im 4 days out.... had a hernia on my diaphragm repaired...as well as had the band placed.

today i feel worse then ive felt any other day. every time i breathe...i feel this crazy pressure and pain all round my ribcage... more intense on my right side about 7 inches under my right armpit.

ive been doing the "coughing" exercises that they told me to do after lap surgery to help condition the lungs and eliminate CO2... but these exercises seem they would be harmful to the hernia repair.. as most hernia websites say not to irritate the area repaired.

my clinic is the fast food chain of lapband surgery and doesnt have the best patient care. i cant get a hold of anybody and im starting to panic and get crazy anxiety.

its a painful struggle every time i take a breath.

i wanna know if anybody has any thoughts on this.. is it gas ? is it swelling thats magically just come about 4 days post op? is it a bad sign? most of all... DID ANYBODY ELSE HAVE THIS???

i cant imagine how some people go back to work after 5 days. as this pain is such a hinderance and even makes swallowing my clear fluids painful... like im swallowing a huge lump thats pushing me from the inside out... when really its just a sip of Water.

advice , stories, please, anything!

I also had horrible pain when taking deep breaths, but mine went away after about 2days. Maybe because you had the hernia repair as well, it is taking a bit longer. I know I thought I would go back to work in 5 days and there is nooooo way. I had the Band on 1/14 and I still feel kind of crappy. I am not in pain or anything just weak and tired. If you can stand it I would say to get up and walk around as much as possible to pass all the gas that is stuck. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!!

I had my surgery yesterday morning and I know the pain you are talking about...I have be taking the gas-x strips and trying to walk as much as possible...slowly releasing the gas as much as possible. If it were not for the gas, I would feel like a million bucks. I have no pains or naseau whatsoever but this gas sucks and makes me feel uncomfortable. I am sure that this will pass. I would like to know how long to expect this gas to last by others, just so I can look forward to the end!

This happened to me...It was GAS! From surgery...

Hi,

I also had hernia repair and the first few days felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. I was banded on 1/14 and went back to work on the fifth day - I have a desk job.

I spoke to my post-op coordinator about it the day after surgery and was told the combination of CO2 plus swollen organs doesn't leave much space for your lungs.

It does get better, try walking as much as you can to get things moving.

I hope you feel better soon.

I had my surgery on 1/15 and I'm having the same problem with the gas. I spoke to the surgeon's nurse today and she said it could take a week or more. She suggested walking (which I'm already doing) and even rocking in a rocking chair. I thought that was weird, but it might be worth a try! Another friend of mine had the surgery over a year ago and she was told to lay on her stomach. I tried that and it helped a little, but not much. I thought I would be back to work today, but no such luck. I plan on going on Monday.

If you hear of any other ideas for the gas pain, let me know!!!

My hospital gave me a "Bari Bear" it was a teddy bear that was very firm, it was a splinting pillow. Try splinting the incision sites when you cough and deep breath. Did they give you an incentive spirometer to help with your breathing. Keep doing that!! Use the GasX strips, I liked the cinnamon ones, and keep walking. I'm 1 months post surgery today and I still had gas pains in my shoulder upto last week, but I know it will get better. I actually felt worse 3-4 days out then I did the day of surgery. Best of luck to you!!!!

thanks for all the responses. i very much appreciate it!

my surgeon gave me nothing. no breathing apparatus, nothing to hold like the pillow/bear... hell he barely even spoke to me.

i know what gas pain feels like, and i think im alarmed because of how different this is. it feels like ive been stabbed in the ribs on one side. like a sharp stitching pain when i breath in.

ive been walking around.. i dont have pain in my shoulders or back anymore , but i did the first 3 days...

guess ill see how the rib thing feels tomorrow.

Wow! That's different that ur doc did not give u anything. Thats poor bedside manners!! Good luck on ur recovery!!

Im fairly new to posting here. Im just wondering, when they "blow" your abdomen up with co2, when it is relieved(gas-x, walking), where is it relieved from. You burp because you have gas in your stomach, and you know the other end. The gas isnt in your stomach, its in the abdomen outside your stomach. Where is it relieved from, where does the gas escape from? Is it like soda,after a while the carbonation goes away and then relief? Dont know why I thought of this but now wondering. Oh, i get my band on March 3, as long as i dont back out.

Bob, the gas diffuses into your gastrointestinal tract, and is eliminated that way. There may be some burping, but it tends to move out through the bowels.

Cure, I was surprised at the difference between surgically-mediated gas pain and typical gas--it can be pretty alarming if you don't know what to expect. I'd had 2 previous abdominal surgeries, so I knew what to expect. Still, it hurts like hell---way more than you anticipate.

If you're concerned, call the doc for reassurance and recommendations. Even the drive-thru clinics offer support to their patients.

I have the best surgeon on the planet, and he didn't give bari-bears or anything of that nature; I think that is the exception, rather than the rule. You can comfort yourself by pressing any pillow to your abdomen, a la bari-bear. A hot Water bottle (not TOO hot) or heating pad can help, too.

But walking, walking, walking, Gas-X, and Vicodin did it for me.

thanks for all the responses. i very much appreciate it!

my surgeon gave me nothing. no breathing apparatus, nothing to hold like the pillow/bear... hell he barely even spoke to me.

i know what gas pain feels like, and i think im alarmed because of how different this is. it feels like ive been stabbed in the ribs on one side. like a sharp stitching pain when i breath in.

ive been walking around.. i dont have pain in my shoulders or back anymore , but i did the first 3 days...

guess ill see how the rib thing feels tomorrow.

I had this exact same problem. It is gas and will begin to go away, trust me I thought there was a problem with the hernia repair my doc did on me. I did ask my doc when I went to get the staples out and was told that the gas did cause irritation to the diaphragm. Can you feel a difference it you press on that area with your hand? I used a heating pad on the area and took chewable gas-ex. It did help a little but the only thing that you can really do is wait. I am a little over one week post-op and it has only just went away. I hope this helps put you at ease.

Try not to drink from a straw, this can increase gas.