WAgal Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Hi all, I'm doing a survey regarding the dreaded shoulder gas pain incurred post-op. It seems some people get it and some people don't. I was expecting to get it since I read it was part of what WOULD happen but happily surprised that I didn't get it. The information I'm interested in is if you rec'd oxygen before surgery or not. example: WAgal: no shoulder pain received oxygen before surgery: yes That's it. Your participation may lead us to discover if this is something necessary to avoid the shoulder gas pain for future bandsters. Or it may be nothing. A big THANKS in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaMichelle Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 I had stomach gas pains but no shoulder pain at all, I don't recall getting Oxygen maybe once I got into the surgery room? When did you get it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeBe Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 I don't recall getting oxygen - unless they did it when I was out cold. I had horrible shoulder pain for about 5 days, and now only mild pain when I eat/drink too much/too fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetdeck Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 jetdeck - no shoulder pain and no oxygen before surgery, i think some after surgery?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat2nrml Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Have shoulder pain off and on [surg. 3-25] Mine didn't get as bad as others described. No oxygen before surgery [unless after I went out] and don't remember getting any after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mona-camille Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 No shoulder pain at all. Just stayed in my stomach area. I did have a breathing treatment before and after surgery, but with medicine not just oxygen. (Because my respiration was low). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleo6666 Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 I was banded in July of 2006 and I STILL have shoulder pain. I buy those heat patches and they seen to help me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tootsie_lou Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Hi Hanna- I did have major shoulder pain and had no oxygen before surgery. Alyssa had no shoulder pain (no gas or gas pains at all) and no oxygen before surgery. Diana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim2BSlim Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 I kind of remember them putting oxygen on me before surgery, and I have horrible shoulder pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazn Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 Hey, I did (and sometimes still do) have severe left shoulder pain after being banded on 3/17. If I eat/drink too much or too fast it still hurts very bad. I am a nurse and in nurse practitioner school and am very interested in research studies so I googled shoulder pain after lap band and found a study about patients having left shoulder pain after lap band. The usual shoulder pain associated with gas is usually the right shoulder as the gas pushes on the diaphragm which pinches the phrenic nerve. I asked my ob-gyn about this and he said that the phrenic nerve is usually associated with the right side and that most lap op (not including lap band) patients complain of pain in the right shoulder. Anyway - no I did not receive oxygen before surgery but I did afterward. My pain is relieved 1. after my stomach empties a little 2. if I lean forward or 3. taking a deep breath in and holding it (which I can't do for very long ). FYI the link to the study is http://www.core.monash.org/assets/document...ers/2005-52.pdf I found on another forum that some patients are like 2yrs post op and still have left shoulder pain if they eat too much or too fast or after a fill. Anyway, my pain is so bearable! I am still so glad I have my band and so were all of the patients that complained of shoulder pain two years out. Anyway good luck on your survey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAgal Posted April 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 When I say receive oxygen before surgery, I mean they had this tube they ask you to inhale with your mouth... and the nurse specifically told me that it was oxygen I was inhaling. When I started to get sleepy from the meds in my IV, the nurse switch me over to a mask type over my nose and mouth and said it was oxygen, it was so that I could sleep and still breathe in the oxygen. We need more to participate... Please I encourage those who haven't posted to please post their experience. We may be on to something here. This time please specify if it is the right or left shoulder (if you remember) where you experienced the pain. I will pose this same question in other bandster forums to get more data... Thanks for the link for the research... I will post here the results of my little survey/findings. If we can help future bandsters NOT have the extra added shoulder pain then this is all worth it! again thanks, Hanna =D> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbi Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I had one breathing treatment before and two after the surgery. No shoulder pain at all. Stayed all in the midsection for a few day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkirk Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I still get the left shoulder pain. It's usually when I eat too much. I haven't narrowed it down to what kind of foods trigger it if at all. I don't think the pain is from gas after months of having the surgery. I was told there is a nerve that goes near the port up to your shoulder and if you eat a lot your stomach pushes on it and that's what is causing the pain. Sometimes its very uncomfortable and there's nothing you can do but wait it out. That's my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAgal Posted April 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I had stomach gas pains but no shoulder pain at all, I don't recall getting Oxygen maybe once I got into the surgery room? When did you get it? Hi Michelle, Did they have you inhale from a tube through your mouth connected to something making a hissing noise, the tube was similar to the breathing device thing for pre-op eval? Do you recall if they put a mask on you saying it was oxygen? This stuff they did to me while I was in my private room waiting for my turn for surgery. I remember one thing in the surgery room and that was just before I was going to be operated on and I saw Dr. Martinez and the three nurses, I said something to the effect "Where's is Dr. Ortiz?" Then Dr. O, by some curtain said "I'm right here Hanna, count to 10 and go back to sleep!" I remember I was resisting and again he asked me to count to ten and that everything would be alright and he'd see after surgery. I don't think I got to 10 and I was out. Next recollection was being awakened to sip something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAgal Posted April 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I kind of remember them putting oxygen on me before