Internal hernia and bowel obstruction

I just had an internal hernia/obstructed bowel fixed at a local hospital after going to the ER on a Sunday night.  The general surgeons were very mean, actually yelling at me that I should have known this could occur after gastric bypass surgery.  Well, since mine was four years ago, no problems, and I still have my gall bladder and appendix, I had no idea what was causing the severe stomach pains.  There was NO WAY I could make it up to the hospital where I had the gastric bypass done even had I known that was the cause.  I did go to the Bypass surgeon after this occured and he said these things happen.  I had my last follow-up with the general surgeon yesterday and he let me have it again.  He told me that gastric bypass surgery is terribly risky, that my surgeon "cut corners" by not going through my colon and just letting my intestine "flap" over the colon?  Of course he said he "fixed" everything and secured the intestine down so this wouldn't happen again.  He also told me he had done gastric bypass surgeries and they just weren't for him.  I was in so much pain I had to confirm with my husband that he was actually yelling at me that night in the ER (and he was).  This last statement would be funny if it wasn't sad.  This surgeon was young so you can't blame being an "old fart."  At the end of my visit the surgeon said to say hello to my husband, and that he bet he was glad that this "ordeal" was over with.  I just looked at this little man and said, oh yes, he was glad his barefoot wife was back in the kitchen.  He didn't get it.  Thanks for letting me vent. beginning weight:  302 weight now:  117  (They gave me NO food the whole week I was in the hospital and I lost                                   five pounds!!!!!)

I am so sorry to read about your  bad time with your surgeries. I myself had this same thing happen to me on 11/30/07 I was in the hospital until 12/06/07 in so much pain. my gastric bybass Dr was on vacation and they were trying to wait for him to return.  I had a appointment with him on the 14th and he scheduled my surg. for the 21 th I asked him to put it off until the 26th he said fine I then had another bad attack on the 18th and was back in the hospital and I had surg, on the 21th it has not been easy but I thank god for Dr Igbal he is The Best right now I have some fluid build up but I am ok so just hang in there and know that every thing is going to be alright   bye    Sharon   my weight I started this journey at 272  right now i am 159

I truly hate to hear these things happening.  There have been several times when I have had severe pain and wondered if it could be an obstruction as this is a longer term post op issue.  I was able to see a doctor as it wasn't crippling and each time, they offered "oh, you'll KNOW if it's an obstruction"  to imply the pain would be so severe.  I worry about this issue sometimes and wish I knew exactly what to look for other than 'pain' in the abdomon.   I'm glad that you are well now though. Rachael

Rachael,  I had had two stomach aches before, but not bad at all.  They went away.  I am assuming, since the stomach aches felt the same the blockage was there earlier.  I certainly wouldn't have known before but I thought I was dying the night I went to the ER.  Yet my mother said the pain with her gall bladder was unbearable.  So I don't know what to tell you.  They did a MRI and saw it right away.  I would insist on an MRI next time you have pain.  They don't always show up in an ultrasound or xray.  Also, I was told your bowel moves around after you lose so much weight and it may obstruct and then "unobstruct."  Off topic, I was in Sewanee last year with my daughter.  We started out on a college tour in Atlanta (Emory University), stopped to see the University of the South (Sewanee), and then up to Nashville to see Vanderbilt.  She got in early decision to Emory so my little southern california girl will be in Atlanta next fall.  Sewanee was beautiful.  I have to tell you something funny.  We saw real dear eating in the morning, and being from where we are from, we thought they were fake!!  Such goof balls we were. Good luck to you.  Beverly

Ha!!!!  The deer...that's hilarious.  I am not neccessarily from 'the city' but certainly not a raw nature as Sewanee and the deer never cease to amaze me.  They will come right out to the road while you are driving and never dart out in front of you.  You can see a pack of 10 at a time.  I will miss it when we leave this summer.  One of the things that I immediately noticed when we came here was the brightness of the stars.  It feels like you are so much closer to the stars at night being on the mountain.  Plus, there is NO light polution from any cities so the stars just pop out of the sky!   An obstruction just scares me so much and it's like I have no way of knowing if that is it.  The last time the pain came, I was constipated for seven days and was certain I had an obstruction.  My primary doc laughed at me and said I wouldn't be up walking around if I had an obstruction.  I don't know.

