I'm almost one week post ope and so terrified of a leak!! I strained my stomach a little earlier this morning-pushing. I've read left shoulder pain. I now have a little burning in my left shoulder. Yikes, I'm scared!!

Watch you temp, even low grade. My main symptom was left shoulder pain and it was severe over time.

I had TONS of left shoulder pain. Mine was because I was drinking too much too fast. Leaks usually cause stomach issues like vomiting up bile and, from what I have read, also cause pain in the stomach area. It doesn't sound like you have any of the symptoms of a leak for now. If you have symptoms later, then call your doctor immediately.

Good luck!! I think we all worry about this, but it happens to very few people. If you're one of them, you will probably figure it out pretty quickly.

Thank you guys!! I'm so worried! I wasn't having any shoulder discomfort until now. I'm having some issues with bowel movement n I pushed a little to hard n I immidiately thought if a leak! Is that possible?? I had an upper GI before I left the hospital and all was good.

! I think we all worry about this

Since i read about fears and questions about leaks on the board, i also am terrified. the main reason is i'm so scared is that my dr. said a leak can happen at any time down the road, and you are not responsible for it happening. i think he said something like that. but probably it won't happen.......but.......?

good luck to us all - hope i didn't scare anyone, but myself!

kathy

If you are having trouble going to the bathroom start putting a scoop of benefiber in your shake in the morning and this will help with any constipation. I think that you are still having pain in the shoulder from the gas assiciated with the surgery. It usually take a little more than straining to cause a leak. If you have a leak you will starte to run a fever and feel nauseated a probably start to vomit. If you are really concerned then I would see how the weekend goes and if the fever or any other symptoms begin call your surgeon on Monday or if it gets bad go to the ER this weekend. '

I know that everytime I had a pain after surgery I thought about a leak but there is a low percentage that actually have one.

Thanks everyone! I'm still having a tiny but of discomfort in my left shoulder but nothing else. It's very scary. When are we out of the danger zone??

Thanks everyone! I'm still having a tiny but of discomfort in my left shoulder but nothing else. It's very scary. When are we out of the danger zone??

Several hours after surgery, i started throwing up, and did it several times until the leak test the next morning when I could start drinking something. I saw my surgeon in the hallway and told him I was scared that I had popped staples. He just kinda giggled at me and said "don't worry, you can't bust them throwing up." So I felt much better. Another leak test a week later confirmed that he was correct. When you push in the bathroom, that is your abdominal muscles. Your stomach should not be hurt by that. Just watch for symptoms described above, but it is highly unlikely you did any damage.

Dooter, thanks so much for your comment!! You totally just eased my mind.

Im sorry to hear you were so sick after surgery. How long has it been since surgery?

Dooter, thanks so much for your comment!! You totally just eased my mind.

Im sorry to hear you were so sick after surgery. How long has it been since surgery?

6 weeks Monday, and feeling great! You'll have a lot of odd and worrisome pains. It comes with the territory. That is not to say you shouldn't pay attention if it gets too bad. Ya, since I was totally NPO after surgery, I had this "gunk" that kept building up in my throat and it would gag me when I'd fall asleep, then wake up and swallow. Bleh. Makes me wanna ralph just thinking about it. (shudder)

Oh geez! That stinks.. So far so good for me. I don't have any complaints except I'm starving!!!! I'll be one week out on Monday and the pain is tolerable now. Im just really hungry and craving food so bad. How much have you lost so far?

I wasn't aware that a leak could develop anytime. I was under the assumption that once the stomach healed it was permanent.

Does anyone know?

Thanks

Tony I thought the same... I always thought after 2 weeks or so your out of the danger zone.

I was told that after fourteen days the stomach should be fully healed as well. I had a massive leak about a week after my surgery and still have a leak 13 weeks later. I did not have shoulder pain but had pain in my chest that I thought at the time was heartburn. I was getting weaker and weaker each day and could not hold anything down.

Tony I thought the same... I always thought after 2 weeks or so your out of the danger zone.

Typically, if complications arise, it's between weeks 4 and 6, so at 6 weeks if there are no problems, you get the go ahead to resume physical activity. ( this is according to MY surgeon's office. Others may be different.) Ask MeMeMEEE (above) about late leaks. She can tell you her story.

I have lost 44 lbs. so far.

Don't spend too much time fretting over it though. I know you're in a very emotionally vulnerable time period right now, so everything is very worrisome. Leaks are few and far between, so just keep following orders on your food progression, and take a load off. Relax and enjoy the ride.