Left Shoulder Pain After Lap Band Surgery

[Bander 0]

I just has my surgery yesterday and found out I had a hiatal hernia also that he had to repair before he put in the band. I am foing ok alittle shoulder pain. I was just wondering does the hernia affect the band at all and our weight loss.

Congratulations. Good bye Hernia! You will feel better from that alone, not to mention the additonal weight loss. No impact on weight loss as Ive ever heard. L. shoulder pain now is normal, a year from now, not normal.

Best wishes.

[cmb 0]

I had band surgery in April 2006. I still get horrific shoulder pains. For several visits after my surgery, I told the surgeon about the pain. He suggested I get checked out by all these other doctors because he said he's never heard of anyone having such severe pain after lapband. I went for a few adjustment to see if that would help. I found that even with the adjustments, I really wasn't getting that "full" sensation, and the shoulder became impossible to deal with. The surgeon had to loosen the band, and I haven't been able to tighten it since. I have the same problems as some of the other members. If I don't eat, the pain starts. If I eat too much (even though I don't really get that "full" sensation), the shoulder starts. If I sit in a variety of positions for too long, the pain starts. Bottom line is that two years later I'm still in pain, and I've only lost about 20 pounds which I've done pretty much on my own. I haven't seen the surgeon because the last time I went to see him, he made me feel like I was a freak for having this problem. I really can't afford the surgery to remove it, and I don't think my insurance will pay for it. They were only willing to pay for a small percentage in the first place. I don't know that I can really spend the rest of my life with this shoulder pain and a useless band. I'm actually going to have to stop typing because the pain is starting to radiate. I wish my Surgeon would have access to this site.

Thank you all for putting up with my long message, but for two years (almost three) I've had no one I could share this with who would understand.

Thanks again...CMB

[JennBand08 0]

I see that alot of people get the Left shoulder pain, but I don't see alot of results in what to do to make it go away. I get it if I am really hungry, or if I overeat. Although, now I am getting it so often, I don't think it has to do with overeating, but with eating AT ALL. I've slowed down, I've eaten smaller amounts, still I am finding I have the pain at least 3-5x/week. It is so frustrating. Has anyone found anything to make it more bearable??

[cmb 0]

Dealing with this shoulder pain or searching for an answer on how to make it "bearable" is something I've been in search of since 2006. No luck.

cmb

[Banded2gether 0]

Hello everyone. I was banded on June 2, 2008. I have had neck and left shoulder pain every single day ever since the surgery. I want to start off letting you all know that I did have pain in my neck before the surgery, about a year ago on and off, but this pain that I've have since June is very different. It is unrelieved by any measure except strong painkillers.

I have talked to all my doctors about this and none of them seem to be able to explain this. The pain is a lot more painful a couple hours after I get a fill and usually keeps me up all night and all day. I've had an MRI, x-rays, fluroscopy (to check for band slippage and to make sure food could go through the pouch), trigger point injections, variety of muscle relaxers and pain pills, but still after 5 months, I am in pain every single day of my life. I am very frustrated about this and feel horrible. I absolutely do not want to have to get this band taken out, but if it comes to that, I am going to have to do it, last resort only.

The pain gets worse after eating, going for a long time between meals and being so hungry my stomach growls, after a fill, sitting certain ways, driving seems to make it worse, and breathing a lot like during exercise affects it. This pain is so weird! I've also gotten a variety of people to massage the area and it helps a little bit when they press on the two most painful spots. I can actually point to the spots that hurt. Doesn't seem to radiate at all. I am continuing to work with my doctors to figure this whole mess out and will keep anyone posted if they would like me to. This is definately not gas, but, when I do get gas, the pain is worse. I feel slight pressure at the top of my stomach from it sometimes too.

At my next fill appointment at the end of this month, I am going to see what else my surgeon has to say and possibly ask to get all the Fluid removed for a day or two to see if that helps. When I approached him about it, he said he had never heard of this before. My family doctor is the one who said the band could be causing this pain, I hadn't ever thought it could be the band, but I thought about it and did some journaling on the subject and found so many correlations that is was crisp clear that this is the band causing this! My family doc and I aggreed that we are going to wait a couple more months with some pain pills to see if anything changes before pursuing a neurologist. I feel like this isn't muscular pain, it feels like nerve pain.

