how long does shoulder pain last after nissen

Hi Tori,

I felt discomfort off and on for a couple weeks maybe? Your experience sounds like mine in general. Pain eased off then came back then just come and went till it finally went poof! Good for you, walking. That was the only thing that really relieved my shoulder discomfort, I would walk and stretch my upper body and breathe deeply until it calmed down. Usually just 5-10 minutes was all it took. Keep up the good work!

Tami

Hi toritone,

Welcome to the Healing Well Wrapped Club! I remember reading about shoulder pain prior to my surgery, and I thought it was bizzare! How could stomach surgery cause shoulder pain! Answer: referred pain from diaphragm irritation and gas pumped in to clear the surgical field.

I remember the shoulder pain being far worse than other surgical pain. The other bad part, was that it didn't respond to pain medication. I found the more I walked the less shoulder pain I felt, and visa-versa. I'd recommend that you walk, walk, walk. A night nurse in the hospital told me to walk whenever I got up to go to the bathroom, and I followed that rule when I went home as well.

If you're not walking a lot, give it a try.
Happy healing,
Denise

I think mine was mostly gone around the end of the second week.

Good luck!