I was banded on 9/5/08 and started to experience a pain in my upper, left ribcage area a day ago. It especially hurts when I take a deep breath or cough. My doctor and I are from Houston, I am currently evacuated due to IKE and am worried my doctor won't be available over the next few days. I have tried some Gas-X, walked, drank some hot tea, removed my bra and no relief. Has any one else felt this and how can I fix it????

Boy! You said it all. I'm going to read this post again in the morning before I call the dr's office to give me the "umph" I need to tell them how it's going to be. I am being very passive about this and I'm usually not like that. I am usually very assertive with dr's, but it's usually my husband's dr that I am having to deal with. Don't know why I'm not like that with my own. Strange!

Well, go get 'em! And let me know. I'll be watching for your post!

Keep in mind Gas X doesn't help everyone. You might ask your doctor what else you can try instead of Gas X or just try something else chewable or liquid over the counter. Some one else used a generic form from Walgreens of Mylanta that worked for them.

Where did you evacuate to? We had quite a large number of people here in San Antonio. Restless Monkey or I can give you our doctor's names to try, if you have insurance, you can ask them who to go to where ever you're at given the emergency situation. Stress can defiintely add to the problem.

Themis, ChristiOT took some pain meds just under 2 1/2 hours ago and hasn't been back so hopefully it relieved the pain and she is sleeping!

My 3rd week after surgery I was having extreme left sided rib/shoulder pain. I didn't have gas pains after surgery. It didn't start until I went to mushies and went back to work. I think the increased activity combined with the increased food was the problem. I limited myself to 1/4-1/2 cup at a time about 5-6 times a day. Plus, I really took it easy at home and work. My port is on the right side of my abdomen, so I think it was all band related as the pain was on the left. It did go away after about 1 week and hasn't returned. I found that if I laid on my left side and wrapped my right arm over my stomach/band area and kind of squeezed when I laid down that it helped. I hope you start feeling better. I know how bad I felt when this was going on.:embaressed_smile:

Your port may have twisted(flipped on its side), mine has twice now. Not a big deal, they can flip it back (from the outside) in a couple of minutes. Annoying but not harmful. I sleep on that side and is probably why it keeps happening to me.

Well, just wanted to let you know that I spoke to the nurse today. She got me an appt with the dr on a week from tomorrow (9-23). I'll let you know the outcome.

Good for you, Freedom0702!! I'm so glad! I hope ChristiOT is feeling better. Once she took her pain med she was gone! I hope (think) that's a good sign!

I hope she's feeling better, too. ChristiOT - let us know how you're doing.

I too experienced pain in the rib area, almost like a stitch, like when you have over exercised. With me , it turned out that the lap band had come undone inside me. This was only discovered after I insisted on an x-ray investigation. I had to have re-surgery.

worth asking for x-ray:thumbup:

Did they have to do the surgery all over again or just go in and re-stitch the port? I see my dr a week from today. I am going to insist that he do an x-ray then or maybe even before since I go for a fill this Friday.

Hello All

Thank you all for all your support and answers. My life is a little crazy since I still haven't been able to return home so I hadn't been able to log on for a few days. Well I now think the pain was muscle soreness, I took some pain meds and slept on the recliner the night the pain was really bad. The next morning I didn't have a constant pain but I could feel some tenderness and soreness when I moved certain ways. I think I couldn't tell what the pain was earlier because it had elevated over past day. The tenderness lasted two more days (but only when I moved certain ways, not constant pain) but now I am really feeling good.

Thanks to you all again.

Good! it may have been gas. We underestimate, sometimes, how badly gas can HURT! and if it hurts us for a while, the strained muscles are sore afterward for a few days! Glad yours resolved!

CristiOT - Glad you're feeling better.

I saw my dr. He still didn't do an xray as someone had suggested to me. He said that wouldn't do any good. But he said he guesses he could do a revision and move my port, but there is a real risk for infection if he opens the incision. Or we could try pain pills for awhile and see if as the weight comes off if it will stop hurting. I'm opting for the pills for now. I don't want another surgery if at all possible, no matter how small.

Edited September 19, 200817 yr by freedom0702

I have had pain in my ribcage since my surgery on 8-21. Mine is on the right side and that is the side of my port. I had to have a full incision with my banding, but don't know why mine is on the right rather than the left like most people. Anyway this pain is dull most of the time and has gotten some better, but I can really tell when I lift a little too much (like my 21 lbs granddaughter) or strain doing laundry or something. I think this is going to get better, but just slowly... However you can be sure I'm going to ask my doctor on Tuesday when I go in for a check... I am ready for it to be gone..