I was banded on 9/14 and within the last week, I have had chronic shoulder/neck/ear pain. It is on the left side, the under my shoulder blade in the back, up my left neck and in my left ear.

I know from reading the boards that this is the 'referred pain' from my stomach and diaphram and it will eventually go away, but I just wondered if anyone else is dealing with it? I slept with a heating pad last night and that made the shoulder pain go away, but the ear and neck pain are still there this morning. I'm going to pick up a heating pad to keep in my chair at work, and hopefully that will help too!

I had referred pain immediately after surgery but it went away after a 3-4 days. I'm sorry you are still experiencing it!

mine went away after a week - have you been doing the walking??

Are you having gas pains? Though this is external gas pains I'm not sure if Gas x would work.

No, shame on me, I've not been walking much. The chronic pain has just left me exhausted. I will start back to doing my walking tomorrow morning. Hopefully that will help.

I'm wondering if my tubing is rubbing my diaphram or something??

Hi Dana36,

I was banded on the 11th Sept and am also getting really bad shoulder/lower neck pain. I walk for 50 minutes 5 day's a week so it's not because I am not excercising. I would love to know how to get rid of this. As I am writing I have the pain and have had it all morning.

Katy

Hi Katy,

I had the same problem and was informed it could be due to gas or that it could be from eating too much. I know sounds weird, but apparently if you eating too much causes pressure on the diaphragm, which causes shoulder pain. I just kept moving my arm up and down in case it was the gas. I wanted to work it out of there. It seemed to help. Good luck!

Hi Dana36,

I was banded on the 11th Sept and am also getting really bad shoulder/lower neck pain. I walk for 50 minutes 5 day's a week so it's not because I am not excercising. I would love to know how to get rid of this. As I am writing I have the pain and have had it all morning.

Katy

Well, at least I'm not alone! Sorry that you are in pain!

Thanks Patpie for the advice.

I haven't had my fill yet, so hopefully once I have had that I will be able to reduce my intake more.

I will try to increase the excercise and walk around and move my arms when I get the pain.

I was banded on the 17th, and am still having pain in my chest, like a pressure. It is worse on the left side. What is "referred" pain?? Does it go away? Will a fill make it worse. I haven't had a fill yet. And the pain doesn't seem to matter if I have eaten or not.

K~

Kimberly the left shoulder pain confirms you are having the referred pain from your diaphragm. When they do the surgery they blow air into you to have room to move around and this creates the pain in the diaphragm (pain breathing and also the gas pain in the left shoulder). you need to keep walking and also doing deep breathing because you don't want your lungs to not inflate. You should call your doctor. I don't know if 4 weeks out this still happens and is normal, but everyone heals at a different pace. Referred pain means that because of many nerve endings the pain appears to be in your left shoulder but its really coming from your diaphragm which controls your lungs and is around your sternum. For me it was gone in a week.

Just a little update. I've started sleeping on the heating pad every night and most of the shoulder pain is gone. I still get it sometimes during the day, but not as bad as it was!

good ol gas pains , mine when completely away after about 2 or less weeks post op. I took the gas x melt away strips.They seemed to help me.I am 10 wks post op and Glad i did it , would do it again, the little bit of gas pains is minor.

I was banded on the 17th, and am still having pain in my chest, like a pressure. It is worse on the left side. What is "referred" pain?? Does it go away? Will a fill make it worse. I haven't had a fill yet. And the pain doesn't seem to matter if I have eaten or not.

K~

Hi Kimberly, I was banded in august and had some pain in my chest as well that lasted a good 10 days or so. At first it is gas that just needs to work it's way out of your system...the gasx doesnt work unortunately just walking and time. It can also be referred pain which is just sensitivity of your nerves near the diaphram and surgical area. the pain in the chest can also be taken as a soft stop when it comes to eating. It is usually a sign that you're getting full and should stop eating in the next bite or two or other things such as PBing might happen. It will not be made worse by a fill.

Hi Kemberly,

Just wanted to advise you that my pain is now easing and is less often, so I believe that with time it will go away.

Katy

I have had laproscopic surgery before and know full well about gas pain. (IT was horrible) After my lap band I did not have ANY gas pains, and thought I was VERY fortunate! But now--4 weeks post op, I am getting these chest pains. It now has moved to my upper right side, and is worse at night. It helps to lie still. I just sure hope this goes away! Thanks for all of your concern and advice!!!

Love to all

K~

I have had laproscopic surgery before and know full well about gas pain. (IT was horrible) After my LAP-BAND® I did not have ANY gas pains, and thought I was VERY fortunate! But now--4 weeks post op, I am getting these chest pains. It now has moved to my upper right side, and is worse at night. It helps to lie still. I just sure hope this goes away! Thanks for all of your concern and advice!!!

Love to all

K~

Try sleeping on a heating pad, it has helped me so much!