Question:
Has anyone post op suffered with upper back aches?

   — Tammy S. (posted on July 25, 2002)

July 25, 2002
I don't know how long since your surgery, but for the first 2 weeks after mine, I suffered excrutiating pains just under my right shoulder blade toward my spine. It felt like I was being stabbed from the inside out. Finally found out it was gas from being opened up. If your surgery is Lap you also can experience this because they use a gas to inflate your abdominal cavity to make room to work. To ease this pain, I found that having someone pound me lightly on the back like burping a baby would break it up for a while. My nurse also suggested hot tea with natural lemon(not the stuff in the bottle). The tea should be hot and if you have to sweeten it, use Sweet and Low or Splenda, not honey or sugar...dumping, you know. Hope this helps and good luck.
   — Teri D.

July 25, 2002
I can think of about four things right off that it could be, depending on how long post-op. If it is a few days, and you had a lap procedure, it could be the gas used to inflate the abdomen. It could also be from lying in the hospital bed and using all kinds of different muscles to scoot yourself around (including neck muscles), it could be from eating too quickly or swallowing air (feels kinda like a gallbladder attack). If it is gas, it will pass. For discomfort, you can try Simethicone drops and/or Tylenol Arthritis (my doc recommends that).
   — Tina B.

July 25, 2002
Teri is right on track with the hot tea suggestion. I am 3 weeks post-op and the last 3 or 4 days are the first without that awful back pain! I have grown to love Celestial Seasonings Peppermint Tea (herbal, no caffeine). I make mine with 1 packet of Splenda. Wakes me up in the morning and also soothes me in the middle of the night if I wake up with an ache of any kind. Also, don't forget the benefit of a heating pad for that back pain! 20 minutes at a time 2 or 3 times per day and you'll feel better in no time. Another trick for sleeping when the back pain is bad is Ben-Gay. My honey is glad I finally went to bed without the stuff on the past few nights! LOL Good Luck and Hope you feel better soon. - Anna
   — Anna L.

July 25, 2002
If its been a couple weeks since surgery the big loss affects how we carry ourselves. I had back spams that the doc could feel. It was really bad and took months to go away. Actually it still bothers me from time to time. Although not as bad. Worse later in the day.
   — bob-haller

July 25, 2002
I had upper back aches up to 7 months post-op. It was just a constant ache. I couldn't get comfortable anywhere except in bed laying on my back. I was so uncomfortable in my car I was seriously considering trading it in and getting a new one that I could be comfortable in. I surmised, as Bob posted earlier, that it was all a result of rapid weight lose and the body trying to adjust. Then, all of a sudden, in the past month my back aches have gone away. I do catch myself hunched over occasionally and I know I need to watch my posture more.
   — Susan M.

July 25, 2002
Hi there! I agree with what others have suggested here. It could be trapped CO2 in your body following a Lap procedure (in that case, walk as often as you can, it will help work it out), it could also be gallstones. I'm not sure if you have your gallbladder still or not, but having an attack can bring about pain in the upper back and right at the bottom of your sternum. Gallstones can develop at cause problems with rapid weight loss. If your pain persists and doesn't improve, you should contact your doctor. The gas pains and muscle pulls should start to feel better each day. Good luck to you!
   — LaRayne H.

July 28, 2002
Hi...I had terrible upper back aches at5-7 weeks post-op. I started walking around the swimming pool everyday and using a heating pad...eventually the pain went away...after a few weeks....hope you feel better.
   — Shelley B.

July 28, 2002
I used the equate (walmart) brand of aspercreme, it helped a lot with back pain post op. Hint: DON'T get Ben-Gay..it stinks!!
   — sheltie