surgery, and I have horrible shoulder pain. Kimmie, Did you get oxygen the way I described it to Michelle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAgal Posted April 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I had one breathing treatment before and two after the surgery. No shoulder pain at all. Stayed all in the midsection for a few day. Okay Bobbi... did you breathe in through a mask with oxygen or a tube thing through your mouth connected to something that was making a hissing noise? I got the regular gas in my midsection but it was very mild pain... not like the unbearable left shoulder pain everyone describes here. Some feel it right after just having surgery and it continues roughly for 4-10 days. I guess I've yet to experience the future shoulder pain from eating too much but I'm primarily interested in the shoulder pain associated with the carbon dioxide they pump us with so that the docs can better see in there during the operation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAgal Posted April 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I still get the left shoulder pain. It's usually when I eat too much. I haven't narrowed it down to what kind of foods trigger it if at all. I don't think the pain is from gas after months of having the surgery. I was told there is a nerve that goes near the port up to your shoulder and if you eat a lot your stomach pushes on it and that's what is causing the pain. Sometimes its very uncomfortable and there's nothing you can do but wait it out. That's my experience. mkirk, did you receive oxygen like I described it to Michelle just before your surgery? Thanks.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleo6666 Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 Did you get oxygen the way I described it to Michelle? I don't remember ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1FATCAT Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 Hi Hannah, I was banded on the 2nd of April. I have mostly left shoulder pain, sometimes right. I did not get oxygen. My stomach ususally feels ok, although now and then I have some pain (gas?) in it. I feel I am doing well and I am disappointed to hear some people say they have gas pains for over a year now. 1FatCat[ :-? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAgal Posted April 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 Hi Hannah, I was banded on the 2nd of April. I have mostly left shoulder pain, sometimes right. I did not get oxygen. My stomach ususally feels ok, although now and then I have some pain (gas?) in it. I feel I am doing well and I am disappointed to hear some people say they have gas pains for over a year now.1FatCat[ :-? Hi Sweetie! The gas pain that some experience over a year is not related to the shoulder pain I'm researching. The shoulder pain for post op 1 year or more are usually 'caused by overeating it seems but all again are different as individuals and different lifestyles. Don't worry about something that's not probably going to be a situation for you. It doesn't seem that common from other blogs I've read. Stomach gas pains we all get... have you been experiencing the tremendous flatulations you've been getting? This subsides. I think you'll be just fine... follow your post-op to the T... you'll be protecting your investment and friend (band) if you do. Some people's tolerance for pain are also different. I had pain post-op and chose not to take any medication after 24 hours... So I still have 2 pills left over from OCC given to me. I just don't like taking pills if I can avoid them, that's me! You take care of yourself and keep us posted about your progress. Read wherever you can about experienced bandsters on different forums so you get a real "feel" of overall experiences of bandsters nation/worldwide. Thanks for posting your experience. Blessings, Hanna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tootsie_lou Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 Hey, I did (and sometimes still do) have severe left shoulder pain after being banded on 3/17. If I eat/drink too much or too fast it still hurts very bad. I am a nurse and in nurse practitioner school and am very interested in research studies so I googled shoulder pain after lap band and found a study about patients having left shoulder pain after lap band. The usual shoulder pain associated with gas is usually the right shoulder as the gas pushes on the diaphragm which pinches the phrenic nerve. I asked my ob-gyn about this and he said that the phrenic nerve is usually associated with the right side and that most lap op (not including lap band) patients complain of pain in the right shoulder. Anyway - no I did not receive oxygen before surgery but I did afterward. My pain is relieved 1. after my stomach empties a little 2. if I lean forward or 3. taking a deep breath in and holding it (which I can't do for very long ). FYI the link to the study is http://www.core.monash.org/assets/document...ers/2005-52.pdf I found on another forum that some patients are like 2yrs post op and still have left shoulder pain if they eat too much or too fast or after a fill. Anyway, my pain is so bearable! I am still so glad I have my band and so were all of the patients that complained of shoulder pain two years out. Anyway good luck on your survey. Hey thanks for posting this with the link. When I had my daughter (14 yrs ago) I had severe pain in my right shoulder. I thought it was because I had pulled so hard on the handles of the birthing bed trying to have her (9lbs 1oz) that I had actually pulled a muscle or something. I also had my tubes tied a few hours after she was born, which was a laparoscopic procedure. Once we got home (next day) we walked down to the neighbors to show them the baby, and during the walk I got rid of some of the gas. Immediately there was a measurable decrease in the right shoulder pain. Same thing with this pain, although it is left shoulder this time. As soon as the gas is eliminated, the pain seems to be reduced or gone. One thing I would suggest about gas. If you are drinking Advantage protein drinks, Silk (soy bean milk) or any other protein drink that is composed primarily of soy protein, you may be prone to more gas. Soy protein comes from soy beans - beans being the operative word here. Whole Foods carries a nice brown rice protein powder (brand name - NutriBiotic) that tastes pretty good and seems to produce little in the way of gas. Also, brown rice protein has the least instance of producing any food allergy reactions. Just puttin' it out there -- info, not just gas - (laugh). Diana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkirk Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I don't know if I got oxygen or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula Bee Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I didn't have any shoulder pain of any kind at any time. I used phazyme to break up any gas in me...It worked like a charm. I was out so fast that I have no memory of anything other than taking the happy pills. I woke up in the room with my husband smiling at me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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