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 have a rice filled microwave heating bag that I put over my shoulder and took the Gas-X as often as possible. Plus walking and as much range-of-motion movement as I could tolerate(cleared with my surgeon first) - I made the bed, folded laundry, put aways dishes - in other words, moved as much as I could in a variety of ways and it really seemed to help.

I'd check with the doc re the calf muscle cramping - could just be from staying too still. I remember being afraid to move after a different surgical procedure - don't be scared - the pain meds will cover you.

Calf cramps are in the same family as eye-twitches. My eye doc has recommended drinking tonic water - it's the quinine that quiets the nerves. I'd clear with you doctor and drink it flat or you can get homopathic quinine tab(Hyland's) made just for leg cramps! Feel better soon!

The shoulder pain is really a phantom pain. You have heard of people having shoulder and left arm pain when they are having a heart attack. This is due to the fact that the nerves in our core interior run to the brain thru the same path as the nerves in our shoulder. What is happening is that your band is rubbing on your diaphram or some other organ inside of you. It is creating a pain response in the nerve at the location that your brain is interpreting as shoulder pain. The pain is not really in your shoulder and doing thing to your shoulder will not really relieve the pain.

Most of us find that the pain goes away after the first week to week and a half.

The calf pain and cramping is probably a potassium or dehydration issue. You are probably getting less Fluid and electrolytes then you think during the liquid phase. All food has fluids. Before you went on the liquid diet, you drank and ate. Now, you only drink so your intake of essential minerals and fluids are probably low. Try Powerade Zero, no calories, potassium and sodium. Beware, sodium will cause you to retain Water and you might mistake that for weight gain.

As new bandsters, you will probably be on the scale a lot. (I was). You will learn that your weight flucuates due to water retention. I forgot to take my BP meds Fri and Sat, ate salty foods, and drank a lot of fluids. I gained 8 pounds in 24 hours. (all water weight). I am flushing it out today by drinking lots of water, avoiding sodium, and exercising. Bet it will all be gone tomorrow.

Good luck to you all in your journey, learn from this site as there are a lot of great, knowledgable posters to learn from that will keep you from freaking out about your bodies adjustments.

TJ

I was banded on 3/31 and I was feeling fine up until about 2 days ago when I started having very painful episodes. I get a tightness in the center of my chest that seems to travel up to my jawline. This happens regardless of if I am eating or drinking or not. It comes in waves and has been constant throughout the day and night. Ive read a lot about shoulder pain which I (thankfully) have not yet experienced, but I can not seem to find anyone who has had a similar experience regarding chest/jaw pain. I am starting to get very nervous!