i was just banded yesterday. woot! but my oh my this gas pain is really killing me, especially in my shoulder. i was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on how to reduce the gas pain faster. i've been trying gas-x strips but i'm not sure if they are helping.

also, i'm having some issues with my calves wanted to cramp up. my guess is that it is coming from a Vitamin deficiency, like potassium or something. i don't think dehydration since i was on a liquid drip in the hospital all day yesterday and have been drinking pretty constantly since then. has anyone else gone through this? any suggestions on what to do since i know i can't take a potassium pill right now (too big)?

thanks for any help and advice!!

I can remember that discomfort as if it was yesterday... The only thing that helped me was time. I had to wait it out. I tried the gas-x strips and did a lot of burping. It will get better!!!

i was just banded yesterday. woot! but my oh my this gas pain is really killing me, especially in my shoulder. i was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on how to reduce the gas pain faster. i've been trying gas-x strips but i'm not sure if they are helping.

also, i'm having some issues with my calves wanted to cramp up. my guess is that it is coming from a Vitamin deficiency, like potassium or something. i don't think dehydration since i was on a liquid drip in the hospital all day yesterday and have been drinking pretty constantly since then. has anyone else gone through this? any suggestions on what to do since i know i can't take a potassium pill right now (too big)?

thanks for any help and advice!!

Hi the only thing that helped me when i had that gas pain was moving around and walking about nothing too strenuous mind, as for the calf pain and cramps if your having some cerial or oatmeal in the mornings for Breakfast put some bananna on it as well for a couple of days, you really should be taking some good quality vitimins as well and some Calcium chews, i take them everyday and no longer get the cramps, plus they boost you up a bit while you are on a very low calorie intake. im sure your doctor will have told you this at surgery.

the gas will pass, youll wake up one morning and realise it has gone, i did but keep taking the pain meds as prescibed dont wait for the pain to come on, and keep taking your gas meds your on they will help trust me.

good luck in your journey.:thumbup:

for your shoulder, walk walk walk and walk some more...also a heating pad worked for me

Orange juice has a lot of potassium...if you are still on liquids

I just had to wait out the shoulder pain-- gas-x seemed to have no effect... I guess walking helped- but it wasn't instant relief or anything. The heating pad felt good, too.

As for the cramping- can you do some gentle calf stretches?

Walk around the house if you can't get outside and walk. My husband also rubs my back and pats lightly on my back/shoulders. I also found the heating pad really helps me alot. A moist heat seem sto help even more. Get a towel damp and put on your back/shoulder and then the heating pad. Sit up instead of lay down also.

It'll get better, hope it's soon!!!!

My heating pad became my BFF. And a nice warm shower felt great, too. The shoulder pain gradually goes away.

I just posted this same thing on another thread! My gas pains are excruciating and my calves were cramped too! The gas still hasn't gone away (I'm on day 3 post op) but the pain in my calves has. My gas was so bad after post op that they did a catscan which was fine. The pain meds help a bit but the heating pad helps more. I have yet been happy about my decision to have this surgery! So I just sit here in pain in a recliner (the only comfortable position) and listen to the loud gas swish around my body :thumbup: I guess there's nothing to do except wait it out.

Hi. My surgeon told me heat packs work really well to stop the shoulder pain!

Personally, I think that walking will help with both problems, especially if Gas-x isn't working for the gas. If you are not walking, you need to get up and walk. They didn't even need to keep those leg things on me, as I took 8 walks around the hospital. They probably got tired of looking for me! I can't say my gas went right away, but it was ok. I, also, had my daughter-in-law give me a massage on my left side neck. A massage might help the gas, too. Good luck!

marisa - i'm sorry you are going through this too! my husband got me liquid maalox and that seems to help further the gas along. the shoulder pain is still killing me so thanks to everyone elses advice i'll be putting a heating pad on after i type this. i have tried to keep walking around as much as possible. this is my second day out and though last night was a bad one, today seems to be better then yesterday. i hope you keep seeing steady progression as well.

I am 5 days post op. I too had the same issues with the gas. I still have the pain the left shoulder. I am gonna try the heating pad to see if it will help me.

I am sooo glad to hear I'm not the only going through this, well kind of, I wouldn't wish this pain on anyone, but it's nice to know I'm not alone!

The only other suggestion that I can offer is that I read on another site that taking a laxative will help. Honestly when I read it was 7 days post op so no gas but no bowel movement either. So I used Milk of Mag and first came gas and next came ***t!! What I can tell you is that those first 5days I prayed for a fart I couldnt get it, burping helped but its some gas that jus has to come out from the bottom end!!! It was so bad when I did start passing gas I would make annocement to my mom and she would congratulate me!!!

Hope it helps,Good luck on your journey.!!

I agree with the others that walking, heat seem to work best.

I also found wearing spandex helped me: squeezing it out while I walked-walked-walked.

Be aware if the reason you are using the pain medicine is for the shoulder pain that may not help and actually slow down the gas release.

Besure that you are taking your calcium as I get cramps when I miss more than a day or two of it any more:redface: