Tummy Troubles 3 Years Post RNY - Advice Welcomed on Mystery Pain?

Hello All!

I am posting on this form rather than the Surgery Complication forum since it does not look very active. I am hoping that someone out there Post-RNY may be able to help me with my stomach pain or have experienced them and found a cure for them. (although I wouldn't wish these on anyone!)

My Symptoms Include:

Stabbing, excruciating pain, brings me to tears doubled over in pain, twisting from top of rib cage to all along left side (worst pain in my life worse than child birth and prior kidney stones)

can't breath or catch my breath (I try to breath/groan through it)

sometimes a bit of nauseous (not always) and maybe some burping - some stomach clear liquid (tastes like water) in mouth so I spit it out,  and loud gurgling of liquids in lower left stomach area resulting in several bowel movements

after it all ends - I have the shivers and shakes, get extremely tired and lose 3 - 4 lbs

Then I feel normal after I have finished all bowel movements

I do not have to force the bowel movements out as the pain and cramps eliminate them on their own.  I am not constipated, so it seems?  So it seems strange to go to the bathroom so much in one day. The pain is very debilitating since I can't leave the house when it starts from the extreme pain and have to stick close to the washroom.  I couldn't make it to the hospital as I can't stand up to drive or even sit in a vehicle.  I never know when it will come on, sometimes I may get a stabbing pain the day or two prior and then the next day I get all the bowel movements.  Sometimes I feel this is a warning that the bad pain will come soon. Usually it comes on without warning.

I have increased fibre, drink tons of water, monitored food (sometimes I haven't eaten anything just drank water).  The food I have eaten is different each time or sometimes the pain comes on just after drinking water when I wake up.  I tried a dairy free diet and it didn't make a difference.  This is definitely not dumping syndrome either.

RNY Doctor has operated 3 times since RNY (twice he found Petersen hernia and repaired it, 3rd time he just explored and found nothing).  I have had CT scans, gastroscopy, colonoscopy, and he found no ulcers or anything abnormal.  Gallbladder was removed years ago.  RNY Doc has sent me onto a Gastroenterologist Doc who has no clue what it is other than IBS symptoms and put me on anti spasm drug for the intestines called Buscopan and told me to take Align.  He asked me if RNY Doc possibly cut my vagus nerve.  I have no idea and was never told that happened.  I just wonder at this point why the pain still mimics the Petersen hernia pain yet there apparently is now no hernia (or is there one hiding still?)

I don't drink booze, don't drink coffee or tea (if caffeine is bad) smoke or do drugs...I know I am pretty boring...I am healthy other than this and reached past their goal weight HW -325, CW now 144.  

Thanks for listening folks and looking forward to your input....Clare Anne

This sounds horrible and I'm so sorry you are going through this. No advice, except to say: would your insurance cover somewhere like Cleveland Clinic? Perhaps someone who would dig a bit deeper?

Hello Chassibi

I am from Ontario, Canada and have OHIP Provincial Insurance along with some private from my husband's work but it won't to cover the Cleveland Clinic.  Funny I was just reading on their web site about Vitamins that you shouldn't take in excess.  I have heard from my Sister In Law that lives in the U.S. that the health care she receives is better than when she lived here in Ontario and that when you have a medical issue, that it gets resolved in hours to a couple of days and not weeks or months like in Canada. 

Thanks for your input!

Clare Anne

First off, I wouldn't call you boring-I'd call you a model post-op. Awesome job on the weight loss and maintaining it. 

The pain, to me, sounds like "gallbladder going bad" pain, but...you're sans the little bugger, and I'm guessing nothing relating to a blockage of the common bile duct was found. 

It could be a partial intestinal blockage. I had similar pains-almost felt gallbladderesque-for months, but was still regular. I thought it was just "oh..gotta go!" pains because I felt better after I went. ( sorry if that's TMI ) I got really bloated after a few months of that, and I eventually had a CT scan and was full of -and I mean literally full of crap. ( again sorry for TMI ) My intestines were distended, and not just mildly. If you've been cleared of that problem ( so to speak ) then...I have no idea. I only had a very minor incisional hernia, and I never even felt pain from it, so can't speak of other types of hernias.

You can get a surgery report. It should clue you in on the vagus nerve being cut or not. I have no idea how to obtain one, so hopefully someone else here can help you with the info. I'd say the hospital would have it, but I've never tried to get mine. ( wouldn't be a bad idea if I did. ) Hope my info isn't faulty. I try not to go into advice regarding things of which I am clueless. 

I hope you can find out what's causing the pain and get relief. 

Thank you so much Audrey for taking the time to read my detailed problem and responding.  I am beginning to wonder if it was a partial blockage as well.  The one time that I did manage to get to the hospital they only saw minimal waste in me (too much TMI) because by that time it was mainly emptied. That gives me something to think about next time I have my 3 month follow up with the Gastro specialist.  Do you know what would cause a blockage?  Would it be scar issue from the RNY?  Or is it just that some of us just don't completely empty?  

I truly appreciate your input from you or anyone else that has experienced this.

Clare Anne

Aw well...no problem at all. 

For me, the blockage was a combo of not enough fluids, and using fiber supplements when I was unknowingly backed up. My surgeon told me that fiber can make constipation worse, as it can add bulk to already bulky stuff. She recommended ceasing benefiber, and mixing a 7 oz bottle of Miralax with water and chugging it as quickly as I could. ( it still took me 3 hours or so. ) After that, I had to have two capfuls a day until "ze magic" occurred. Four days later, I was singing Handel's Hallelujah Chorus. ( TMI again ) I now use a capful in my morning coffee...every morning. She to,d me to add fiber back in slowly. (I haven't used fiber supplements since. I guess I'm fiber shy. Again, this is what works for me...YMMV.) I make sure I'm getting 80-90 oz of hydrating fluids a day and I incorporate healthy fats into my diet. 

This was my experience...another person may not have had a blockage happen to them the same way. ( I would also not do any of the above without discussing it with your doctors, of course. )

Sounds like IBS -D.. Yea it sucks. You -D indicates IBS with diarrhoea... It sucks . 

Google SIBO and LowFODMAP diet. Get tested for food allergies.  Avoid food you allergic to. Grains, foods high in FODMAP ... Etc... 

I have IBS-C . it sucks.  But with a very careful diet - I can control my symptoms.  I can get really bad pain. But most of the time I do great most of the time. 

Thanks for the info, I will have to Google the special diet.  I did get tested for allergies just recently and am not allergic to anything other than peaches and almonds.  Is IBS something common that we develop after RNY surgery?  It seems weird to suddenly develop this in my 50's when I never had any issues like this before.  

Thanks for you help.

Clare Anne

When I had really bad pain it was a blockage due to dehydration.  It was resolved without surgery with IV fluids and hospitalization for almost a week .  So sorry you're going through  this - it sounds terrifying . But ots better  to know .. and be able to treat whatever is ailing you . 

Sometimes I wonder if that what it is that I really have to double my water from 2 litres to 4 litres.  I have found that after an extremely active day  that I am out and about and possibly don't drink the water I should, that I can get these pains.  What I do and it probably seems silly (and it seems to help) is bring water into the washroom with me while I am having these painful episodes and flush out my intestines quicker.  Although the pain has been intense the last 3 times but not so excruciating.   

It is such a guessing game....

Thanks for your thoughts on this!  I appreciate it!

Clare Anne