Stomach/Gas Pain 3 Months Post Op...Please Help Me!

[BikiniBeachy]

Hi Guys. I have posted on lapbandtalk since my surgery and decided to try my luck over here. Although not many our Drs, I figure any help I can get will be great.

Could this be trapped CO2 three months out?

The second I woke up from my banding in October, I was in miserable pain from gas. I mean, terrible. I had my gallbladder taken out two years ago and the gas hurt a little yes, but I was practically hollering for the first 2 hours before they put me on strong medication....

Flash forward a few days I have this awful gas pain in my GUT, my lower intestine. I didn't think a thing of it as I was healing from surgery...

A few weeks later I was going to a Halloween party and had to cancel, because it hurt so bad. It feels heavy and it gurgles and it is beyond painful! I feel so so so silly describing this as gas pains because I feel that downplays the severity of the pain!

It always hurts to the touch, and some days it becomes so horrible I cannot sleep or go to work.

**At my 3 month post op mark a few weeks ago...the pain because completely constant and hasn't gone away now at all. I feel like a truck ha**** me, I look like crap can barely manage the pain with medication.

I have been into the ER three times and tested for everything under the sun, my band is places right shown via a catscan, I have no hernia, took Carafate for in case it was an ulcer, changed my diet to check for food allergies, did a stool sample to check for CDIF among other things.

I follow this diet to a T, no carbonation, no bread and lots of high protein lean meats with occassional and practically indulgences. I have had three fills and lost a wonderful yet bittersweet 35 pounds.

The good news is I have a colonoscopy on Tuesday and (as funny as this sounds) I can't WAIT!

Honestly I am terrified. I'm freaked out I did something wrong here to myself. I want to be better, and live a normal life and enjoy the benefits of this surgery. What if this never goes away? Why don't they know what this is, what if I am always in pain and they don't find anything in the colonoscopy and the upper gi?

Thank you so much for listening, if you have any ideas, please let me know. I figured I'd give good ole patients a shot even though my surgeon is out of ideas, but they are still working with me and I value their attention...

[vic]

I feel for you, gas pain is the pits. All I know is that the surgons use air during surgery. I had a lot of gas pain for weeks following surgery. I still get it periodically - especially feeling heavy in my lower gut area; when I have not eaten properly. Also when I first wake up in the morning. I wish I had more info for you....I hope this helps a little.

[bgrand]

It sounds like maybe trapped gas??? I have never experienced what your describing and I feel for you. Are you able to drink warm tea when that happens???
Keep us posted and let us know how it goes for you. Sorry i couldn't be of more help.

[kristina]

maybe it isn't gas pain at all. maybe its something entirely different. like the gallbladder...or appendex...or lady issues...i was having chronic abdominal pain prior to surgery..and they told me it was everything from gallstones, kidney stones, appendicitis, to a mass on my ovaries...during my band surgery they did exploratory surgery...& found huge cysts that were rupturing on my rt ovary causing extreme pain, and swollen internal organs...they put me on birth control and now I'm fine. thank you Lord! it took 6 months all together for them to figure out what was causing this pain. i was in the hospital for a week once and the ER at least 4 times....i passed out from the pain at one point.
don't automatically think its the band..it could be a number of things...just don't give up! try to limit the pain meds so you don't get addicted..and i will be praying for u. pm me if u need to talk. its very very scary to have extreme pain..(i couldn't walk, or take care of my children) and no one can figure out why. i know what that feels like, and i am so sorry you are going through it.

[newlifeat57]

The colonoscopy will rule out any intestinal problems. i had some difficult times about 3 months post op and found that my intestinal problems were caused by diverticulitis. it's good to be having the colonoscopy. Since they have done all of the other tests, this should also help you figure out what it is exactly.... Good luck.

[lyndele]

Oh, dear, this sounds terrible. Hopefully the colonoscopy will find something easily fixed.

Kris has made some good suggestions - it could very well be "female organ"-related. Have you been to an OB/GYN? If not, give it a shot.

Good luck, and please let us know how your colonoscopy goes.

[MarkB]

I hope that the colonoscopy finds out what is going on. To me though it sounds like your change in diet has had an affect on your lower intestine. My guess from my own experiences is that it might be diverticulitis or diverticulosis. Each of these will be found if they are the problem with the colonoscopy. One is having small pockets in the lower intestine and the other is inflamation and infection of these pockets. I have both and by using Metamucil it helps quite a lot. The only problems I have with using Metamucil is that it does give most of us more gas and for the last month I was so tight I could not get the mix down. Now I have had a slight unfil and I can get back to the Metamucil.

It is not the best thing to have, but it is treatable. Good luck with your colonoscopy on Tuesday, mine is scheduled for Thursday so I know what you are going to go through.

[chattykathywlc]

Hi sorry you have been so miserable :(
Glad you are having the colonoscopy. Have you had a simple Abdominal Xray cuz that can show where the gas is trapped. Keep working with your Doctor to figure what is wrong.
Keep a food diary, do the symptoms get worse with certain foods? Lactose intolerance?
Does Gas X help?
Have you been constipated, I know that caused me HORRIBLE pain about 3 weeks post op.
Like Mark said it may be diverticulitis which needs to be treated.
Sometimes a bacteria can grow in the gut causing excess gas.
Somethings you may also try-no drinking from straws and drink warm tea.
Another thing to consider-Sugar free candies with Sorbitol can cause HORRIBLE gas/cramps so if you are eating those stop.
Hope you get relief soon
Kat