point out well how important our horror stories are.

Being proactive is the way to go. Not only because of the money issue, but because of the possibility of what could happen to you if a leak is the issue. Shoulder pain on the left is a symptom, but as others have said it could be more. Fever indicates your body being damaged (poisoned) by the leak so if you get even a low grade fever demand a leak test (a barium swallow is standard and mine were around $350 each which beats the $250,000 hospital bill). An xray or cat scan won't diagnose as well as a swallow test and the cat scan is much more expensive.

Any additional tiredness, lowering of energy, etc, get your arse to the ER or your surgeon and demand the test. Same for fever. I didn't demand hard enough...don't go down my road. Alive and possibly a medical banko beats the heck out of dead and out of worldly debt any time!

I do want to add that you have been feeling good, and now have just this pain. I never, never!!! felt good from the day of the surgery so don't let my story scare the crap out of you It could be gas issues as you are progressing in your food changes etc. Just do me a favor and be careful. I don't want to read your story unless it's about an easy journey!

[imworthit 156]

How are u feeling now? I'm 10 days and my shoulder is paining now. It's just like the pain I had in the right shoulder post op!! Ugh it sucks gas pains are the worst!!

[CCCross 31]

How are u feeling now? I'm 10 days and my shoulder is paining now. It's just like the pain I had in the right shoulder post op!! Ugh it sucks gas pains are the worst!!

Better...the pain went away after a few days. I'm having some bathroom issues so my pain is in a different area. The heating pad worked well for me. My biggest problem was the obsessesion that it could be a sign of some horrible complication. Once I was able to relax a little, the gas pain seemed to ease up a bit too. Good luck...

[Crystal Lavoie 29]

I had a couple of weeks of shoulder pain, which I had mistaken for gas, and as time went on, I ended up weak, passing out and was running a fever. Turned out it was a late leak, I spent 17 days in the hospital and just got out 4 days ago. I'm not out of the woods. The next few weeks are crucial to my recovery. Please, listen to your body, follow your instincts and be aware!!

[imworthit 156]

I had a couple of weeks of shoulder pain' date=' which I had mistaken for gas, and as time went on, I ended up weak, passing out and was running a fever. Turned out it was a late leak, I spent 17 days in the hospital and just got out 4 days ago. I'm not out of the woods. The next few weeks are crucial to my recovery. Please, listen to your body, follow your instincts and be aware!![/quote']

Feel better and wishing you the best!!