I was banded on 7/31/09 and am doing well except for the on and off shoulder pain. One minute I feel fine and the next I am ready to rip my arm off! My shoulder hurts more than my surgery site. Any suggestions? How long does this last?

Thanks!

I know how you feel. I was banded 7/28 and I am still having bad spells with the shoulder pain. It just comes out of no where. I know it is from the gas and we should walk walk walk. That is all everyone says. It isn't as bad anymore but when one pains comes along it sucks.... LOL

It's just gas pain. Get some phazime or gas x.

Gas-X won't really work because the gas is not in your actual stomic.. It is in your stomic cavity.... The gas just has to work out..... Walking usually helps...

I had really bad shoulder pain too-- and heat seemed to help. Tried a heating pad-- but it didn't make enough contact. My mom gave me this oblong bean bag looking thing that you microwave and then laid it on my shoulder. That felt good :scared2:

Walk Walk Walk

I had surgery in 2004 and still get bad shoulder pain, at first we thought it was gas but it is damage dont to the diaphram which happens during surgery, a vein is pinched around the stomach muscle which shoots pain to the diaphram, someone who posted on here had her band removed because of the severity of the pain only the pain didnt go away even after removal as the damage was already done, my pain has lessened over time but is still there, especially after a meal or when bloated, a small price some of us have to pay, but ure still early days and hopefully it is only gas for u...

It is "referred" pain where your diaphragm, agitated during surgery, presses on the phrenic nerve. It is very rare for it to last for longer than a few weeks.

Mine happened when I did something that increased my breathing (like walking in the early days LOL)

What helps people varies. Some lie on their sides and stretch their left arm out. Some use a heating pad. Some just take tylenol. What helped ME was having my husband rub my neck, because the nerve caused my neck muscle to cramp. When that relaxed the pain went away.

I am six days post op and experiencing the same thing. I have no pain where my incisions are, but terrible shoulder pain. I thought it had gotten better, woke up yesterday felt great. Halfway through a broadway show, I had to leave because I was in so much pain. It hurt with every breath I took and hurt to even lift my arm. I came home took liquid tylenol and use a moist heating pad. The heating pad seems to do the trick for me. Today is still bad, hoping it goes away soon. Good luck with yours....at least you know your not alone!

Wow I know your pain! I was banded on 7/31 and I thought the shoulder pain was going to kill me. One night it hit so quickly and sharply my husband thought I was faking it b/c I just doubled over in pain and went straight to bed. He tried to rub my shoulder and nothing. Then he did the stupidest thing and got our Pedi-Paw (yes that name clipper thing for our dogs), kept the top on and just put it on my shoulder for a deep massage, moving it all around my pain area. The next morning when I woke up the pain was gone!!!!!!! I could not believe it, the Pedi-paw worked. (At least its good for something). Now i only get mild should aches that last a short time if I drink too fast!

yes... heat and massage worked best for me. also, my husbad and kids would do a repeated thumping massage with their fists up and down my back, neck and shoulders.. that was the best!

I used heat to get rid of my shoulder pain. I thought

I was going to DIE :drool: After a few weeks it was gone.

I walked and walked...and used heat and made my dear

boyfriend rub rub rub...I took pain meds but it did not

touch the pain. Don't worry for most of us it goes away!

I still have left shoulder pain and I am 31/2 months out however I have notice it happens more if I get to full or eat to fast, which is probably a good thing. Whatever the reason it hurts like heck! I sure hope mine isn't permanent damage.

OMG I thought it was going to go away in a couple of days! My left shoulder is in pain too, I was banded three days ago. I'm going to try the heating pads.

And that's true you can know now that you are not alone !!

I love this site, is my reality check.

most likely gas. try some walking around. is your able to do gasex, try that too. it's vey normal to have gas [ain after surgery

I ws just banded on Aug 10th and I have the shoulder pains. I placed a heating pad on my shoulder and it went away.