Stomach Cramps and Gurgles; my new "friends??"

Hello, Everyone I am about nine months out and this week have encountered a new experience.  Last Monday (8-13) we went to a bar and I had three chicken wings--two of which were the hot ones.  Ever since then, I've had stomach cramps (sometimes pretty bad) and gurgling worse than usual.  Everything is normal (at both ends--sorry TMI) but the cramps won't stop.  Nothing OTC helps--not like RNY patients can take that much anyway.  I'm almost at the point where I am going to do a Fleet's Phospho Soda just to blast everything out of there but I'm not sure that's healthy and also that it would even work.  It's very annoying even though it doesn't slow me down.  It's not painful or anything--just won't go away!! Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks!

I had that a couple times. It's not painful just annoying because it won't go away. Mine lasted for about a week then I finially had a good BM and felt better. I know not what everyone wants to hear but its what happened. You should feel better soon. I wouldn't do the "soda" thing yet, it might make things a bit worse.

You're right--it's not painful, at least not now.  During the week the cramps did kind of hurt, though.  I'm going to try Immodium or maybe Gas-x before I do the colon cleanse.  I know what you mean about it making it worse and I don't want to wind up in the urgent care.  Thanks for your advice!

I still have that "gurgling"! A few weeks ago I was in a major meeting with the plant manager, office heads and union reps when my stomach started gurgling to the point of major embarassment! It was so loud that I had to excuse myself and I was the KEYNOTE speaker! I pressed on it, rubbed it and promised it major goodies if it would stop. It didn't! The plant manager finally asked me if I was hungry and I wasn't. Someone else asked me if I had gas! I finally had to laugh about it and explained that it was a little side effect of my surgery. Since everyone knew that I had GB a few years ago, they kinda tried to ignore it. After the meeting had finally ended, my boss said it was a good thing that it wasn't gas, or I would have flown out a wall the way it was carrying on! It doesn't hutt, but like you said, it can be very annoying! Hang in there~we're all in this together! Cathy

Thank you, Cathy, not only for the advice but for the good laugh!  Soon after my sugery, every time I ate my nose would run and I'd get the hiccups!  It didn't matter where I was, either!  I was such a pleasure to take out to a restaurant!  Now I only get the hiccups but since we usually go to the same restaurant, the wait staff just laughs at me (in a kind way, of course.)   I don't mind the gurgles as you know our stomachs (pouches, I mean) talk to us in a whole new way post-surgery.  It's the cramping the bugs the heck out of me.  I never know when it's going to be---uh--"productive"---shall we say?  So if I get that feeling, I need to make sure I'm close to a bathroom.   My mom said that maybe because the pouch empties so slowly that everything takes a while to resolve itself now.  But in any case, if it continues, I'm calling my PCP or my bariatrician.  (I have lost three pounds in as many days, though!!) 

Joy,  Why don't you try calling your NUT or your doctor before trying  too many OTC remedies?  Thaey may have a quick solution for you. Peggy

Hi, Peggy (and all other very kind responders) I think I may have figured out what was bothering me.  I think it may have been the iron (Fergon) I was taking.  It was within the dosage reccommended by my Nut and surgeon, but when I stopped taking it at least the cramping stopped.  I am already taking prenatals (Stuart) and I think I may have just had a bit too much iron.  Whatever it was, I'm so glad the cramps are almost gone!  Not fun! thanks again! Joy

Joy, adorable kitty avatar!   I know what the whole co-worker thing is like though.  Only for me, it WAS gas!  OMG, I farted on people for months.  Hell, still do occasionally.  There's only so much apologizing you can do.  Eventually I just said, "Look dammit, I had surgery, this is an unfortunate side effect.  I can't help it, but better out than in."  And let em em rip. 

Hi Lori!  Thanks for the compliment on my avatar.  I used to do animal rescue work and someone sent me that once.  I do have three real adorables, though--one is a Maine Coon kitten who was born under my neighbor's deck this summer and who (whom?) I am trying to socialize to become a house cat.        I know exactly what you mean about the air biscuits.  I unintentinally launched one the first time we went out-one week post-op.  We were grocery shopping on a crowded Sunday of all days.  I went to step up on the curb and, well...!  I looked at my husband, a shocked expression on my face and everyone thought HE did it. You are right--this is an unfortunate side effect of the surgery.  There are all sorts of ideas on what causes it but I do think it's the surgery itself.  After 33 years of marriage, I can finally fart loudly, enthusastically and with great abandon and frequency in front of my husband (like he's done in front of me since out first date) because like you said, better out than in.   Here's to SBDs!!!