Question:
intussusception

I am 5 1/2 yrs post op with NO complications ever til now. Almost 3 weeks ago I had lunch and then dumped which I've only done 2 times ever. Ever since then I've had pain when I eat or drink once it hits my pouch. My dr. did a cat scan, x rays, and upper gi tests. Now he says its intussescption. With surg scheduled formonday am. Any advice or experience with this problem? I also feel backed up and all gurgly all the time.    — jojo63 (posted on March 29, 2008)

March 29, 2008
My son had intusseseption when he was younger and was immediately rushed into surgery. It is usually a condition that cannot wait and has to be handled immediately. Basically, for reasons unknown the intestines begin to envelope onto each other and this prevents any bowel movements from passing and it begins to backup and sometimes, as in my son's case you have bright red bloody stool, swollen, painful abdomen, anything he tried to drink or eat he vomited up. The doctors tried baruim enemas first to try to unblock him but that didn't work so he went into surgery at about 11:30pm at night. If the bowel has been enveloped onto itself for too long some of the bowel can have the blood supply cut of and die and it has to be removed. I do not mean to frighten you but I see intussesepstion in the OR sometimes too as I am a scrub nurse for a hospital and honestly, it is never a "scheduled" surgery, it is an emergency surgery.
   — KittyKatt

March 30, 2008
I'm also wondering why your surgeon didn't do the surgery as an emergency procedure. Intussusception is rare in adults; does he have any idea what is causing it? It happens when part of the small intestine or colon slides into another part of the intestine, which can block the intestine and prevent food or fluid from passing through. The reason why I wonder why he's waiting is that it can also cut off the blood supply to the part of the intestine that's affected; maybe yours isn't that severe or he would have at least hospitalized you for observation and IV fluids until the surgery. Good luck, and please let us know how you do!
   — obeseforever

March 30, 2008
Sorry - I forgot to add another thought. This may not be related to your gastric surgery at all, but something that happened all on its own or due to another cause. But my concern would be that you would more quickly and easily become dehydrated than someone who has not had gastric surgery.
   — obeseforever

March 30, 2008
I had a RNY and I have heard of a few rare cases of this, when I was reading everything about the surgery to make sure I wanted to go through with it. If it s from the RNY, it is more like part of the small intestine healed up and is closing in, most likely where at the last third of your small intestine when they conected the part of your intestine that is still attached to your original stomach. This is very rare as the stomack acid keeps this scar from healing closed usually. One other case was a small intestine that was tangled or knoted, so to speak over itself. Your doctor needs to give you and your family more information. If it is searious as it sounds, I don't understand why he did not hospitalize you at once. The case I read about also had the person dehyriated and they had to be hospitlized for fluids. If you can't get an answer tomorrow, try to find another surgeon that will help you at once. This is not something that is left untreated.
   — William (Bill) wmil

March 30, 2008
This happened to me about 4 month after RNY surgery. I experienced the worst pain I've EVER had in my life. I went to the E.R. and had emergency surgery to correct the condition. (It was LIFE THREATENING.) Fortunately in my case, there was no permanent bowel infarction (none of the bowel had to be removed). I had a previous abdominal surgery done in 1970. The surgeon who corrected the intussescption (same one that did my RNY surgery) claimed that anyone who has had abdominal surgery is subject to something like this happening. He claimed that it was NOT caused by the RNY surgery and would have happened anyway had I not had the RNY. Yea -- RIGHT!! No problems for 36 years -- and then ... . Antway, bariatric surgery, like any other major surgical procedure, has RISK that has to be balanced with the expected (not ever gauranteed) from the planned surgery. For some people the RISK is not worth it and they elect to not have bariatric surgery. It's a decision only the individual can make for him-/herself. I obviously lived through the ordeal (I experienced a heart attack during the emergency surgery) since I here writing about it on my computer. It COULD have gone the other way though.
   — [Deactivated Member]

March 30, 2008
I meant to write, "expected *BENEFIT* (not ever guaranteed) from the planned surgery."
   — [Deactivated Member]

March 31, 2008
Hi, I have the same problem...Went thru cat scan, ultra sound on bellie, check gal-stones, blood test, pan..cres check, changed my meds to Prevacid. Found nothing at all! Got really sick because I had several glasses of wine without eating anything--throw up all nights and have been much better since. But I still think something is wrong--but I have always been able to have a BM with out much trouble--but a lot of gas. Mine pain was like a knot in the top of my stomach. Please let me know what anyone thinks about this. Glenna Scott ( 7 Year since surgery )
   — Glenna S.