I had gastric sleeve 3 days ago and I keep getting these intense pains in my back, shoulders and neck. It’s practically unbearable. Does anyone know how long this lasts or why we get it. I keep getting really bad headaches from the pain in my neck.

It could be from the gas used during the operation and if so it is totally normal and takes a few days to leave the body, walking helps.

I had it when I had my gall bladder removed many years ago and it was so bad I felt physically ill. I was expecting it again after sleeve was prepared with wind-eze which I did indeed need for a couple of days to help.

To be clear, the gas used in abdominal surgery is not inside your digestive tract, thus medications to address that issue won't help. Typically they use CO2 and it's actually pumped into your peritoneal cavity to help create space between the abdominal wall and your organs. This gives the surgeon room to work more safely, as well as help visually distinguish everything.

The reason it hurts so much is because basically your abdomen has been blown up like a balloon. This pushes up on your diaphragm, which in turn irritates the phrenic nerve. It's not uncommon to have referred pain in the chest, shoulder and neck as a result. Eventually the surgical gas will be absorbed into your bloodstream and you'll breathe it out, but until then this can be quite painful.

Walking helps, but won't fix it. Overall, it should pass in a few days.

I'd also make sure you're drinking enough because headaches are a classic symptom of dehydration. Dehydration is one of the main reasons bariatric surgery patients end up back in the hospital in the early post-op period, so please do everything you can to keep up with your fluid intake.

@SpartanMaker is correct. It will likely be from the surgical gas rising behind the lungs & putting pressure on the phrenic nerve. From here it is absorbed into the lungs & you breathe it out. You don’t burn or fart it out.

Yes walking helps as does slow deep breathing, marching on the spot (even seated ones), lifting your arms up and down as they help you breathe it out more quickly. A heat pad can help with the shoulder & neck pain. Otherwise it’s just a waiting game. I think it took up to a week for it to abate after my gall removal surgery (I had none with my sleeve).

In saying that I had a muscle spasm in my back (I have a weakness there thanks to oozy discs) on day 2 or 3 after sleeve surgery. My surgeon suggested it was likely stress I was holding from the surgery. I had a lot of pain when swallowing due to swelling & I know I was holding myself tightly every time I had to sip or take a tablet. The spasm passed later that day.

If it persists fir more than a week & isn’t lessening, contact your team.. All the best.