GI Issues

Has anyone had to follow up with a GI doctor Post Op? I've been having INSANE GI Issues. Constant grumbling, rumbling, growling sounds. (people asking me if I am hungry, its so loud), an enormous amount of stinky gas, cramping, runny liquidy diarhea, just over all "yucky" feeling. It comes and it goes. My PCP was asking me a bunch of questions about my diet trying to figure out if I am eating something that is bothering me. I don't eat beef at all, fried foods or greasy foods. Normally we eat mostly chicken, turkey and tuna. I do have some steamed shrimp occasionally, but I dont eat the butter that comes with it. I'm still having the constant GI pain. Sharp pains near my incisions, dull pains on my sides, a poking feeling in my middle. I had a CAT Scan done in November, but my surgeon still hasn't called with the results. So my PCP is going to get a copy of it so she could look at it. Should I be seeing a GI Doctor? Every time I mention the pain to my surgeon, or I've called, him or his office staff swares up and down the pain was not caused by my surgery. Even though I am having sharp pains under or near my incisions. My surgeons office keeps telling me to see my PCP, my PCP thinks my surgeon should be handling this, since I didn't have the pain pre-op and my pain is close to incisions. After my PCP gets the CAT Scan results, she is going to refer me to a GI Doc if the pain continues, even if there is nothing abnormal on my CAT Scan. I'm just wondering if anyone who is post op has had to see GI Doc, I'd like to see one who actually knows what a post op RNY patient is supposed to look like. My PCP said she usually sends people to see Dr. Hornbuckle and I had a (non wls) friend who saw Dr Howerton for her gallbladder. But neither my PCP or my friend knows if either doc has ever treated Post Op RNY patients. My PCP is part of the EVMS Services and her office is near Norfolk General. I work off Military Hwy, and I can get to the Leigh Memorial area within a few minutes. I live in Chesapeake, so I wouldn't have a problem seeing a doc near Ches General or Maryview. So I don't really care where the doc is. Ijust would like to find one who has seen a post op before. Any suggestions? Leland

Is your surgeon in a private practice or affiliated with a hospital? If he is affiliated with a hospital ask to get an appointment with the chief surgeon, and in lieu of that person get an appointment with the medical Director. What you are going through is not normal, and certainly did NOT occur before your surgery, no? Don 't give up! Find someone to treat you! Lois

He has rights to practice at Maryview and Portsmouth Naval, but he doesn't actually work there. He is in with a surgical group of about 7 surgeons. Here is the kicker, my insurance stopped paying for GB. So once I hit 18 months, they no longer pay for follow up. I am 19 months! So I am thinking the GI doc might be the way to go. Since that would be covered. If something is wrong and I require some kind of corrective surgery the GI doc could do it I would think. My surgeon actually suggested that my pain could be my body telling me I have to poop. HELLO, my left side, 3 inches under my bra is NOT supposed to hurt when I have to go! I'm 31, I think I've figured out when I have to go by now!

Leland, I have the same issues, minus most of the pain. I gurgle, I slosh, I moan, all internally. Still the stinky gas, the diarhea, full toilet at each evacuation. I get pain ocassionally, but I know now that it's the gas trying to escape. I've learned to live with it, thinking it was just normal after surgery. But God knows, if they find something with you that can be fixed, PLEASE let me know. My poor husband has resorted to asking me to make sure I use the restroom and brush my teeth every time right before we make whoopie because all that gurgling and gas is not sexy. LOL. Hugs, Tonya

Well here's the weird thing, (as if anything about me is NOT weird), When I was where you are 6-8 months post op, I didn't have these issues. It started like around 10-11 months, and has progessively gotten worse. The noises are mostly a LOUD growling sound. If I had a dog I could blame the growling on the dog. I've had my boss walk by and say "eat something would ya, I heard you growling in the hallway" My biggest problem as a new pre op was the burping. I burped more than a drunk! Then after about 3 mos it calmed down and I would have some gas occasionally. Now its every day. Every night. It gets worse as the day goes on. Normally I need to be home by 9pm or else I start stinking up the room. It makes it hard to attend meetings, go shopping, or do anything that requires me to stay out late, because I just get really stinky! My PCP suggested the gas was from Protein Overload. So I think I am going to test her theory, and have a "carb" day where I go low on protein and see how I am. If I am still gassy, then that cant be it. I would hate to think all this protein is what is making me miserable! I know it has nothing to do with the pain, but I would love to know what is causing the pain. I actually feel like there is something inside me. When I sleep on my side or stomach I feel something metal poking me. It doesn't "hurt" but its uncomfortable. But they've done an ultrasound and a CAT Scan, and if there was something twisted or out of position, you think I would have heard of it by now! Leland

I know your frustration. I had bad pains last week so i called PCP. Told them i thought it was a pain on my ovary so they said the were full of flu patients, call the gyn. He did ultrasound and found nothing. He said give it a day or two and let him know. I called my surgeons office who said they were too full on clinic day Thursday, they sent order for CT scan. Gyn's order got their first. He finally called Friday afternoon at 4:30 to give me the results and wanted to know if could get white blood count. Needless to say it was too late an PCP office dont do them on Saturday. I spent all week in terrible pain but I did not want to go to ER. I feel like surgeons and PCPs will always tell you to go see the other on after thsi surgery. No one wants to deal w/ you. I had a GYN diagnosing Diverticulitis. The 2 antibiotics have given me diarehea since friday. Everything goes straight thru. My pain was on left side too in sigmoid colon from what i found in my own research on internet. Surgeon was supposed to have gotten the CT results but I have not heard from them. How frustrating!!!!!!!!!! SHannon