Side pain...looking for input

I have had my band for about 6 months. Everything has been smooth for me, post op was a breeze, losing weight has been rather easy. However, the last two days I have had this dull aching pain over the entire left side of my abdomen. I am so worried about my port because it is tender all around the port. Could this be hormones? I am about 1 week from my TOM. Could the port have flipped? Do you experience pain when the port flips? Maybe it is just gas...I don't feel like I need to pass any gas though. The ache goes alll the way around to my back. Could it be my gallbladder? I really can't go down to TJ to see my doctor right now, it takes an entire day for me to do that. Has anyone ever had an aching pain on the left side of their abdomen for several days? I am praying that it is just gas.....:confused2::confused2::confused2: I was self pay so if I go to my regular physician complaining of side pain I wonder if insurance will cover it. I really hope I didn't get an infection somehow, 6 months from surgery I would think I am past all of that. Errosion maybe????

Unlikely gall bladder involved. That pain is nearly entirely right sided, either Rt. anterior rib area in front about elbow level, or in Rt Shoulder blade. Depending on the exact cause of the gall bladder referred pain, sometimes it feels like 'chest pain-heart attack'.

Whatever is causing your pain, I doubt gall bladder.

One possibility: Left side pain could be splenic flexure of colon. Are you constipated? Without more information, it could be anything from ovarian cyst to kidney issue.

It is impossible to diagnose under these conditions. Contact a local provider for proper exam regardless of who pays for it. In the end, YOU either suffer or YOU get relief. Good luck and please let us know the results.

I don't want to scare you......but here is my story! I had the lap band put on in august 2007. Went back to work 1 week later.....I'm a registered nurse. Worked for a week and was out of work for 2 weeks with pneumonia. The surgeon refused to believe anything was wrong so it was my primary doctor that did the xray and diagnosed. Things got better....I was getting my fills and losing weight. In the beginning of December I started having pain in my left side that would radiate to my back. The surgeon told me that it was normal and it would go away. After about 1 month of complaining I went to my regular doctor. I thought I was constipated....taking laxatives and drinking a bottle of tylenol every 2 days to try and keep the pain under control. After 2 cat scans and seeing a gastro doctor I was sent back to the surgeon. He said the only way to check was to do an exploratory surgeory, just laproscopic. I woke up with a huge incision and 2 drains in my stomach. He found a 'phlegmon' which is a big infection that was larger than a baseball and was attached to my stomach, colon and spleen. I was in the hospital for 7 days and released. 3 1/2 weeks later the incision started draining and got infected. By the end of February the surgeon decided he has to go in and clean out the incision. He had to cut away tissue and muscle and a wound vac was placed on my stomach and was there for 8 weeks. It turned out I had MRSA infection in the wound. Anyway...the first surgeory was January 22......second surgeory was Feb. 25. Here is it May 12 and I am still out of work.......still on antibiotics for the MRSA and I don't know when I will be released to go back to work. Be careful...trust your instincts....if you think somethin is wrong don't let your doctor tell you that the aches and pains are normal because they are not!!!

That is a scary story. My pain is not excurciating, just an aching pain that increases with pressure. If I push right in the middle of my abdomen the pain increases on the left side around my port. I have not went number 2 in about 4 days so that could be some of the problem. I sat back and thought about changes in my diet and I realized I have been drinking A lot of milk which I normally avoid. Milk makes me gassy. So, I am going to lay off the milk and try a few stool softners to see if it passes. I do feel better today and my hubby said I was rather gassy lastnight in bed....I know TMI. I really hope it is just a mix of lactose intolerance and gas pains. I will give it a few days, I am not in horrible pain, just slightly uncomfortable. My 1 yr old son did have a staph infection about 2 weeks ago, it just appeared on his buttocks one day. It was not MRSA thank god and it has resolved after 2 weeks of medication and "bleach water" baths. I was very careful when handling him and wore latex gloves for every diaper change. I bleached the entire house and all of our clothes. We did not share any untensils or cups for a few weeks. Thank you for your input, it is much appreciated.

I had the surgery in October, 2007. I've had a intermittent pain in my left side for the last few weeks. It feels like it is pinched at times and just sore at other times. I thought it was from leaning against desks, counters, or possibly holding my grandson in my left arm, etc. My port site has always been swollen since surgery. I've been thinking it would eventually go away, but I guess I need to get it checked out. I'm a bit embarrased because I haven't lost much weight. I think I'm a bit tight and tend to stick with the soft foods.

