I was banded on July 1, 2013. I wasnt told about the gas pain until the day of surgery. when they woke me up in recovery, I was a little disoriented. but I expected that. it wasnt until that night that i started to get pain in my chest and my upper left arm. i had the nurse give me pain meds. I am taking gas x but that is not helping for this type of gas. has anyone tried anything that worked for them?

heating pad works, walking often helps moves the gas. sip lots of water and DO take pain meds so you can sleep.

For the shoulder pain, try massage, it doesn't have to be professional massage, just have a relative or friend give you massage in your shoulder and that also helps, definetely walk, the first 3 or 4 days after my surgery I was goin to the stores just to walk and that help a lot. Good Luck!

Hi I was banded on the 15th June and I had really bad pains for a week after. It was trapped in my chest and only a little in my shoulder.

I made sure I slept sat up as when I lay down it hurt a lot more. Also I read somewhere an it really did help me;

Sit up with you knees close to your chest breath a big breath in count to 10 and let it out like a sigh.

It helped me loads and I cut down on painkillers by doing that. Hope you feel better soon! X x

Hello, First I would like to say congrats! I was banded on July 3rd and the gas pain is the worst. The day after my surgery (yesterday) was so bad that I cried about going through with the surgery. I am going to take the advise others have given you and hope that it will get better soon. Especially the advise to take the meds and sleep until its bearable and to sleep sitting up. I wish you much success!

the heating pad really worked last night. now the only pain is from the port side. I feel like my staples are coming out. It's a little easier to drink water(maybe half a cup). I still don't have much of an appetite. I had about 2oz of protein shake. and that was all i could tolerate. I am assuming that it is because of the swelling of my stomach and throat. I am excited and ready to start shedding those pounds and living a healthier life... Even though I will never see pasta or rice again.

Hi Alarry21 - I had my done end of may. I have had a little pasta and rice (2-4 bites) and felt no pain from it. Are we to not have it b/c of weight gain or because it will get stuck? Still learning here :-) Thank you.

Congrats, I was also banded on Monday. I walk and swing my arms around & that has helped a lot.

we are not suppose to have it because Pasta and rice swells in the stomach and could cause food to get stuck in your throat or cause slippage.

Hi Alarry21 - I had my done end of may. I have had a little pasta and rice (2-4 bites) and felt no pain from it. Are we to not have it b/c of weight gain or because it will get stuck? Still learning here :-) Thank you.

Thank you for that. That sure is a bummer. I love sushi and of course pasta. Small sacrifice for a bigger outcome

I know I told my doctor with me having a hispanic and black family it will be hard giving up bread, pasta, and rice. we can't even have tortillas, but it will be worth it.

My surgeon said he recommends having some bread because it fills you up and stays in the pouch longer.

I was banded 3 weeks ago. Gas pain was terrible the first night and second day. But from the minute I got home same day as surgery I walked around my block twice. And again the next day. Walking does help get rid of the gas. Also massaging the areas where you hurt. For me the gas pain was like a sharp pain on my left side.

I've been using the treadmill since the 4th day of my surgery this has helped me tremendously.

Hi I was banded on the 15th June and I had really bad pains for a week after. It was trapped in my chest and only a little in my shoulder.

I made sure I slept sat up as when I lay down it hurt a lot more. Also I read somewhere an it really did help me;

Sit up with you knees close to your chest breath a big breath in count to 10 and let it out like a sigh.

It helped me loads and I cut down on painkillers by doing that. Hope you feel better soon! X x

Yep. Windmills, and skipping helped me loads. liquid ibuprofen was my best friend. The hydrocodone just causes more constipation slowing down the gut.

we are not suppose to have it because Pasta and rice swells in the stomach and could cause food to get stuck in your throat or cause slippage.

For sure follow what your doc and nutritionist tell you - just wanted to chime in that from mine (and from lots on this site) it seems you can eat pretty much anything from before banding... You just have to make smart choices about WHAT and HOW MUCH. Of course, this is all after the post-surgery diet concludes and you are back on real food.