Distended stomach

For the past 1-1/2 months now I have been having problems with my stomach.  It started with a feeling of my stomach being bloated.  It seems to get worse throughout the day, mostly after eating.  I have had CT scans, small bowel follow-through, and the last was upper GI.  They gave me a pill that had barium in it.  Apparently the pill would not go through.  No problems with the liquid portion of it.  I went back to the doctor today, 3 days after the barium test and I was still full of the barium throughout my intestines.  So now I am taking things to get the barium out.  I am wondering if maybe the food that I am eating also is not moving out the way it should.  It is so frustrating.  Anyone else have problems with their stomach?  I am 2 years out from open RNY. Michele

People  can have  this even if they don't have RNY. It's when your stomach stops moving your food though your system, and sometimes the intestines stop as well. Then the food stays too long in you and basically rots and causes gases to build so you bloat. There are meds for this, you need a specialist. Stomach peristalsis is when the stomach and intestines contract to move food along the system. When it stops working you need to see a GI doctor.

Have you contacted your WL Surgeon?  If not, do so immediately.  You may have an internal hernia and/or partial blockage from adhesions, intrussion (sp?), or slight kink.  If you have any of these, your health could be severely compromised.  A portion of your bowel could die if it is being strangled and has no blood flow.  That would require the dead portion being removed and reconnected.  If you develop an infection from a portion of nonviable intestines, you could become septic which can be fatal.  Internal hernias and adhesions do NOT -- DO NOT - always show on CT Scan/Xrays, etc.  If they're going INSIDE the intestines from either the top or bottom, they won't find those things.  You may also have a hernia that is moving in and out of a space (mine was Peterson's space) so that it isn't always incarcerated which makes it even more tricky.   Bariatric surgeons diagnose internal hernias and adhesions through a medical history, symptoms, and a physical exam.  If your surgeon suspects any of the above, he/she will have to do exploratory surgery to find it.  I have information on internal hernias, adhesions, and bowel obstructions on my profile.  My first surgery for these was in June of 2006 and two others in November of 2006.  You will have to piece together some of the sections as I have never had time to consolidate all of the information but it is in there!  You may also PM me if you have questions that I will try to answer from my experiences.  Please call your Bariatric surgeon today!  In the meantime, should you develop moderate to severe pain or fever, please immediately proceed to the nearest emergency room!!!!! I hope this helps!

I wanted to thank you for all your information you shared.  I saw my WL surgeon this morning and they are going to first do an endoscopy just to see first if something is going on there, but my surgeon thinks it is a internal hernia and he said he would take care of it for me.  How long were you in the hospital with that?  Was it an outpatient procedure or do you stay overnight.  He did say he would use the same site as my bypass scar.  So I think I am on the right track anyway.  I hope things are going good for you now.  I will let you know how things progress with me.  Thanks again and take care! Michele