Possible Internal hernia?

Hi All. I had lap RNY January 5, 2009, have gone from 242 to 135. All has been great until November when I was walking thru the grocery store and out of no where I got the most horrible pain, below my breast bone, kind of a burning ache and into my back. It lasted about 15 minutes and went away as fast as it came on.  NO more pain until this week. Waiting in a restaurant (had not eaten) had a sip of iced tea and the pain began. Slowly at first, then it came on with a vengence. I couldn't stand, sit or anything. This time it was so bad I began sweating and thought it might be a heart attack as the pain traveled to my upper back. My husband took me to the ER, where they ran cardiac enzymes and other blood tests, as well as an EKG and followed up with a cardiac stress test.  They could not find anything wrong with me, especially since the pain subsided completely after I got there (figures)  I did find out that I passed all the cardiac tests withflying colors and was told I have the heart of an athelete though! :)

I called Monday morning to my surgeons office where the RN told me it sounded like an internal hernia, and that she would run it by my surgeon to have a CT and possible endoscopy ordered.  I haven't heard back as of yet, but after reading everything about the internal hernia, I'm worried sick at how dangerous it is.  My pains don't seem to be associated with eating (both times I have not eaten within 3 hours of the pain) have had no bowel related problems.  Has anyone else had this type of sudden VERY painful pain that subsides as fast as it comes on?  Thank you.

You're not alone on this one.

I've had all the tests in the world and doctors' can't diagnose anything.  One of the times I was in ER, the ER nurse told me she's seen my symptoms with others in her 10 year career and basically I may experience a bad episode of dumping.

My surgeon thinks I may have a very small "kink"...internal hernia.  All tests including the CT scan and contrast test has not been able to detect it.

I began experiencing pain exactly one year after surgery.  Today, I'm doing so much better and have gained a few pounds which is good because I dropped too much weight.  I truly feel that I dump pretty bad....Bad enough that I'm in the ER crying and yelling because it hurts!  Again, my episodes are not that frequent but I'm careful how much I eat and what I eat....I've learned to deal and live with it. 

I hope they find a solution for you and that they quickly fix you up because it's not fun running around appt after appt and spending $$$ in ER.  Good luck!

Oh boy, you can't get an answer either huh. Well, the nurse case manager called a few minutes ago and said the surgeon thinks it is pancreatitis, um, I don't drink and don't have a gallbladder, so now I'm stumped. They will do a CT scan, but like you, if they do it without symptoms occuring at the same time, a hernia is hard to diagnose. I don't dump very often, and I know what to stay away from (cream of wheat makes me dump bad) and have really had no problems since surgery so this has me mystified for sure. Thanks for the response, and good luck to you too.

My pain has come up even without eating....It is frustrating at times.  Like you said, if they don't catch it while it's happening, the test is no use....

Continue to speak up when you're in ER because we're our own advocates and sometimes hospital staff don't have a clue....I've experienced that myself where my wife has to tell them the run down as to what's happening, test I've gone through, etc.

 I experienced the same symptoms you are describing.  I went to see my GP  *****ferred me back to my surgeon.  I was 2 years out and went from 265 down to about 125 ( I had actually lost weight d/t the sx)  I was very weak.  Felt like crap...thought it was my b12 and Iron which were low but ended up not being the problem.  I saw my surgeon, Dr. Lord.  He's wonderful.  He told me he thought I had an internal Hernia ( Petersen's hernia)  I thought maybe an ulcer because of the way the pain was under my breast bone and radiated through to my back.  The pain was intermittent and I tend to second guess myself.  He told me because I had lost more than 100% of my weight, it was more than likely an internal Hernia.  He said it could be life threatening and the next time I experienced the pain, I was going under the knife.  I told him to just schedule the surgery because I second guess myself all the time.  He did and I did have an internal Hernia.  Felt better almost immediately.  Good luck to you.  Educate yourself.  If it's intermittent, a CT scan would probably not be any use.

Hi,
CT Scans are rarely helpful for us, unfortunately.  Many of the problems that we can develop seem to only be detected by a clinical diagnosis, most tests will be normal.  Sadly, it can come down to getting the right eye to see it or be suspicious of it.  I'm updating my blog today, and I have had many problems, and even had my RNY reversed, and then tuned up after that just a few weeks ago.  Good luck, and be vigilant! If you think something is wrong, listen to your body, and believe in yourself :)

I have had 2 internal hernias. One of them caused a complete small bowel obstruction. The pain did come on suddenly without warning, before I had the complete obstruction it was intermittant and woul last anywhere from 2-12hrs, not unbearable pain, but VERY uncomfortable. The bowel obstruction was near unbearable pain and nearly instant nausea and vomiting.
Your pain does sound like it could be pancreatic pain and if the docs found your pancreatic enzymes elevated that is probably why they are thinking that is the cause. You don't have to have a gallbladder or be a drinker to have pancreatitis...there can even be a genetic cause. A friend of mine has it and they have been unable to determine any cause for it. Hopefully, in your case a treatable cause will be found and hopefully resolved. Best of luck!

IM SO SORRY!

I have the exact exactttttttttt pain. Internal hernia 10 % of gastric bypass patients get it. I was the lucky one not 1 time but now i have one again....


Its super hard to find. They did over 20 test and gave up and did exploratory surgery on me. That what they found. But now im getting a run around since they did more test and nothing shows .. i have a new dr and they wont open me up again since they cant prove it...

Its exactly the same pain as before. Its horrible! Im so sorry! Best of luck

Jan, I already had an internal hernia and it does sound like that is what it is.  Mine came on after 15 months post op.  I had outpatient surgery and was good for awhile.

Although my pain at that time was so bad that I went straight to the ER, I am again having this same pain again.

It isn't everyday, but when it comes on, the pain is in my back, I hyperventilate, feel like I am having a heart attack, it's gone after 5 minutes but I actually have to get on all fours....it's like I'm popping something back where it needs to be inside.  I know what you are talking about, you can't do anything at all and it is very very scary.  I need to go back and have them check, but the finances have kept me from it.  I've had this off and on for the past year.  Anyway, keep us updated, because I am concerned I have another internal hernia.  Thanks

  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!