My port area has always been kind of tender also. I would think that is normal as it does protrude a little bit. Since I have lost 30 lbs I can really feel my port, it is like a rock under my skin, kind of creepy. My side pain has subsided for the most part, I really think I am just slightly constipated, I don't drink enough liquids and can't eat that much so I certainly do not go to the bathroom everyday like I did pre band.

You may be a bit tight if you can't get solids down and you are eting mushies to avoid the discomfort...I have been there!!!! I toughed it out and I am now able to eat solids in very small portions. If I lived closer to my doctor I would have definately got a slight unfill. Didn't want to do the 5 hour round trip. If you live closer to your doctor you should get an unfill, don't be embarrassed, you have to eat something or you will starve and it is not your fault your band is too tight. Good luck

I have been having the same feeling over the last couple of days..... Now that I read your post, I am thinking it is due to hormones as it is also very close to my TOM.

I was banded April 8th of this year, and have never really had any problems except when I did strenous exercise. This is a little different, it is sore/irritated in the general area. It feels like a dull ache.

Anyway, I have a fill appointment next week so I will have them check it out.

Hope you feel better.

hi ladies i am having this side pain as well. went to see the surgeon today and the battery of tests are beginning - cat scans, endoscopy, colonoscopy - in an attempt to find the problem. my pain was more of a discomfort until this morning when it became more acute.
please keep us posted as to your findings and i will do the same.

Thank all of you for your response. I grealtly appreciate the care and consideration you have shown.

Hormones, don’t think that’s my problem, too old, wish I had some, they wore out years ago.

I was a bit concerned about adhesions forming since it has been about 8 months since the surgery. My doctor mentioned that he had found adhesions from past surgeries (hysterectomy, tummy tuck, and major stomach surgery).

The gas theory sounds great, sounds a lot less problematic than my adhesion theory! I will take notice of when I have the pain and when I have gas to see if I feel there is any correlation. If this is the answer, I'll be so relieved.

From what some of you have described as your pain, I would best describe mine as irritating and mild. No pain to the back, it is strictly limited to the port area. The pain is not serious enough to take any meds, it is best described as an uncomfortable “pinch”, with a slight swelling and soreness. It does “bother” me when I try to carry something firm against the site, like a box with two handles, or I lean against my desk or a countertop. Sometimes the waistband on my clothing will cause an uncomfortable to a painful sensation. Does any of this make sense? What doesn’t make sense is that I can carry my two-year old grandson (he’s very light, about 20 lbs) on my left side, he’s sitting right on top of the port site and it doesn’t hurt.

What about the port flipping – what does that mean? Aren’t these things stitched in to prevent movement or slippage? I was also wondering if I may have ripped whatever is anchoring this port to keep it from relocating, is that possible?

Okay, enough – back to work. Please let me hear from you, it’s not easy trying to decide if I should see the doctor or not and I greatly value your input and suggestions. Thank you so much for taking your time to listen to me.

Good luck, wish you the best. Please let us know how you are doing. God Bless.

Thanks, I am beginning to feel better, some days. I know this will all pass, I just hate that I went through getting the band on just to lose it and have so many problems. I know they say there can be complications but who ever thinks those complications can happen to them?

OK

1.can you pass gas?-yes- you do not have bowel obstruction
2.port missplaced?-is it where it ususlly is?
3.fever/chills?=infection
4.Just work with regular physician,insurance will cover for blood work ( infection if white cells are elevated)if it is not related to surgery,but you will need PCP anyways for Vitamin B12 /folate/Iron levels ,yu should get him involved
5.could be related to menstral cycle

I m a physician but I do not take care of Lap Band patients before

Any one find out what the pain is? I was banded July 4th and my pain started 4 days ago. I am having to take Advil and going to bed. Please help!

Hi, my pain has subsided, I believe it may have been caused by gas bubbles, but it lasted for several days and I was very concerned at that time.

However, my side pain was several months after my surgery. Your surgery is still fresh and if you are in that much pain I think you need to go back to your doctor and have it checked out. You were not too specific in your question, but it sounds like you were getting better and now you've taken a turn for the worse. Please don't wait too long, you should be consistantly getting better by now. Take care.

Iam one month post op and feel fine except a pain on my left side. I would describe it as the pain you get when you eat then exercise, or go for a swim. Today the pain got worse. No longer kinda dull, def there and it hurts. I haven't taken pain meds for it as its not constant. Weird how its all on the left side for everyone?

I have a fill next mon, Iam going to mention it.