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Chronic shoulder pain after eating, help!!!!

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Posted 5/13/2013 1:56 PM (GMT -6)

Hi

I had my lap nissen done over 3 months ago, at the end of January. In many respects the surgery was a success, I don't get any heartburn or reflux.

However, I suffer from extreme shooting / stabbing pain in my left shoulder and sometimes neck and even arm! This always happens after I eat, and sometimes it just randomly comes on also maybe first thing in the morning or whenever. I am so sick and tired of it, I am having too much time off work and nobody knows what to tell me, even my surgeon.

I noticed it immediately after I woke up from the surgery. I first thought it was the gas pains, but now it is evident it's something else. It comes on after I eat, especially if I have too much food (which I have rarely over eaten). However, it is more than just me over-eating, because today I had 2 bites of a sandwich and the pain started shooting and shooting, it's sooo sooo painful.

I am seriously depressed with it, and I feel like I have done everything I can to try and sort it out, but no surgeon or doctor knows what it is! I saw the surgeon a few weeks ago, who claimed it's completely unrelated to the surgery! Hard to believe, as I woke up from surgery with this exact pain and they had to give me morphene for days. My GP said it may be my gallbladder, so I went for an ultra sound scan, but they now tell me I definately don't have gall stones. I am due to see the GP again this week. But I am so worried because it's been 3 and a half months since my surgery, and there has been no improvement to my pain. As far as my stomach is concerned, it feels a lot less swolen and quite normal, but still I get this intense stabbing pain in my left shoulder. WHY!?!? Can anyone give me an idea?

I have heard it could be nerve damage, and if this is the case will I ever get better or will I live with this pain, and having to eat hardly anything at all for the rest of my life? I'm a healthy 25 year old male, and the thought of going through this everyday is just a nightmare. I honestly can't see how I'm going to cope for much longer. And I am so shocked at how my surgeon denies all knowledge, he didn't even suggest any possibilities of what it could be!

HELP!?

thank you

Posted 5/13/2013 2:42 PM (GMT -6)
I'm a healthy 35 year old male, had fundo about 4.5 months ago, and I still get it but only if I eat a lot. I think it's decreased lately. For me, it's more of an ache in my left trapezius than a shooting pain, and it's not all that painful but it is noticeable and I definitely didn't have it before the surgery. I've read that it's something to do with the vagus nerve.

3 months is still early in recovery. Perhaps you can see a pain management specialist and they might be able to give you a nerve pain medicine like gabapentin or maybe amitriptyline.

Posted 5/13/2013 2:47 PM (GMT -6)
thanks for the reply. i tried gabapentin but it sent me a bit funny :s does the amitriptyline help for you? i get the shoulder/ neck ache all the time as well, it tends to become shooting / stabbing when it gets really bad. do you think this is something i can recover from eventually?
Posted 5/13/2013 3:54 PM (GMT -6)
LR-

This can be from the vagus nerve or the nerves in the diaphragm. One other thing is a possibility, I had the same issue for a few months after my 1st redo. Have you tried a regular antacid when this happens? I used Malox chewables and it made it go away. The only thing I could figure out was I was getting referred pain from an over sensitive esophagus that still needed to heal. It did go away on it's own.

Take care,
Bill
Posted 5/13/2013 7:59 PM (GMT -6)
I've been on amitriptyline about 4-5 days now. I can't say if it helps or not because I only got the pain occasionally. It is not helping my other symptoms which are more like burning mouth syndrome, but it's making me tired and jumpy all at the same time so I'll probably quit it.

Yes I do think it can go away on its own, since mine has decreased. But I don't know why you have such terrible shooting pain, I do not see most people complaining of anything that bad.
Posted 5/14/2013 7:22 AM (GMT -6)
Dont know much about this but will offer some suggestions as Im sure you're desperate to try anything! Shooting pains definitely sound nerve related, have you considered seeing a doctor that specialises in shoulders? (no idea what thats called though)

Does the usual walking around help ease the pains at all?
What about getting a shoulder massage? Could help ease muscle tension.
Could you see a different surgeon? It could be this surgeon has never seen it before but others have.
Are you still on PPIs? If not I would try going on them again to see if it helps.

