I'm so FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!

  I'm so frustrated...ok..I'm post op about 14 months.  I've had a stricture,  I've had 4 internal hernias..I suffer from delayed dumping and take meds to slow my digestion.  Now  I'm having "unexplained" upper abdominal pain.  Its usually right in the center, but has moved across my whole upper abdomine.  right now its hurting to the left.  I've had CT scans, ultra sounds, MRI, blood work to check everything.  They ( my docs)  suspect that I have hyperparathyroidism, but its mild (higher than normal calcium in my blood and urine.)  My liver enzymes are slightly elevated.  I feel awful and I'm in pain most of the time.  I can't eat..although right now I am trying to eat solid food.  I'm mostly living on liquids.  Nothing shows up in the tests and I'm really getting frustrated.  I just spent 4 days in the hospital for pain and dehydration.   My docs are now wondering about sending me to NYC to see a bariatric specialist???  Its not my appendix, not my gall bladder...Sheesh.  Is there anyone out there that might have a clue???  a suggestion???

You poor thing! Please go to NYC and see the bariatric specialist! Is your original surgeon not available to you? You should not be having this abdominal pain with the hyperparathyroidism - in my opinion. And having recently had a Peterson's Hernia repaired myself - I can tell you without a doubt - that for me - I could have went on and on indefinitely on fluids and not ended up having the problem repaired. I was almost 3 weeks on basically fluids with intermittant terrible abd pain - which would settle somewhat when I refrained from eating. When I finally got to see my surgeon - he said - stay in the area and eat - either you will get better - or sicker. And I got sicker. But having had internal hernias before - you know all this. My point is - please don't  stop making noise until someone takes care of you. You should not be miserable like this with "unexplained" abd pain Good luck!

Thanks for your encouragement  Mary.  Actually I saw My surgeon every day in the hospital and saw him today before I came home from the tests.  He is a wonderful man and surgeon and is doing his best..but he said "if I can't figure this out, and the gastro dr. can't , and another gastro dr. can't and the endocrinologist can't..then its time for another opinion.  So I guess I'll just have to "bite the bullet" and do as he asks.

All I have to say is that I'm sorry you're going through this.

  Thank you Janina.  Wish I could come on this website and be more help instead of sitting here asking for help.  Sometimes ...you just need to ask for help..thanks for your concern.

I sure hope you get relief and answers soon.

  Thank you Kelly...you know everyone on this site is so sympathetic and happy to help that I've been sitting  here reading everyone's encouraging words with tears running down my cheeks.  Everyone's help means alot to me and to others.  We WLS people are like best friends even tho we've never met face to face.  I treasure that bond...

  Marcy

Wow!  I'm so sorry you're having such a difficult time.  I think going to see the NYC doctor is a good idea.  When we have pain, it's our body's way of telling us something is wrong -- so you have to find someone who will figure it out.

A couple questions though.  Do they think the hyperparathyroidism is related to the pain?  What's your Vitamin D lab results?  When we have high PTH and low Vitamin D it's an indication that the body is not absorbing calcium we take and is leaching it from our bones.  Let this go long enough and we end up with osteoporosis.  If your Vitamin D is lower than 50, get started on a mega dose of D3 to get the levels up over 80.  Hopefully that should being the PTH down and bring the calcium levels back in line. 

Not an expert on Liver Enzymes.  But isn't this normal for us when we're on a high protein diet because it causes the liver to work harder to process the protein we're taking in.  Not sure about that one, but I seem to remember reading that somewhere.

Keep us posted on how things go.  Lean on us all you need to...

Pam

  I'm not sure if my surgeon thinks that the pain could be caused by the hyperparathyroidism..however, his associate did tell me that parathyroid problems can cause abd. pain.  She also said that most drs. are reluctant to blame the pain on your parathyroid because you most of the time can't prove it.  anyway...I'm wondering that myself.  My calcium is not what they call, dangerously high...but my research says that anytime the calcium is elevated its not a good thing.  My last test said my calcium was 10.5.  PTH was also high but not dangerous.  I think they are just being overly cautious because I have had surgery 3 times this year. 
  Not sure about the liver either but, my PCP took me off one of my BP med's cause she said that can raise the enzyme levels.
  Thanks for your input Pam and I'll keep you posted.  I sure hope they figure this out soon, cause..geez does my belly hurt!!!

  I told the nurses on the surgical floor that I have an alien in there..and he's certainly been busy sharpening his finger nails on my tummy!!!

Please just hang on and do as your doctors want you to do.   They will find the problem and then you will be so much better.  

I'm sending love and well wishes and prayers that you have resolution soon.

Bonnie