Question:
What could be causing this pain?
I am about 8 months post op...I have had stomach pains after eating anything period and no it isn't cause I have ate to much or not chewed it good enough...but I also know I dont eat enough as it is but getting sick like this each time doesn't help to want to eat more either...this is a stomach pain that I have each and every day anytime after I eat and sometimes after I drink something...My Dr asked me if it was like it was the same kinda pain I had before...which it is except before I was dry heaving and now I don't and I don't vomit but would sure like to thinking it might help...Before I was admitted to hospital a second time for dehydration and malnutrition and possible begining signs of anorexic symptoms... Not sure how to describe the pain except that it makes me almost double over and hard to walk so all I want to do is find a place to lay down on my side and stay there for about 2 hours...hard to do when at work...so is easier to not eat then so as to avoid the pain..but that isn't good either..Dr thinks might could be an ulcer in my old stomach and gave me two RX's (prilosec and carafate slurry..not sure of the spelling) and then I am to see him next month again...So was wondering if anyone else has had this or has this now and if so what was it diagnosed as or has it been? Thanks..Rhonda — Rhondaroo78 (posted on May 8, 2004)
May 7, 2004
Ummm, carafate is to coat your ulcer to help with the discomfort. Why on
earth would your doctor think that would help an ulcer in your old stomach?
I've had two ulcers and the pain you are describing is similar to what I
had. It burns all the way thru to your back. I was off work for 6 months
because the pain was so intense and was ataking vicodin/lortab by the
handfulls to just knock me out so I didn't have to deal with it. If you
have already been admited to the hospital for this pain then maybe they
should run some tests. Lets say like a endoscopy and an upper GI. Ask for
these, don't rely on the doctor to come up with the idea. Don't wait a
month. Call your surgeon now and ask him to schedule these. I have
learned that you need to take controll of your own health and not rely on
doctors. They don't feel your pain and don't care about it. The only
other thing I can think of is gallbladder, but I would assume that would
have been addressed already. If not, then ask for an ultrasound as well.
Get it taken care of now because it's only going to get worse. Rebecca
— RebeccaP
May 7, 2004
Thanks for your response..I am the original poster..I can't recall why my
Dr thinks it could be in the old stomach...but the Prilosec I thought was
for the old stomach and the carafate for the new one..but I dont have any
"burning" pain or else where just the getting sick to my stomach
each and every time I eat..When I was admitted before for similar pain it
was back in Dec 03 but was told I was dehydrated and malnourished...my RNY
surgery was 9-15-03 and I wasn't discharged til 10-16-03 due to
complications...then readmitted Dec 1 03 to Dec 5 03..and haven't been told
or really discussed anything about my gallbladder...I still have it..but
will try the meds and see if they will help some...sure hope so! Again
thanks for the response, I appreciate it...Rhonda
— Rhondaroo78
May 8, 2004
i know someone who was having pains in there stomach as well and made them
feel like you are describing but it only happens whenever she eats real
meat so if its not an ulcer and you eat meat ask your doc about that
— JENNIFER S.
May 8, 2004
A few things seem really confusing about the treatment your doctor has
prescribed for you: (1) nothing can get into your old stomach, so Prilosec
or carafate can't reach the remnant, (2) restricting consumption in direct
relation to intense pain is not a sign of anorexia and (3) the pain seems
to respond to position (you lie down on your side after eating as opposed
to lying down flat). Clearly the intensity of your symptoms has
(hopefully) already resulted in an MRI which would have ruled out hernia.
But, there could also be vascular issues that would cause pain when you
eat (as the stomach requires a steady flow of blood to digest) or some
narrowing (maybe due to an adhesion) of your intestine. And, in the rarest
of cases, you could be experiencing the pain from a delayed emptying of
your pouch (like you would if you suffered from gastric statis). There are
so many possiblities that you really do need an aggressive doctor who will
work to get to the cause of your pain. A multitude of organs are
implicated in digestion--- problems like yours deserve more thorough care
than you seem to be getting. Good luck-- you've worked very hard to get
healthy, now you need a doctor to be just as committed to your care.
— SteveColarossi
May 8, 2004
Your Symptoms sound so similar to what I went through when I had the
dangling suture string...see my profile for a more detailed
version...essentially it was a blockage with an ulceration at the
connection to the jejunum. It does not matter what caused my problem the
fact that it was a blockage and the fact that I could only drink and not
eat solid food without the pain you are describing tells me you are in
pain. I recommend the same as the last poster...you need aggressive
treatment, not a one month follow up appointment. What my doctor told me
were very scary possibilities, that is once I got him to admit that there
was something wrong. I had an upper GI and endoscopic procedure to
diagnose what was going on with me as it was not showing up as anything
more than a shadow. Once they got in there they saw just how odd and
serious it was. Long and short of it, if you cannot eat due to pain, you
are sick and you need immediate diagnostic treatment. Be assertive as you
do not know how serious your situation may or may not be.
— smummert
May 8, 2004
Original poster here...Thanks for all of your responses...I will get back
with my Dr and see what is going on here...he really is an excellent Dr and
doesn't make us feel like we are bothering him or anything...smile...and he
does listen to everything I tell him as well as responds to my emails
quickly...so I'll just be more "vocal"...smile...Again thanks to
all of ya! Rhonda
— Rhondaroo78
May 10, 2004
I'm glad you posted that you're going to be more vocal withyour Dr. It's
very important that you advocate for your own care and get proper
treatment. But, you are the only one who will advocate for you! I'd like
to tell you that having this amount of pain IS NOT NORMAL. Something is
wrong (not like you don't know that!) Whatever it is, it needs to be
searched out and fixed. However 'nice' your Dr. might be, it may be time
for you to seek a second opinion. This has been going on too long and YOU
are the one suffering for it. Perscribing something oral for the old
stomach is a real BIG RED FLAG that your Dr. just isn't paying all that
much attention to you care. He may be nice and caring, but that doesn't
get the job done in the long run. I'm amazed that you haven't been scoped
yet. So, anyway, I'm rambling...I'm glad that you're going to take a
'pushier' stance in your care. That would be my advice to you exactly.
Good luck to you!
— LMCLILLY
May 10, 2004
It does sound like the pain I experienced when I developed a pouch ulcer.
Intense pouch pain after eating just a few bites or drinking water. A
prescription of nexium took care of the pain in about 4-5 days, so if the
prilosec hasn't worked in a week or so, do not wait a month. Have you been
scoped? An upper GI/endoscopy will help to see if its a pouch problems. I
can understand your not wanting to eat. If I went thru two hours of
intense pain, well, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out, you
try to avoid what is causing you pain.
— Cindy R.
August 31, 2004
I was having similar symptoms and went to my surgeon. He seemed
uninterested, and prescribed Prilosec. I had to schedule my own endoscopy
which isn't until a month from now. He said to go back to clear liquids,
which is always his answer for anything I've talked to him about. I have
had trouble eating anything solid, and can now eat soups thanks to the
Prilosec. I will see what the scope shows, and if it is an ulcer or
stricture I will change surgeons. I feel as though I was only interesting
to him as long as he was collecting the insurance money for my surgery, and
how he could care less about me and my post-op issues. He even made a
comment that I wasn't losing much weight, even though I have lost 50% of my
excess weight in less than 3 months!! I will try the hot tea next time I
feel something stuck or if I am in pain.
— Dixie P.
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