Can Something Be Wrong?

Hi everyone I needed to see if anyone else has this problem and what triggers it. I have seen the Dr for this several times and even been in the hospital but they always say they cannot find anything, altho the last time I was in the hospital they said it was probably in the old stomach and that there is no way to see it now. o.k. So now what. Well I have finally decided to come to you all that have been there done that, so to speak. The problem is no matter if I have eaten or not I get these really sharp pains in the upper left side of my stomach right below my chest bone leaning to that side seems to make it worse or bending over seems to do it also anything putting pressure there hurts really bad and this has been going on now for almost a year I'm like 17 months out from surgery. I do not do sugar only splenda and no sugar products either..no grease so I know these are not the problem. If anyone has ever had this happen or knows someone that did please let me know because it is really getting to me especially since they cannot find anything. Oh the Dr does have me on nexium but it dosen't seem to affect it at all. Thanks For Any Help. A Little Humor keeps me going so: Of All The Things I Have Lost I Miss My Boobs The Most!

First when you get thses pasins try Gs Ex and see if that helps,it sounds like a build up  that might be causing your pain.Second cut back on the surgar free products,the more you eat the more pain from gas that you will get.One more thing watch your milk intake because you might not be able to drink milk and that will cause gas too. I hope this helps but it sounds like that might be your reason ....................bob

I tend to agree with Bob - sugar products are worse on me than regular 'ole sugar, so I might follow his suggestions (about the milk products, too!) for a few days and see if that helps. You didn't mention your gall bladder - I'm not familiar with gall bladder problems (I've been a lucky one!), but would assume the doctors have ruled that out, provided you still have yours, yes? Good luck and let us know how things are going! Hugs! Kristi

i was having a sever pain like that , sometimes it even hurt to turn over in bed or get out of bed. I had trouble with contipation. it was really backed up in my colon.the had to do 2 enemas in the hospital then i got put on miralax everyday. it finally helped but it took a while. That might not be your problem but just thought id share just in case, Sheila

Well as the others stated watch the diet, but as someone else asked do you have your gallbladder? I was told for years there were not issues with mine when I knew differently then ended up in the hospital, jaundice and extremely ill...  IF you have your gallbladder did they do an ultrasound? I would call a gastroenterologist and see what they say.   Hope you feel better soon Debby

I had a very similar sounding pain. Took two Prilosec (Nexium's OTC cousing) for 7 days, which is twice the normal doseage.  Now take Prilosec once a day every day.  I had all sort of tests, scopes, etc...to no avail.   The Prilosec made all the difference...but it takes a little time. Karen

Karen, is that you?  It;s Jay.  Welcome back.

Ulcers in the remnant have been documented.  The only way to tell is exploratory surgery, which these days can be done lap.  You might have to see a GI doc,  be sure he understands which surgery you have and see what he suggests.  Since you said it doesn't matter if you eat or not, throws out my theory of SBO (small bowel obstruction).  And ulcer would behave as you described.  Before my WLS, I had ulcers for many eyars, off/on, and then on/off.  I've gone thru generations of ulcer meds, so the modern ones are nice.  The Nexium and family are good because they are systemic (get into y our blood stream) and can sometimes cause the area to heal, even tho you can't get to it.  But if the Nexium treatment doesn't work within 2 weeks or so, please pursue it furthre, because the last thing you need is for an invisible ulcer to perforate, ok?

Keep plugging away -- the problem lies in that 50% of abdominal pain goes undiagnosed.  Abdominal pain can be displaced.  You can hurt on the left but have a problem on the right or any various other situations.   I'd like to know if your pain ever RADIATES to your back.  That is symptomatic of the gallbladder as well as an internal hernia or small bowel obstruction. While, I understand MIchelle saying that pain doesn't seem to be related to eating or not so she's not so inclinded to consider it, I disagree.  I had a small bowel obstruction that caused pain regardless of eating because (and here is my next suspicion) it was caused by ADHESIONS (scar tissue wrapping around the bowel).  Adhesions can hurt just to hurt and they most definitely are affected by movement because it is like skin being pulled from skin and can be very painful.  When I had ONLY adhesions which did not cause any obstruction, I could sometimes have an ache possibly because of the bowel contracting but typically the MOST pain could be manipulated but more often than not occurred with movement and would occur at random.  Moving around could ease the pain but there was residual pain from the original insult. When I had an internal hernia -- I had a constant dull ache that I could "forget" about but it could be manipulated to cause pain as well.  Pain was also related not necessarily to eating but the elimination of stool and the bowel contracting -- passing elimination through.  This hernia was finding itself in the Peterson's space and there could be times that it would slip out and later slip back in so the obstruction may correct itself if it had moved out.   At any rate, PAIN in the process by which the body informs you that something is wrong.  Physicians are too quick to dismiss abdominal pain because it is so difficult to diagnose - this seems to be even more exaggerated by PCPs, GIs, etc. as they seem to be particularly fearful of post-bariatric patients.   Also, adhesions and internal hernias are not always seen on CT Scan - X RAYS - colonoscopy, endoscopy, etc.  They are NOT diagnosed in this way!!!  I was finally diagnosed (TIMES THREE) by my original WLS who KNEW what to look for -- who KNEW -- that these things may not or typically don't show on those tests and we opted for exploratory surgery. My first exploratory surgery found an internal hernia in Peterson's space and a large mass of scar tissue (adhesion) both on the right side where I complained of pain for over 7 months to several other doctors and tests who told me over and over nothing was wrong with me, etc.  The 2nd he diagnosed a SBO caused by adhesions from my symptoms and by a physical exam.  Because he could cause the pain to radiate toward my back, gave him reason enough to go in and this is exactly what I had.  I thin had a portion of my bowel kink and had to have emergency surgery. There is more information regarding many medical issues on my profile for your personal enjoyment!  LOL Bottom line, do some research on these things and go see your WLS ASAP.  What you want to avoid obviously is an emergency situation.  Your bowel could rupture and cause septis, sending you into shock and cause death within as little as 24 hours.   I hope you feel better soon and that you will keep us informed of your health!

Does it sometimes hurt so bad it radiates to your back? I have had pain like that, but it wasn't to one particular side. I was about five months out when it started. I am now 2yrs & 8 months & still have the pain. With no rhyme or reason just out of the blue it would start hurting. Sitting up or anything that put pressure on my stomach makes it worse. The doctors had me do food logs, 2 exploratory surgeries, ultrasounds, Hida scans, Cat Scans, Upper GI's, EGD's, every Rx that you can think of & to no evail. I had my gallbladder out 2 months post-op so that's out.  Let me tell you it's not gas, no food could be linked to the pain. I went to my surgeon, GI & my PCP. No body can tell me what is wrong. My PCP thought it could be some sort of stomach spasms. He gave me Levsin. I have to put 2 under my tongue when the pain starts & it aleviates the pain. But still don't know what's wrong. The surgeon left it at that when I told him the pills helped stop the attacks. Sometimes they hurt so bad & radiate to my back & I end up vomiting. My attacks have reduced their frequency but not their pain. I don't go anywhere w/out those pills. I hope this helps.