Question:
My husband has had chronic pain in his left side.

My husband has had chronic pain in his left side since he came home from the hospital. I know that this isn't normal, because I had the same surgery by the same doctor a month before him. Whenever we ask the surgeon about it, he says it's probably gas. It wakes him at night, and causes him severe discomfort during the day. I am going to try to get him into our pcp today. Anyone else have this problem? Any solutions or suggestions?    — Martha P. (posted on January 30, 2003)

January 30, 2003
If your husband has a fever, has not had a bowel movement or if the bowel movements have been running and/or black, it could be a bowel obstruction. Get him to the doctor or hospital asap. It happened to me. First they had to drain my old stomach because it got backed up in there and then they had to do go in and operate again. I was in the hospital for three weeks. It was not fun but I am glad my mother was a nurse and she made me go to the hospital even though I didn't want to. Don't wait on this so soon after surgery. Get it checked out.
   — Robin P.