Internal Hernia

I just had 2nd internal hernia surgery on 12/15/04. I want to give you my information so that I could help someone who has the same problem. I had my a lap RNY on 2/4/02. It's almost 2 years ago. I'm at my goal and lost about 100 lb. About one year ago, I suffered an unknown server abdominal pain. My husband took me to ER and GI doctor was called for my problem. He wanted to keep me over night and do the endoscopy but (believe or not) my 2 years old son decided to have a seizure right there when I was getting ready to move to a hospital room. It was scary thing. Well, to make a story short, my son was okay to leave but I didn't want to stay in the hospital, I went home with my son. Therefore, I didn't get the test or the treatment at the hospital. I was able to go see my surgeon who did my a Lap RNY. Meanwhile, I've done so many testing, c-scan, Hita, ultrasound, small bowl series, you name it, I've done. Nothing showed on any tests. In Jan, 04, my surgeon decided to do an exploratory lap surgery to see what was going on inside, he suspected that I have internal hernia. Internal Hernia is basically my own intestine can loop up and another part of the intestine can go through the loop and strangle each other. It's like it can get tangled, twisted and struggled. It could be a life threaten problem. Well, supposedly, he fixed it. I was pain free for 5 months then almost the same pain came back. I was hospitalized immediately. However, this time, my doctor thought I have an ulcer that developed on one of my staples. GI doc was recommended by my surgeon and GI doc found the huge ulcer. I was released from the hospital with some medication. I was to follow up with my GI doctor but the pain attack didn't seem to me that I just had an ulcer. GI doctor decided to do the colonoscopy. He concluded that I have IBS (Irritable Bowl Syndrome.) I just could not believe that I just have IBS. I understand that the pain could be very severe with IBS but I felt that wasn't it. I went to 2nd opinion. 2nd GI doctor decided to do the endoscopy. He found nothing but a good news, my ulcer was gone. He gave me some medication for stomach and intestine spasm. He said to come in again, when I have the pain attach. I had a few mild pain attack but nothing major like I felt it before until late November, 04. This pain was, I really can't explain. I really thought my life was done. I was on our living room floor faced down, throwing up because of the pain, praying not to take me away from my kids and my husband. If the giving a birth to a child rates level 10 pain scale, this was 20. The ambulance was called. While I was at ER, there was no treatment except the pain medication thru IV to control my pain. Once my pain attack was gone, I was released since c-scan (again) showed NOTHING. They told me to follow up with my GI doc. Well, I saw my 2nd opinion GI doc and he had more information about this problem since I saw him last (Aug, 04). He had a patient came to him two weeks ago, had same a lap RNY surgery, have lost over 100lb. He did the endoscopy on her and found that her intestine was all black, it means a part of her intestine has die due to the strangulation caused by Internal Hernia. He felt that I'm having the same problem, except I've been very lucky that my intestine can get twisted and tangled but always untwisted and untangled. He has recommended me to go see the one of the best surgeons in Southwest Memorial Hospital. He suggested not to go to my RNY surgeon. Well, I just had a surgery on 12/15. He found that my intestine was all tangled up in one place where a lap rny has created the space. He went in and untangled and placed it in the best he could. He also said that he can not guaranty 100% that it won't come back. I know my message is very long but if you want to talk to me about this problem and you may be having the same problem. Please email me. I'm getting better from the surgery. I'm up and doing my everyday things. Thanks for listening..... P.S. I don't regret having a lap Rny surgery, even thought I went through the problem.

My surgery was march, 1999. last year I had my gallbladder out and a Internal Hernia. They say my intestines are having spasms. My bile is not moving down like it should. So if I eat twice in one day and don't take laxitives to empty me out I have severe stomach pains. I have to take pain pills all the time, I am having the colon scope done friday.