Pain in under ribs.. 2 years for surgery..need suggestions.

Hi,

I am 2 years post surgery. I had an RNY and I have recently started having intense pains in my left side. The pains are under my rib and seem to come an go. They are more intense after I eat. I don't feel like eating once the pain comes on. My general appetite has decreased and I just wanted to know if anyone has ever experiaced this. There is really no other symptom other than an intese pain after I eat in my right side.I have had no gas or reflux, I have not thrown up.. nothing but the pain..but at times it can get pretty intense. Mostly just a strong ache.  I had heard/read that you can get ulcers in your pouch and that other things can develope years after surgery..

Does anyone have any suggestions on if I should call my surgeon.. go to the ER.. what? I don't want to go to my "general" practictioner..cause she is not very knowledgeable with gastric bypass.

Thanks..any advice would be helpful.

Cory

Do you have your gallbladder? If you do it could be gallstones, although it is on your right side under your ribs it could be referred pain. If you do not have your gallbladder any longer it could be an ulcer. Either way the test are pretty simple and you could go to your surgeon a GI specialist or your pcp and request an ultrasound of the gallbladder and if that is negative request an EGD (esophagogastroduodenoscopy) an upper scope for short to look at the lining of your stomach.

Good luck
Audra

Nope it couldn't be my gall bladder. That has been long gone. I will call my surgeon today.. last time I called and asked if I could see him, they said he was only a surgeon, that they did not deal with any "other" problems associated with surgery.. I think I just got a bad person on the phone so I will try again. This pain is getting annoying and I don't want to let it go and it be something serious.

Any other suggestions out there..Anyone had an ulcer in there pouch? What does that feel like?

Thanks,

Cory

You also could start treating it as if it was an ulcer an see if it gets better while you wait for a diagnosis. Take a PPI (stomach medicine) like prilosec or nexium. If you already taking one of those you could increase it to twice a day.
Just a suggestion
Audra