Question:
Pain in pouch (chest) area.

I am almost 11 months out and have not had any problems to speak of. On Sunday 4/21 I started getting pains in my pouch (chest) area. I saw my RNY Dr. on 4/25 and she said she thought it was an ulcer and gave me some medicine to take. The pain has gotten progressivly worse over the weekend and I will be calling the Dr. this morning as soon as they open. I haven't been sick to my stomach, and I can still eat and drink water without any problems, so I wouldn't think it was a stricture. It almost feels like what a heart attach might feel like. I had my GB taken out years ago so I know that's not it. Did anyone else have something similar to this and if so what did it turn out to be. Thanks.    — Gail M. (posted on April 29, 2002)

April 29, 2002
Yes, I had the exact same experience. Mine felt almost like my gallbladder attacks did. Severe chest pain that radiates to your back and shoulders? I went to see my Dr. and he said he didn't think anything was wrong with me because I could still eat and drink. After 3 weeks of pain, I went to his office and demanded that he do something. He scheduled me for a scope and "possible" dilation. Well when they got in there they found that I had closed up to 3mm and they dilated me to 15mm. I feel great now. No more pain and I am losing about 4 lbs a week. I am 2 months post op LAP rny.
   — Lynn R.

April 29, 2002
I too think it sounds like gallbladder.
   — Danmark

June 14, 2002
I wish I had the answer for you, I'm in the same boat, going to see the doc next week about it. Was told by the nurse that it sounds almost like an ulcer. I'm 11 mos out as well. Everything I eat causes pain, then I wake up with it at night, and even if I don't eat, and go too long without food, it hurts. What did you find out?
   — Lori ..

October 18, 2002
I have also had pain, I am 12 months post-op. The first time I was taken to the E.R. for a heart attack. That was not it. I had elevated white blood cells, and abnormal liver enzymes. Because of this they did a battery of tests, such as: Endoscopy, MRI with contrast, Upper GI series, and a liver biopsy. They found nothing. After my second attack when I was more than 300 miles from home, and had to take a 45 minute ride in an ambulance to the hospital, they put me on Previcid, thinking it was an ulcer. Although there was no evidence of one. They really need to see what is going on in my old stomach, which can only be done laproscopically. My doctor wants to hold off. I have learned to live with these attacks, they last about 35 minutes, I lie still with a fan on me, try to breath although it hurts, and they eventually pass. If you find anything out, please let me know. Thanks [email protected]
   — Kori F.

October 18, 2002
Try taking Gas-X. I have had severe pain in my chest area before and thought I was having a heart attack. It REALLY hurt bad. I took a Gax-X or Phasyme and the pain was gone in less than 5 minutes! Let me know if it helps you.
   — Kim B.

November 13, 2002
yes it was a full bowell i needed to go caca and dident know it it happened 8 days post op pain was unbearable and required morphine
   — Vicki H.

August 4, 2003
i've just been released from the hospital for the same problems everyone is describing, i thought i was just gas. but i kept getting these spasm attacks, i was on a morphine drip, i got four possible reasons for the excruiciating pain i was having. blockage, scar tissue adhesion buildups, virus or because i was overdoing it on alieve and motrin for a bad tooth problem. i have never, ever in my life went thru such pain. does this come back, i'm still a little stuffy feeling in the abdomin, it started in the upper abdomin and went lower just below the navel. they did an upper gi, and my white blood count was elevated. what the heck is this terrible terrible pain all about? it wasn't a gall bladdar attack either. any info sent to me would greatly be appreciated. i thought i was going to die, [email protected] (one year out 7/2/02, 70 lbs gone)
   — deb F.

December 28, 2003
I can understand clearly what everyone is speaking of...I had to go the the emergency room last weekend with sudden onset of middle chest(pouch area) pain. The pain was so sever I could barely breath or stand up straight. I also had nausea and I tried to vomit but nothing would come out. In the E.R. they gave me phenergan for the nausea and nubain for the pain. I had a CT scan done and it showed something strange the doctor thought it was an ileus or partial small bowel obstruction. I was made NPO (nothing by mouth) and put on iv fluids. They also gave me protonics iv. After a few days I felt better and the doctor sent me home. Even when I went home I had alot of tenderness to the pouch area. Just this past weekend I had to go back to the E.R. with the same symptoms. I had sever pouch pain, it felt like spasms because the pain would get really bad and kind of level off and get bad again. I was again really nauseated but never vomited. I was scared to death because I though I was having a complete bowel obstruction this time or worst. They did another CT scan and all it showed is extra air in the bowel. For the past two weeks I have felt and been really gassy...belching alot and my stomach is making alot of rumbling nosises. The doctor told me he thought it was just bowel spasms and started me on an antispasmatic drug called Bentyl. I've had a couple of doses of the med so far and I can't really tell if it's working on not. Also one thing I wanted to say is everytime I had one of the "spells" i felt like I had to have a bowel movement really bad. Sometimes I was able to go and sometimes I was not. I feel for everyone because this pain is sever and very scary when it comes on. If anyone finds out anything from their MD, please e-mail me and left me know. I plan on following up with my MD next week. Of course all this happened to me during the Christmas holiday and it's hard to get anyone to listen to you. Thanks
   — lisarhodes

