Question:
Acute and chronic abdominal pain...

I had lap RNY on May 28th of this year and one week postop had to go back into the hospital for excruciating abdominal pain, in which I stayed there for three days. Now I am four weeks postop and had to go by ambulance again, two days ago, for the same thing. Doc took some x-rays and said he "thinks" it is scar tissue, but not sure. Has anybody out there had anything like this??? Please help me...should I get a second opinion or what???    — dave B. (posted on June 26, 2003)

June 26, 2003
YES!!!! It is only occasional but it is brutal. Mine starts in the pouch, radiates around back and up my chest so talking or breathing is hard. It feels like a death pain. Excrusiating. (My gallbladder was taken out 10 months post op). I'm thinking it might be an ulcer. When this pain starts I go through 3-4 hours of agony before it stops as mysterious as it starts. Last time when it started I took a Nexium.... it quit within a few minutes. So I'm thinking it must be an ulcer in my case. That is one possibility for you. You should check with your doctor.
   — Danmark

June 26, 2003
Hi! My doc told me it was anxiety, when I was about the same amount out that you are now. It was anxiety. I don't have any problems with it anymore, and am not taking anxiety meds, either. I did take them for a while, and it helped.
   — Sharon M. B.

June 26, 2003
It could also be scar tissue blocking the intestine or a kinked bowel. Sometimes an upper GI will show it, sometimes they must do exploratory surgery. It's not common, but it can happen with any kind of surgery where the intestines are "disturbed." Good luck!
   — Leslie F.

June 26, 2003
Ugh I just spent 5 days in the hospital due to a bowel blockage caused by scar tissue. It hurt so bad. I had to have emergency surgery to loosen things up there. Mine was diagnosed from an Xray of my stomach. It showed that my bowels were inflamed. The symptoms were severe gas pains at first. Like trapped gas that I couldn't pass. As it progressed I started having dry heaves. Even though to me this seememd to come on suddenly my surgeon said by the condition of my insides I had been having symptoms and ignoring them. He said sometimes we brush things off thinking they are normal because we are rearranged and they are not. He was right too. I did have symptoms. Times i was very gassy feeling and it wouldn't pass. There were a few mornings I had to go to the bathroom and would have dry heaves at the same time. This would be before I ate anything. That happened to me about 3 times but they were weaks apart. I had been constipated before hand so I just thought it had made me so nauseated and that was the cause for the heaving when really it was a blockage. Listen to your bodies folks. Hope this helps someone. Carrie
   — Carrie D.

June 27, 2003
Three days after my open RNY, I had cramping, gas pains, and vomiting. I was still discharged on the 4th day post-op, vomiting, pain and all. The next day I had emergency surgery for a kinked bowel. If you don't feel right, VOICE YOUR CONCERNS! Keep at it til someone listens! It would've saved me from the worst pain I've ever felt, if my surgeon had only done one simple x-ray. Your doctor should be experienced enough to know for sure what it is or research further til it's found. Don't settle for an "I think" answer!!
   — Angela G.

June 28, 2003
I had horrible pain that started at about 6 mos post op. I had to have my gal bladder removed. The pain never went away. Anyhow..for several months i bounced from doc to doc only to be told it was 'after pains' or 'scar tissue' or 'adheasions'. I would not take that as an answer. THis was pain and it would not go away. I ended up having a giant ulcer that had to be removed surgically. Im not saying this is your problem, but if you feel there is something more going on than just 'scar tissue', dont stop pushing the doctor. I pushed and pushed for several months before the diagnosis was made. And when they finally did the scope and saw what was up they couldnt believe I had suffered for as long as i had with that pain. Don't give up.
   — RebeccaP

December 18, 2003
wow, i too had an RNY on 5-28-03, and i too am experiencing very excruiating pain in my belly, It seems to start in my pouch and somtimes it goes down into my belly. My surgeon did blood work (some of my levels were off) and a CT scan (looked pretty normal) but two weeks later I am still in pain. I started looing around on here for answers! I have to see him on Monday. He said the same thing about scar tissue and adhesions. He wants to do "exploratory surgery" to see whats going on. I hope you are feeling better and would love to know if you ever found out what was going on! Good luck! Keleigh
   — keleigh615