whiney baby here

I need some help, I feel like such a whiney baby.  I have been having "pain" for 2 weeks now off and on across my chest or under my arm pits.  I have tried pepcid, my nurse friends think it's heartburn and it seemed to help, I didn't have any last week.  I have avoided spicey foods and I am not overeating.  It started again Monday and it seemed to go away after pepcid or maybe I was so busy at work I got distracted.  Yesterday was worse, it didn't go away with pepcid and I felt lousy all day.  I called my surgeon's office in the morning and left a voice mail with the nurse practitioner and she never called back so I called again before I thought she would have left and she was gone, the secretary said she would page my Dr. but he didn't call back.  I have called again this morning and they said they are paging the nurse practitioner to call me but it's been 30 minutes.
I feel like it has been a rough road lately.  I had my gall bladder out Sept 30 after feeling bad a few times in August.  Sometimes I am almost regretting my decision.  I just want to feel good again, I am not a hypocondriac or a baby but I am starting to feel like one. 
Sandi

Please dont feel like you are being a baby, if something in your body hurts you should get it checked out! It is their job to make sure you are well and taken care of. I hope it really is something simple and easy to figure out, good luck.

Thank you Stacey, I just hate feeling bad and hate even worse complaining about it.  My doctor did call me back a few minutes ago and he isn't sure what it is but said I may need scoped and he wants to see me tomorrow.  I hope it is something simple too. 

I love Whiney Babies because I AM ONE!

I was going to say that I had those sort of pains which resulted in my gallbladder coming out last Nov 2nd, but since you already had yours out, I'm clueless.

Are you eating fatty food?  My surgeon said I'm on low fat for life.  I  hope they figure out what's causing you the pain.

Lee, the pain is different than when I was hurting with my gallbladder, that was more like at my bra line and this is above .  I am not eating fatty foods or spicy foods.  It is frustrating because I am doing exactly what I am supposed to do.

Sandi,

You may be experiencing "crepitus" after your cholecystectomy.  They pump your belly full of air when they take it out laproscopically, this air takes time to work it's way out of the body.  Air will go UP so it may have worked it's way up through your soft tissue into your shoulders and chest which may be causing your pain.  I see this often on post surgical patients on CT scans and x-rays.  A chest x-ray can tell them if this is happening.  I would get it checked out for sure with your PCP though to make sure it's nothing more serious like a blood clot in your lungs.  NEVER ignore "chest pain" or try to justify it to yourself.  I hope this helps.

Heather

Heather how long can that last?  My chole surgery was September 30th.  I know the pain you are talking about because I had it post op after my RNY.  My surgeon did call back.  I had a 12 lead EKG done 2 weeks ago when it happened and it looked normal, I know that doesn't mean something wasn['t going on though.  Thank you for your help.

It all depends on how much air your surgeon pumped in and how much they took out before closing.  A friend of mine had pain for a few months afterwards.  If you pushor kneed on your chest or into your armpits do you hear a "crackling" sound?  That can be another way of knowing that's what it is.  Is the pain similar to when you had it before?  If there is a large amount of air in your soft tissues it can be pretty uncomforable.

My pain before my gallbladder was out felt like a bra that was too tight.  My pain now is between my breasts right in the middle of my chest.  Sometimes it is under both arm pits going up.  I don't hear any crepitus or feel any.  Did you say they can see this on a regular chest xray?  I am wondering if I should just call my PCP and ask for one...?

if you have air in the tissue under your arms yes........IMO you should see your physician,  You should certainly bring up crepitus as a possibility for your pain and your DR should beable to do a physical exam to determine if in fact that is what it is.  If he/she feels after examining you that an x-ray is warranted he/she will order one.  I only mentioned it showing up on x-rays to illistrate my point.   I'm big on DR'S ordering imaging studies not patients.  It frightens me how many people march into thier DR's office demanding imaging studies and thier DR's give them thier wish knowing that the study will be negative based on thier physical exam.   But I spend my days protecting people from the harmful effects of radiation so.......Make an appointment with your physician they are the best ones to answer your questions and supply you with the information you need.  Good luck to yo hun......

Heather