Left shoulder pain after eating or drinking

Hello again, @nathanwales. I'm so happy you'll be contacting your doctor right away. I'm sure if you mention you're concerned that you may be having heart issues you'll get an immediate appointment! Please keep in touch and let us know how you progress. And a belated warm welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! Warmest regards, Laurie

So here’s the deal. Anytime I eat (only when I eat) I get an extreme pain in my left shoulder. It doesn’t matter if I eat slow or fast- it’s the same pain. I’ve had my gallbladder removed, as well as a hiatal hernia removed as well. I have also had a vertical sleeve gastric surgery. This has been hurting for about a month now and started suddenly. I will be checking with a doctor to figure out what the heck is going on. Also, I’m 28 years old.

Hi @elmamo, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. We’re an online community of members who help each other through our shared medical and life experiences. We can’t diagnose health issues or prescribe treatments.

Your pain during eating sounds just horrible! Eating is such a basic requirement for daily living, I can’t imagine how this must be impacting your day to day existence! Makes you dread mealtime! Is this pain during eating or after? How long does the discomfort last?
Does it matter what kind of foods you eat?

You’ve already had gall bladder surgery as well as treatment to fix your Hiatal hernia and also gastric sleeve surgery. There’ve been significant changes to your digestive system and I’m wondering if there’s a correlation.
Did this pain all being after these procedures?

I did find this previous discussion in Connect… https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/left-shoulder-pain-15-mins-after-eating/
I’m hoping some of our members can chime in with what they’ve experienced and what helped them,

After doing a little online research it looks as though this isn’t a rare symptom but really does warrant a trip to your doctor. This extreme pain in your left shoulder, from everything I’m reading, points to pancreatitis. To a lesser degree, it can also be triggered by heart issues, GERD and a hiatal hernia.
https://wholesomealive.com/left-shoulder-pain-after-eating/
https://www.newhealthadvisor.org/pain-in-left-shoulder-after-eating.html

Omg just found this thread and I have the same issue...Sometimes I get intense nausea and pain also but the shoulder pain that just goes on and on..I have had all the tests too and a hiatal hernia also...Doctors also don't know what is causing the pain and are trying different medications. Did you ever find the solution???

I haven’t found a solution yet. I will have a consult with a surgeon soon. I have a pain that is in my left shoulder blade only while or shortly after I eat. At the same time, I feel fullness in my upper stomach. I can get some relief by laying on the floor with a warm bean bag type pad under my back. Some gentle yoga moves such as cat cows help. But when you are in a restaurant, you can’t do that. This is very random and only happens when I eat.My GI doc thinks this is coming from my hiatal hernia. Google exercises for hiatal hernia and you will find some exercise that might help. It’s very frustrating.

Had this for years. A YouTube physical therapist helped me determine that is was an irritated dorsal scapular nerve on my left hand dominant side.

Had similar pain for years. GI doctor said it was Gerd. However, while eating dinner one night I experienced pain when I swallowed brown rice. Was sent to digestive specialist. The result was that he discovered I had achalasia. The rhythm in my esophagus was off. Was treated with balloon dilation and am doing well. Have to watch my diet. Good luck in search. You might try a digestive specialist rather than a regular GI doctor. A look at things from a different perspective.

I have stomach ache right under my right rib cage after eating. I also get swelling of sternum and aches. It is kind of dull pain.This is going on since December of 2011. I had colonoscopy, cat scan, ultra sound, X-rays but they don't find anything. I wake up every night around 3 or 4 am. with gas and can't go to sleep. Also, I have a left shoulder pain and it gets worst when I have stomach ache. Some time I think they may be connected. Some nerve that flares up and passes through digestive system and neck or shoulder. Anyone one suggest something. I had H Pylori in 2001 and most recently October 2021.

Have you had an endoscopy? Perhaps it is is a hiatal hernia?

Hello @wshaikh22 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Connect has several members post about this type of pain. I would like to invite @petuniamom567 to share her experience with you. If you read her post, (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/665850/), you will see that she saw a specific type of GI doctor who is a digestive specialist who specialized in motility disorders.

You mention that you have had H Pylori twice. Was this diagnosed when you had an upper endoscopy?