I'm 10 days post-op, and though I don't really feel all the initial gas, I'm still getting pretty bad pain in my left shoulder. Is this normal?

I had the same post surgery. I was told gas travels through your body. Just keep using GasX and it will eventually go away. Walking also helps.

Yes, I read that that left shoulder pain is somthing just happens. They cant explain it. I was given a book from my surgeon called The Lap-Band Solution by Paul O'Brien MD and it tells you all about it. It has a lot of good information in it from pre op to post op

I had the same post surgery. I was told gas travels through your body. Just keep using GasX and it will eventually go away. Walking also helps.

How long after surgery did you have it?

The shoulder pain you feel is referred pain. It comes from irritation of the phrenic nerve which runs along your diaphragm. During laparoscopic surgery, that nerve is stretched and irritation by the CO2 gas the surgeon inflates your abdomen with to be able to work in there. It will eventually subside. I found a heating pad helped greatly. My shoulder pain lasted at least 10 or more days.

MRSINTO I'm 14 days post op and I still have shoulder pain. It comes and goes. I notice if I eat too much, it starts to hurt. So right now I use it as a guide to stop eating. lol

The shoulder pain you feel is referred pain. It comes from irritation of the phrenic nerve which runs along your diaphragm. During laparoscopic surgery, that nerve is stretched and irritation by the CO2 gas the surgeon inflates your abdomen with to be able to work in there. It will eventually subside. I found a heating pad helped greatly. My shoulder pain lasted at least 10 or more days.

Thanks so much for the in depth explanation. Makes it easier to understand, and deal with!

I probably had shoulder pain around 12 days or so. It will go away. Keep using GasX and walk.

Normal! The shoulder pain usually doesn't come until about a week or more. Just keep walking out the gas, and maybe take gas-x to get rid of it. Mine was bad enough that I actually took my pain meds around that time. Best wishes,Karen

Thanks everyone.....I SO appreciate it! I did a lot of walking today, and it's much better. Tomorrow is day 11, so it sounds like it should be gone for good in the next 2-3 days.

Karen - yesterday it was so bad that I took a swig off the liquid vicodin bottle - LOL! It actually helped, until it wore off

I woke up with a pain in my left shoulder that felt like I had been kicked by a mule! What helped me was moving around. I would move my left arm and when I was able to, just getting up and walking around the house made it go away. My pain only lasted a few days. To me, that was the worst part of the entire surgery.

Hope it gets better soon!

Yeah - the shoulder pain was one of the worst things with the surgery. That, and that I couldn't breathe well because of the pain; couldn't take a deep breath.

I'm happy to say that today the pain is gone. Yay! I spoke with a woman in my doctor's office (had the surgery), and she said that it usually doesn't go beyond two weeks. I'm at 12 days today, and things are really so much better. What a relief!

So everyone agree it is gas? I definitely need to make sure I have me some good gas medicine available and walk everyday.

So everyone agree it is gas? I definitely need to make sure I have me some good gas medicine available and walk everyday.

Yes, it's gas!

Ok, Thanks!