Left shoulder pain

Fort Bend Band · 06-20-2007, 11:05 AM

I had left shoulder pain for about 10 weeks off and on. My doctor and the nursing staff told me all along to expect this and that most people have it. They explained that since the surgery is laproscopic that they blow air in your body cavity to see while placing the band. Not all of the air escapes when they sew you back up. The air takes time to work out and causes left shoulder pain off and on. Mine was pretty bad but I could stand it. I found that when I was at home if I lay on my left side the pain would go away. A nurse also told me to stand and swing your arm up like you are going to do a jumping jack and that seemed to help when I went back to work. They say everyone is different in how long they last. I have noticed that it seemed to be worse if I felt gassy or after I have had a fill.

DebLPN · 07-17-2007, 12:05 AM

I've been banded since 1/29/07 and one week ago, woke up with what i thought was a crick in my neck. My left shoulder/arm has hurt like holy hell every waking moment of every day since. I"ve eatten gas X, Tylenol, Aleve, Xanax, Flexeril and Tramadol and NOTHING helps. I cant live with this kind of unrelenting pain for the rest of my life. Ohyeah,,there is numbness too,,along my arm and my fingertips. I find it peculiar that with as many people on this site that have it,,and all the websites I looked at(i just typed in 'left arm pain bariatric surgery')they ALL mention that it is common to have this type of pain, yet my surgeon never mentioned this as a side effect or complication. None of the sites say if it lasts forever or comes and goes ,,nothing,,and they sure dont mention what the hell to do to aleviate the pain. Its 11pm, i just took my xanax and Tramadol,,HOPEFULLY I will get some sleep.

Sunshine2 · 07-17-2007, 11:54 AM

I'm at 6 months post op and I get the shoulder pain if I eat too much, or I have carbonation.

I was recently at a wine tasting tour and had a few sips of wine on the wine tasting, and some of the wine I tasted had carbonation in it. Mind you, these were very tiny sips, and that night I woke up around 3 am with horrible shoulder pain. I ended up getting out of bed and walking around the hotel to ease the pain. I learned my lesson, no carbonation at all for me!

DebLPN · 07-17-2007, 01:58 PM

This is day 8 of my shoulder pain. It is constant,,doesnt matter if i'm empty, full, active, sedentary and exercising doesnt help any either. I've taken pain pills, Gas-X, antiinflammatories,,nothing helps. I cant live the rest of my life in this pain.

Fort Bend Band · 07-17-2007, 02:07 PM

I am about six months out. I has severe left shoulder pain the first two months off and on. It returns if I have a fill. The nurse explained that with laproscopic surgery they have to blow air into your body cavity. Not all the air escapes as you are closed up. This is the reason for the pain and it is very common. She stated it varies from person to person on how long it takes to go away. If you lay on your side that hurts I usually got relief. She also told me to raise my arms up over my head a few times. I also feel that walking helps it work out of your body.

Oregondaisy · 07-18-2007, 08:51 PM

I know someone who had their band removed because the left shoulder pain never went away. It has to be more than gas, because the gas would have to be gone a couple years after surgery.

I know mine is right after a fill, and if I eat too much. I don't have it nearly as much, because I worry so much about stretching my pouch.

It's got something to do with the nerves and the diaphram, but I really don't get it.

jennyd · 07-18-2007, 09:52 PM

I WAS WONDERING WHAT IT COULD BE IAM GOING THRU THE PROCESS OF GETTING BANDED AND KIND OF CONCERN CAUSE I HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THE PAIN IN THE SHOULDER IS THIS SOMETHING TO WORRY ABOUT ....:help:

debruny · 07-18-2007, 09:55 PM

I have the left shoulder pain too..not on top, but in that flat area between shoulder and chest. It's not daily, and seems worse if I drink a lot (I'm diabetic and always thirsty)

momlambert · 07-18-2007, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by debruny

I have the left shoulder pain too..not on top, but in that flat area between shoulder and chest. It's not daily, and seems worse if I drink a lot (I'm diabetic and always thirsty)

Yes, that's exactly where my pain is as well. I've been banded 4 months and had it at first for a few weeks after surgery but then it went away. Since I've finally gotten some restriction, I have it when I eat too much--it's my first signal to stop eating before I get to the slime, PB stage. It's bearable and doesn't last too long--probably until the pouch empties.

Oregondaisy · 07-18-2007, 11:32 PM

I don't think it's worth not getting banded. Not everybody has it. I never had it right after surgery, when I was supposed to have it. I definitely get it if I eat too much. It's a good reason to stop eating. My dr. doesn't want us eating more than 2/3 of a cup of food.

Khanson · 07-19-2007, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denise822

I have left shoulder pain off an on. It's there right after a fill. Sometimes it's there in the morning and gone by afternoon. I have heard with some bansters,
it's chronic.

If you are getting it after eating, I have heard you are stuffing your pouch too full. That's something to be careful of. I heard that from some very experienced bandsters.

I had left shoulder pain after surgery for about 1 month, and that was from gas. But after eating food, If I don't chew good enough or eat to fast, or food is getting caught, that is when I get the shoulder pain. If I chew well enough I don't have the pain.

Quote:

JJB · 07-19-2007, 03:09 PM

I was banded about a year and a half ago. This is my only complaint. I have shoulder pain a lot and I have it for about 8 days prior to my time of the month. It is painful. But I know it goes away. It is worth having the band though. I had some of my fill taken out and it did help a little. But I have gained 15 pounds in about 6 weeks. I am going tomorrow to get the fill put back in. I guess that really proved to me that I can not do this without my band. I love it with shoulder pain or without. I just have to be careful because the only thing that takes the pain away is pain meds and I dont want to get hooked on those instead of food. It's always something right?

DebLPN · 07-21-2007, 02:22 AM

Welllllll,,,I woke up yesterday and my left shoulder pain was GONE! Actually,,,it moved down my arm to my bicep, but was MUCH less hurtful, altho I do have some numbness,,ohwell,,it's not gonna kill me,,i hope,,hahahaha. My surgeon poo-pooed the gas theory, its common after surgery, but I'm 6 months out,,any CO2 that was shot into me is long gone by now. Anywhooooooo,,I just hope it doesnt come back.

Oregondaisy · 07-22-2007, 04:01 PM

I sometimes have pain in my bicep too. I always wonder if it's band related.
I can have pain anywhere in my left arm actually, not just the shoulder.

It's very weird.

Khanson · 07-25-2007, 10:22 PM

Does anywone ever feel sick if they eat to much? :speechles