Feel free to contact me if anyone needs some support with this pain. It's horrible. I had this lap band put in to help me with pain that I was having from being so heavy, not to cause pain and I am getting upset about it. I hate to blame the band, it's the only thing that has helped me lose this weight and keep it off!

~Megan

48 pounds lighter

8 Months since surgery and still having left shoulder, neck, and now abdominal pain! I have talked with my primary care doctor and my surgeon and even had injections from a pain doctor to help allieviate this situation. My lovely primary care doctor said to me a couple months ago when my cervical MRI was almost normal (had a little joint damage) that he thinks that my pain may very well be caused by my band. I didn't think it was possible at first and then I made a diary in my calendar to document when I had the pain, what made it worse, and what made it better and it all came down to: pain is worse when: I get a fill, eat too much, get hungry, have gas, ect. I talked to my surgeon on several occasions and finally after some research he said he could try to fix this problem. He called the company that manufactures the band he uses, talked to many other bariatric doctors and then got back to me about what they said. He gave me three options based on what they all said: #1 get the band removed and have a gastric sleeve. #2 try to have the band's placement lowered or one of the sutures taken out that holds the band in place #3 have the band removed and convert to a gastric bypass. #4 leave the band in and remove all the Fluid and start all over again with small incremental fills slowly.

My surgeon thinks that the band or one of the sutures that holds the band in place is pressing on my phrenic nerve (a nerve that runs up into the left side of you near your neck and shoulder) and my diaphram, because I do have more pain when I breath deeply. When I exercise on my bike or treadmill, the pain gets worse.

I decided to have my surgeon try to fix the band or change it's placement, if possible. He explained to me that it is a very complicated and hard procedure to do and that he may not be able to accomplish it. So, if he doesn't get that to work, I decided to have him remove the band, unfortunately, and try something else to lose the weight. Like weight watchers or something. My surgeon has never had a patient of his have this same problem before and was not sure how to handle it. I have talked to many different people and found out that it is becoming more common. In my opinion, before surgery on the papers you have to sign and then initial at each complication that this problem should be added to that list so people know what they may get into. I am so distraght over this because the band was working!!!!! I haven't been able to get anymore fills since November because the pain is unbearable, so I've gained weight and now I've only love 26 pouinds since surgery instead of the 48 pounds I lost initially.

If you are having this same problem and you cannot tolerate it anymore, please be persistent with your doctor and if need be get a 2nd or even 10th opinion because no one, absolutely no one should have to live in pain for 8 months. I am not saying that this surgery is something people should not do, it has saved many peoples lives and will keep saving many peoples lives, but, it needs to be an aknownledged complication and it needs to have a fix.

My surgery is scheduled for February 12th, 2009 and I am scared, very nervous, about it. I was in so much pain after the last surgery, much more than I ever imagined and still in pain 8 months later. I informed my surgeon and even the nurses in the hospital of that pain and people kept telling me it was gas, it was not gas, it was this band. I recently brought it up again that the pain was unbearable and my surgeon acted like he couldn't believe it. I plan on talking to him about this once more before the surgery, so I won't want to kill myself afterwards this time.

I hope I helped anyone with this same problem and suffering. Feel free to e-mail me at mlbeardsley99@yahoo.com if you need someone to talk to.

~Megan

[JJB 2]

I have had my band for 3 years now and have had shoulder pain for most of that time. It is horrible. In fact my Dr thought it might be scar tissue build up around my band so they went in to check it out this Monday. They ended up taking my gall bladder but found nothing wrong with my band. So I am back to the beginning now. I cant get a fill because it makes the pain much worse. They are hoping that taking out my gall bladder might help. So far it has not but maybe I am just feeling the gas from surgery. It is so frustrating. To be hones the only way I can make it on some days is by taking pain meds. I am a mom and when this pain is really bad which is right before my time of the month I can not function without something strong. I can usually handle pain pretty well. But this really knocks me on my butt. I hate to scare people who are considering getting the band. I do not regret getting it all and my biggest fear is that I will have to get it taken out. Sorry to go on and on about this. I just really hope that this surgery I had Monday was not for nothing. Good luck to all of you who are having this. I hope they figure it out soon.

