pain in left side?

[ShhhhDontTell 0]

I have the same pain, I was wondering if it was from the scope, it is near the smaller incision on the left side... it did not hurt much in the beginning but I am a month out from surgery (10/5) & not it is really bugging me...

[Dozy 3]

Are any of you speaking with your lapband doctors about this pain?

This is very important!

I had this same pain... turned out to be a perforated esophagus... turned out the food was going into my body cavity instead of my stomach.... this IS life-threatening.

You need to see your doctor... have the reason for the pain identified via CT scan.

I thought it was gas, but ended up in emergency. I just spent a total of 19 days in the hospital... had to have emergency surgery, 20% survival, 4 days in ICU, critical/stable. I had the band in place exactly 2 weeks, then I downed a 4 oz. Carnation Instant Breakfast and the pain began. Yes, only AFTER I ate.

If you are having a fever, even low grade, while you are having this pain, this is an alert to you. Please consult your lapband doctor... do not see your regular doctor, he knows nothing about gastric banding!

Please, please, although it may be nothing, it just may be something, and that something just my turn into something life-threatening.

[Alex R. 0]

I asked my doctor and he said that it was from the surgery. He said that they have to put the scope in on that side and up under your ribs and that takes a long time to heal up internally.

I've had this pain as well and have been very curious about it for a long time. I've posted about it on occasion too. A band doctor who sometimes posts on these boards said he had heard of this from some of his patients, was pretty sure it was band related, but didn't know exactly what it was.

However, at my last fill, I asked about it and was told almost the exact same thing that Danielle says (above). I think the mystery is solved for me.

[ajoneen 0]

if you have left shoulder pain please see the poll on the general discussion board. Thanks

[LovingWhatIs 0]

I had the SIDE-Stitch (on the left to belly button, not under ribs) pain 2 weeks after my banding. It was not related to eating. My Dr. said it didn't have anything to do with the banding, and yet, I hear people on this thread describing the same thing. It felt EXACTLY like a the pain I would get when I used to jog long distances. I think the docs would learn a lot reading this forum!

[Kristin1031 0]

I was woke up this morning at 4am with the same pain as you are describing here. I am 2 1/2 weeks out nearly 3.

I called the Surgeons office and they want to see my tomorrow afternoon. I put the heating pad on it tonight after work and it seems to be much better.

It has been there all day, not only when I eat. It is very strange indeed. I certainly have no other symptoms with it. Everything has been going along just fine.

[LovingWhatIs 0]

I am convinced that it is a muscle spasm. That's the only conclusion I could come to, considering it's location, sudden onset, and sudden departure. Although I am not a doctor, I play one online. ha ha.

[TryingHard 0]

I got my band in Mexico on Sept 6 2007. I am 39 years old and weighed 217 at time of lap band placement and I am now 155 lbs. The weight loss is rapid. I can't eat much. I have been in constant pain off and on. I noticed the port began pushing through my stomach. My family doctor here in California told me to go back to Mexico because he does not know how to treat me and my HMO will take to long to find a specialist. I went to Mexico and the surgeon who put in the lap band performed an endoscopy and said my body was rejected it and said I should check into the ER room here in the states. The Mexico surgeon gave me the DVD and pictures of my endoscopy. The doctors here said the band was placed on me too tight and penetrated into my stomach and cut it in half. My stomach built scar tissues walls to protect the food from spilling into my body cavity. However I was told by a non gastric specialist that I would not be able to work for 6 months to a year and I will have a feeding tube for months while my stomach heals once they find a surgeon experienced and willing to take the liability of a Mexico patient. I have been placed on bed rest to avoid the rupture of the scar tissue walls which is called a phister (spelling ?) if it ruptures. Loma Linda hospital is searching for a surgeon while I wait here bed ridden. Does anyone have this problem and is it true that I will be in the hospital for weeks or months and have a feeding tube and cant work for a year? Please help me I am so scared and can't stop crying.<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[LovingWhatIs 0]

oh trying, angel, my heart goes out to you... what a trooper you are. I love that you post what is going on for you and keep talking about it. You are not alone. How can I help? I would love to send you the book "Loving What Is" by Byron Katie. I have many copies, and it has helped me through the most crazy difficult times... I have some stuff on CD and will send that too if you want it. Just email me at lisa@meeetingyourmind.com. I just want to help in any way I can. YOu are so dear.

Lisa

[Lynn0216 0]

Hello, I was banded on 12/7 by Dr. Ortiz in Mexico. I have been having the same left side pain under my ribs. It comes after I eat and then at random times during the day. It was especially bad on the 3 day through 6th day but has started to get better and I feel a slight pain now but it is barily noticable. When I was having the pain at it's worst it also hurt to breath deeply. The pain in my left side felt like I was being stabbed with a knife under my left rib cage and then I felt almost short of breath when would try to breath. I called my doctor's office and spoke to his assistand doctor on day 5 and he told me to keep taking over the counter liquid pain meds. I was still in pain from day 5 through 8 and then now it is much better but I wonder if there is still a problem after reading this post. Did the people that had a problem with this have a barium swollow test done after their procedure? I had one the morning after I was banded and was told that everything looked fine. I thought that test was to make sure that there was not punctures or problems with your band. I would like to know if you all had the test because if you did and the test was fine but you still found a problem later then I am definatly going to call my doc again to have this checked out.

