Hello everyone!

So I did. Got banded by Dr. Artuso last Friday (2/6) in New York. Last few days have been pretty sore and painful. I can definitaly feel the port incison the most. It makes me move, especially sit up/down, lay down and get up a bit of a challenge.

Silly question: has any of you had prblems with your shoulders after the surgery. I feel like someone has pulled my shoulder or twisted my arm...resulting in a piercing pain. I have asked my dr. and nurses about that. They told me that in order to the laparoscopic surgery, they need to "inflate" the patient somewhat and there can be trapped air buble that causes the pain but that will go away shortly. Any opinions or other strange experiences?

Otherwise I'm doing pretty good. Had yoghurt for lunch today, which was first not entirely "liquid" food, which I'm not sure its ok just yet. Otherwise plain liquids. I'm down about 6 pounds, assuming all Water weight. looking forward to all that hard work that will follow. Hope to be back to my step class and skiing in no time!

Any fedback from any of you guys is very welcome!

Renata

banded Feb 6, 04

Dr. Artuso - New York

Hi Renata!

Congrats on getting banded! I'm glad everything is going well for you. I'm still pre-band (hopefully not for long!), but I have read that shoulder pain is very common and usually gets gradually better. Try a warm heating pad and see if that helps.

Good Luck!

Melissa

Hi Renata,

I was baded on 2/3 and have had the shoulder pain as well. In reading other posts, it is normal and just what your doctor's nurse said it was... some have suggested chewable Gas-X which I have been using even though my Mom (an R.N.) said it really won't help this type of "gas"... maybe it is all in my head, but I feel like it helps or maybe it is just helping the 'other' gas which I also have very bad and that just makes me feel better.

Today, I am 7 days out from surgery and still getting the shoulder pain... so I started to consider that maybe I was drinking too fast. I am still on clear fluids except for Protein drinks 2 times per day, but it seems that when I am drinking my protein or Water I get the shoulder pain along with pressure under between my rib cage. I have been trying to drink more slowly and it seems to be helping. It has also made the 'other' gas less of a problem.

I have been following the progress of some on this forum who were banded about the same time as me and I am happy to report that at about day 6-7, you should start to feel dramatically better.

Keep us updated on your progress. My first post-op appointment is tomorrow and I am looking forward to hopefully being upgradedd to full liquids.

Take Care,

I had terrible pain in my shoulders from gas after my surgery, and it will eventually go away, it just takes a while. The biggest help for me was a heating pad, and walk whenever you get the chance, it helps get the gas out.

Good luck to you :confused:

Hi Renata,

Congratulations and welcome to Bandlandia! I'm sure you'll find that those pains disappear soon; you've gotten some great advice. The important thing to know is that they are not unusual and there is nothing wrong with you. :confused:

Be good to yourself while healing, and don't forget to keep us posted!

Congratulations Renata

This was copied from Leo's post from 8/03 I found it helpfull for me.

POST OPERATIVE CHEST AND SHOULDER PAIN

What you are feeling is the CO2 gas they use to "pump you up" to see your innards through the camera used in laproscopic and in some cases gastroplasty surgery. This inflation technique lifts and separates your organs and muscles so that they can see what they are doing during surgery.

Some things that have been found to help.

1. Walking - Stay active. Don't sit like a lump, even though that is all you want to do because everything hurts, move. Walking will "massage" your insides and help break up that gas and get it moving on out. A short walk (even to the mailbox and back) a few times a day is a good start. More is better, but don't knock yourself out. Keep it to a simple and easy stroll for the first week.

2. Heat - A heating pad will help soothe the gas pain. Move it around as you need to. Shoulder, then back, then tummy, then shoulder again, etc....

3. Gas-X - A true lifesaver!!!! You can buy chewable tablets or gel caps (they are quite tiny). As some say.. Taking them should almost be mandatory, along with antibiotics and anti-inflamatories.

4. Positioning your body . As soon as you are able, get on all fours, doggy style. Take a deep breath and hold for a few moments. As you exhale, move your bottom backwards, extending your arms out in front, and bear down. This position will push the gas right out of you. Noisily, but effectively. Embarrassing? Yes, worth doing? Absolutely!!

5. Breathing Techniques - Take a deep breath (as deep as you can w/o *too* much pain) and hold it. This will help squish/break up some of the larger bubbles. Some find this easier to do while lying in the recliner watching TV.

6. Massage in general. Sit backward in a high backed dining room chair and have someone sit behind you and gently tap and rub your shoulders, back and sides. This may help you to start burping (A few good rippers help! If you have someone to burp you, don't be afraid of the pain of him or her touching you. Let them do it.. It doesn’t hurt and is a great release.

7. Massage; Part 2 - If you don't have someone to burp you, think hard about investing (or borrowing) one of those chair pad massagers.. After a night of TV watching while lying on that thing in the recliner (turn it on for 10-15 mins, off for 5, on again, off again),

These hints with a bit of time (7-10 days) and the gas should be gone.

:confused:

While people are told the gass X isn't supposed to work because this gas is not in the GI track, it may work because it takes what gas is present in the GI track and reduces it which intern may shrink the stomach allowing more room for the chest cavity CO2 gas.

Hello all:

I am 4 weeks out of surgery and still getting the shoulder pains. At my job I do plenty of walking, the pains are certainly less often and less intense. I haven't tried the GasX. Good luck....Gabby

Hello all:

I am 4 weeks out of surgery and still getting the shoulder pains. At my job I do plenty of walking, the pains are certainly less often and less intense. I haven't tried the GasX. Good luck....Gabby

One more thing to try to avoid any "new" gas created by drinking and eating too fast - use a straw and eat really slow. It really worked for me.