Most patients who undergo gastric sleeve surgery are delighted with the results, but some might complain about severe pain under the breastbone after gastric sleeve. They feel this pain for several months without getting any relief. The pain can be so powerful that it prevents them from doing daily activities. They might also suffer from nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea after surgery. So here are some of the tips that will aid you in getting rid of the pain under breastbone after gastric sleeve surgery. But still, seeing a doctor is essential to ensure that there’s no other underlying cause for the pain.
Move More
The breastbone moves with you when you move, but it also tends to become fixed in one place during specific movements or activities. This can cause pain in your chest wall and make it difficult for you to take deep breaths.
To prevent breastbone pain following gastric sleeve surgery, try these tips:
- Avoid leaning forward at all costs—especially when lifting or pushing/pulling heavy objects; this will help prevent your breastbone from shifting upward and down too much as you move around.
- Stay active by walking around as much as possible during the day; this will help keep your body moving so that your breastbone does not get stuck in a single position for long periods (as it tends to do when standing or sitting still for long periods).
- To give your body enough time to acclimate to the new posture and avoid putting undue strain on your breastbone, try to lie flat on your back for not longer than 30 minutes at a time.
Eat Small Meals Throughout the Day
You can control your hunger by eating small meals and not overeating at once. You must consume fewer portions because your stomach will be smaller following surgery, which is an important consideration. Eating slowly and chewing thoroughly, so your body has time to digest the food, is also essential. Eating slowly will also help you avoid overeating at once, which can lead to pain in your chest and breastbone. In addition, avoiding large drinking amounts of fluids with meals is necessary because this can also cause discomfort in this area following surgery.
Eat Slowly and Chew Your Food Thoroughly
After the surgery, you will be required to eat a low-calorie diet that is high in protein. This diet is recommended to help your body heal and recover from the surgery. Chewing each bite of food is essential because it makes you feel fuller faster and prevents overeating. If you don’t chew your food correctly, it will not be as nutritious as it should be, which could lead to poor health outcomes later on down the road.
Another benefit of chewing your food thoroughly is that it helps break down any tough foods before they enter into your digestive tract so they can be appropriately digested without causing any issues such as bloating or gas pains after eating certain foods that may cause these problems for some people (such as broccoli). Chewing your food thoroughly also helps prevent ulcers and other issues that can occur in the stomach if you don’t chew properly.
Sip on Bone Broth
Bone broth contains collagen, essential for healing the lining of your stomach and intestine. It also helps with nutrient absorption so that you can get more out of your food. If you have a weak stomach or trouble digesting certain foods, collagen can help heal your stomach lining. Your pain in the breastbone is likely caused by a soft stomach lining and/or poor digestion due to the surgery. Starting a regular bone broth regimen is the best solution to this issue.
Bone broth also contains amino acids, which help to protect against stress fractures in bones. Stress fractures can develop when bones weaken due to poor nutrition or lack of activity. If you experience pain in your sternum or rib cage, consult a doctor before trying bone broth as a treatment option because it could indicate other problems that require immediate attention.
Avoid Carbonated Beverages
Carbonated beverages are often considered a source of acid reflux relief, but they can cause even more pain in the long run. The reason is that these beverages increase pressure on the stomach, which can cause it to expand and then contract. This causes discomfort and pain in the breastbone area.
To prevent this from happening, you should avoid drinking carbonated beverages for at least six months after gastric sleeve surgery. This is especially important when eating meals or drinking liquids that may cause reflux symptoms such as bloating or indigestion.
Watch Your Posture
Maintaining good posture is one of the essential tips to prevent breastbone pain following gastric sleeve surgery. Many people think they can sit on their couch, lay in bed, or stand around in a slouchy posture, but this is not healthy for their bodies. It can cause even more problems with your posture and make you feel worse than before.
For your body to remain healthy and keep working correctly, you have to ensure that you are always maintaining good posture. This means keeping your back straight and shoulders level. You should also keep your chin slightly tucked into your chest so that you don’t have an excess strain on your neck muscles from looking up all the time.
Avoid Tight Clothing
One of the most popular methods for preventing breastbone pain after gastric sleeve surgery is to avoid wearing tight clothing. Tight clothes can pressure the stomach, increasing the likelihood of pain. A tight dress also restricts your movement, decreasing your breathing ability. This can harm your body’s circulation, increasing your chances of developing a blood clot. If you have breastbone pain following gastric sleeve surgery, you must wear loose-fitting clothing and allow plenty of time to rest so your body can heal properly.
Following your doctor’s post-op care plan is the first step to preventing breastbone pain after gastric sleeve surgery. Make sure to consult this with your doctor before doing it—depending on your procedure, there may be some limitations on certain types of physical activity or a precise regimen for taking vitamins and supplements. If you can be proactive about these things, though, there’s a good chance that you can minimize the odds of breastbone pain after gastric sleeve surgery.
