shoulder pain after lap band related to diaphragm?

I have been banded for 6 years and have had shoulder pain since day 1. I take tramadol everyday for it. It does not take the pain away but it takes the edge off. I have had every test trying to figure this out. In the beginning they all told me it was spasms. I knew it wasnt because it lasts to long for that. I have tried everything. Even acupuncture. Mine acts up when I have gas or when I lay wrong or if I let my stomach get hungry. Its like it gets empty and air gets in it. Very annoying. They have now agreed to replace my band with a new one that is supposed to be easier on your stomach. Insurance is even paying for it again. :-) I go in for surgery on the 20th of this month. I will let you know if it helps. I wish you all luck with this and I am not trying to scare anyone. Just want to let people know that there are others out here. I know doctors made me feel like I was crazy.

Best of luck to you both, Mark and Paul. I'm sorry for the ongoing shoulder pain you have. I still get it on occasion too, but not nearly as bad as you are describing.

PLEASE DON'T LET THEM RE BAND YOU !

It won't help. I was re banded in 2008 and it only became worse. If you have the opportunity to revise then revise to the sleeve. I was sleeved 6 days ago and have had almost zero shoulder pain. I've got a ways to heal, but the difference in my shoulder pain is like night and day.

The pain went into my ear too.

Punpkin,  glad to see you back . I can not relate to the shoulder pain but I have had my share of chest pressure/pain it starts like a wave from my chest to my head it does not effect eating but sure is un comfortable,  if I work out it gets worse I feel like from my ears to the top of my head is going to explode. I have had a so many fills and unfills and still cant explain why it will be good for 1-3 weeks and then tighten up. I am a little tired of it so  I went in today and had them do a total un fill. No I am not ready to give up on the band just hoping to give it a rest and see if it will help, Good luck to you with your revision I am sure you will do good with it
I would like to tell people if you are having pain or discomfort call your doctor and get it checked

I sincerely hope that being un filled helps you with your pain.

Bumping this up for the new bunch of banded folks who are having left shoulder pain now. It's not normal and you definitely want to address it with your surgeon, if you're experiencing it.

 Hi Paul, I am sorry about your severe pain! That sounds terrible. I still get the pain also, but not as bad as you seem to have. I think mine comes from eating too fast (am still re-learning how to eat!). It almost seems as if it is heart-related, doesn't it? Best of luck to you. Take care.

 Sometimes the pain is caused by trapped gas, as well.

The left shoulder pain I experienced with the lapband was much worse than the pain from trapped gas. I just wanted to point out that they're not one and the same.

The band is in close proximity to the diaphragm. The Vagus nerves run through this part of the body and get incredibly irritated from anything touching them. Since the diaphragm has never actually "felt" pain, the nerves refer the pain to the left shoulder.







The pain from CO2 gas or trapped gas is much less severe than chronic referred left shoulder pain. Just wanted to add this in case anyone's thinking that it's just gas causing this pain. The longer it goes on, the more severe and more permanent it is.

I see a lot of people referring to the left shoulder pain as their "stop signal" and that's a really dangerous thing to do. The more that nerve system becomes irritated, the more likely it is to stay that way and become a chronic issue. ( I learned THAT from experience, unfortunately.)

I'm not trying to negate your post, but the true referred left shoulder pain that is chronic and common with lapbanding is not usually from trapped gas. Although it can be from  gas for a short while after laparoscopic surgery, for sure. I believed all the well meaning folks who told me the severe and chronic left shoulder pain I had was gas and it made me not want to have my band removed. If I had had the band taken out sooner, I would have avoided at least some of the horrible pain I ultimately went through. So, just wanted to make sure all the info was on this thread.