Question:
Has anyone experienced pain on left side--3 weeks post op

For the last four days I have been experiencing pain on my left side right underneath the breast area. It hurts when I stretch, breath, etc.....It is driving me crazy....    — Gwen F. (posted on July 10, 2003)

July 10, 2003
Welcome to the Post-op Pain Club! LOL!! This is actually pretty typical... I screamed everytime I had to get up and had to lean on my left side... in the exact location you state, too. I STILL, at 18 months post-op, have occasional pain there. It is just life! Now, I WOULD tell my surgeon about it though, just to be sure you haven't inadvertantly herniated in that area... it is essentially where your new stomach is...! Good Luck! :~)
   — Sharon M. B.

July 10, 2003
I went in today at 2 weeks post op and the doctor said the pain is just healing pain. I was told to have total healing it can be up to 8 weeks.
   — horserider0146

July 10, 2003
I am just a little over 3 wks post-op and I still have that pain on my left side. It feels a little better each day. The hardest thing to do is slep comfortably. It helps to know we are all going through the samething.
   — SINDI W.

July 10, 2003
Hi Gwen. Though I never had the pain you're experiencing, I would think it would be normal for the following reason. My surgeon told me that my new pouch (Distal RNY) is directly under the left breast area. Seeing as how they have to make two staple lines in the stomach, and then cut between them, and also connect the lower part of the small intestine to the new pouch, there's lots of healing going on in that vacinity. Makes sense to me that during the new pouch's healing, there would be some pain when that area is moved significantly. I know I did have issues when trying to go to sleep on my left side. Seemed like it would "pull" all my internal organs in some way and cause a bit of pain in that area. I seem to remember that after about a month post, it went away. I'm betting it will subside in the next couple of weeks as things heal up. Good luck!
   — Robert Neff

July 10, 2003
I am 2 1/2 weeks post op and I have pain lower on my left side. I find sleeping to be such a challenge. All I want is a good nights sleep they seem to think everything is fine when I ask about the pain though ;) Amy
   — Amy S.

July 11, 2003
I had the same pain right after surgery. My doctor said that it was due to him opening up the rib cage. The ribs are just going back into place and the muscles are retracting. Apparently the left side is where they do most of the work on your surgery. I will pass but the pain is excruciating and annoying. Hope this helps...
   — keishax

July 11, 2003
Hi! I had the same thing and was so worried that I called my doc on the weekend! He said that the major part of my surgery was on the left side under my breast. He made sure I wasn't running a fever or anything else. I was fine... it was just stretching/healing/pulling! It went away in about 3-4 days!
   — Melissa B.