Extreme Pain Every Time I Eat

Hi All,
So, I'm new to the forum and desperately hoping someone here can help. I had RNY 6 years ago and had my first son 2 years ago. The last pregnancy went pretty smooth except for the last week in which i started having excruciating pain in my stomach all the way through to my back every time I ate. So, at that point because I wasn't able to eat anything even shakes they decided to induce labor a week early.

I'm happy to say that I'm now 24 weeks pregnant again with another precious little boy. Unfortunately though the pain I experienced with my last pregnancy is starting again but obviously much earlier. It started a week ago and I've not been able to eat a single meal without excruciating pain since. What's worse is that the pain continues even when I'm not eating.

I talked to my OB and she said she didn't know enough about my entirely realigned system and that I should really talk to my surgeon. I called my surgeon to see if they have had anybody present the same problem and they said they couldn't help me unless I came to see them. The problem with that is I live in New Mexico and my surgeon is in Colorado. There are NO gastric bypass surgeons anywhere in the state of New Mexico! So, I guess I'll be having to make a trip to Colorado but I was just wondering if there was anyone out here that has had the same problem that might have suggestions for things to try. I'm desperate because it hurts so bad and I've already lost 5 pounds in the last week because I haven't been eating enough which of course worries me for the baby. If anyone has any input I would so appreciate anything you've got.

Thanks!
Andrea

do you still have your gall bladder?

No I wi**** were that easy. I had my gall bladder removed before I had the Rny. However, the pain is quite similar.

I had my gallbladder out in '01, RNY long after... and had a GB attack during this pregnancy.  OK, so the GB is gone, but there are little ducts that can get left behind that can still get inflammed, plugged, etc.  I wouldn't have believed it if A) it hadn't happend to me & B) I work on a surgical uint & have seen patients come back with the same thing.  I hope you find answers & relief!

I have been having the same problem! I told my surgeon that it feels like a gallbladder attack so I have a bunch of test this week! She made me feel crazy when I told her I wanted to make sure they took the gallbladder out!

I just wanted everyone to know that I had my gallbladder out 2 weeks before my RNY, but my last pregnancy I started having severe attacks again during the pregnancy.  I suffered through them because I assumes already having my gallbladder out that it couldn't be that.  Well as it ends up I had to have MAJOR surgery one month after having my daughter to clean out my bile duct which was almost 100% obstructed by tiny stones that did not show up on the MRI's as anything but dilation.  It was major surgery because they have to make an insicion through your bypassed portion of stomach and go in that way...was a 6 hour surgery and both my bypass surgeon and the gastro surgeon had to do it together.

Not trying to scare anyone just give info....if the attacks feel simliar to a gallblallder attack it could sitll be that and you need to be checked out.

Good luck!

(actually I'm going to repost this on the main site just for informational purposes)

-Jennifer

What is it called, so I can tell my surgeon.  I have a hidascan and an upper gi scheduled for this week! If it can't be found, then I can tell her to look into that!

I'm not sure what it's called other than having lots of debris and tiny stones backing up my bile duct.  My Upper GI and CTscan and MRI all just showed a constriction of the bile duct along with a dilation of it behind the constriction...which they found out was because the bile was basically backing up in the duct..causing the slight ballooning.  Apparently when they took my gall bladder out there might have been some scar tissue formed right at the bile duct that caused the slight constriction...which along with the debris caused the backup.  Apparently it is very common, but with our anatomy after the bypass it become a much more complicated issue.  Normally with this issue they would just use a ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography), which is just a fancy way of saying they go down your mouth into your bile duct with a scope while you are sedated and remove things that way...no cutting involved.  But since our system has been rerouted...it makes it almost impossible to do it that way...hence the major surgery.  

Just mention to your surgeon that you know of someone who showed slight constriction and dilation of the bile duct and it turned out that it was completely blocked.  Just so they have it in the back of their head when they look at your scans.

-Jennifer

Wow ladies you have been so helpful I'm glad I posted the question. I'm going to make an apt first thing tomorrow and will definitely be sure to mention this. Thank you all so much for your posts. To the other lady suffering I hope you find relief. Keep me posted on what happens.

Thanks again to all of you!