I would definitely suggest looking at some pain management techniques, there are a wide variety available for people that suffer incurable pain (not saying yours wont go away but the best techniques are for chronic pain patients!). The one I tried was autogenics, its a form of muscle relaxation you practise a few times a day.

Stay on pain killers too, dont brave through the pain, your mental health is more important than being all manly :p

I'd be tempted to ask the surgeon to go back in and jiggle everything around a bit, like sometimes when you bash the computer and it suddenly starts working properly again lol.
Posted 12/25/2013 8:55 PM (GMT -6)
At 5 weeks post-nissan this is what I'm feeling. My surgeon said it may be gallbladder related and I had the rest yesterday but I'm convinced that's not it. Its the only pain I really have now but its pretty awful. I can avoid it if I don't eat but since I'm down 20+ pounds and have been hospitalized for dehydration already I know I can't avoid food. Its frustrating!
Posted 12/26/2013 4:59 AM (GMT -6)
HI,LR,the shoulder pain is definitely related to the surgery,where its coming from im not exactly sure.I myself have had three ops,a full nissen ,a removal of stitches from the diaphragm and a partial fundoplication and ive had shoulder pain with all of them.
All I can tell you is it eventually went away gradually over time,i have it now when I eat aswell as im only 9 weeks in from a redo but its not as bad as the earlier weeks.
My take on it is that its wind or pressure being put on the diaphragm which is sutured during the fundoplication,its called the crural repair.
Hopefully in time the pain will ease off. Barry
Posted 12/26/2013 6:25 AM (GMT -6)
Sorry,only realised this is an old post!
Posted 12/26/2013 10:24 AM (GMT -6)
Thank you. It is an old topic but I replied to it yesterday.

I explained the pain I was having in my thread from November but everyone told me it was pain from the gas during the operation.... its not. I had that pain and it went away within a few days. This pain has been getting gradually worse over the past 5 weeks.

When I was dehydrated it did go away for a few days but after sitting in the hospital for a day, it came back. The only way to make it feel better is to lie down which isn't an option while at work!

I am just getting frustrated that I am going to end up dehydrated again if I continue to avoid food/drink because my shoulder hurts.
Posted 12/26/2013 12:44 PM (GMT -6)
hi Elle Jay.sorry about that,honestly it should go away,its just a matter of time.Barry
Posted 8/29/2014 1:43 PM (GMT -6)

LR said...
Hi

I had my lap nissen done over 3 months ago, at the end of January. In many respects the surgery was a success, I don't get any heartburn or reflux.

However, I suffer from extreme shooting / stabbing pain in my left shoulder and sometimes neck and even arm! This always happens after I eat, and sometimes it just randomly comes on also maybe first thing in the morning or whenever. I am so sick and tired of it, I am having too much time off work and nobody knows what to tell me, even my surgeon.

I noticed it immediately after I woke up from the surgery. I first thought it was the gas pains, but now it is evident it's something else. It comes on after I eat, especially if I have too much food (which I have rarely over eaten). However, it is more than just me over-eating, because today I had 2 bites of a sandwich and the pain started shooting and shooting, it's sooo sooo painful.

I am seriously depressed with it, and I feel like I have done everything I can to try and sort it out, but no surgeon or doctor knows what it is! I saw the surgeon a few weeks ago, who claimed it's completely unrelated to the surgery! Hard to believe, as I woke up from surgery with this exact pain and they had to give me morphene for days. My GP said it may be my gallbladder, so I went for an ultra sound scan, but they now tell me I definately don't have gall stones. I am due to see the GP again this week. But I am so worried because it's been 3 and a half months since my surgery, and there has been no improvement to my pain. As far as my stomach is concerned, it feels a lot less swolen and quite normal, but still I get this intense stabbing pain in my left shoulder. WHY!?!? Can anyone give me an idea?

