Air under diaphragm after laparoscopy

[cittenscollar.livejournal.com]

This isn't really vagina/breast related but I'm hoping this is okay here...

After my lap last Tuesday, I've been having MASSIVE pain along my right rib. I went to my campus health center and the doctor suggested that there could be some air left over after the lap trapped under my diaphragm, and that it should go away eventually.

I can't walk more than 200 feet without it hurting, and even just sitting down and bending slightly on my right side makes it hurt. Laying in certain positions makes it hurt. This is a CRAPLOAD OF PAIN. I can't describe what it feels like - it's really, really weird, not like a type of pain I've felt before. I tried looking it up online and didn't find any information.

Today is the first day of the semester, and I'm absolutely miserable right now.

Does anybody have experience with this happening after a lap? How long did it take to go away, and what did it feel like? What can be done to relieve the pain?

Comments

[paraxeni.livejournal.com]

Oh you poor thing. My googling only tells me "The body will absorb the gas in a few days" and "patients are advised to change position if they are in pain". Apparently it will be irritating your phrenic nerve, and heat pads and normal analgesia (acetaminophen/paracetamol) can help dampen the pain down a bit.

I hope you feel better soon.

[acharmedlife.livejournal.com]

To do a laparoscopy, the have to inflate your abdomen with CO2. This irritates the hell out of your diaphragm. Your body will re-absorb any left over gas, but your diaphragm may take some time to forgive you for the surgery. Also, if your shoulder hurts at all, that is only because it is on the same nerve path as your diaphragm.

[cittenscollar.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the doctor mentioned about the shoulder. It hurt really bad for the first few days after surgery but that went away, now I'm just left with the horribly sore side.

Looks like I'm just gonna have to wait this out, huh? Bah!

This would be so much less annoying if I weren't stuck on campus... Four and a half hours until I get to go home and sleep... *sigh*

[acharmedlife.livejournal.com]

I applaud your bravery.

I had a lap back in February, and I healed slowly so it was 2 weeks before I dared go back to class. I couldn't even sit up straight for more than 10mins without my abdomen aching and stabbing.

[cittenscollar.livejournal.com]

I'm ridiculously stubborn and have a massive pain tolerance XD I'm actually using a walking stick to help me walk (which I have to use sometimes anyway) because that seems to be what irritates my diaphragm the most. Sitting up hurts like hell but I've kind of figured out positions that I can sit in that are less painful than others, so I'm managing decently well. Plus the fact that I've gotten 7 hours of sleep total over the past two days is helping distract me from the pain, haha! I'm spending all my brainpower on trying not to fall asleep during class, so I don't even notice it hurts until class ends.

[realt-stea.livejournal.com]

i've had 2 laps, and have had the same problem. it took a week or two for mine to go away, and i've read the same of others. i know it's still summer, but heating pads help break up the gas a little bit

[noctilucenteye.livejournal.com]

I had the same problem after a lap. Took about a week or more for it to go away. Being as active as possible will help.