Surgery Yesterday- SOLUTIONS Needed 4 Should Pain & Few More Questions

[speck 1]

Not feeling well- typing is going to be short & sweet.

First of all I went home 2 hrs after surgery. To quick. To big hurry.

Should pain is terrible. Was up all night besides 1 hour. Here is what I've tried. Please post solutions only if you can.

2-3 tsp hydrocodn liq. every 3-4 hours.

Walk, walk, walk, totally exhaused but walking

Can't even think of laying down.

Recliner good for 1st hour home but not now.

Best when just standing. exhausted though.

Heating pad makes worse. Thought for sure that would help.

Gas X. ? about Gas x- is that really just for stomach gas and not the gas

that is floating around in shoulder? Not want to take if it's only for stomach gas.

I feel like it's in the muscles. Anyways, if you have suggestions that worked for you, please pay along.

Will have computer on but won't check for several hours.

Sandra

Edited September 12, 2008 by speck

[MtnCat 0]

Have you contacted your surgeon's office yet? It sounds like you need an increased dosage in the pain meds.

[Jodi_620 37]

Wish I could give you further suggestions besides what you have tried. It will take time for your body to absorb all of the excess air. Pain relievers didn't help me either. Stretching and walking helped a little. GasX will not help this type of gas, only the kind in your digestive system.

[claire 72 0]

right ok !!! i know u probably won't want to do this but it really does work :rolleyes2: i suffered really bad with pain in my shouler [i'm 6 weeks post op ] and the last thing u feel like doing is lying down flat [i really didn't know where to put myself -agony !] but the point is that the air trapped in ur body tries to go to the highest point which is why u get the pain in ur shoulder ! what u have to do [apart from ur painkillers ] is lie down flat on ur bed for eg. with ur bum up near the wall then put ur legs up the wall :redface:sounds silly but it does help - if u are downstairs lie on the floor and put ur legs up a wall or up on the sofa :thumbup:hope this helps -let me know x

[rhondalou117 1]

Here is a little known fact about your lapband. The port can certainly be causing your shoulder pain. Per my surgeon it can irritate a/the nerve and cause referred pain to your shoulder. I had it really bad for the first week or so and it has gotten better. Absolutly walk, walk, walk, and breathe, breathe, breathe on your IS. Gas pain should only last the first 3 days and if the shoulder pain persists it is most likely the port issue. I took only tylenol for my pain and for me it worked better, you are only getting 500mg of tylenol in the elixer typically. Good luck! Hope this helps, there is an end in sight.

[nyc6945 0]

i agree about the breathing thing. I have also been breathing into the IS and it really helps stretch everything out and eliminate some of the pain.

[Jodi_620 37]

As most of us know, the pain is caused by the air that is pumped into your abdominal cavity during surgery. They kinda blow your abdomen up like a balloon to make room to work. The air that does not escape before they close you up settles near the left shoulder. I learned from someone here that our tissues eventually absorb this air and it is expelled through the lungs so breathing makes sense...

[speck 1]

"breathing into the IS"

I don't know what an IS is- apparently I wasn't given that. But I'll start taking some deep breaths.

I can't thank you enough for the reponses.

You know this is such a great board. It's amazing to have someone to help you that you don't even know who completely understands. That really helps this process.

If it wasn't for the shoulder pain(and it effects the whole neck) I think I would be doing pretty well.

[MtnCat 0]

Wow!! I must be super lucky because I had no shoulder pain at all. Maybe the Gods were smiling on me though.....I have a bone spur in my shoulder and have to get occasional cortisone shots.....so a painful shoulder was the LAST thing I would need.

I have never heard of "breathing into an IS" either.

[TBLightningFan 0]

"breathing into the IS"

I don't know what an IS is- apparently I wasn't given that. But I'll start taking some deep breaths.

.

That is an Incentive Spirometer... after any surgery a patient should be using it. When you are under during surgery, the sacs in the lower part of your lungs will slightly collapse. Commonly given to patients in a hospital after surgery, this device will help prevent an onset of pneumonia. This device makes you take slow deep breaths to help the sacs be able to completely inflate. It should be used 5-10x every 2 hours for a day or two after surgery.

[speck 1]

That is an Incentive Spirometer... after any surgery a patient should be using it. When you are under during surgery, the sacs in the lower part of your lungs will slightly collapse. Commonly given to patients in a hospital after surgery, this device will help prevent an onset of pneumonia. This device makes you take slow deep breaths to help the sacs be able to completely inflate. It should be used 5-10x every 2 hours for a day or two after surgery.

Thanks for picture. No, I didn't use that.

Feeling better today. Day 4(including surgery date)

[health4life 0]

I had the same issues until day 4 and 5 post-op. I'm now 11 days post-op and feeling better and better and no shoulder pain. It gets better. I stayed on pain meds until I could feel the shoulder pain no more.

[luluc 6]

pain meds / walking & my heating pad worked for me. in fact i used my heating pad through wk 2 for comfort in order to sleep....hope your feeling better!!