I need some advice. I had surgery last Wednesday, so I'm a week and one day post-op. I had a really hard time with the gas. It caused more pain than anything. Now I have one spot just under my collar bone and shoulder that hurts so bad. That's where the gas settled, my shoulders and chest. I'm a little concerned because it still hurts so bad. Taking a deep breath puts pressure and makes it hurt until I exhale. It doesn't hurt at night. I still have gas and burp a lot, but nothing seems to help this pain. If it's just gas I know it will go away, but I guess my main concern is a blood clot. Coughing doesn't cause any pain, only inhaling. I had my post-op appointment yesterday, but only got to see the nurse. She said it's probably gas. Did anyone else have gas pain like this and for this long?

Does Gas-X help?

Unfortunately the gas can last a few weeks. Mine did. It does sound like it is just gas, and I can only suggest you take some Gas-X to help. It will work its way out. Hang in there! And Congrats and welcome to band-land!

There are numerous threads on this forum about shoulder pain. I know too well this feeling!! Mine always came back as a sharp stabbing pain in my left collarbone area whenever I got too full, hadn't eaten in around 5 or so hours or drank soda. My doctor said it was caused by your stomach now being at a different angle since surgery and when it expands, it touches a nerve that leads to your left shoulder. It is pretty common now. I had it for 3 years after surgery but funnily enough it went away once I had port revision surgery so maybe it's relevant to port placement too. You aren't too far out of surgery so it may not be this but if it continues during these times, it may be a possibility. Hopefully not!!!

You might try exercising your arms and shoulders, an of course a lot of walking. Just don't do anything heavy or strenous, like lifting, pushing, or pulling, that might upset your port site before it scars or seats in place. Lots of walking and moving, usually helps break those air bubbles into smaller ones where they are easier to dissipate. It is very early fr you and exercise should take care of it if it is gas. Good luck.

Hello! I am six days post-op and I still have a little pain in my left shoulder. It was REALLY bad for about three days after, then started lessesning. Gas-Ex was a life saver for me!

Thanks so much for your responses. Gas-X doesn't help me much, walking and moving around does. I'm glad to know that I'm not crazy and that it will get better. I was also interested to see someone else say that being hungry or not eating made their's worse. Mine too. I finally realized that was happening and it seems to be the precursor to actually feeling hunger pains. Weird! Of course if I eat too fast or too much, it hurts as well. It does seem to be getting better, of course I'm also getting better at listening to my body and the band. Sitting up really straight, like when driving, can also bother my shoulder. I also go to school and sitting for 1 1/2 hours in a desk kills me. So, maybe it's the port hitting a nerve in that position or maybe it's just because I'm still healing. I sure hope so, I have a lot more time to sit in a desk over the next couple of years. Anyway, thanks again!

I am only three days post-op & I took my medicine pump off this morning & every since then my should has hurt. It is a scary feeling I think in terms of blood clots & heart attacks. My bariatric nurse warned me about such symptoms & I guess the medicine pump I had in me for 72 hrs really healped with the left shoulder pain because I had no left shoulder pain before I took it out. I will be very happy when I am feeling better.

My shoulder pain lasted about three weeks. I started noticing it was only when eating certain foods or eating to quickly so I just tried to avoid those. It eventually went away.

ErikMesa :huh2:

I haven't eaten anything today and I'm in pain in my left shoulder area. Tomorrow will be 2 weeks post-op and I really wish I hadn't had this surgery. I'm tired of hurting. Today it just hurts to breathe. I'm really scared it's this nerve/diaphragm thing and I'm guessing there's no cure? Other than taking the band out?

Dia,

I also am almost 2 weeks out and am sick of the pain. My left shoulder pain is horrible, i can take being sore, but the constant shoulder pain is really wearing on me. the first 4 days the gas was HORRIBLE, and i have had the shoulder pain non stop since surgery. I am hoping it goes away, but from reading most of the threads, it doesn't seem like it's going to anytime soon. I'm not happy with the band as of yet also.

HI I had surgery on 3/5 and 2 days later, started having the awful left shoulder pain. Tylenol did nothing to relieve it. I did start putting heat on it, drinking warm fluids, getting up and walking around and rotating my shoulder. That helped. Now the pain is 99% gone, I have twinges now and then, or a faint ache, but it is mostly gone. It is bad, try to hang in there. I had the heating pad thing that is made of beads and heats up in the microwave so it was pretty portable for work.

Hope this helps and that your shoulder pain gets better soon.

hi all just wanted to say i am a full 2 weeks out as of today and the shoulder pain has STOPPED. i thought it would never go away after reading some people's posts, so it worried me, but mine stopped as of yesterday and i have had no pain since. i am THRILLED. I have no fill in my band and i am only able to eat 1/2 cup at most at a time. I am feeling very tired, but my hate for the band is getting better....... lol i have lost 17 lbs.

hi all just wanted to say i am a full 2 weeks out as of today and the shoulder pain has STOPPED. i thought it would never go away after reading some people's posts, so it worried me, but mine stopped as of yesterday and i have had no pain since. i am THRILLED. I have no fill in my band and i am only able to eat 1/2 cup at most at a time. I am feeling very tired, but my hate for the band is getting better....... lol i have lost 17 lbs.

I'm happy to hear that you and your band are begining to make like friends...lol

I hope things get a little better for you everyday and this will help you get where you want to go....

just think maybe one day you will look back and go "Oh My God....how could I have EVER hated my band!!" :tt1: (or is that just wishful thinkin)

Good Luck

~Monica

Hi - I was banded on 3/5 and also had terrible shoulder/neck pain for the first week. I was totally freaked out because it also radiated down my arm and into my chest (heart area) too. I got some feedback from this forum from others who also experienced this pain and was somewhat comforted. My pain subsided after about two weeks. I did try to walk alot (mostly around and in the house during the first days after surgery). Good luck - hope yours goes away quickly also!

I had surgery on 3/16/09 and the left shoulder pain started on 3 days after surgery and hasn't stopped since. I saw my surgeon today and he said that something is pressing on my diaphram and that is causing the pain. Said will do a CT scan and if that is the cause will do surgery and try to reposition the band, port or whatever is causing the problem, but if that doesn't help will have to remove the band. I am really attached to my band and that is the last thing that I would want to have done. Has anyone else had to have a band repositioned or removed because of this?