Question:
Terrible stomach pain 3 weeks post-op

Hi all. I had a LAP RNY on 5/31 and I still have my gallbladder. Last night was worse than any pain I had in the hospital after surgery. I'm at a soft food stage, but I make sure I still chew my food very well. The pain I had last night had to be gas related because of all the pressure I had felt. I was nauseted and had sharp pains about every 15 minutes or so. I walked a 1/2 mile trying to let some air escape and very little did. About 1:30 in the morning, I finally vomited and had a lot of relief. Today I only had 4 crackers and some chicken broth and maybe 2 cups of water and the cramping is back tonight. Is it possible that my opening to my intestine is closing up? I will be calling my surgeon first thing tomorrow morning, but I would like to know if anyone else has gone through this? Thank you in advance for taking the time to post an answer.    — Jennifer F. (posted on June 24, 2001)

June 26, 2001
Jennifer, It is probably not your gallblader or gas. You are only a few weeks post-op and still have a lot of scarring inside. I too experienced this extreme pain. It felt very similiar to labor pains for me. I ended up back in the hospital at 2 weeks and 4 weeks post-op. I got completely freaked out and thought that I had torn my pouch and had a leak or something. Both times they ran many tests and I was fine, just had some blockage due to the scarring and food was backing up. The sharp pains every so many minutes is your body trying to push that food through. DO NOT drink or eat anything while going through that or that will just back up too. THis WILL pass. I am 13 weeks post-op and haven't had any more problems. Good luck :-)
   — Michelle P.

June 26, 2001
A few weeks after my Lap RNY I woke up w/ terrible stomach pain. It reminded me a little of gas b/c it came and went every few minutes. I tried to take laxatives/milk of magnesium & a pill, but each time I threw up. At times I even dry-heaved. After a few hours of the pain, I went to the emergency room (fearing a leak in my pouch). It turns out my stomach was so irritated and swollen (which is normal during the first month) that it was blocked the entrance to my bowels. My doctor performed an endoscopy (going down my throat so i didn't have to be cut open or anything) and made the opening bigger. I haven't had any problems since then! (That was June 4th.)
   — Jennifer S.