is anyone else having chest pains, especially in the morning? i'm 3 days post-op and feeling panicked when i wake up because i can't get my breath. eventually i do, but i really hurts to take a deep breath. is this normal? help!

I am 4 days post op and had the same thing for the first couple days. I used the spirometer that the doctors gave me to help expand my lungs, and once the gas started to go down from the surgery the pain/pressure really subsided. I felt like I was having a heart attack though because the pressure just sat on my left shoulder - it was miserable. But I walked a lot and that really helped speed up the process of the gas dissipating.

When I was a few days post-op, I felt something similar - it hurt a bit to take really deep breaths but I was able to breathe without problem. I would contact your doctor - this deserves at least a chat with your surgeon's nurse - you should be able to breathe freely.

Did you get a hiatal hernia repaired during lap band placement?

Mimi

thanks, guys. it is still painful and thinking about calling my doc because it just doesn't seem right, but i feel better after reading your posts.

mimi, i did get a hiatal hernia repair i think. you think it's my diaphragm doing something funny?

how did you all know that the pain you were experiencing was from gas? the anesthetist mentioned something about left shoulder pain, but said they didn't really know why it happened. and nobody ever told me gas pain could feel like this--it's horrible and doesn't resemble any gas pain i've ever had in my life before.

thanks, guys. it is still painful and thinking about calling my doc because it just doesn't seem right, but i feel better after reading your posts.

mimi, i did get a hiatal hernia repair i think. you think it's my diaphragm doing something funny?

how did you all know that the pain you were experiencing was from gas? the anesthetist mentioned something about left shoulder pain, but said they didn't really know why it happened. and nobody ever told me gas pain could feel like this--it's horrible and doesn't resemble any gas pain i've ever had in my life before.

In recovery they asked how I was feeling and even before I said that my incisions hurt I said that my shoulders hurt, and the recovery nurse told me it was gas. That hurt way worse than the incisions! They had me lay flat to help dissapate the gas, and then walk around as soon as I could to help it go down. When I got home it was still uncomfortable so I got Gas-X dissolving mouth strips, and that helped tremendously. I'm glad you are talking to your doctor or nurse since it could be something else, but I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that they just say it's gas.

My chest bothered me after my second band surgery, which is when I also had a Hiatal Hernia repaired. I also experienced intense shoulder pain, both chest and shoulder pain off and on for several weeks. The gas is in your abdomen around your organs and not in your intestines like usual gas so the pain is different. I think you are experiencing normal discomfort, but as always, call your surgeon if you are in doubt.

Walking increases blood circulation and speeds up the removal of gas from your body.

Mimi