Banded yesterday.. wooow the pain!

[oconnell 0]

So I was banded yesterday and I totally didn't expect pain like this. It's mostly gas pain, but still, it HURTS. Did anyone here have any severe gas pains? It's not just abdominal gas, it travels from the abdomen to shoulders.. my sides. Just hurts! That and I'm seriously nauseous. I'm definitely experiencing that buyer's remorse that I've heard about! :w00t:

[mousek 4]

:laugh::sad:Absolutely had it and it does go away after about 5 to 6 days. Try gas-x to relieve the pain or Maalox if your doctor okays it. It will go away and yes it does go the shoulder and elsewhere. Hang in there - it does get better!.

[jaymie 0]

Definitely- DEFINITELY try the Gas-x strips-- they worked awesome for me when I was having serious gas pain during my first week.

[JennBand08 0]

Walk as much as you can.. it will help the gas leave your body. I walked up and down the hospital corridors as much as I could. And use a heating pad if you like, I found it really helped my shoulder pain. And don't be afraid to take the pain meds. The liquid medication tastes nasty, but it really does help. Good luck.. hang in there.. it will all be worth it!

[KidLaw 0]

Walking is good, but it didn't help me as much. Maalox is the only thing that did the trick (and Milk of Mag to get things moving).

As far as surgical pain goes, my doc says the second day is worse than the first day. The inflammation sets in and you have no residual anesthesia to help you through it. Don't know if surgical pain was an issue for you. Just an FYI.

[oconnell 0]

Thanks ladies! It feels as though walking only makes the gas shift into higher areas (ribcage, chest, shoulders), thus it feels a thouuuusand times worse. I know this will pass, eventually, but right now it feels like an eternity! Will def. try the maalox things. Bought gas-x yesterday and it didn't do a darn thing for me. At this point I'm willing to try anything to get some of this gas out of me!!!!!

[getnthere 0]

It will take a few days for the gas to dissipate but the walking will help. The gas-x and malox did nothing for me just had to wait it out.

[Bandmom 0]

So I was banded yesterday and I totally didn't expect pain like this. It's mostly gas pain, but still, it HURTS. Did anyone here have any severe gas pains? It's not just abdominal gas, it travels from the abdomen to shoulders.. my sides. Just hurts! That and I'm seriously nauseous. I'm definitely experiencing that buyer's remorse that I've heard about!

Yeah and I hate to say this but it got worse for me. Day three or four was the worst, but walking really helped me. Shoulders hurt so bad I just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. I was okay with everything else but that. My friend had the surgery and warned me about it so I was somewhat prepared, but still it was bad.....Hang in there, it will go away.

[Lique24 0]

No matter how much you read about the pain you have after lap band surgery nothing really prepares you for the real thing until you experience it. I was in so much pain. Everyone kept telling me it will get better and to remain positive. I must say that for me it got worse before it got better. Im still in pain but it is miles better than yesterday. I even went to the mall today to pick up some products. Plus i felt like the extra walking would do me good. But I didnt expect the pain to be as bad as it was, however it gets better in time and thats why im adding my input. Im taking Gas x and my pain meds...walking you name it. The only sure thing thats working is TIME. Everyday i feel a lil bit better and i look forward to tomorrow. I had my surgery on monday and its thursday and the gas and shoulder pain is still there. But better... its just different for everybody. Some peoples tolerance for pain is better than others. I have none therefore this has been an eye opener. Goodluck to all!

[perryjoyce 0]

I too was blindsided by the gas pain! The surgical pain was a piece of cake, almost non-existent, but oh the gas pain! My doctor did not give me painkillers but I called him up and demanded some.

Walking helps, especially up stairs! You won't want to right away, but try if you can swing it. It'll feel bad at first and possibly while you're doing it, but when you get back and sit down you'll feel soooooo much better. A heating pad is your best friend. Gax-X is good too. But the stairs and the heating pad got me through it.

My most severe pain only lasted about 36 hours and then after that it was tolerable. So hang in there!!

[Nean4488 1]

The gas pain is the worst! I take gasx, use the heating pad, and walk. The Gasx helps just a tad bit, it stops me from wanting to cut my shoulder off. The heating pad is the same way. The walking makes it 10x worse. Walking does not help with my gas pains AT ALL.

The only thing that helps is laying on my left side.

Im 3-days post op and the pain is still pretty bad. I am def in the stage of "what did i do to myself"

[perryjoyce 0]

The walking makes it 10x worse. Walking does not help with my gas pains AT ALL.

I think I do recall the gas pain flaring up a bit while I was walking, so you're right - it did make it a little worse in the short term - but I felt so much better when I was done and it really is the quickest way to work it all out of your system. So for me personally, I'd rather grin and bear it and get it over with than let it linger in my body for days and days and days. With aggressive walking (and stair climbing!) I turned excruciating shoulder pain on Friday into only mild pain on Saturday and non-existent pain by Sunday.

Either way, it'll pass. Slowly but surely.

[pixistix 1]

A heating pad really helped with the gas pain my shoulder. That only lasted a couple of days for me.

I had mild nausea until I thought I was okay to go back to work after 3 days. Big mistake. That irritated my already swollen stomach and I had TERRIBLE nausea for another 5 days.

And a few days feel like FOREVER when you're that miserable.

I am happy to report, however, that I'm fine now and everything is going smoothly.

[acp1974 0]

Thought I'd add my two cents. First off, thank god for this forum and finding people going through similar experiences. I would like to think I'm a tough guy and that I have a high tolerance for pain, but like one of the posters said it got worse for me the second day after the anesthesia wore off completely. I was banded Wednesday afternoon, so I'm still less than 48 hours out, but last night was pretty rough. I felt pains I hadn't felt in the hospital: soreness, stiffness, and sharp belly pains almost like I tore a muscle or something.

Getting up and lying down are not fun at all. Gas hasn't been so bad for me but it has started after not being present at all for the first 24 hrs or so. I had the shoulder pain everyone talks about, and that has subsided a bit. But I wonder if my stomach pain is gas-related. It feels more like a muscle strain, really sharp and mainly hurting when I have to use that muscle in getting upright or laying down. In any case, I'm taking the Gas-X strips, my pain meds, and doing my best to drink fluids. Today the goal is to walk more and get more Protein in me. And to stay positive! It's just pain, it'll go away!

Thanks for listening, and congrats to everyone for going through with this and sharing your experiences!

[jllybean1982 0]

The day after surgery, the gas in my stomach hurt so bad, I thought, 'what the heck have I done'!?! Day by day it got better. I was banded on May 13. I no longer have that bloated feel or chest pains from the gas. Walking around REALLY helped me. It's tough right now, but the pain will definitely go away! Good luck!