3 weeks post op, terrible pain when I try to eat, left side pain & swelling.

Has anyone had terrible pain in their chest/upper abdomen when you try to eat about 3-4 weeks post op? I called the doctor, and all they said was to get an endoscopy that it sounds like a "stricture of the anamastosis". Is this the narrowing of the stoma that I heard about? Is it painful to have it dialated? Can this problem happen repeatedly? I feel like I will never eat solid food again at this point and am very discouraged. The whole 3 week recovery period was extremely painful. I am still unable to sleep on my side and the left side is still swollen. Anyone have any info/advice?

Hi Maureen! I can understand what your going through! Cheer up it will get better. My surgery was on Dec. 7th, and I too had alot of pain on my left side. I went back to ER after being discharged and they decided I had a pulmonary inflamation. It was pain each time i took a breath. There was nothing they could do for it except give it time to calm down. Then at 3 weeks post op, I too started having pains with my meds and food. I was taken back in for an Endoscopy and they did dialate a stricture. Don't worry you don't feel a thing! It's a breeze! However, YES, it can and does happen again, as I just had it done again on Thursday.... 6 weeks post op! After first one I was back on liquids as I continued with probelms and dehydration. But this time I actually ate dinner that night! Soft moist foods! I'm hoping to get back on track with regular food soon! Last night I did eat off a chinese buffet... had a couple pieces of chicken and broccoli and some crab salad! so that's an improvement! So HANG IN THERE! I know I lay down alot of scar tissue and I'm anticipating seeing my gastro doc in another three weeks!!!!!!!!!! Good Luck to you.... you may be lucky an this will be the only time! Pat

Thanks Pat, I went yesterday for endoscopy and they dialated the stricture. But I am continuing to have some pain when I drink. I will probably have to have this done again in a couple of weeks. I was barely eating the pureed food and now I am back on liquids, so I am kind of depressed. I cannot imagine ever being able to eat a piece of meat or chicken. Hopefully this won't last long. Were you sore after the first dilation? Pain in side is getting better, but still can't lie on my side, which was problematic with the endoscopy. Had to just deal with it hurting. Does your left side feel normal yet? And how long does swelling in abdomen last? I had lap RNY. Thanks again, Maureen

Don't worry.... it will get better... even though it may not seem like it right now. As for the pain in the left side... Mine was pulmonary inflamation (Stabbing pain when I took a breath)and I'd say it took about three weeks to go away. I couldn't lay flat or stand up straight. I slept on the couch propped up and that was fine. Even after that cleared I still had a discomfort in left side for another week. It was just tender. Surgeon said that was the suture in the larger insicion. They had prewarned us that we would have that discomfort for 4 - 6 weeks. It also has gone now. When they dialated my stricutre at three weeks I too was back to fluids only. I slowly worked my way back to soft foods about a week afterwards. I had nausea during that week post the dialation. Two weeks later I started having problems with meds causing pain again,,,, then some foods were coming back up. Hence the second dialation. You will get pain from liquids if you drink too fast or take too big of gulps so watch out for that. I was dialated again on Thursday and tonight I ate Meatloaf, mac & Cheese and Grn Beans at Boston Market! I ate half of a child portion and it all stayed down! SO THERE IS HOPE! So... Pain is gone from my side, I had abdonminal pains with IBS problems when i was dehydrated, but five bag of fluids and that was solved. I have a hard time getting in the liquids and absorbing them! So make sure you keep pouring in those liquids even if you can't eat! I'm also sleeping in bed again! There is light at the end of the tunnel. It's not unusual to have the dilation more than once. I am anticipating having to go back in a few weeks myself... however, I did not feel sick at all after this second dialation and I was right back to eating foods at the same stage I had worked up to previously! Good luck... let me know how you do, Pat

My surgery was Jan 10th. On my one month "anniversary" I started getting real bad chest pains and cramps. I called the Dr's office and they said I probably irritated the pouch and to go back to purees for a couple of days. It's been two days now and so far no improvement. I'm gonna call them back on Monday and see what they say. From everything I've seen and read this sounds like a stricture and the balloon may be in my future. I don't mind because this really hurts. I have a friend who had it done at about 6 or 7 weeks out and she said she felt 100% better the very next day. Which seems to be the general consensus...so for me the sooner the better.

Yes, sounds like it may be a stricture. Once they open it up you'll feel better.... however... this may happen again! I've now had it done FOUR TIMES! Three times in three weeks! The original stomach opening is a size of 15. My opening was down to an 8, gastro doc opened it to a 9, next week his partner did it again and opened it back to a 9 again.... he told me to come back within a week for another one until they could work it back up to a 15! My surgeon called me the next day and said that was ridiculous.... he took me back in hospital as I was also in starvation mode and dehydrated. He had his gastro doc dialate me with him present so he could see what was going on .... they dialated me from an 8 (4 days after last procedure) to a 10, then a 12 and finally a 14! I spent five days in hospital and then was released so I could attend a family trip that was planned. I made it all the way to the following Wed. before I started throwing up and getting a "heavy feeling" from food! So.... it's getting better! It would be nice if I knew when this would end.... I'm over two months post op and stuck in the SOFT MOIST DIET WORLD!!!! I've been back to liquids Three times! I see from other postings that there are some people that are prone to scar tissue and I just must be one of them! Wish me luck.... As for the Endoscopy... it's a breeze... so don't be afraid to do it... and it will make the pain go away! GOOD LUCK! Pat