Left Shoulder Pain Post Op

I have had left arm pain since surgery. I am three days post op. It is like someone stabbed me in the left shoulder.  It goes away when I lay down. My Dr said it could be the band pressing on a nerve and will go away when swelling goes away. Has anyone else had this problem? Did it go away? How long did it last? 

My daughter just had lap band done 5 days ago.  She was told that left shoulder pain might occur as a result of the gas used to expand the abdomen for surgery.  She has been up walking and moving quite a bit and this has helped her.  During resting periods she used a heating pad and/or ice pack.  Yesterday was the first day she did not suffer from it.

Yes, it can be gas but it is more likely the nerve. I had it for about 10 days post-op and thought I would die it was so bad. The heating pad helped a lot.

Get some gas x strips and use them often. Also, walk, walk, walk it helps dissipate the gas. I know how painful it is but my surgeon prepared me by telling me to have gas x handy after surgery. It does go away if it is gas. Mine lasted about 7 days.
I am 5 weeks post op and I still get shoulder pain if I eat too fast. That is definitely a nerve but it reminds me to slow down and chew my food.

You should know that the more often you have the left shoulder pain, the more often you're likely to have it... and for longer periods. It's not really a good reminder, it's irritation of the diaphragm and shouldn't be considered a good thing.

I had my band removed 6 years ago and still get occasional left shoulder pain due to severe diaphragmatic damage.

Be careful with tolerating the left shoulder pain, OK? It can really turn into a chronic affliction.  I hate to see anyone else have to go through it.

Take care.

Hi N.M.
May I friend you so I can talk to you off this public forum. I have some questions about the shoulder pain you had and you seem concerned for people on this post.
Thanks....Krista

Of course, Krista! 
I'm kind of a big mouth about the left shoulder pain because I had it nonstop for years and it was awful.

Nicci

 Even with all that you have already been told, if your shoulder pain does not go away please keep telling the surgeon about it. It is fairly common to end up with referred shoulder pain post-op. And it can be quit painful if/when you eat, or drink, or need to burp, etc.

Many of us that had our bands removed had the shoulder pain and a surgeon that did not listen or always had an excuse of why the pain was there.

After you are healed you should NOT have that pain and don't let anyone tell you it is normal and expected.

I hope all goes well with you, take it easy while you heal and use a heating pad to help with the pain.

Good Luck

I was worried that it wouldn't  go away. You do need to make sure youe talk to the doc if it doesn't.

While shoulder pain (most often left) is a normal immediate post-op side effect of surgery for some people, it is not normal for it to continue longer than about 3 weeks. Gas-x won't help...it isn't in your digestive system. A heating pad is helpful, right on the area that is painful. For a percentage of patients, the left side shoulder pain doesn't go away and it can be very debilitating, even disabling and continue after the band is removed, as Nicci said.
Many people on the failed lap band group board have had this problem and it seems to be a growing concern for us bandsters.
If it continues or becomes more painful or frequent, call your surgeon.