Left Shoulder Pain After Lap Band Surgery

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I have heard that stretching over one of those exercise balls helps the pain. It's kind of like doing a back bend.

I don't know why it would help, other than stretching out the area where the band is.

[gdf18 2]

Hello everyone. I have been on this thread complaining and I tried something that is working very well, so I want to pass it on....high doses of B-12. It pees out of your system so there's no danger of overdosing. Seems it is very connected to healthy nerves endings and it

s a nerve ending that's involved in a lot of the left shoulder pain. I by sub-ligual...under the tongue...I'm told that's important. I take two every morning- 2.000mgs. Buy then at Trader Joes. I've many less symptoms, but this one is the best it's helped, and lots more energy as well.

Hope it helps someone else.

[fergwood 0]

Thanks Gwenn that is very interesting to know. I might have to give it a try.

gail

[MargenOhio 2]

I, too, am plagued with right shoulder pain. It mostly occurs when I am empty as well. I noticed since I got filled last week that the pain is breaking through after an hour or two now after meals where it used to remain at bay for 4-5 hours. It does go away temporarily when I eat even though I don't feel hungry. This has slowed my weight loss I believe. I have found nothing that relieves it but eating. I am so frustrated but glad I found this thread. I believe there could be a point where I would consider having the band loosened if this does not stop. I don't want to do that but the pain interferes with everything I do from work to play. It's getting me depressed. On top of that I have other chronic pain in my knees and left heel so I am really miserable. I will try the B12. My doc is stumped. I feel like I am in bandster hell.

[Fort Bend Band 0]

I too had the shoulder pain for too long. I know some of you are further along but some of you have only been banded a few months. I am over 2 years out now. I still once in a while have shoulder pain especially if I eat difficult foods like shrimp or chicken breast. I wanted to some of you hope that I did have frequentshoulder pain for the first several months but it did get better. I hope some of you have the same results. I found that walking helped, eventhough it hurt I would feel better after about 20 minutes. Also, my nurse told me to do exercises where you raise your arms up and down on either side of your head like you are doing jumping jacks without jumping. This did give me some relief.

[gdf18 2]

What amazes me is that so many have this problem and the doctors scratch their heads. Why not tell us that it's a possible side effect before we have the surgery? Why not try to try to re work the surgery so that this doesn't happen long term (shoulder pain is very common after all stomach surgery, but not to this long a time). If I told you that I believe it's because women seem to have it the most, you'd think I was crazy, but I think that as far as we've come, there's still a lot that doesn't happen for women.

My pain is much better as I get further from the fill. And I don't have to eat much- just a cracker will do it for me. Just something.

I think we should all keep after our doctors to bring this up when they go to seminars, conferences, etc.

[MargenOhio 2]

I agree. He knows I am not crazy because I can be so specific where and when the pain occurs. He met with the lap band people last week so I think he is focusing on getting me relief. I'm thinking of asking for a prescription of Lyrica which helps with neuropathic pain. I am willing to try most anything about now. As for the B12, I will try a Vitamin store, we don't have a Trader Joes. How often do you take it? You say to take it sublingually? Is it a liquid or does a tablet just melt? Any bad taste? Did it work right away? Thanks for any and all responses. Fabulous weight loss in just over a year Gwenn, hope I do as well.

[Fort Bend Band 0]

Luckily, my MD did know about the shoulder pain and did warn about it. I think that in most people it goes away after a few weeks so that they do worry about it that much. I have heard explainations that it is from the air they pump in you when ever you have a laproscopic procedure. I have also heard that when they sew the port in place it put pressure on a shealth of nerves that goes all the way up to your shoulder. My md has done thousands of lap bands so luckily he is in the know but I think they are not 100% sure about how to handle this pain themselves. I am just grateful that I am one of the lucky ones and only get this pain once in a while now.

[gdf18 2]

Mine is calm now. As long as I keep something - don't need much- in my stomach, I'm good. My surgeon knows about it....I just don't understand why they don't figure out how to NOT have it happen. Maybe do the surgery a little differently or something. Anyway, after a few rough days, I'm back to normal....whatever that is.

As to the B-12, yes, sublingually- under the tongue. Tastes fine. Tiny little pills. I take about 4 a day. You pee out what you don't need. Maybe you can find it on-line? Maybe Trader Joe's mails? Don't know but have heard that for many suplements, under the tongue is best. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Good luck!

[gdf18 2]

I MUST UPDATE THIS BECAUSE IT'S HILARIOUS!

I guess the computer "reads" what one is writing and brings up relevant messages (BIG BROTHER!), but after typing my last message, my screen had an advert for sublingual B-12!!! The site is TriVita.com. Prices look about the same as Trader Joe's. Good luck!

[pakcamp 0]

Hi, I just had my second lap band put in 4 days ago Needed a new band be cause of slippage. And I had the pain with the last one. It did not stay long with the first one. Hope it goes away fast with this one. Time will tell

[MargenOhio 2]

I took someone's advice here and am chewing gas x tablets whenever I am getting hungry, near meal time when my shoulder starts acting up. If I catch it early enough I can slow even stop the pain before it get nearly unbearable. I chew 2-3 tablets at a time and that seems to keep it tolerable. I am taking two chewable B12 daily too but I know the gas x tabs (generic) are really doing the trick because I can immediately get relief. Thanks for all the information on the subject. Its a real "pain" that some of us have to endure this problem with our bands. I just hope its not forever.

[JennBand08 0]

I just wanted to say I too am a shoulder pain sufferer. Mine is mainly if I let my stomach get too empty. So I keep nuts in my purse, and have cheese sticks and cottage cheese in the fridge at work. Sometimes I think about getting another fill (been plateauing for a couple months,but know I need to exercise), but I'm so afraid of the shoulder pain getting worse it keeps me from getting one. If when my kids go back to school and I have more time to exercise, I still am not able to jumpstart my weight loss again, then I will have to bite the bullet and get another fill.

I'll have to try the higher doses of B-12. I usually just do that once/week.

[MargenOhio 2]

Yes.my shoulder pain is nearly every day before lunch and dinner. It goes away after eating. I use gas x a lot. It helps a little. I started Lyrica today.I am very discouraged. I can't get motivated to exercise when I am in pain. I eat to relieve pain bot because I am hungry many times. The B12 hasn't really helped.

[JennBand08 0]

Mine has been really awful this week, and I can't figure out what I'm doing differently to cause it to return. It was so bad the other night I was in tears. Eating didn't help, GasX didn't help, nothing seemed to. I went to bed in pain, woke up the next morning and it was gone. It came back later in the day, but not as bad as the previous night. Again this morning I am fine. I don't have to work today so will see if it's related to the fact that I sit all evening at my job. So frustrating