Left Shoulder Pain After Lap Band Surgery

[Thin_thoughts82 0]

It is normal especially if you over eat... I find that walking makes is better. Also holding your breath for a bit helps ease the pain.

[Cali Sal 0]

I'm only 1 week post-op and this shoulder pain is crippling, I know just gas and it will go away so I just have to weather the storm. On the bright side, I'm down over 25lbs in about a 1.5 months.

[ElfiePoo 109]

I am now a little over a year postop and I've had almost constant shoulder pain since the day of surgery. It only happens when I'm lying down or riding in the passenger seat of the car (maybe because of the way the car seat back is molded) or if I try to take my arm and move it behind my back. Everyone says it will go away. It hasn't. When I first mentioned it to the clinic, they looked at me like they had never heard of this happening and yet, from this thread, it is a common occurrence.

I'm going to call my clinic tomorrow and tell them I need to see the surgeon because they either need to take the band out or fix whatever is causing this pain to continue and worsen. I've actually woken up in the night crying from the pain...and this is from someone who never took pain meds after the surgery.

.

[jbo476 0]

I had shoulder pain immediately after surgery! It was excruiating and constant for two weeks! Heat seemed to be the only thing to ease, not enough pain meds! I am 13 months out and continue to have it from time to time! Had it yesterday as a matter of fact! Very painful!

[jackiedav 0]

I have been banded since 2005 and have terrible left shoulder pain. I have had it the whole time. My doctor thought that it was my gallbladder was he toke it out but the pain stayed.

[altopower 1]

My left shoulder/neck pain lessened a lot post-op (10/29/9/09) but a month ago I had sudden surgery to remove a big infection in my lapband port area. I've had severe gas pains at first in the shoulder but then down to the belly area, kind of moving around from place to place.

I don't think there is much if anything I can do about it. It's definitely better than it was immediately post-op but I'm expecting to have this for quite a long time. The best way to ease the pain is to get up and move around, and to massage the sore area.

Apparently this isn't unique to bariatric surgery. There are a lot of other patients of laproscopic procedures such as appendectomies who also have the same gas pain issues. Doesn't make mine easier to know that but at least I know it's not JUST us.

[guitarmama54 1]

I have left shoulder pain off an on. It's there right after a fill. Sometimes it's there in the morning and gone by afternoon. I have heard with some bansters,

it's chronic.

If you are getting it after eating, I have heard you are stuffing your pouch too full. That's something to be careful of. I heard that from some very experienced bandsters.

[guitarmama54 1]

Me too..when I over eat...it shoots up into my left shoulder/neck and into my arm at times.. NOT heart related pain...doc checked me out...only happens when I over eat my pouch...