Surgery--Obstruction of small bowel

So, I went to the ER for pain in my stomach along the midline--very severe to the point I couldnt stand up. They tried sending me home saying X-Rays looked good and it just must be gas. I go back to the ER 2 months later for the same thing and once again they tried to tell me that everything looks good and it must be gas and to go home. I told them no and demanded a cat scan with contrast. The results came back that I had a small bowel obstruction and needed to be admitted right away. I was there for almost a week, everything seemed to be back to normal but I am home for only 2 weeks when the pain started again. Another trip to the ER and once again they said I was fine it was just gas and I could go home. I again demanded a cat scan with contrast and once again when the results came back they decided I did indeed need to be admitted. I was sent home a few days later on a clear liquid diet and was told I needed to see my surgeon right away. I was able to get into see my surgeon 2 days later and was told that the scar tissue from my open RNY caused a blockage and a resection of the small bowels would need to be done. I was scheduled for emergency surgery--open exploratory laparotomy and revision gastrojejunostomy. I have a 7 in*****icion right down the middle and am in excrusciating pain. I am pooping out pure blood and am on a liquid diet again. I am so thankful that I stood up for myself in the ER, I just wish this wasnt so painful--and I wish I could do more for myself as I feel helpless

I am a big time advocate of listening to your body.  If something doesn't feel right, call someone.  I've saved my own life as a result of knowing my body.

I hope you recover quickly.  I have had to have two obstructions operated on.  I get partial obstructions about every six weeks.  I used to have to be hospitalized, but since I am 7 years out I know the warning signs.  Mine are caused for two reasons.  One is from the scar tissue or multiple adhesions that I have wrapping around and kinking off my intestines.  The second is when my potassium drops too low due to prolonged diarrhea.

I wish you the best of luck!

Stephanie
Indianapolis, IN

Oh my god!  Ughhh....So sorry you had to deal with this.  I too have had pain and no tests can detect anything.  I don't have the pain as often but I just don't know when it's going to hit.

I know exactly what you're talking about regarding the pain...ughhhhh

sorry I had the same complications, gastric bypass on 11-3-08 and sm bowel obstruction on 11-13-09 then again on 01/8/10, whats next? Surgeon  now says this is cronic, so pain will come & go, even though I've lost 190 lbs, im sick from the obstruction surgery and recovery. I wish u well & hope we can find answers

I have had two internal hernias repaired after lap RNY. One caused a complete small bowel obstruction. I then had an infection in my surgical wound...I was off work for 12wks! Does the doc know you are pooping blood? Is that normal for your surgery? I never had anything like that, just a lot of pain. The pain from the obstruction was way worse than the post-op pain.
Hope you are feeling better soon...take care!

Wow I too have had the same small bowel obstruction and their thinkinng about reversing the bypass, but im still too weak for surgery I've lost all the weight except it worked too good  my current weight is 87 lbs, please pray for me and post anyy info on doctors that have done  reversals with success.

  I was having little aches on my lower left side for months but it just felt more like a kidney infection type feeling and it didn't HURT, and it would just come and go randomly for a second or two each time.
I also started having a 'lump in the throat' feeling that kept getting worse, even though I could still breathe and swallow fine, it just always felt like I had a golf ball in there that I needed to swallow to clear my throat.
I finally went to my surgeon and they did a CAT scan and he figured I had an internal hernia so we scheduled outpatient surgery to take care of it.
I ended up spending 4 days in the hospital because it turned out that I had scar tissue AGAIN on the exit hole of my stomach, AND my small intestine below my stomach exit was swollen to the size of an apple, blocked with food!
So they had to take care of both of those issues at once.
Now I'm having the same symptoms 2 weeks later and I think it's doing it again!
I'm constipated (going on 5-6 days now), smelly gas, the small aches in my stomach pouch area are back again (lower left side), and the lump in my throat feeling is back.
I do NOT want to have surgery AGAIN, but I'm guessing I probably will.

My advice is to see your surgeon ASAP and insist on at least a CAT scan or ultrasound and they can do 'exploratory' surgery like my surgeon did (and look what he found!).  Because there is SOMETHING wrong and they need to look in there and fix it before it's too late!