5 Days Post Op & sharp pains! (not shoulder tip)

MelDiva · March 31, 2008

Hi there guys n girls,

I had a new VG band put in (after 5 years with the old 10cm one), and luckily Im not getting the usual shoulder tip pain, BUT since Saturday Ive been getting this excrutiating pain that comes and goes in the right side of my abdomen.

It strikes like a thief in the night (but also attacks in the day!) and sticks his little dagger into me. :cursing: Then dissapears after a minute. Its hard to describe where exactly, its probably a 10cm square area where it can hurt, somewhere just right of my belly button and can be anywhere up from my hipbone. When its happening it is made worse when I breathe (which unfortunatley I cant avoid) and walking around doesnt seem to help much.

Im on liquids and havent had a bowel movement yet and wonder if thats the problem. Come to think of it, I ate a lot of meat the day before the operation (my last carnivore meal before the band), and come to think of it, I dont think I had a bowel movement since then. So could this horrible pain be trapped evil poo?

Any ideas?

Cheers,

Melissa

P.S. Sorry for grossness!!

alwaysmile_n · March 31, 2008

Hello... sounds just like what happened to me. It was the gas that they used to bloat the belly to access your stoma to attach the band. What helped me was taking lots of deep breaths. I also laid on my back, then side while I did the deep breathing. I would take a really deep breath and hold it for as long as I could then slowly let it out. Try that. I was banded on March 7th, and I had the sharp pains for just over a week. I drank tons of Water. That also helped with the Constipation. you might want to try some good old fashion prune juice! Good luck!

MelDiva · April 1, 2008

thanks...i think youre right! Ill give your tips a try :puke:

jtorie · April 1, 2008

It could also be nerves. When the surgery is done they chop up your nerves, and they are very painfull to heal. you pain sounds similar to what I was having on my left side and after a few days it moved to mid abdomen. If its achy its usually gas pains but if it sharp like a lightening bolt or a series of bolts then its usually nerves healing. If your uncertain and still worried give your surgeons office a call.

If you think it may be Constipation, you may also try a small dose of Phillips Milk of Magnesia to help it move along.

Good Luck with your new band!!

J

Amoud · April 1, 2008

Did you get any bruising with this pain? I had this happen and it was liver hemtoma as they have to retract your liver to get at everything. The pain was extreme, I could barely walk upright and it didnt start until a few days after the surgery

MelDiva · April 1, 2008

well the incision site closest to the pain does have a tiny bit of bruising. But Im guessing the bruise would be pretty bad yeah to have what you had? Doesnt sound good!! Ive still got the pain, although it seems to have moved about an inch inwards...im still hoping its just Constipation or the trapped gas! :puke:

Amoud · April 1, 2008

My surgeon said that even if it is liver bruising it is just bruising, it took about a week for it to go away completely, and gas and Constipation didnt help it either. To help with constipation I used ground flax seeds, I put them in the coffee grinder until they were a fine powder and mixed them with my Protein. A lot better than meds.

Hope you feel better soon,

JenniPenni · April 1, 2008

I had nerve pain after my surgery and it really freaked me out. It wasn't near my port so I thought something was wrong. It lasted about 2 weeks and is now a distant memory. (I'm 6 weeks out)