Diaphragm pain after surgery...

I mentioned in my I'm home post, that I had killer diaphragm pain after surgery.   5 days out and it's still there,... spasms right now, but it does feel like a knitting needle has been shoved through your rib cage.   People mentioned that theirs started from their shoulder...  where as mine was slightly radiated to my shoulder, but most of it was under the ribs.  As much morphine as they could stuff in me, it didn't touch the pain at all.   One of the nurses suggested a "heat" blanket on the area,,,,  they wrapped me up in one of those heavy heat blankets, folded another one behind my back to put pressure on the side.  They didn't want to burn me though, so I wasn't allowed to snuggle into it.  (I wanted to because it felt so good.)    Heat combined with drugs were the only things that helped...

I found this on an  Endometriosis site:...

http://www.hcgresources.com/shoulderpain.html

It would seem this is more common with Lapo surgery because of the CO being pumped into you.  Hmm...from now on, this will be a discussion with docs before any future surgery.  I do NOT want to go through that pain again.  Honestly, the only pain I really felt from the actual DS was the first couple of times I had to get up from bed to pee... and last night when I got stuck on the bed (Husband to the rescue... he was laughing... the bugger!)... Yeah, I got stuck on my stomach, my arms all twisted under me, and I couldn't get any leverage to help myself up. 

The rest of the pain I've had has been this diaphragm thingy... now... I'm going to go get my heating pad :)

Sorry it's still hurting! Mine was on the mid and upper back, right side. Not as bad as yours, though. It should start easing soon!

Karen

I empathize with your pain. I had Lapo surgery back in March to remove ovarian cysts. I was up and walking after the surgery, but the diaphram pain was preventing me from sleeping comfortable, laughing, etc. 

Have you kept up with your lung exercises? I know doing those were crutial for my recovery. 

laproscopic seams to be way overated, i had open, and it was painless, when i had a similar surgery lap it was a 5 day night mare.

Yes, sounds like pain from the carbon dioxide they pump into the abdomen to creat a space to see what they're doing. It will gradually dissapate and your pain will go away, but for some people it's really bad while it lasts.
     Sorry you are going through this, but it WILL get better.

Larra

Guess I was one of the lucky ones after my lap, the gas pain was not as bad as you are describing.  But.... I have had very similar pain when I have had gastritis a few times over the years.  Prilosec to the rescue.  Are you taking something like that twice a day?

Seriously, I was up and ready for walks within 18 hours and was sleeping on my side the 3rd night. 
Day before surgery I got my period (which I get monster cramps) so I was getting it from all sides... yet it was the diaphragm pain that kept me getting morphine.  I could have been off it otherwise within the first night.   But hey... they offered it, told me every 4 hours... so I had a lovely 2 days of doped up, ice sucking :)

I don't think I could have done this open though.  I had a hell of a time getting in and out of bed.  I had to wake hubs up.. whining... I"M STUCK!  He was trying not to laugh... I didn't see the humor at the time :)