post op band question can anyone help

Hi everyone,  I am 3 days post op and I guess I didnt expect as much discomfort. I had a hard time in the recovery room with nausea but havent had any since. What I do have is this spastic like feeling in my epigastric area and pain in my Right thats where the port is so I understand that but this feeling I have in my epigastric area sucks, it's almost like I have a lump that I cant swallow then it goes away. I dont really feel like eating and when I do I only want small amounts so thats good. Gas wow my belly was all distended and I passed huge amounts of gas. Did anyone else have all of this? I cant believe I have to go back to work on Monday I hope I feel better by then. Hope everyone else is well. JoAnne

Hi there.  I didn't have the band so I can't explain the pain & sensations you are feeling.  However I can tell you the gas is totally normal.  It is what they use to "inflate" your insides during lap surgery so they can see.  Walking supposedly helps.  I used the Gas X meltaway strips & the gas was gone really fast.  Hope you feel better soon.

hi joanne~ I had my lap band on Thursday at CMC with Connie Campbell. I have been doing well just gas up in my shoulders! I also feel like if I could just burp really loud I would feel better! My port site is a little tender and when I bend I am reminded of that! Karen from nashua

curious are you the lady that I met at the pre-op class that gave me this web site? If so I ment to give you my email so that maybe we could keep in touch.      [email protected] I'm glad you didnt have any nausea that was aweful I am starting to feel better but I just called my work and told them I would not be returning to work on Monday I think it's just too soon. Keep in touch. JoAnne

Hi Joanne~ I was hoping this was you! How are you feeling?? I think we feel the similar post op aches and pains-- I am hating the protein shakes however.... :0)  I too,am supposed to go back to work Monday just  at one of the offices that I work in but I am going to call my boss later.  I work full time at St Joes Hospital in Nashua in the ER on the 11-7 shift. I also work per diem in 4 of the Physicians Practices-- Did I hear you say you are a nurse at Lakes Region? Please write back  I would love to be able to chat Take care~~ Karen     [email protected]

Hello! Well I can certainly tell you I am not looking forward to the discomfort you ladies are talking about!  One of the other posters was correct, I was a surgical technician student for a year and this was one of the things we learned about.  What they do in laproscopic belly surgery is they create a "pneumoperitoneum" which means after making incisions, they pump gas into the belly to expand it... I think it is C02. I remember our teacher telling us that patients always had terrible gas pains and referred shoulder pains after surgery.

Yup!  Shoulder pain from the gas was my biggest complaint.  Also I was allergic to Benzoin so that was not fun.  Other than that I found that I did NOT have port pain and other things that I have heard about.  As far as the incisions and such it was a breeze.   I did the swallow test the morning after and the shoulder pain was the hardest thing about that as well.  If you walk after it helps a LOT!  The issue is tests getting done that last morning so if you can get up and walk early before things start it makes it easier.  

I see you have Dr Gould..I did also.    I found the experience way easier than I thought.  Even with the shoulder pain and reaction to Benzoin (that is the antispeptic on the wounds..I am really, really skin sensitive). 

Hi JoAnne, I live in Nashua but work in MA, and I had my lapband surgery at Lowell General with Dr. Shore on 6/11/7. I didn't have the right side pain that you mention, but a day or so after I got home from the hospital I had the shoulder gas pain, and I had a lot of nausea. I am actually taking anti-nausea med now. I have my post op visit tomorrow, and I'm really looking forward to starting munchies. I notice from a later post of yours that you put off returning to work right away. I took a month, short-term disability, and I am VERY glad I did....just to get used to the new way of eating, if nothing else. I hope you are feeling better by now. Dale (a female Dale)