Shoulder Pain After Eating...

[Foonie]

In August of '07 I had my spleen removed due to ITP. Ever since I woke up from the surgery I get a severe pain in my left shoulder everytime i eat something. It doesn't matter what I eat or how much I eat. The pain feels like someone is squeezing my shoulder as hard as they can. It makes it unbearable to move. If I eat a full meal then it feels like there's a balloon in my shoulder that expands when I breath and the person squeezing my shoulder is trying their best to pop it. Can anyone help me? PLEASE!!!

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Consult your PCP and see what he suggests. Except for leaking peptic ulcer, none of the other possibilities are serious.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!

[Foonie]

Thank you! This helps a lot. I actually moved to TN in August of '08, so I'm not near my surgeon, and I don't currently have health insurance. Are any of these conditions life threatening?

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Thanks for writing to the forum!
Shoulder pain is often referred from diaphragm. Hence if the diaphragm is irritated then the pain is referred to shoulder. It is possible that post surgery or may be it was there from before, you developed a hiatal hernia. This results in stomach herniating into chest cavity which can cause this pain once the food distends the stomach. Another possibility is an abscess or hematoma post surgery that causes irritation to the diaphragm when a distended stomach pushes it close to it. It could also be a leaking peptic ulcer. Do go back to your surgeon.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!