I got banded on 12/20/06 w/ Dr. Huacuz in Tijuana. Excellent experience. Since I've been reading this forum for awhile I already knew what to expect. I've already lost 9 lbs, mostly water I presume. The one thing I personally hate is the damn pain on my shoulder. Its so weird, as soon as I eat something the pain runs up my shoulder. This morning it was soooo bad I sat and cried until my honey bunny massaged it, oh and I also popped some tylenol chewables. When is this going to stop? Help? I can't take it. Hot showers seem to make it better but its hard enough to deal with the bloating gas pain, and the burping that never happens. Not to mention the confusion of "is it gas or hunger"? I'm so sleep deprived because of this. SOSOSOSOSOS:cry

IT'S GAS.....Trust me - the 3rd day after my surgery I had it so bad I almost went back to the hospital. I took a whole box of Gas-X strips, the ones that melt in your mouth. My doctor said I could take twice as much as the box says I could. It's the only thing that worked. The pain up my shoulder was so bad I couldn't breathe. Try it! Good luck.

Try a heating pad on it, it was the one thing that helped me more than anything else. Walk as much as possible too!

Oh how I feel you, today is 1 week for me and the first day without that shoulder pain! I took 4 boxes of gas x strips this week, i don't think it helped. i couldn't take deep breaths.

The only thing that seemed to help was walking. Ofcourse i was so tired from no sleep, that it was a challenge.

Try to get through the next two days. I feel for you, I really do. It sucks.

Someone told me to use a FLEET supository, and it works to get the gas out, I didn't try it, I just found out about it today. It's an option.

Thank you all! I guess it does make sense that its gas pain. My fourth and fifth days were the worst so far. I cried all day yesterday because I couldn't breath, and just touching my shoulder hurt so much. I ended up trying the fleet supositories last night. It kicked in so quick, all I remember is hearing the gates of heaven opening up when I had one big huge blast of air come out me. It does relieve it temporarily. I slept like a baby. Unfortuanetly I woke up with the darn pain again today. NOt as bad though. THANKS SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE'S ADVICE!:notagree

Walk Walk Walk...that is how I survived the shoulder pains. I cried on my 4th and 5th days too...it was excruciating but It does pass, dont worry!

becky