Question:
Has anyone ever experienced severe intestinal pain requiring surgery?

I had a gastric bypass in 1984 and had hardly any problems until recently. Off and on for about 3 years I had been having severe pain that seemed intestinal and put me in the ER 3 times. The pain was unbearable. It felt like the most severe gas pain and I could do nothing to stop it. The last time I ended up having surgery because of an intussusception (telescoping) of the small intestine. It was virtually impossible to detect through regular x-rays and it took a CAT scan taken after the intussusception caused part of my intestine to die before they saw anything. They still couldn't tell what they were seeing on the scan; maybe a tumor or a heria. Then exploratory surgery was done. Drs. said it was rare. I had my intussusception surgery on 11/16/99 and I have since had 2 more attacks. I'm afraid it's happening again. I only made the connection to the bypass surgery having anything to do with my intestine problem by searching the net. The Drs. couldn't explain it so I took it upon my self to search. I'm looking for information anyone may have in dealing with this problem. Thanks. Denise    — Denise W. (posted on February 6, 2000)

February 9, 2000
Hi there Denise. I wonder if it could be gall bladder problems? My husband ended up in hospital over Christmas and his symptoms seem to be similar - unbearable gas pain, mainly on the right side just under the ribs. Apparently there is a higher incidence of gall bladder problems in people who have had this surgery. I am three weeks post-op and pray that I don't have this problem later on down the track as it is most unpleasant. I hope you find an answer to your question regardless. Best wishes - Marie
   — Marie B.

April 4, 2001
I had my first surjury 5 years ago, I had the vertical banding. My doctor at that time, did not give me the option to remove my gallbladder or advise me that I could develop severe gall stones because of rapid weight loss. After becoming pregnant with my first child, 6 months after my surjury I began to have severe back and abdominal pains that would hit usually late at night when I laid down to sleep. They continued through out the pregancy and after. I went to the emergency room twice before they finally did a sonogram of my gall bladder and found that I had very large gall stones. I then had them removed and have had no problems since. At the time that the second doctor found the stones he questioned me as to whether I had lost a lot of weight very rapidly and I advised him of the surjury I had. He told me that at the time I had by stomach stapled the doctor should have removed my gallbladder.
   — Catherine B.

June 9, 2002
I had a very similar thing happen to me. I was three and a half years post op and just had my son. He was 3 months old and one day I was suddenly doubled over in a pain. This pain was the worst I had ever felt in my life.(and I had an all natural birth) I was rushed to the ER and had a battery of scans and tests until my doc finally found that my intestines had literally become a pretzel. He had to remove more than two feet to get the knot out. I am fine now, but very worried that it'll appen again.
   — TINA L.