Unexplained Abdominal Pain

So I had my RNY in August. Things have been wonderful for the most part. So far I've lost 111lbs, work out 3-4 times a week. Nothing has made me sick, I've never had any tolerance issues. I've taken the gall bladder medicine for the first six months as instructed by my surgeon.

The only problem I've experienced is a random abdominal pain. The pain is always centralized in my abdomin between my breast bone and belly button. It's a sharp shooting stabbing pain which sometimes can radiate through the whole abdomin

My surgery was August 10th

In October the pain first started. Called surgeon and went for CTscan. Pain was gone by the time I got into the CTscan and the results were ok.

November another attack of the pain. Went to ER waited 7 hours in pain never saw a doctor. Pain eventually stopped so I left. Next day I called my surgeon he adviced me to go back to the ER even though there was no pain. Blood work and CTscan normal. He kept me over night and did an upper EGD the next day to check for ulcers. No ulcers found.

Late November another trip to ER in pain. CTscan and blood work normal. Surgeon now suggests a diagnostic laperoscopy. I schedule the surgery.

December 27th two days before the scheduled surgery, the pain hit me worse then ever. Call surgeon tells me to go to ER. By the time I got to the ER the surgeon had a room ready for me. I went into emergency surgery that evening. He found an internal hernia repaired it and an adhesion.

Two weeks after emergency surgery. Pain comes back. Call surgeon tells me to go to ER. Sit in ER for four hours, pain goes away. I decide to stay and see a doctor anyway. CTscan and blood work normal. Next day I see my surgeon. He sends me for ultra sound and HIDA scan of gall bladder. Both tests come back normal.

Last Thursday another follow up with surgeon from emergency surgery. That morning a mild case of pain. Told him at appointment. Doesn't think further testing will show anything, and apprehensive to do more surgery. Wants to wait and see. Has me calling in and giving weekly up dates.

Last night the worst attack of pain to date. Pain was unbearable. Had me on the ground on hands and knees. Hurt to walk, hurt to walk, hurt to breath, hurt to ride in a car. No fever, no nausea, no vomiting. The pain felt like my insides were being ripped apart. With even more intense periodic spasms that radiated around to my back. Went to ER, tried to stress the importance of getting the testing done while I'm actually experiencing the pain. Begged for pain meds. Was denied. Dumped in the waiting room for 2.5 hours. Pain went away so I finally left.

Called surgeon again this morning.

Sorry so long... Does anyone who has experienced gall bladder issues think this sounds like a gall bladder issue?

I'm so frustrated, stressed, angry, depressed. This WLS has been great with the exception of this annoyance. I just want answers and I want it resolved.

Nobdy really wants to touch this cuz it's medical.

I can tell you that my DIL had this awful pain you speak of. After I asked her about 100 questions, I was aiming toward the IH or small bowel obstruction thinking, but then, she had a few symptoms that didn't fit that. And her doc was blowing her off.

She finally INSISTED on further testing and she had an abscess that was growing, touching more areas.

Now, the abscess is no one's fault. The fact that she went 60 days like that made me put a hit on her doc, right? (No, don't know his name).

Your doc is ALL OVER this with you, and I'm making a note of HIS name to put on my Good Guy list. Ask him to check for an abscess or other thing that might follow post-surgery. It takes a lil while to develop, not the next day. The pain strikes with or without food, it made her nauseated. But things went in and came out ok and in fine order..

I can't say, but with all the literature out there, there is very little reported on abscess. Lots on internal hernias now, and other kinds of bowel obstructions. So, ask him to look for the unexpected.

I have heard of people having exploratory surgery for hernias, obstructions and adhesions and with a few days or weeks, needing another surgery because the pain comes back. And sure enough, there is another obstruction or twisted intestines.  Things can happen really fast.  Don't let up on it.  These things don't show up on CT scan.  I had severe adhesions and twisted intestines for months and it wasnt' found until they went in for exploratory surgery.  Luckily my pain went away.

If they did a sonogram and HIDA scan, then it isn't your gallbladder.

If the pain doesn't subside, you may need more surgery.

I must say my surgeon has been absolutey amazing and actually makes me feel like he is concerned.

He's trying to rule everything out as much as possible before performing more surgery if it's not totally necessary.

The pain is so friggin random.

I though bowel kink on obstruction to but I never get nausious or vomit and that always seems to be tall tale signs of those.

I've had bowel movemnts during the pain without a problem too.

It's all very strange.

When he did the exploratory surgery he examined everything from my pouch down to my appendix. In fact he said everything from the surgery looked perfect.

When I had my kinked bowels, I had no nausea, no vomitting and problems with my bowels.  Just on and off sharp pain and tons of burning pain.  I had a combination of adhesions, a twisted bowel and a 1 inch hole in the intestines, so the burning was from fluids leaking.

I had the pain - on and off - had a cat scan, etc, etc,   long story short - they took GB out and fix a hernia and untwisted the intestines. 
2 weeks after surgery - the pain hit again. Same as before. Strong, bad ... twisting me, putting me on my knees on the floor with my head on the floor - the pose referred to "child pose in yoga" Could not talk. I too 2 pain pills.  Call the doc,  but since surgery was so recent - I did not wanted to go back to ER.  Finally the pain went away after a few hrs (and a few pain pills).  next 10 months the pain was coming back and forth.  There for 1 week, gone for 2-3 weeks.  Then back again.  It felt like another hernia - obstruction.  A cat scan of course did not show anything... like the first time.  My doc wanted to operate - but I was still hoping that maybe we do not have to.   So I decided to wait and see.   Eventually - the pain got very frequent.  Almost every time I ate more "solid" foods.   So I called the doc and got another surgery... 2.5 hrs- he found another hernia + twisted stuff.  Fixed that good.  Now - am I pain free? not really.  This time I think I have an ulcer.  or something.  But the pain is maybe 1-2 on a scale to 10. And only some days. So - I can live with that.  If anything - probably adhesions.  By now - I had 3 abdominal surgeries, I would be surprised if I did not have adhesions....

Hmm wondering too what this may be?? Here is my story. Anyone PLEASE respond if you may know...

I am having some recent issues and have no idea what could be wrong. It started on Wednesday night, I had terrible stabbing pains in my right upper abdomen. I am over one year post-op with roux-en-y. I have lost a total of 157 lbs and and now weigh in at 155. (About my history I suffered with severe stricture to the opening of my pouch and had a total of 8 EGD balloon dilations up until my 8th month post-op. Since then I have been able to eat solids just fine. I had a tummy tuck 10 weeks ago and my stomach has healed very well.
I had the attack on Wednesday and Thursday went in to the ER for the severe stabbing pains. I was told that I most likely pulled a muscle and was given Bentyl a stomach muscle relaxer and Tylenol then sent home. That same evening Thursday I had another terrible attack and went back in to the ER. They did more bloodwork and performed a CT scan. I drank 500 mL of the special cool-aide. They said everything was fine and sent me home with Zantac and Zohfran for nausea and heartburn. I again had another attack Friday night and went to the ER Saturday (early this morning). They performed x-rays of my upper abdomen and told me it was fine. BUT apparently the kool-aid/barium lit up in the x-ray screen and they diagnosed me with constipation since none of it has passed through my system. I have had the kool-aid done twice before for previous CT scans and it always gave me severe dumping. However this time it didn't I feel extremely bloated and burning. I do not have a fever but am concerned of an intestinal bloackage or impacted bowel as I have heard that this is common for us to develop. Very worried! I have already taken two strong laxatives and now I am waiting to see if anything will pass. The doctor said that my intestines are sluggish. I am passing gas but otherwise just waiting as I have not had a bowel movement since Wednesday. However the attacks started on Wednesday and that morning I had a ribbony BM that became loose diahrea at the end. So I am very concerned and would appreciate any advice I can get whatsoever.

I had the pain off and on, did the MRI's and CTscans with no results. Ended up in an operation and it turned out that I had scar tissue that "glued" my bowels to my abdomin. Been out of hospital a week, feel hella better!!

I am almost three years out and had the pain of which you speak in the middle of the night last Wednesday (today is Sunday).  Suffered for 6 hours and went to ER.  Told doc about my RNY and he did a CT scan and found I had intussusception of the small bowel.  The intestine had telescoped into itself.  Two hours later a lap sugery to pull it out of itself and voila, I am feeling tons better.  Don't know how rare/common this is, as I have had mixed messages from fellow WLSers on the subject.  Sometimes they say the intussusception can correct itself, which may be why nothing shows up on your CT scans...other things I have read say the CT scans sometimes miss this condition, but they are visible on xray.

hope you find the cause soon!  sounds like you have a good doc in your corner.

this sounds like the pains i had . I wound up having a bowel obstruction and my intestine wound up tearing because i was throwing up for four days. I had my repair but few days later an absess developed and i had to return for four days of iv antibiotics. I feel good now got out last monday and feel fine since my blockage repair. The way the RNY is rounted makes testing unreliable unfortunatly the scope and surgery is the only way to find out. I hope all goes well.
good luck
Diana