I have heard it could be nerve damage, and if this is the case will I ever get better or will I live with this pain, and having to eat hardly anything at all for the rest of my life? I'm a healthy 25 year old male, and the thought of going through this everyday is just a nightmare. I honestly can't see how I'm going to cope for much longer. And I am so shocked at how my surgeon denies all knowledge, he didn't even suggest any possibilities of what it could be!

HELP!?


I would be very curious to know how you're getting on now. I had the Lap Nissen in May 2013. I could have written what you wrote with regards the pain. And my surgeon claims to have never seen this symptom post op before. I went to see a pain specialist who was also completely clueless.
The pain went away a few months ago which was a huge relief after nine months of debilitating pain after eating, but strangely, the pain has now returned. I'm so upset and no-one knows how to help me. It is extremely upsetting. I was prescribed both Amitriptyline and Gabapentin respectively. Neither worked at all.
Like you said, it's exactly the same kind of pain I had when I first came round from the anaesthetic. It's completely overwhelming sometimes.
But honestly, I could have written what you wrote. I could expand on my experience but you have said everything I would write. I would simply be repeating you. It sounds like we have been suffering from exactly the same issue post Nissen.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes.
thank you

Posted 10/23/2014 11:58 AM (GMT -6)
Hi LR,

My mother is currently going through the EXACT same pain when eating, even after 1-2 bites. She had a scope done, her esophagus stretched due to esophageal cancer . . gone through chemo, radiation, etc. But truthfully, this pain is the worse of it all. Doc's have no real understanding, no solution, other than gas. Are you still having the problem? Did it eventually go away? How are you today? Thanks so much!!

Posted 12/1/2014 5:21 PM (GMT -6)
Right shoulder pain after eating is a sign of biliary colic. In fact it's very well known and common. Boas' sign! look it up. Gallbladder stones.!
Posted 1/30/2016 11:37 PM (GMT -6)
Hello fellow shoulder pain sufferers! I too had left shoulder pain after nissen fundoplication surgery, but the initial pain went away shortly after my surgery and was likely caused by the air in my system caused by the filling of my torso with air to perform the surgery. Years later, I began having severe shoulder pain that was excruciating! Lots of doctor visits and tests and drugs, but no relief. I read this blog and noticed that different people were experiencing the same problem (and i noticed people saying it was after having fatty or spicy foods). I remembered that pre-fundoplication surgery I had symptoms of an ulcer which was brought under control with Prilosec otc. I thought maybe the shoulder pain was referred pain from the return of my ulcer, so I got some Prilosec and started taking it each morning - by the third day my shoulder pain (and back pain) was gone - I was still sore for a few days, but the severe pain was gone! Of course each case is different, but for me, the prilosec completely cured me - evidently, my shoulder and back pain was referred pain from a stomach disorder. I know the shoulder pain was really, really bad, so I hope this remedy may help someone out there. Many of the drugs I was being prescribed before I tried the prilosec were hard on my stomach and actually made the pain get worse (and it happened more frequently). Check with your doctor and see of you can get some Prilosec or nexium to try and remedy your pain - it worked for me! May God bless any and all of you who are suffering with pain - I hope you get better soon!

I forgot to mention that my shoulder pain was worse when I laid down to sleep - I actually had to sit in a chair to sleep at night. After I had the prilosec, the pain was gone in 2-3 days and I was able to get in bed and sleep with no shoulder pain. Hope this helps!

Post Edited (oldqb) : 1/30/2016 10:53:26 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/5/2016 12:42 AM (GMT -6)
Why don't you show a chiropractor? Being a part of physiotherapy, chiropractic treatment is best for shoulder,neck and back pain. My uncle had severe back pain due to which he had to struggle while sitting or bending.He went for chiropractic treatment at Erin Mills Optimum Health at Mississauga. He is doing great now
Posted 2/12/2017 11:35 AM (GMT -6)
I too suffer from the same exact shoulder pain as described in the original post three months after I had the same surgery. I am wondering what actions others have taken to make the pain go away or if it will eventually go away on its own.
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