Its 3am and I had my surgery yesterday at around 11am. The gas pain and shoulder pain is so bad that I think I am going to faint. I have tried the gas ex but its doing nothing. I am afraid to take the liquid codeen for fear that its causing more gas.....what do I do???!!!!!

The gas x won't work as the gas is not in your digestive system. The gas is trapped in your stomach/chest cavity. You need to take the pain killers prescribed by your Dr.

I found a heat pad on the shoulder helpful, but talk to ytour doctor if the painkillers arent working .. the pain will pass it is only gas

I agree with using a heating pad that helped me so much during my recovery. I took my pain meds for the first 3-4 days and it really helped I don't see why it would give you more gas pain its for the pain so it should help. Also make sure you walk I would walk at least every hr for about 10min around my living room I believe that will help you. I really hope you start feeling better.

I slept with the heating pad. It seemed to be the only thing that relieved that pain. Walking helped and as strange as it seemed...if I straightened my arm above my head it seemed to stretch it out and provide some relief. It turned out I was allergic to my pain medicine and couldn't take it the second day. Take your pain meds if you can. Rest for the next few days. Walk around the house when you can and use your heating pad. Eventually you will wake up one morning with no or very little pain. For me my surgery was on Tuesday. Thursday was my worst day (don't really know why) and I woke up Friday feeling better, Saturday even more better and Sunday a new woman. I still occasionally have some phantom shoulder pain daily for about 10 minutes. I am now 9 days post-op.....but it is nothing major and goes away quickly. You will get over this...I promise that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I am 12 days post op. The gas in my shoulder felt like a knife. I was miserable! You should take your pain medication because you want to stay on top of the pain. It does not causes more gas. Walking around your house every hr for at least 10 mins will help the gases to move. A heating pad help but walking helped the most.

Walk walk walk... This is the best thing to do to get rid of the pain and gas.

Thank you, I will get walking cause this pain is terrible!! I feel like someone is putting knives in my chest and shoulder. I thought that codeen makes you constipated......and that is why I didnt think I was getting any gas out. I hear the gas bubbles moving around but I cant get them out........

I had my surgery march 28th I was I. The same pain heating pad helped me the most. It goes away after two or three days

Chaya: I thought you were scheduled for the same day as me - April 18th - I'm sorry to hear you are having such bad pains - hopefully with walking they will dissipate. How was your experience with SWLC? I am super excited for my surgery on Tues (just not the pain part afterwards). Good luck!!

Take the pain meds, they are a life saver. Why be uncomfortable if you don't have to be? Pain meds are famous for causing constipation, but you can take milk of magnesia for that. Also walk walk walk it will help rid gas. Good luck.

take the meds and use heat - they were both lifesavers!

Chaya: I thought you were scheduled for the same day as me - April 18th - I'm sorry to hear you are having such bad pains - hopefully with walking they will dissipate. How was your experience with SWLC? I am super excited for my surgery on Tues (just not the pain part afterwards). Good luck!!

Hey! I was supposed to be on the same day as you but they had an opening earlier and I was happy to take it. They are without doubt the most amazing team at SWLC!! The whole team is so nice and comforting. You will be very happy with your choice in SWLC, and Dr. Cobourn is just the greatest!! I wish you all the luck in the world and I will be thinking of you on Tuesday!!

Walking is the only thing that provided any relief for that gas pain for me. 10 days post op and I've still got some back pain, but it's not bad at all. The pain meds will help too.

walking helped me too. I'm 7 days post-op and today is the first day I've felt pretty good since last thursday. I took the pain meds for the first few days, but they made me really dizzy, so I stopped when I didn't think I really "needed" them. Good luck!!

Take your pain meds on schedule- if you take the meds when you start feeling pain, then it will take awhile for them to kick in. Also, the gas is a natural side effect from surgery due to the co2 pumped into your stomach. It is not the same kind of gas as intestinal. Take some MoM in the evening if you feel constipated, but don't make this harder than it should be.