Someone please help with this shoulder pain!

feathermack · 11-24-2008, 04:00 PM

I was banded last Thursday and everything has been tolerable except for this intense sharp pain on the top of my left shoulder and it gets worse after i've eaten. i've tried a heating pad and walking and walking and it keeps coming back and it seems worse every time, it's HORRIBLE and brings tears to my eyes. Does anyone have suggestions and could explain why gas is in my shoulder!?!?!?!??!?!?!

audreym · 11-24-2008, 04:27 PM

I hear you - OW how I hear you!! I am 3 months out and it hasn't gotten a lot better - a little less frequent, but it doesn't hurt any less and it is especially strong and sharp after eating. Certain types of foods (any flour products or starches - no idea why) seem to increase the sharpness/serverity of the pain for me.
I asked the doctor and nurse and they said it was the "vegus nerve" (pls excuse the spelling) which is located near the diaphram. She indicated that the diaphram is very swollen after LAP-BAND® surgery and especially as I had a "significant Haital hernia" repaired at the same time and the swelling puts pressure on that nerve - the result is sharp stabbing pains in the left shoulder and (for me) the left collar bone. The doctor did say that eventually the swelling will go down and the pain will ease up - I am praying and waiting!!!
Restless Monkey (who I think is a medical professional) put some really good info out about this topic a couple months ago - hopefully she can give us a more definitive/hopeful respons

micgisi · 11-24-2008, 05:56 PM

Had surgery Thursday and also had to have a hernia fixed. The left shoulder pain is the biggest problem! Done the walking, done the heating pad, taken the pain medicine and it is still bad! Help!!!

lfein229 · 11-24-2008, 06:30 PM

I was banded on Wednesday and also had a hiatial hernia repaired. I made sure I stayed active during the day but once theshoulder pain started (after meals) I would take the Gas-X and lie down. Then the gas would start to come out. I did find that if I was eating and started to feel the pain, to stop eating and go back to it later. Take the GasX

Garth5555 · 11-24-2008, 06:47 PM

Use a heating pad

, it works wonders.

G

feathermack · 11-24-2008, 07:16 PM

It makes sense that this is coming from nerve pain, as far as nothing will help. My doctor's nurse said unfortunately time and the GasX, which I have been using the strips and usually only 1 at time, has anyone else found a better way or should I be taking more than 1 and should they be taken before I eat a meal or right after?

lfein229 · 11-25-2008, 11:56 AM

For the first time, I was woken up at 3:30 in the morning with bad gas pain- in my shoulder and back. I took a Gas x and then eventually fell back to sleep. I'm going to try the heating pad idea next.

RestlessMonkey · 11-25-2008, 12:16 PM

Audreym got some great info! Usually post op like this the shoulder and neck pain is "referred" pain...it's actually our diaphragms that are sore! (odd, huh?) Mine hurt when I breathed deeply, like after exertion. Oddly what took care of mine in a snap was my husband rubbing my neck and shoulders, a la massage therapist. It really took only about 30 seconds and POOF the pain was gone. You want to be really careful using heating pads and sleeping on them etc...you can hurt yourself that way. AND if the pain is referred pain from the diaphragm, Gas X won't do a thing for it. Gas X only works to break up gas in your stomach.

It will improve as you heal. Mine bothered me off and on until about week 3-4. Just have someone give you a neck massage the next time it acts up and see if that helps you!

AND thanks Audreym but I'm not a health pro yet...still a nursing student! Hope to have my BSN and be an RN in May 09. My husband is an RN w/25 years experience so I use him for info when I'm not sure about something! :)

Good luck; that shoulder pain hurt like the dickens until I hit on the idea of having my husband rub it to relax the cramped muscle. I was amazed at how quickly and how well that worked for me. Hope it works for you guys, too!

lfein229 · 11-26-2008, 05:33 PM

Now that we have been talikg about it - my shoulder pain has been getitng worse after I eat (protein shakes & jello of course). I have been using the heating pad and walking. The pain is so immense while walking that I can only walk for 5-8 minutes. Then it seems to get better but how am I going to deal with it at work? I go back tomorrow! I'm going to try the Icy Hot patch next.

RestlessMonkey · 11-26-2008, 05:37 PM

Did you try rubbing it? It makes sense that it hurts when you eat (stretches stomach and impacts the diaphragm) or when you exercise (deeper and/or faster breathing of course involves your diaphragm)
Icy/hot patches probably won't work, especially since the heating pad didn't. Seriously just try rubbing it to release the muscle cramp.

lfein229 · 11-27-2008, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RestlessMonkey

Did you try rubbing it? It makes sense that it hurts when you eat (stretches stomach and impacts the diaphragm) or when you exercise (deeper and/or faster breathing of course involves your diaphragm)
Icy/hot patches probably won't work, especially since the heating pad didn't. Seriously just try rubbing it to release the muscle cramp.

I will definitely take your advice - I don't have a husband to massage my neck & shoulder so I guess my own hands will have to do for now.

HeatherO · 11-28-2008, 01:36 PM

I had it for the first six weeks or so. It was very painful and sharp, kind of like a horse kicked me between the shoulder and neck on the left. The only ultimate cure was time . . . it does go away and I only get the occasional slight twinge now if I eat too much.

My doctor also said and irritated nerve from the diaphragm, and I also had a hiatal hernia repaired at surgery. It seems like the majority of us with significant left shoulder pain had a hernia repair.

Gas-X never helped it, because gas wasn't the problem. Tylenol never helped me either. The only thing that really helped me at all was massage, and taking a hot soak in the bathtub laying with my neck and shoulders in the water (with my belly/incisions exposed to the air since you should never submerge them soon after surgery).

lfein229 · 11-28-2008, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeatherO

I had it for the first six weeks or so. It was very painful and sharp, kind of like a horse kicked me between the shoulder and neck on the left. The only ultimate cure was time . . . it does go away and I only get the occasional slight twinge now if I eat too much.

My doctor also said and irritated nerve from the diaphragm, and I also had a hiatal hernia repaired at surgery. It seems like the majority of us with significant left shoulder pain had a hernia repair.

Gas-X never helped it, because gas wasn't the problem. Tylenol never helped me either. The only thing that really helped me at all was massage, and taking a hot soak in the bathtub laying with my neck and shoulders in the water (with my belly/incisions exposed to the air since you should never submerge them soon after surgery).

At work today everyone could tell I was in pain - the funny thing was my stomach was fine!! It was that damn neck pain. I don't know if I can survive it for 6 weeks like HeatherO did and Heather, I follow your advice religiously throughout the posts since I saw how successful you have been.

gentylwind · 11-28-2008, 05:13 PM

I get it now and again, nowhere near as bad as some of you though, I admit. But when I do, if I sit on my left hip with my legs curled to the right, it seems to relax my diaphram on that side and the shoulder pain goes away while I am sitting that way. I sit that way to read and such, even with my laptop now. It really helps!

lfein229 · 11-28-2008, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gentylwind

I get it now and again, nowhere near as bad as some of you though, I admit. But when I do, if I sit on my left hip with my legs curled to the right, it seems to relax my diaphram on that side and the shoulder pain goes away while I am sitting that way. I sit that way to read and such, even with my laptop now. It really helps!

Oh, I thought of you this morning Gentlywind when you had mentioned in an other post about the diarrea (sp?) - I'm on day 8 since surgery and this morning - BAM! I'm wondering if it's because I started mushies. I was afraid to eat anything while I was at work. When I'm home, I will try to lie down with the shoulder pain but when at work.........