I had my lap ban surgery in June 2005. Right out of surgery I woke up to a shooting pain in my left arm/shoulder area. At the time they said it must be a gas bubble from the surgury and it should work its way out in a couple of weeks.

The pain was so bad that I could not stand. The only way to get relief was to lay down. This type of pain lasted for 4 weeks. I am still having pain to this day with my arm/shoulder area.

Although it is not as strong as it was right out of surgery, it still causes me pain and disrupts my daily activities. I have been working with my primary care doctor to try and find out the reason. I have also gone back to the doctor who did the surgery. No one can figure out what is wrong...

I would like to know if any one else has experienced this type of pain? I am at a loss as of what to do next to find out the real cause of my pain.

Don't worry...you aren't the only one that this has happened to. Put in "shoulder pain" in the lapbandtalk search engine. You will find some threads on this topic. I had this also...around 10-13 months post-banding. Nothing would really help (tylenol, eating, heat). I tried it all, probably you did to. I spoke to my surgeon and he said it could be a nerve.

All I do know, is it was worsened by hunger. Although my signals for hunger have changed to shoulder pain. It eventually went away and never bothers me.

You aren't alone. Shawn

Yes yes yes!! I have this also. It is caused by the fact that when I had my band fitted, it altered the angle of my stomach slightly. When I get full or drink anything carbonated, my stomach touches a nerve in my diaphragm giving me a dreaded sharp stitch-like pain in the tip of my left shoulder. Sorry to say it is still with me and has been since I had my op almost 3 years ago. It ain't no picnic but hey, it tells me to stop stuffing my face. I get it when I chew gum too much as well. I hope that solves part of the mystery for you!!! :hungry:

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I have this too! I was banded in March. I know from my training that it's a nerve connected to the stomach/diaphram area.

I'm so glad that I'm not the only one!

I had gallbladder surgery in 2005 and when I woke up, my neck was FUBAR. I think maybe my neck was at a weird angle. I went to a chiropractor for a few weeks and it went away. If it isn't related to eating it could be a neck thing from your surgical position. Sounds like it to me, based on the fact that it is severe enough to cause you to be unable to stand. That also sounds more positional than digestive related. I would say maybe pursue whether you have a neck problem and see a chiropractor if it isn't digestive.

Thank you so much for all who answered. It is nice to know it is just not in my head. Everyone I would try to explaine my isue to kinda laughed when I said I notice the pain when I was hungery or had just eaten too much. It is so nice to know others are out here. Thanks!

Anything that irritates the diaphragm can cause shoulder pain (google Kehr's sign). The band lays right up against the diaphgram.

Dr. C

Cincinnati, Ohio

www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND

DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Thank you so much for all who answered. It is nice to know it is just not in my head. Everyone I would try to explaine my isue to kinda laughed when I said I notice the pain when I was hungery or had just eaten too much. It is so nice to know others are out here. Thanks!

I Have The Same Thing. I Have Noticed That With Certain Foods It Tends To Get Worse. I Can't Drink Anything Carbonated. If I Overeat It Seems To Worsen Also. Alot Of It Actually Went Away After My 3rd Fill. Doctor Couldn't Explain Why I Had The Pain Or Why It Diminished Some After The Fill. Who Knows, But Your Not Alone. Good Luck And I Hope It Gets Better For All Of Us.

me too! me too! me too!...usually after eating too much...but it can be excruciating so I know what you are going through!

becky

I have had this happen to me also.....the pain was so bad I thought it might be something else...it went from under my breastbone, up into my shoulder and neck. Went on for hours....you aren't alone...JR

My left shoulder/arm pain started 8 days ago and hasn't eased any since. It doesnt matter if I'm full or empty, active or sedentary, awake of asleep. I've tried Gas-X, pain pills, antiiflammatories, antianxiety pills, coldpacks, hotpacks, hand held vibrator,,nothing helps. I almost cry everyday, knowing I can't exist like this the rest of my life.

OMG I thought I was the only one but I dont know if anyone else has noticed this but when I start to get the shoulder pain I push down on my stomach by where my band is and the pain disappears!!!!!! This is what made me think my band was slipping/slipped and I have been so nervous! The weird thing is that I wasnt able to really pinpoint where the pain in my shoudler was coming from and when i pushed down on my stomach I realized that the pain was actually from my stomach and I was just feeling it in my shoulder!

There are a lot of important nerve pathways around the diaphragm/abdominal area that could have been disrupted during surgery; There are tests that can be done to determine if there is nerve damage

Well,,,,,,my arm/shoulder pain went away after 8 days of hell. I just woke up and it was gone! BUT,,now I have tingling and some numb areas on my arm. I asked my surgeon about these symptoms yesterday at my monthly visit. He said yes, it can cause SHOULDER pain but not the arm pain, tingling and numbness I'm experiencing,,that its probably something cerviacl. *sighs* Ohwell,,,i can live with it as it doesn't really interfer with my ADL.

banded 1/29/07

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS