I am sure this question has been asked a million times before. I tried doing a search for other posts on the subject.

I am 5-6 days post op and I have some pretty severe left shoulder pain. I am assuming this is from the gas but I dont know.. I am a little ticked because I have walked soooo much and taken every gas medicine there is, not laid flat and now I have this!

is it normal? has anyone asked a doc about this?.. I vauguely remember while still druged the doc saying something about left shoulder pain.. but hello... I was drugged.. anyone have suggestions on how to make it stop?

Help!

Yes, it is common and is caused by the gas they pump into you and sometimes when a nerve in pinched in the diaphram. In addition to what you are doing some say that a heating pad and/or an ice pack helps give some relief. My pain went away around day 8 or 9.

I had my surgery April 30th I had that pain for about 1 1/2 months and I still get it when I eat the wrong thing or drink too fast or not chew. It has been 3 months since my surgery and I still get it all the time. I was told that it is from working so close to the diaphram. Good luck to you I hope yours goes away. Did they fix a hiatel hernia while they were in there? I heard that can be a cause also.

Danielle

I had my surgery a week ago also and I have severe shoulder pain. Feels like someone keeps punching me. I also had a hietal hernia reparied. They keep telling me it is from the gas and I too, walk and use heating pad. I was thinking of going for a massage as my muscles in my shoulder feel so tense from the pain. Hope you get better. We are on the same journey.

Oh boy, i don't miss that.. I went through that .. it does have to do with the gas they pump in you, but it is also like someone previously said, to do with pressure on your diaphragm... i had a hiatal hernia fixed at the same time i was banded... that pain lasted about 8 days and i do still get it if i eat too fast

new2me - I was you last night. I also was banded on July 25. I do not believe this pain is related to the gas; it's referred pain from your diaphragm being irritated. I sat up a lot more yesterday than I had since surgery, and started full liquids, and by 6pm I was in agony - my shoulder felt like I had a hot iron rod stuck through it, right in the center. After four hours of this, I read on another thread to lie down - so I did, flat on my back, to let my belly expand, and let my band and diaphragm separate. Within five minutes the pain was gone. It was amazing. Please go lie down right now!

thanks all.. the pain is much better.. and yes I did have a hiatal hernia repair, man did it hurt to breathe that first day!! I still get the shoulder pain.. but it is not as frequent.. thanks for sharing.. and I'll pray for the rest of you who still suffer from that pain.. its terrible. my husband would pray for me every time it got severe and I would burp a bunch and it would get better! :biggrin: yay God!

Well, I am 5 days post-op (July 28th) and that left shoulder stab is still a bother. It is less than it was and I think it is just part of the package. I even have fleeting moments of questioning, "why did I do this to myself?" I am hoping it will all be worth it in the end. To a painfree, fat free existence! Hoorah!

I had my surgery on July 25th and I've had similar pains a few times.

When it happens to me I lie flat on the bed and put my legs up on a pillow. Within a few minutes I feel fine.

:wink2: