PAIN!

Hi everyone!  This past weekend, I had horrible pain around my belly button.  This has happened twice before in the last 6 months or so.  Each time it happens, I keep thinking that I might have a bowel obstruction, but then if I go poop (sorry, gross) or have gas, then I figure I wouldn't be able to do either.  So, I'm guessing that I'm backed up (sorry, again, gross) or it's adhesions.  Usually when it happens, I take Tums and mylecon to help with the pain.  This past weekend though, it was awful, neither was helping and I couldn't sleep because of the pain.  Why didn't I go to the ER?  Well, my husband is an RN and we both know that going to the ER on the weekends would mean, "wait until Monday to get anything done".  I would have gone though if the pain did not subside.  Today I don't have the pain, there's just a small tinge of reminder there, I'm eating bland since I didn't eat much over the weekend.  My question to you is, have you ever been backed up?  Do you take a stool softener on a daily basis?  The funny thing is, I will have a bm every couple of days so I never think that I'm actually backed up until I get the pain!  Sorry for such a gross subject, but if I can't ask you guys, who can I ask? Cathy

Hi there - I swear I wrote this!!! I have been having the same problems. Yes I have been in such pain that they did xrays on my old tummy and found that I was litterally Full of Sh*t!!! I recently have had the tummy problems again but have been regular as of late so not sure whats happening. I take take Glycol lax every day once it starts.

SOUNDS like gas..... maybe a GAS X will help when u feel so.  I never had such issues till post op... i get the pain now and then little different area but man its nasty! hugs

I think that you need to talk to your doc.  I'm an rn too....and you know that we need go to the bathroom everyday.  So if you are not, then you need senna or to increase your fiber.  You can't let days or even a day go by on a regular basis...... so without getting gross....do something about this now. Pain is telling you something,and you can't assume because its gone the problem is gone. Let us know what you find out.  Today is monday...no excuses, ok? blessings, Tami

You are right, it could be so many things and its too hard for us to help over the internet, but I do take stool softeners once a week.  I take 4 at a time.  I suppose if you just took one a day it would help , but i find i need four, once a week to give myself a good go and then it seems to be right for the next week.  I prefer them to straight out laxatives which seems to give you cramping and pain. good luck, and let us know what you find out. hugs, Helen

After talking to your doctor to rule anything abnormal you might want to try this. I take two chewable fiber tablets a day and also two colace a day which seems to keep things moving daily for me. If I don't take these I have problems too. Sher

Hey girly! I hope other than this issue everything has been well. I take 3 sugar free Fiber Choice chewable pills every night at bedtime to make sure everything is moving in the right direction. Definitely get into the doctor and have things checked out though. Better safe than sorry.

It's a MYTH that having a bowel obstruction means that you cannot produce a bowel movement and/or gas.  A MYTH.  I've had 3 partials and 1 full so I qualify in the ability to make that statement!  :-)  If you suspect anything is amiss -- even if it's that you're irregular, you should be seeing your doctor.   Check out my profile for the horror story of how not all bowel obstructions show on CT Scans, XRays, etc. and can literally leave a person in excrutiating, chronic pain for months on end until a brave soldier (doctor) steps up to the plate to play some real ball!   (I was just writing about playing softball!)  LOL  Sorry! Really -- get it checked out.  Write down your "episodes"  -- mark with INK where it hurts -- circle it -- anything -- note what and when you ate, etc.   and other symptoms such as nausea -- record your BMs and describe them.  Yes, I am suggesting that you "journal" your digestive system from top to bottom.  It may provide highly beneficial to you. Please seek the opinion of a a qualified bariatric healthcare professional as soon as possible. And, please, let us know what transpires as we will be concerned and prayerful for you!

Thank you all for your responses.  I'll start keeping a record and begin a stool softener.   Vanessa, with all that you've been through, what have your doctors told you to do now  to prevent any future bowel obstructions?  I guess there is no way to really predict them or adhesion problems.  I hope you are feeling better!  Jennifer, I keep up with your profile, although I don't post much.  I'm glad your PS went well!   Cathy

Hey Cathy, I take Colace every day to prevent this...it is terribly painful isn't it??? I also try to avoid gassy foods like raw cabbage and broccoli. C