Severe upper abdominal pain 7 months after surgery. Help please!

[LisaG]

Hi all.

I'm over 7 months post op and this week have been suffering severe abdominal pain (upper). Never had pain like this before and am getting worried.

I've been absolutely fine for months. Hardly any problems with any foods.

The pain started Monday morning when I got to work. Was fine at home, ate a boiled egg & half slice toast for breakfast. After 1 1/2 hours the pain started. I tried to ignore it for the first hour. Tried a cup of tea which made it worse and by 10 am was in agony & crying and rolling round on floor. Couldn't get in any position to make it better. My boss was just about to call an ambulance when my temperature soared and I was sick. The pain subsided a little there so I quickly got home. At home it just got worse and worse till about 4pm when it just disappeared.

I was fine tues & wed and then it started again thurs evening. Only lasted about 4 hours this time then disappeared quickly again. This time I started to think it was possibly trapped wind.

Called my team on fri who said it could be wind but could be other things too. Have been given an appointment to see my surgeon in 2 weeks and told to go to a&e if it gets that bad again.

Meanwhile I've started taking windeze and deflatine. Have had the pain fri, sat & still have it now (Sunday) but not as extreme. Also have nausea and of course I'm now terrified to eat anything.

Has anyone had anything like this after a similar time post op? If so, was it wind and how do I shift it or prevent it from coming back. Exercise helps a bit but not when it is extreme pain.

Hope someone can help.

L x

 

[BandyEmm]

im not a bypasser but i have had lots of pain the last few days xx

 

[tesmaralda]

Does the pain come after eating food, especially dairy? If so it could be gall stones.

 

[Fashionably Late]

I have had similar pains recently and I am 11 months post op. Mine is definitely related to foods (but I don't have a gall bladder). Bread is my worst enemy recently.

 

[deeby]

Oh no !! it sounds EXACTLY like the gall stone pain i used to get before i had it removed !!! i would put money on it !! i used to be rolling around on the floor with it for hours then suddenly it would just go .... stone dead !!!
Defineately go to your doctors and get it sorted because if it is gall stones it will keep flaring up and it will be just when you dont want it to ~!!
Best of luck with it hun
xxx

 

[Sambucca]

Yes, I agree... definitely sounds like gallstones. Go see the GP tomorrow, he will arrange a scan for you x

 

[Brunetteandred]

Gallstones sounds the most likely culprit and it makes sense to get it checked out. Other causes of severe pain can be bowel loops or incisional hernia, both of which, if left too long can cause bowel tissue death and that is *very* dangerous.

Bariatric patients should *always* seek urgent medical attention if experiencing excruciating pain.

 

[purplefluffything]

Lisa I agree with gallstones too but could be anything you have to get it diagnosed like you are with the docs..
I'm sorry your feeling so unwell but I have to say Lisa you have done brilliantly with your wl..
Lisa after almost a when you & meg n Roch had your ops I'm now getting mine done this January.
I would love to e mail or pm you . Seeing as you are a Whittington babe too you can help ease my mind by going through some of the questions I have in my head
Hope you feel better very soon flower ..
Hugs xxx

Ps I think I read somewhere that bariatric patients that still have a gall bladder are more likely to suffer with gallstones?

 

[lotsabeefy]

GALLSTONES ARE THE PITS!!! it sounds just like em though xx

 

[Chuffy_29]

Yep i'm just going to add to the gallstones theory. The pain will be mainly on the right side, kind of under the ribs (and you can get referred shoulder tip pain like wind too) Try and take some soluble pain killer (solpadeine if you're allowed it) and see if it eases...

 

[Big an Bouncy]

I thought they took your gall bladder out when you have wls to prevent this sort of thing happening?

 

[Grace]

Defiitely sounds like gallstones and that it falred after eating adds to the evidence...and even if you've had your gall bladder out but still have yor bileduct, this can be troublesome.
But it also sounds a little bit like what I had a while ago...twisted and perforated bowel.

I'd put my money on the gallstones though pet. I do heope it gets sorted soon. If it happens again, I think I'd be making my way to casualty.
The fact it keep flaring a your temp goes up suggests choleycystitis: the gall bladder gets inflamed and even possibly infected as the stones get stuck. You can be very poorly and even get jaundiced (go yellow) I did.
It needs to be treated in hospital pet.
Hugs and love and I do hope it gets sorted soon. xxxx

 

[Grace]

I thought they took your gall bladder out when you have wls to prevent this sort of thing happening?

Not all surgeons do.
I was given pills to prevent gallstones...but I don't have a gallbladder! LOL SRH messes up again!

 

[JOWOOD4]

lets be honest - if its real pain it usually means something is wrong. I wouldnt wait to see your team as I think it's the GP and as soon as possible. Don't keep putting up with things and hope it will go away - you need to feel well and happy now you have made such a great change to your body.
Hope it all works out for you but I would get some medical advice to make sure everythings OK
Loads of love
Jo XX

 

[Stellap]

Im with the gallstones theory too - sounds exactly what I used to get. I ended up with choleocystits, pancreatitis and having open surgery and being in hospital for a month with complications (that ended up damaging my pancreas) so please don't leave it.

 

[LisaG]

Thanks everyone...but oh goodness! I'm terrified of going back into hospital. It was so awful last time. The bowel loops & things sounds a bit concerning too as I have a suspected twist in my bowel after my bypass anyway. Caused a blockage at the time but fine after a few months.

Thanks again everyone. I'm going to ask my go for X-rays so I don't have to wait until that appointment in a few weeks. Let's hope they can do them quickly.

Oh, one more thing...anyone know the treatment for gallstones? Is it always an op?

 

[Chuffy_29]

Yep it's an op. If it is gallstones it feels so much better when they're gone!

 

[purplefluffything]

Lisa my niece has been having flare ups with gallstones, she is going to go to day surgery for laser treatment. When there they then zap the stones with this fancy laser machine to break the stones down so the patient will eventually pass them naturally ..
This can make the skin a little soar where the machine has been zapping away & also inside can feel a little achey but not much more than that .
Hope this has helped a little ..
Hugs xx

 

[lotsabeefy]

It is always an op, im waiting for mine out.....dont eat dairy eggs or meat with a high fat content it will take some of the pain way x