Throwing up and constipation:(

Hi all, I have a question...I had surgery in June 2004 and have had no problems with digestion and the like since. However, on Thursday evening, I woke up at 1:30 am and was throwing up what looked to be coffee grounds. I threw up about 3 times, and it wasn't huge amounts. I was immediately concerned by this (that it looked like coffee grounds), so I called the surgical resident on call at OSU who said to go to an ER asap, which I did. Unfortunately, I live about an hour away from OSU, so I went to my local ER in the "country." I explained what had happened, and the ER doc took some blood and X-rays. The doctor said the blood work and X-rays looked good, except I looked a bit constipated??? Not that I wanted to be scoped, but how can the doctor tell whats going on with me on the inside (bleeding, etc) by just that? Should I get a 2nd opinion on this? Also, what can I take for constipation? Thats never been a problem before, either. Thanks for any advice! I am clueless (thankfully) about this kind of thing! Jenny

Jenny, Any bypass patient who is throwing up coffee grounds should be scoped. Frequently this is an ulcer at the pouch-intestine connection. Unless it's ongoing, it's an elective thing, though. Good luck, Dr. C The Deaconess Surgical Weight Loss Center Cincinnati, Ohio (513) 559-2545