Stomach Pain

I was recently release for exercise and to return to work.  I did very little during my recovery only a small amount of walking when I had head hunger.  Now that I am back to work right underneath my left breast seems to swell when walking, bending ect.  I get very sharp pain and the only way it will ease up is for me to lay down on my side for a few minutes then it goes away until I begin to do things again.  Any ideas???

Jessica

Hi Jessielynn,

It's most likely your stomach reacting to the band being there. Your stomach is under your left ribcage. It is "alive." It's constantly moving, churning, etc. Having a band on this living organ causes it to swell, get irritated, inflame.  I had pain from my left shoulder to under my left ribcage nonstop while banded.  Some people take longer to heal. Others never stop having pain, unfortunately.


Here's a link to a thread from 2010 with the same thing going on. If you go through the past threads on this board, you'll see this is a common occurrence.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/lapband/4222491/left-side- pain/



The diaphragm often gets irritated by the presence of the band, causing referred left shoulder pain that can radiate from the jaw down to the ribcage area.









Hopefully this pain will go away when you're completely healed. If not, please consult with your surgeon. Don't leave it like I did. It gets worse when you do. Feel better soon!!!

thank you so much I have a appointment with the Dr tomorrow so I will certainly bring it up.  I have not got the left shoulder pain but the pain in my stomach is REALLY bad and I tolerate pain well.  It is a sharp stabbing pain that brings me to tears and has my forehead sweating.  It is really weird because pain med, gas med ect does not work the only thing that helps is to lay down on my side.

Jessica

I know what you mean. It sounds like a vaso-vagal reaction like I had. The band might be irritating your diaphragm. (And I know, I sound like a broken record, but that dang diaphragm REALLY affects a LOT!)  The Vagus nerves run all through there and the sweating is a symptom of those nerves being irritated, I think.

No medication worked to take the pain I had away, either. I was put on medication that is usually reserved for end-stage cancer patients. All it did was make it impossible for me to walk, stand up or think! I still had the pain.

I'm so glad you have a doc appt tomorrow. I hope it helps and you feel better.

thank you so much I sure am glad the pain isnt constant or else I would need a padded room.