Intense pain in left shoulder, still gas?

[Dia 0]

Hi everyone, I was banded Monday, April 14th and still have intense pain in my left shoulder. Has anyone had gas pains this long? I thought yesterday it was finally going away, but today it was back worse than before. I'm dying and wishing I'd never had this surgery. I'm fine with my band and incisions, it's this shoulder pain that is making my life miserable.

It seems to have moved across my shoulder toward my neck. I'm thinking it's not gas, it's something altogether different. I never hurt before surgery, so maybe it's a result of having my arms outstretched during surgery. Pinched nerve or disc is what I'm thinking.

Someone please tell me that this will go away quickly. I'm sobbing now from the pain.

[Big As Life 0]

Okay....first Off, This Is Normal...get Some liquid Gas-x And Take..and Burp, Burp, Burp...keep Walking And Be Sure To Just Sip Your Liquid........take Your Pain Meds...that Will Help With The Gas Pain....

[MissyL 0]

I was told by my doctor that the more i walked the more gas ill burp out, i had my surgery on the 15th of april and now my shoulders are fine, i still have pains on my shoulder but nothing like it use to be.

[beeblers 6]

First off let me tell you...you are not crazy....and second...it may not be "gas" at 10 days post op. However Left shoulder pain can be a problem in lapband (or any laproscopic surgery) due to the irritation of a nerve by your diaphragm that lies close to the surgical placement of your band. I had it for 5 weeks post op. I researched it, found a medical research article describing it to a tee. Up to 60% of LapBand patients have it at 1-2 weeks...by 6 weeks only 10% do. My surgeon had never heard of it, but thanked me when I gave him a copy of the study and read it right there in front of me...He said it made sense and that the reason it goes away in the majority after about 5 weeks is that is how long it takes the body to wall off the "foreigner" with scar.

Search "left shoulder pain" in this forum and you will see you are not alone but for the most part it should pass. Thankfully mine did, now I only get it when I eat too much or don't eat for a long time and get too hungry.

Some things that helped me (may or may not work for you) LAY DOWN on your left side (yes, it helped) some say heating pad (didn't work for me) pain meds didn't work for me, but laying down did. I could lay on either right or left and it would work so if your port is on the left and it hurts that too much, try the right. Hope you get better SOON!

Brenda

[Dia 0]

My dh is a pain clinic patient, and among other "goodies" he has, he has lidocaine Patches that are amazing. I took liq. Lortab about an hour ago and have 3 Patches on so the pain has subsided for now.

It may well still be gas, but I swear, it feels like something worse, like a pinched nerve or something torn. I'm up and very active. The only thing I don't do is pick up my 26 lb son, (or anything else over 10 lbs) per dr's orders. I take my gas-x and the heating pad brings only very little comfort.

Thank you all for your replies and esp you Brenda. Big hug for your informative post.

[Enchanted 2]

If you are sobbing in pain, using meds from your husband and it's been going on for this long -- it's time to call your doctor. It could be (and maybe even is) gas pain, but your doctor is the one to ask.

Gas-X is good for stomach gas...but that is not related to the gas they use to inflate your belly -- that gas in your abdomen and not your stomach.

I hope you start feeling better soon.

[Dia 0]

I have spoken to my dr about my pain, twice in fact. I called last Friday (4th day post-op) and had my one week follow up appt this past Tuesday. He said it could still be gas but if it continued that maybe a round of physical therapy would be in order.

I know residual gas pain is common and I'm hoping that's all it is. I don't want it to be nerve or disc related. If it's gas, I'll gladly pay my dues like everyone else but last night, I was scared that it was something more. I was scared it WASN'T gas.

This morning is a lot better. Hopefully last night was just a fluke and that I'm on my way to getting that gas out.

[livn4thm 0]

I had surgery on the 17th and after the first two days I didn't have anymore pain until 2 days ago. I know what you're talking about. I kept calling the 24 hour nurses because nothing was cutting the "gas" pain. I kept thinking though, this feels different. Everytime I hold my breath it goes away but when I breathe it hurts again. I really thought I was losing my mind. It almost feels like stabbing over and over again and even buring on the side of my neck. I think more needs to be looked at about this "gas" pain. If in fact it is diaphragm related, then I need something to discharge the nerve in my shoulder. I'm going to get ICY HOT!!! :thumbup:

[Dia 0]

Brenda, I tried to google the info you gave me but I can't find it. I'm thinking I have what you described, I don't think it's gas anymore. I'm hurting under my ribcage (diaphragm?) and it radiates up into my left shoulder and neck. I'm really hating this band now.

I have some liquid Lortab that I take at night that totally makes the pain subside but I don't think my doctor will refill it again. I am calling his office in the a.m. and hope to speak to a nurse who may be able to help or give me some advice.

According to your research, are you saying that for most pts, it goes away after about 5 weeks? I'm so hoping that how it goes for me.

[StaceyM 0]

Ok so has anyone ever heard of this in the right shoulder?

For 3 days now I've had a horrible pain running from the side of my neck through my right shoulder. I was blaming it on the fact that I can only sleep on one side but Icy Hot and a heating pad haven't helped me at all.

I was banded a little less than 2 weeks ago so now I'm wondering if this could be left overs from my surgery.

[livn4thm 0]

For the most part my pain has gone away except at night. All night my shoulder kills me unless I sit up. But, how can you sleep the rest of your life sitting up? Someone needs to find a cure for this.

LOL! Sorry for the ranting.

[Dia 0]

Don't apologize for ranting Livn. I'm furious about this, more at myself for not knowing about this ahead of time. I consider myself to have researched the band thoroughly and I did know about residual gas pains in the left shoulder. But for some reason, I missed the possibility of the nerve/diaphragm thing. I knew that there would be a few "cons" to having this surgery but to me, the "pros" outweighed them. But living with sharp, stabbing pain in my shoulder and painful breathing were cons that would make me think even more about not having it.

I'm really hoping this is temporary and will go away like Brenda's post suggests.

[Jeen423 0]

Dia, hang in there. Right when I thought I was at the end of my rope, the neck and shoulder pain eased up. I thought something was really wrong when I was having pain radiating all the way up into my neck! Thank goodness for this bulletin board. I'm 2 weeks out and still have a "gas bubble" in my lower abdomen but the chest pain has eased up in the last day or two. But of course, if you're in a lot of pain, don't let us talk you out of calling your doctor! Good luck.

Jeannie

[Dia 0]

Thank you for your encouraging words Jeen. I'm exactly 2 weeks post-op today, so I think (for me) I should be back to my old, pre-op, pain-free self. It's just so discouraging when it literally hurts to breathe.

[videoprojman 0]

Dia,

I have the same exact problem. I am 5 weeks out and it is just starting to subside. My doctor talked about the diaphram. It was definitely my biggest problem.

If it helps at all, I am feeling it less now and I am guessing it will eventually subside almost entirely. I find trying different positions helps, but at the stage you are at it didn't work for me either.

Maybe its a stupid male thing, but after my doctor told me not to worry and it would go away eventually, I just said screw it and ignored it. I focused on other things. Losing weight is worth the pain. Especially pain that will eventually go away.

I am quite sure you will be OK within a month or two and that it will get better every day.