Shoulder pain

[dlparrott89 1]

I'm 3 days post op. The only thing that hurts is the shoulders. I move around, I drink Water, I try to get my Protein, my stomach is sore but isn't unbearable. The thing that is unbearable is my shoulders. If it's not the right it's the left or is both. What are some things that helped this and when does it stop??

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[Arabesque 7,462]

It’s from the carbon dioxide gas they use to inflate your abdomen during surgery. This gas escapes by rising & being absorbed into your blood before being breathed out. When it rises it usually ends up under your diaphragm & puts pressure on a phrenic nerve which causes the shoulder pain. It can take up to a week +/- to disappear. Walking, deep breathing, marching in the spot, lifting your arms up & down all help move the gas. A heating pad can help with the shoulder discomfort too.

[toodlerue 457]

That awful pain is from the gas that was used to plump you up so the surgeon could see what they were doing in your abdomen. In my experience (I have had at least 7 surgeries with the gas) is that nothing helps. Some surgeons are better at getting all the gas out & some of us are more sensitive to the pain.
The only thing that I have ever found helpful is Tens unit (Google that). Pain meds, muscle relaxers, heat, ice & gabapentin don’t help mine at all & mine lasts for 3 weeks.
Good luck!