December 28, 2003
I have been having these attacks 6wk since sugery. I have them about every 2 mths, I end up in the ER. They can never find what is going on. They just put me on pain meds,phen,run test and have me NPO for 48hours then send me home. I know what it is not, gallbladder attacks(I don't have one), ulcer or blockage. The only thing I have learned not to do is DO NOT use any pain med such as advil, ibprofin etc, use tylenol only. I have also learned to take care of it at home with taking phenagen then laying down. I will find out what this is and let everyone know when I do. I am 13mths post op.
   — pam P.

December 28, 2003
I have been having these attacks 6wk since sugery. I have them about every 2 mths, I end up in the ER. They can never find what is going on. They just put me on pain meds,phen,run test and have me NPO for 48hours then send me home. I know what it is not, gallbladder attacks(I don't have one), ulcer or blockage. The only thing I have learned not to do is DO NOT use any pain med such as advil, ibprofin etc, use tylenol only. I have also learned to take care of it at home with taking phenagen then laying down. I will find out what this is and let everyone know when I do. I am 13mths post op.
   — pam P.

December 28, 2003
I have been seeing several doctors and specialists about this same type of situation, I feel like I am being squeezed in a vise when it happens and wind up with elevated liver enzymes and another hospital bill. They feel it could be residual stones stuck in my common bile duct or sphyncter of Oddi syndrome, look both up, they do describe the symptoms. I just had a hernia repair which also showed I had an intestinal hernia as well.
   — Linda 1.

March 7, 2004
To all those having this pain. I call them attacks and they happen very unexpectedly. Sometimes 5-6 hours after eating. I am 17 mos post op and these attacks started about 4 mos after surgery. Scared the heck out of me. The attack feels like my chest is tightening and i have shortness of breath and I'm having hot flashes and all I really can do is rock myself in the fetal postion until the attack lasting from 10mins to 6 hours ends. I also have burping and feel nausea and also wanting to go to the bathroom but can't. I've been going to the DR many times to figure out what I was was having. AT first they thought it was just acid reflux so they put me on prilosec. I would still have attacks. Then I was finally referred to a gastroenterologist and they did an ultrasound thinking it was gallstones, no gall stones found then they did a ct scan and nothing. FInally they did an edoscopy and turns out that they found that my staples had opened up and I had been using my regular stomach for eating. No wonder why I could eat more. I was getting a little scared about how much I could eat about 1 year post op. I'm not saying that this is what all of you have but this is what I have so maybe something you want to pass along to your DR. I go to have them sutre it up by going through my mouth this month. I can return back to work the next day as long as I don't lift heavy objects. Any questions please email me.
   — Tina H.

June 15, 2004
I have had this happen several times. The last time it did not get better overnight so I went to the ER. It was a bowel obstruction, caused either by hernia or scar adhesion. Treatment was nothing by mouth and sit on the IV until it resolves. BORING, but easy. It is a very scary pain for certain and I think you can have an attack any time after ay abdominal surgery. Even years later. Yippee.
   — Jeannette L.

December 6, 2004
I have no answers for anyone. I can only say that I have had these same "attacks" everyone is mentioning. I also spent many hours in the ER and best they could come up with was my colon was inflamed and maybe i had diverticulitis. My surgeon seemed unconcerned and said perhaps I had a kink and it worked itself out. After seeing how many of us are stricken with these so called attacks, I feel these surgeons need to do some investigating... afterall, there are alot of us complaining about the same attacks. I am going to see my primary care physician tomorrow, I'm not very optimistic, but he knows me better than the surgeon who performed the by pass. I'd love to know if anyone figures out what this problem is. Bless all. Zane
   — zanedeeg

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