Please read my profile.  I have had several obstructions.  Only ONE of them put me in the "you'll know it's an obstruction because you'll be in so much pain."   That was where I fully kinked over and closed shut.  It was actually a complication to another obstruction that has been fixed surgically. For my first obstruction, I walked around in pain for 7+ months having every test under the sun so what you've been told is NOT true.  My problem was that I had moved away from my bariatric surgeon and no one believed me here and/or knew what to do with me.  I did see ONE bariatric surgeon b/c my original WLS attended college with him and rang him up with a personal request.  He told me that NOTHING was wrong with me, he would NOT address my pain, it was all in my head, and to "get over myself."   That doctor is now considered "FAMOUS" just because he's on some TELEVISION SHOW.   SCARY!!!!!!    Yeah, OK.    Anyway, his treatment towards me, threw my surgeon into orbit!  He scheduled exploratory surgery without even an office visit (though I had been sending him all my test results, blood work, and talked with him).  I had an internal hernia that was incarcerated in Peterson's space (this is considered a partial obstruction) and a huge mass of adhesions.   I've had 5 in 13 months and something like 11 in 2.5 years.  I've truly lost count. Please know that you can have an obstruction and still go to the bathroom everyday and while the pain had, at time, become so intense that I sought help and ER care, these things are not always demonstrative on XRays, CT Scan and EVEN MRIs.   I don't want to scare you or anyone else but it seems like this doesn't get enough attention and people are given the wrong information.  I'm so sorry and I hope all works well with you!

Hi,  I am going through the same pain now.   Had a bunch of test that were all negative.  Luckily I have a good Gastro. Dr. who will not give up.   He suggested I go back to the surgeon for a second opinion.  He thinks it is scar tissue.   I had a revision in 2005 and the surgeon did take a lot of scar tissue out then.    At least I know now that it doesn't always show up on tests.   The pain is unbearable.   It is right under my ribs on the left side.  Now it is moving across unless it is just the pain radiating to the other side.  I have nausea and bile refluxing.    The dr. changed my meds so that is helping a little.  At least I can eat a little without wicked pain.  I went to the ER on 2/2/08 and they said it was a reaction to the antibiotics I was taking for a bladder infection.   I had taken them before many times with no problem.  Then they said Gastritis.    So I see the surgeon 11:00 today.  I assume he will want to do exploratory surgery.  Don't know what else is left to do.    My original surgery was in 2002.  I lost 165 pounds.   I had a small leak which closed on it's own.  I also had the stoma close several times and had it stretched through Endoscopy a few times.  Then it was stretched too much and I needed a revision in 2005.     Thanks for sharing your stories.   It is so hard to figure out what is going on.   It is good to be able to read what others went through.  It helps.  Thanks everyone.

Hello! How was your visit with your surgeon yesterday?   What did he say/suggest? I hope relief is in sight for you!   You may PM me if you prefer rather than answer here!

Hi.  My surgeon visit did not happen.   You won't believe why.....     On Wednesday the nurse called me three times to get me to come in on Thursday because the doctor would be in a few hours and they wanted to move some of Mondays patients to Thursday.  By the third call they had an appointment I could get to.     I got about 4 hours sleep because of my sleeping disorder and pain.  So I get to the hospital for my appointment.  I sit there about 10 minutes.  The nurse comes in and tells me that the surgeon's meetings were cancelled so he is not coming in and has cancelled all appointments.    The nurse spent the day before rescheduling everyone for Thursday.    She said she called my house but figured she missed me.  My appt. was for 11:00.   I checked my caller ID and she called at 11:05.    It is just very aggravating.     I have chronic back and leg pain.   The in-patient lot was full so I had to park on the third floor of the parking garage.   Then had to walk forever to get to the doctor's office.    She kept apologizing.    I am stuck.   He did my surgery and revision so I really need to see him.  I don't think another doctor would want to touch me.   My doctor is very good and experienced.   He was named one of the 10 Top Doctors in the NYC area.    They really have you over a barrell.    A lot of doctors don't take insurance.   They will take what my insurance pays out of network.  So I really need to stick with them.     Just bad ethics.    I got my ultrasound reports back.    They show a fatty liver and fibroids.  Neither which would be related to my pain.    Just added aggravation.  The new meds are helping a little.  So I am grateful for that.   I did not take them this morning because I was afraid to drive with them.  So I was in pain all morning.   I'll keep you updated.   Thanks.

i am also going through similar pain-for 6 months now. Been to many doctors appointments and ER visit, endoscopy, barium swallow, CT scans. I am 5 years post op and I also moved to another state and couldn't find a bariatric surgeon to follow up with me. After researching on this site I realized I needed to find a surgeon for sure. I made an appointment with a general surgeon not mentioning my previous GB and brought my records to the appt. He has now set me up with a bariatric surgeon who will do exploratory surgery. Many doctors are still uncomfortable with treating GB pts and are too stubborn to think out of the box. It is a real problem that could use some attention. ER doc told me I had gastritis back in November. I mean come on!!!