**URGENT** Sharp stabbing pain about one hand below left breast
Members,
Please review -
I have been a week out of surgery for the DS Switch.
Starting this evening I have been experiencing a sharp stabbing pain on my left hand size, about one hand (or 6 inches) under my left breast.
Not to sound TMI - but I have two rolls under my breasts, this is inbetween the rolls, and really the bottom of the top on the left side. It's not a bruise as I put some ice on it and it doesn't help.
It feels better if I push (or hold) on to it.
Does anyone know what this might be? I called my doc and he said to see if the pain is there tomorrow and call him then as it has not changed my eating or drinking - and it does not hurt any differently if I breathe in deeply.
Anyone else have this? It almost feels like a pulling on the inside.
Thank you
Holly
I had the most horrendous pain ever, a little lower than what you described (my surgery was lap and not open). My morphine wouldn't even touch it. Turns out, the drain that they put in had migrated out of place internally, so every movement/cough/etc was HORRIBLE. Once I got the drain out, the stabbing went away and I was just SORE SORE SORE. I'm 2 weeks out now and I only have a little soreness at the main incision site (where they removed the stomach).
Definitely time to call the surgeon though if the pain is bad. Dont' live in pain.
Definitely time to call the surgeon though if the pain is bad. Dont' live in pain.
(deactivated member)
on 8/25/11 7:05 pm
on 8/25/11 7:05 pm
Gonna need more information from you. Open or lap? Do you still have drains in? Any fever? What are you eating/drinking? If it were me, and if it hurt as much as you describe, I'd have my butt in the ER at the hospital i had my DS.
Lots of people describe left side pain after any abdominal surgery. That's the side the doctor stands on (did you know?), and so if your was an open DS, it may very well be like the other poster and be from a retracter. For me, I had a lapband that was removed at the time of my DS. They had to do a lot of digging and pulling to get the port out, because it was encased in scar tissue.
If you still have a drain in, it very well could be in the wrong spot now. My mom had a problem with her drain, causing tons of pain. The instant the drain was pulled, her pain went away.
Hopefully this is nothing life threatening. Get the doctor on the phone right away if it's still hurting, but in the meantime, do what makes it feel better! Take your pain pills and push on it if that's what relieves the pain. Keep us posted!
Lots of people describe left side pain after any abdominal surgery. That's the side the doctor stands on (did you know?), and so if your was an open DS, it may very well be like the other poster and be from a retracter. For me, I had a lapband that was removed at the time of my DS. They had to do a lot of digging and pulling to get the port out, because it was encased in scar tissue.
If you still have a drain in, it very well could be in the wrong spot now. My mom had a problem with her drain, causing tons of pain. The instant the drain was pulled, her pain went away.
Hopefully this is nothing life threatening. Get the doctor on the phone right away if it's still hurting, but in the meantime, do what makes it feel better! Take your pain pills and push on it if that's what relieves the pain. Keep us posted!
As long as you have no other symptoms than the pain, and you can eat, drink and eliminate normally, and your surgeon is calm about it, my guess would be that this is likely to be some of the normal misery associated with surgery.
Dr. L. does open procedures, right? Retractor related pain would make sense in the area. A forming adhesion (which is normal) would make sense, too. Think of it being like a scab that's sticking and hurting. Relief from applying pressure is familiar to me with this kind of thing.
If the pain worsens or migrates to a different spot, those are worrisome signs. If you cannot get enough relief with your current pain management regimen to tough it out, that's also worrisome.
I hope that things got better for you overnight. Please update us, and call your surgeon this morning regardless. If you develop any additional symptoms, like fever, swelling in the area, discharge, redness, get in and get seen quickly. If you become unable to hydrate, DO NOT WAIT to be seen. Go IMMEDIATELY. Ditto if you become unable to pee.
And in general, if you are in misery and questioning your sanity, GO GET SEEN. Don't wait for "permission" from here or anywhere else. It's far better to be seen too often than not often enough.
