Stomach pain - advice?

Hey everyone.  I had my gall bladder removed on April 1st, and since then, I've occasionally had some stomach issues.  What happens is that I get this this strong pain across my stomach, kind of like a major cramp.  It goes all the way across my abs.  It lasts for 5-10 minutes, but then everything goes back to normal.  At first, it was happening once every other week or so, but lately, it's been happening every other day or so.  

There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it.  It most often happens in the middle of the night, when the pain wakes me up, and I have to get up and sit in my chair until it goes away.  But it has also happened in the middle of the day.  It doesn't happen after eating, and it doesn't happen after I've done any sort of work or anything.

I'm trying to get into my doctor, and I'm currently waiting to hear back on when my appointment will be, but I was wondering if anyone else has had anything like this.  

I haven't, and I had my gallbladder out 3 months post-op.

Doesn't really sound like an  ulcer, but everyone feels pain differently, right?

I had two ulcers, both times the pain was like gnawing severe hunger pains, and it stopped me in my tracks. It was right in the middle, but wouldn't really radiate like the gallbladder pain did. It would intensify...then fade.

Maybe there's a bile duct blockage?

Hope you get an appointment quickly and start to feel better!

My first thought was an ulcer, but it doesn't seem like it according to the symptoms I've read about online.  But who knows.

I just heard back from them, and they fit me in on Friday afternoon.  I don't think I need to go to emergency, and it should be okay to wait until then (I hope).

I hope so too, my friend!

Will swing poultry for ya.

When I had [pains like taht - for me it was hernia... and twisted guts....

or gas... are you full of it? about time you get really constipated.... specially with GB removed... You can have daily BM and still be constipated. I know - lived through it....

Good luck . I hope you don't have a stone they missed in your duct. 

I had similar pain and it was an internal hernia.  I found it happened more in certain positions and later after drinking.  It began as episodic and over 8 months progressed to agonizing pain that was finally delt with during exploratory surgery. 

I had CTscans, scopes and 3 MRI tests and nothing showed up.  Document the episodes, the position you were in and where exactly the pain is so you can explain in details when if you go to see someone about it.  This detailed info was what convinced my surgeon to operate on me.

I hope it isn't serious and it stops.  It could be gas pains which can hurt like a mother too!

Have you tried taking bile salts?

If the problem is caused by the inability to digest fat, bile salts may help.  I've had gall bladder issues for years, and taking a tablet of bile salts if my meal is a bit fatty helps to prevent pain. However, while the pain I experience is often in the middle of the night, it can last for hours, and it feels more burning than cramping. So it's different from yours...

Google " sphincter of Oddi "

I call these Phantom pains.  I've had them for years.  Have you eaten higher fat then normal?  Also spasms.  

Does food relieve the pain?

Thanks for the replies everyone.  My doctor actually called back later yesterday morning, and she fit me in yesterday afternoon.  She went through all sorts of checklists, and is kind of stumped.  She was worried that it might be a stone in the duct that was missed when my gallbladder was taken out.  

The surgeon *****moved my gallbladder is the same one that did my RNY, so he's pretty familiar with my guts.  I got a call from his office, and I'm going to go in and see him tomorrow.

It doesn't seem like an ulcer, it doesn't seem like a hernia, I'm pretty regular so I don't think it's constipation, it doesn't get any better or worse with any type of food (or lack of food).  It happens at different times of the day and night, sometimes after eating within half an hour, and others without eating for 9 hours.  The only thing I've been able to notice is that if it wakes me up in the middle of the night, it gets slightly better when I sit up rather than lay flat.  The longest the pain has lasted is about 10 minutes, and then it goes away and everything is fine.

My abs were pretty sore after my gallbladder was removed, so I thought that it was just because of that muscle pain, but it's been two months now, and it's starting to get more frequent.  Hopefully the surgeon can figure something out tomorrow.