This is my first time on this computer & I am in kinder, so be patient. New Lap bander (8weeks) having toruble with shoulder pain, it bloody well hurts. Dr says it is referred nerve pain coming from the diaphram, it will get easier, don't know when. Given three lots of pain killers & doesn't help the only relief I get is to lay down, a bit hard to do when your job requires driving 200-300klms per day. I am almost ready to have the band taken out, I don't want too as the weight is coming off quickly & the results are great, but I can't stand the pain much longer. Any suggestions. P.S. I am an Aussie & struggling. Please help.:cry

Hang in there Jan. Everyone goes through this and it will pass soon. Try some gas relief medication and walk as often as you can. Also, a heating pad helps a lot. But dont be thinking of giving up the band over something temporary. This kind of pain is very normal with any abdominal laproscopic surgery. It doesn't just pertain to the band.

Woops! Where are my manners? *chuckles*

Welcome to LBT! :confused: :scared: :rose:

Oh Jan, you came to the right place. Walking, a heating pad, and some Gas-X or Tums are helpful. But at 8 weeks out, for most folks, the gas pain is usually gone. You describe shoulder pain, and that sounds like gas to me! Perhaps you need to take smaller bites and sips? That may help, too. You may be eating "the old way" and causing diaphragm (sp?) discomfort by not being easy on your band? Shot in the dark...but worth a thought? Anyhow. Don't give up yet, and welcome to LBT!!

Jan, have you had a fill yet? My wife had her first and had pain such as you have described. Doc put her on some Prilosec OTC and she took some Gas-X. And her heating pad helped a bit, too.

Thank you all for the replies. I personally don't think it is gas, the pain goes when I lay down & starts when I am sitting in the car or in a position where I seem to be squashing the stomach. On the weekends there is very little pain ( no driving) & plenty of housework no sitting, But in the car oh my God. It starts off with just sharp bursts and when I get to the point of no return ( when the pain is constant) then anything I do i.e. deep breathing or stretching does nothing. Some of the pain killers may not be familar to you but I have been put on Tramal which is a slow release twice daily and on occasions have backed this up with 4 Panadeine Forte and two Endone (the latter being highly addictive) but when you have a job to perform & 4 hours of driving left to complete the day you do what youv'e gotta do. I am wondering if it is possible for a nerve to have gotten jammmed or something, why else would it go away when laying down & thats instant relief. I am considering taking a week off work & seeing if that gives any different reaction. I tried Bi-carb soda the other day but nothing & this morning I went walking before work & the pain started two hours earlier. This pain is like a knife being placed in the shoulder & it moves from the base of the neck around to the shoulder blade then to the tip of the shoulder. Can anybody help me. Thanks a frustrated Aussie Jan P

Does it feel like a muscular hurt, or does it feel like when you turn your head too quickly and get a pinched nerve?

Have you tried heat while sitting? We have "stick on" heating pads here that you can use on the go... don't know if you guys have them or not.

Would it help for you to recline your seat back a little?

Have you tried a muscle relaxer, or just painkillers? Something like Flexeril might help you, 'cept you probably shouldn't drive with it. But you could try something similar at home in a sitting position and see if it helps.

The location of the pain sounds like it could be the trapezius. I had a tear in my trapezius once. It was literally crippling. I coudn't turn my head. but it was definitely a muscular pain.

Jan,

I don't want to depress you. It does go away for MOST people, but not for everyone. MY personal expert on this topic is 'nicci6' who doesn't post here. She had two follow-up surgeries (I think) to correct the problem and finally had the band removed...and that helped but she has had occasional pain even since having the band removed.

MIND YOU...most of us have left shoulder pain post-op and, slowly, it goes away.

To find Nicci, you have to go to this site, where you should register and then post a message to her. Tell her that her fairy godmother sent you.

http://www.wlsforum.org/index.php

Sue

Welcome to LBT!! (( Hugs )) for the pain... I'm so sorry you're feeling it!

I'm 5 weeks out & still having intense shoulder pain. Now it seems to occur when I'm too hungry or too full. And yeah, sitting is impossible when it's there.

Some things to look at:

Are you drinking a lot of dairy? I know some of the other recently banded folks got a lot of relief from cutting out dairy for a while.

Are you getting over-hungry? If you are, consider taking something munchable on the road. I find that even 1-2 bites helps the pain to fade somewhat. (I'm terrible about waiting too long to eat.)

Are you getting over-full?

The pain meds: You might be having reactions to them. Perhaps you could try getting off of all of them for 24-48 hours, or use just acetaminophen? Some of the other bandsters from Feb had reactions to pain meds... and of course the reaction was gas.

Are you gulping when you drink? Or using a straw? This can cause you to swallow excess air... which leads to more gas feelings.

Are you, um, regular? If not, that will lead to more gas as well. Perhaps some Benefiber (or something like that). Remember to make it non-bulking!

Good luck, I hope you find your answer!

dear Janet, Thanks for the support. I have been in conctact with some others that have the same pain and they feel that it is coming from the diaphram and both of them have had the band removed. One said that it took 2 years for the pain to subside after the removal. Now as regards you pain, I am in a group here in Australia of people that have been banded by this one Dr. & a lot of them said that when they are getting hungry they experience shoulder pain, but eat slowly & in time it will go. Good luck I hope your goes, unlike mine ( I think mine is here to stay)

Thanks heaps Jan Pryde Port Macqaurie N S W Australia:cry