Question:
5 months out r n y surgery - constant stomach pain
Jan '09 RNY lap surgery. I had no pain until approx 2 weeks after surgery. I've had re-hospitalizations in Feb (stoma stretched), Mar (stoma stretched again). Now I think the stoma is ok, because I can swallow sizeable pills. I've had 3 upper endoscopies, 2 upper GIs and several CT scans. No one can find anything wrong. The pain feels like a ball spiked with glass shards rolling around in my pouch, the pain constant, not spasms. The pain is more to the left of the stomach pouch. I don't have a gallbladder, that was removed years ago, with no complications. Funny that this pain is VERY similar to the gallbladder pain I had before that was removed in 2003. However, my surgeon told me it was all in my 'head' and refuses to deal with me. I have since been working closely with my gastroenterologist and PCP, who know me much better and know there is something wrong if I say there is. I have been on pain meds since the pain started about 2 weeks after surgery - from percocet to now a maintenance dose of ultracet. And no one wants to keep staying on pain meds. I've tried going off, but the pain returns. I do have a hiatal hernia - which the surgeon said was small and he didn't repair it. Could that be the problem? I take nexium for acid and don't have ulcers, no bowel obstructions. And, I KNOW it is not in my head. Has anyone else had anything similar? Any suggestions of what to try, or who else to see? Thanks! — Jen8 (posted on May 26, 2009)
May 26, 2009
I am so sorry, this must be awful. Who is your Doctor and why would they
say it is in your head, hope he isnt my doctor
— Nancegee2
May 26, 2009
Sometimes, I have pain like you describe after taking my pain medications
that I take for other conditions that I have. (Lortab) I have found that
if I eat a piece of cheese or some type of dairy product that it keeps it
from hurting so badly. I consume some as soon as I feel the pain coming on
and it will go away before it gets too bad.
I see that you are taking Ultracet. I am certainly no doctor. But if I
remember correctly, Ultram....which is found in Ultracet....is on the list
of medications that we are not supposed to take after RNY. So you might
want to double check with your physician about it.
The pain I have after taking my Lortab feels exactly like gall bladder
attacks did before I had mine removed.
I had these "attacks" before my surgery....and after, too. Yet
when my surgeon did the pre-surgery endoscopic thing he said everything
looked fine in there. So I have no clue what is going on. I just know
that the dairy products help me.
I don't know if any of this information is useful...but I hope it will
help!
— PaulaJ
May 26, 2009
Check with your Doctor. Pain means something.. At 6 months out I had bad
pain, turned out to be h-pylori. Your stoma my be to small as well. Don't
ignore this, check it out and good luck!
— lesleigh07
May 27, 2009
Dear Jennifer,
My heart aches for you and I can HEAR and FEEL the desperation in your
words. I usually do not post replies to these as folks can be very nasty
and rude and I refuse to play that game.BUT......I have 2 things I would
like to share.
One.....Ultram is not on any DO NOT TAKE list for post RNY.
However, ULTRACET I believe has aspirin in it which I know we are not to
take.
Two.....There is a wonderful lady here on OH.COM that is a retired (forced
from medical trouble) Doctor who has been extremely helpful to me and many
others. I would like to forward your question to her and see if she has
anything to offer you ok?
I will keep you in my prayers.I have been in the Operating Room over 25
times in my life so when I have a problem and I come across a Doc that says
he thinks it's in my head, I quickly say goodbye, refuse to pay his bill
and move on. I hate ignorant people and I don't like the word hate.
And by the way, I also don't sit at home eating bon bons hiding behind a
man's paycheck,I live alone, own my own home and have a beautiful family
with 6 awesome grandkids I am very close to. I hope you can get to the
bottom of your problem. Also, have you been able to lose the weight since
your RNY?? Just wondering.
Hugs to you......Renee
My email is [email protected]
— 1stReneeMarie
May 27, 2009
Wow, I am so sorry you are going through this. Your surgeon sounds like a
nightmare. You should warn others so that they can make an informed
decision when choosing a surgeon in your area.
Feel better soon!
— leoglane
May 27, 2009
A cople of things you may have already checked. Sometimes foods like milk
can cause pain. You bacome intolerant. Sometimes milk can be soothing to
the irritation. You can have gall stones without a gall bladder since the
liver makes them. This is not frequent but I have had two such attacks.
They passed very quickly though. Sounds more like you are eating something
that is irritating to your new pouch. It is just trail and error on what
you can and can't eat.
— trible
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