XP - Severe bloating... anyone had this problem

I had my RNY 10/07 and LBL in late Nov 2009.  About 3 months later I started to notice that about 1-2 hours after I eat lunch or dinner I get really bloated.  This may have been happening before the LBL and I just didnt' notice it as much since there was more skin to expand in, but now it is very uncomfortable and getting more frequent.  I have made dietary changes with no resolution and I' take GasX which helps very little.  I finally called the surgeon who did my RNY and my colon cancer surgery.  He scheduled me for a colonoscopy and an endoscopy for Monday.  It was time for the colonoscopy anyway as a follow up for the cancer.  I have never had an endosocopy before and dread that part.  Hopefully I'll have enough happy drugs that I won't know whats going on... 

Anyway, have any of you had this type of bloating and what did you do for it?

Thanks, Alice

My dad was a surgeon and specialized in colon resections and surgery for colon cancer. How long ago was your cancer surgery? Gas and bloating can be a symptom of a colon tumor causing a blockage. A pattern of gas and bloating may be an indication that a tumor is growing in the colon and occasionally causing a blockage. This is because even if the tumor isn't large enough to cause a bowel obstruction on its own, stool may periodically get hung up on the tumor while it's passing by. Thereby, it causes a temporary bowel obstruction. While the bowel is blocked and air is trapped, bloating occurs. This is because air is trapped in a confined space and presses on the walls of the colon. I'm glad your doctor is being proactive and doing an endoscopy and colonoscopy on Monday - it sounds like he's doing all the right things.

You are in all my prayers! I'm hopeful this is gastric bypass related and not the other.

In answer to your question, I do sometimes have heavy bloating post-gastric bypass. I typically don't do anything for it and try to stay away from things like Gas-X because my dad taught me to be careful about masking symptoms where your body might be trying to tell you something important.

I am betting this is just normal post-gastric bypass bloating (sometimes my stomach gets just huge).

But all my prayers are with you!!!!!

Thanks for the reply.  My colon cancer was found in April 2008, 6 months after the RNY.  It was a small carcinoid tumor and the resection was all I needed.  My surgeon for the RNY was the same one for the cancer so I feel very comfortable with him.  Carcinoid tumors grow slowly but they tend to show up throughout the digestive system, so that is always in the back of my mind.  I hope he finds something that is causing these problems.  I had a stricture in the colon where the surgery was performed and had to have it stretched 6 times over a 5 month period after the surgery.  Anyway, I guess Monday maybe I'll know something. 

Have a great day and thanks for the prayers!

Alice

Hey Alice!

You know - a stricture would cause the same bloating a tumor would, for the same reason. You are in all my thoughts and prayers~!
Kit

Just last week I came across a blog from someone that had severe bloating starting at 9 weeks post abdominoplasty - this is the direct link: http://www.rf06.com/index.php/my-story/plastic-surgery.html

Also, don't fret regarding the endoscopy - you won't know a thing. In my experience the colonoscopy was a much bigger pain in the a$$ - pun intended.