Thanks for your help.

[Mom2Three 0]

I am having pain on my left side right above my ovary. Went to gynocologist today because it felt like a cyst on ovary but she didn't see anything on the ultrasound. I am about 3 weeks post op and this pain has just started over the weekend. Anyone else had this? Only notice it when up walking around.

[TryingHard 0]

A continuation of my previous thread above is that I ended up in the hospital for weeks. The doctor put the band on too tight and it eroded through my stomach. None of the doctors here in the states knew what was going on with me. It felt like a constant runners or swimmers cramp. I went to Mexico and the surgeon that put the lap band in ran an edoscopy test and saw the band on the inside of my stomach. I could have died. The Mexico doctor name is Dr. Carlos. He did not want to do the corrective surgery because it is to complicated and requires a lot of after care. I went to Loma Linda University Hospital and I showed them the DVD of my endoscopy and I was immediately admitted and in surgery the next day. I was on a TPN feeding tube for 6 weeks and it was the most horrible thing that I have ever been through in my life. The surgeon at Loma Linda said that lap band surgery is extremely dangerous and the majority of patience have severe complications. The most common complication is lap band erosion due to the surgeon placing the band too tight. There is no way a surgeon can know how tight the band is placed. It is a guessing game. I suffered from panic attacks and still have anxiety today. Loma Linda University Hospital saved my life. Below is the clinic that did my lap band in Mexico. I suggest no one use this clinic or hospital. Dr. Carlos Alessandrini and his brother will kill you. After I woke up from my lap band surgery I had a drain in my side. Dr. Carlos's brother did the surgery when I thought Dr. Carlos was doing it. Dr. Carlos was not even in the clinic when my surgery was performed. Dr. Carlos let his brother do the surgery without my knowledge. I thought his brother was going to assist him and learn. I woke up with a drain and his brother said that I woke up during surgery and a struggle in sued. His brother said he broke some blood vessels during surgery, but I think something else happened. I don't even know if his brother is a real doctor. The end result is that the lap band is removed and my stomach is repaired to the best possible condition. The surgeon at Loma Linda said my stomach will never be the same and I will always have problems with it for the rest of my life. But so far I have no problems I just can't eat to much, but that is a good thing. I have no more pain and I lost 65 pounds in 4 months. It was a horrible way to lose it and I wish I could have done it through diet and exercise. Hind sight is 20/20. The worst part of all this is that I put my family through hell for vanity and just being lazy. The link is below for Dr. Carlos's website and address is below:

http://bajanor.com/president.htm

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 width="80%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>Calle Ferrocarril No 10634 Col. Libertad Parte Baja C.P. 22300, Tijuana, B.C. México.

Tels: 682 -3005 , 682-3008 USA: 01152- 664-6823005 or Direct Line Usa : 619-739-4234

TOLL FREE FROM USA 1-888-294-0342,1-877-226-3453

© Copyright Renovate Medical Group 2008

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Anyone who is considering lapband I hope you reconsider carefully and if you have it in already I hope my blog helps you. Good luck everyone and take care. A Special Thank you for all of those caring emails of support. Your support through this challenging time in my life meant the world to me. Thank you!

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[Jkck660 0]

I am so sorry to hear about your terrible ordeal, trying. I hope that you are on your way to a healthy recovery.

I have the same pain right under my left rib cage. I am 2 weeks post op. My pain didnt start until three days ago. I was traveling with my family in our Rv, I was laying down in the bed with my boys. The Road was really bumpy.

All of the sudden I felt pain in my left side under my rib cage. It was aweful, like a knife stabbing me. We pulled over and slept for the rest of the night. It still hurt in the moring, just not as bad. I did call my Dr. office and she said it didnt sound band related. Maybe I just jarred my insides, which are still sore from surgery. I am not sure I believe that.

The next day it did still hurt just not as bad. However, now it hurts sporatically. Mostly right after I eat. I had a thick protien shake a little bit ago and now it is hurting terribly.

I dont know what the pain is, however, I wonder if the band could be poking on the liver???? I have spent a lot of time looking at the digestive system and pictures if our insides to figure out if the pain could be coming from the band.

I dont know what it is, however, it is really painful. I am glad that I found this thread and know that it is not just me.

[libra 13]

I'm almost 2 years out and still occasionally get a pain just under my left rib cage. I've told my surgeon about it and he said that quite a few patients have complained about it. He doesn't see anything wrong though. It's good to tell your surgeon but sometimes it's just one of those inexplainable side effects, I guess.

[toni_o 0]

as many of us do, i'm working on learning how to eat with my band. so far, i've been successful with dropping weight--60 pounds in 2 months! :biggrin2:

sometimes, though, i eat too fast. when i do that, i get the awful pain in the middle of my chest. with the pain, comes slime and occasionally vomiting. :cool:

i vomited a little tonight, and afterward, i've got a bit of pain under my ribs on my left side.:tt2:

i've sent an email to my fill nurse because i've heard how bad it is for us to vomit. deanna (the nurse) said she's a quick responder to email, so i expect to get a response tomorrow, but i'm still a bit nervous.:eek:

also, has anyone noticed how hard weekends are? i do great during the weekend...every meal planned. the weekends, i sleep later, have a tendency to graze instead of eating real meals. time to translate the organization to the weekends, i guess! :mad2: