WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for May, 2000: Re: Laparoscopy left me with shoulder pain too!

Re: Laparoscopy left me with shoulder pain too!

From: Lynn D. Montgomery, MD (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Wed, 31 May 2000 14:14:40 -0500 (CDT)

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Reply: Wendy: "Re: Laparoscopy left me with shoulder pain too!"

At Wed, 31 May 2000, Wendy wrote: >
>Hello-
>I had a dermoid cyst removed laparoscopically last Tuesday (one week
>plus a day ago), and I have to say that the worst part of this whole lap
>business is the pain left by the gas they use to space out your inners.
>I was pretty well immobilized by the pain in my stomach, rib cage,
>collar bones, and shoulder blades. Man oh man, I felt like I'd been hit
>by a truck! It feels a little better each day, which is good because
>I've had about enough of the pain killers. (whole other batch of
>problem there). My only problem now is my right shoulder. It still
>hurts like a son-of-a-gun! Especially when I lie down, and forget about
>sleeping on my right side-which use to be my favorite sleeping position.
>It doesn't seem to be getting better. Is it possible that gas has been
>trapped in there because I'm right handed, and this is a very active
>area of my body? If so, how do I untrap it? I'm trying not to baby it
>because I'm hoping to work it out. Very tired of the pain though.
>Please let me know any suggestions to work out the last of the gas.
>
>--
>Wendy with the sore shoulder.
>

Wendy, The pain in your shoulder is likely from irritation of your diaphragn (dome at the top of your abdominal cavity). The nervous innervation of the diaphragm results in pain being referred to the shoulder. This irritation can result from gas placed in the abdomen at the time of the procedure, but that is quite rapidly absorbed by your body. It can also be irritated by blood or other substances within your abdominal cavity as a result of the surgical procedure. If the pain does not improve, I would contact your physician. It will likely resolve with time, but one must be sure that something isn't chronically bleeding within your abdomen as a result of the surgery... Lynn

--
Lynn D. Montgomery, MD
Director, Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Rocky Mountain Perinatal Center
Missoula, Montana

**Note:  Opinions expressed here are for educational purposes only and, as such, do not constitute a physician-patient relationship.  This information is not intended to supplant the need for you to consult with your physician prior to choosing therapeutic options and/or interventions.

**Private e-mails cannot be entertained due to time constraints, consequently no private e-mails will receive a response.

**Thank you for your understanding ;-)

Next message: Patricia: "Breast pain/burning"
Previous message: Lynn D. Montgomery, MD: "Re: Hump back and hormones"
In reply to: Wendy: "Laparoscopy left me with shoulder pain too!"
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