Dr. L. does open procedures, right? Retractor related pain would make sense in the area. A forming adhesion (which is normal) would make sense, too. Think of it being like a scab that's sticking and hurting. Relief from applying pressure is familiar to me with this kind of thing.
If the pain worsens or migrates to a different spot, those are worrisome signs. If you cannot get enough relief with your current pain management regimen to tough it out, that's also worrisome.
I hope that things got better for you overnight. Please update us, and call your surgeon this morning regardless. If you develop any additional symptoms, like fever, swelling in the area, discharge, redness, get in and get seen quickly. If you become unable to hydrate, DO NOT WAIT to be seen. Go IMMEDIATELY. Ditto if you become unable to pee.
And in general, if you are in misery and questioning your sanity, GO GET SEEN. Don't wait for "permission" from here or anywhere else. It's far better to be seen too often than not often enough.
I had a lap DS revision. I had a horrible pain there too for about a week, so much so that I needed to take narcotics again. I had no other symptoms (fever, oozing from incision site, etc). I contacted my surgeon who said that is just where the stapler went in and out, etc. Also, this is where they cut through a major muscle and your nerves are now reconnecting and healing. For me, this pain lasted about a week, but it's different for everyone, and some people don't have it. The thing to watch for is fever. If you have any other syptoms let your doc know ASAP.
Sandy
Sandy
Thank you all for your response!
First to answer the questions:
- I had open DS last Wednesday.
- It did not change any pee/poop/eating abilities.
- My drains had been removed last....Saturday I want to say.
- the pain is GONE today!
I am having a strange symptom though - I appear to be having a very light period. Before this I could only take pills to force a period, and nowit seems a small one is going on. Anyone else have this?
Sorry for the delay in response to all of you. Because the pain came and went, I figured I should see what happens before going to the ER. Also because it completely went away when I held on to it, I stayed home. I was pretty nervous though - I asked my partner (eduller) to make sure she talked to me every 4 hours (I set an alarm to take my pain meds and go to the bathroom). I don't know if it had anything to do with it but I had liquid diareah three times in the middle of the night - but from what I understand diareah is still common at this stage.
I feel all better now...and I am trying to figure out what did it.
The only thing I can think of that I would have done to myself is yesterday was the first day I really felt like myself so maybe I was a little less caring about my binder when walking around. And I know I bent over to grab something (although now for the life of me I can't imagine anything that important) and as soon as I stood up I regretted it.
Lesson learned if that was it though - I am going to take it easy while I heal up.
thank you again to all of you for your help, I bet this was just from the retractor. Either way, as one of you mentioned I will call in to my surgeon today.
- Holly
First to answer the questions:
- I had open DS last Wednesday.
- It did not change any pee/poop/eating abilities.
- My drains had been removed last....Saturday I want to say.
- the pain is GONE today!
I am having a strange symptom though - I appear to be having a very light period. Before this I could only take pills to force a period, and nowit seems a small one is going on. Anyone else have this?
Sorry for the delay in response to all of you. Because the pain came and went, I figured I should see what happens before going to the ER. Also because it completely went away when I held on to it, I stayed home. I was pretty nervous though - I asked my partner (eduller) to make sure she talked to me every 4 hours (I set an alarm to take my pain meds and go to the bathroom). I don't know if it had anything to do with it but I had liquid diareah three times in the middle of the night - but from what I understand diareah is still common at this stage.
I feel all better now...and I am trying to figure out what did it.
The only thing I can think of that I would have done to myself is yesterday was the first day I really felt like myself so maybe I was a little less caring about my binder when walking around. And I know I bent over to grab something (although now for the life of me I can't imagine anything that important) and as soon as I stood up I regretted it.
Lesson learned if that was it though - I am going to take it easy while I heal up.
thank you again to all of you for your help, I bet this was just from the retractor. Either way, as one of you mentioned I will call in to my surgeon today.
- Holly
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