[JJB 2]

I just wanted to see if you have found any relief from the shoulder pain yet. I have not. I had surgery Monday so they could look at my band to see if there is some kind of scar tissue build up or something. Well they found nothing and ended up taking out my gall bladder. They think that might have been causing some of the gas that caused my shoulder pain. It is still there though and has not changed at all. I to am very discouraged. I hope things are working out for you.

[xfallenangelx666 0]

im going through the same things...... some surgeons just want $$$$$

[JennBand08 0]

I have found that now that I don't have as much restriction, I am not having the shoulder pain. I am torn because I am eating more now and know I need a fill, but I do not want the shoulder pain to return. I don't know if I should just go for a tiny tiny fill or just try to learn to live with the band as it is. I gained a half pound last week. My first gain. I can eat about 1 1/2-2 cups of food. Well, unless its meat, then I do seem to be able to eat much less. But I usually have meat and something else, veggie or carb. I don't get that FULL feeling though and find myself taking "one more bite' over and over again knowing if I eat too much I will get the shoulder pain. I fear the shoulder pain more than getting stuck or PB-ing!! Maybe just .5 cc? What do you think? I've only had 2 fills and have 4cc's in a 10 cc band.

[*slim* 2]

Ok, so I thought maybe I was having some strange heart attack. I started having shoulder pain today. I think it started after eating lunch this afternoon, but I am not sure. I had no idea that it might be band related until I did a search and found this thread. At least I know I am not crazy.

[nbelanger 0]

I was banded over a year ago and I still have the bad shoulder pain. Glad to know I am not the only one.

[Banded2gether 0]

Guess what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A solution for me!!!!!!!!!!!!

On February 12, 2009 my surgeon did an exploratory lap and found that I had a lot of scar tissue and adhesions around my diaphram and band and liver and that the band was kinda too close to my diaphram! He fixed everything and now for the first time since my original surgery, I am completely out of pain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Dr. Siddiqui!

Hope everyone else resolves there pain, I wish you all the best.

~Megan

[Fort Bend Band 0]

Well maybe the scar tissue is the answer for those of you that continue to suffer. I know most of us seem to have occasional discomfort especially if we eat too much or food gets stuck but those of you who suffer non stop for a long time...it just shouln't be like that!

[heidib 15]

yes, in fact I just started a thread since I didn't see yours. It's been over a year since my banding and this is the only problem I've had. It can be quite annoying, although not really painful. I've tried different products, like tums, and gas-x strips and chewable tablets, but so far nothing seems to help. I get my pain when I'm hungry. It worsens if I don't eat for a time after the pain starts. HELP!!!!!

WOW! weird!!!! I get this too under my left should blade when I'm hungry! what is it!!!?!?!?

[gdf18 2]

I've been off the board for a while, but I have to say a big "THANK GOODNESS FOR THIS BOARD". Just when you think you'll go crazy from something like this left shoulder pain, you can go to this board and if not end it, at least know that it's not just you. I'm ten months since surgery and other than fighting my own demons, I've been very happy. I'll go fix my profile - I'm down about 80 pounds. The worst struggle is that about two months ago the shoulder pain, which rarely a month after surgery, has returned. It's like someone sticking knitting needles in my shoulder - around or under the bra strap. My surgeon says it happens to some and it's gas- take gas meds, use beano, etc. But I think it's more and I'm wondering if it was avoidable. You folks give me strength to fight and look for answers. We should post answers here if anyone finds anything that helps. Maybe I'll start a thead for it. I'm so afraid that this is forever and it's a big price as it's a horrible pain sometimes. WIll I have it when I'm 90?

I thank you all for being here. Misery LOVES company.

Gwenn