13 days Post-Op - Pain

[Lula]

I’m new to this site. I was looking for someone that may have a similar story as mind. Any comments are welcome. Thank you.

Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass
Surgery date 8/14/19.
Starting weight 265 / Weight today 248
Down 17 pounds !!!
From day one I’ve done pretty good.
Then yesterday I had really severe pain!
It was more intense than giving birth to
both of my children times 10! I was doing so good and I decided to add just a little “Simply Apple Juice” to the raw carrots juice I was drinking. I had drank the carrot juice for 3 days with no ill effects.
Within 10 minutes of drinking the apple carrot juice mix I was in horrible pain! I noticed the pain would ket up for a bit then return with a vengeance. After 3 hours of this horrible pain I decided to call my bariatric nurse. I live 2 hours from my doctor/hospital where I had surgery.
The nurse asked me a lot of questions and determined that i was not having dumping syndrome. (I still thought it was dumping) Nurse told me I should go to the ER and get checked out. 6 hours later labs were normal. X-rays were normal but didn’t do any scans. My oxygen levels would go up & down and sound the loud alarm. (I’m sure that was because of the pain I was experiencing) I was also dehydrated. I’m sure from not drinking anything for the 6 hours I was in the ER! Oh get this I’m dehydrated but was not given any fluids through the IV they started to take my blood. I was offered zofran & morphine to help with the pain which I decline to take because I wanted to know what was causing my severe pain which I had not experienced until now! It was so hard not to give in an take the instant relief! I was scared if I took the meds and felt better then I would appear ok and they would send me home without finding the true cause of my pain. I don’t think the ER dr was happy that I refused the meds. ER visit was not a good experience at all! I was sent home with no diagnosis but was recommended that I follow up with my bariatric doctor in three days. If pain should get worse I should return to the ER. Oh and drink lots of fluids due to the the dehydration.
I’m still confused why I wasn’t given at least one bag of fluids at the ER. After returning home I was still in pain but was much more tolerable. This morning I feel a lot better. My stomach is very sore but I’m not in any pain. I feel like my stomach is bruised but of course it’s not. I’m very thankful that I’m better. I feel like I must of had a severe case of dumping. Only without diarrhea and vomiting. (who knows) I will see my bariatric doctor in a few days. Hopefully I will get some answers then.
Anyone else have a similar situation as this?

 

[Brenda2010]

Anyone else have a similar situation as this?

Sorry Lula, I haven't had that kind of pain. I'm glad you went to the ER but it sounds like they didn't provide you with a diagnosis or anything to go on. I hope it was a 1 time thing and that your surgeon has some ideas at your upcoming appointment.

If it happens again, do you have another nearby hospital? One of our friends here, Pink Julie, was having trouble. The first hospital she went to didn't have a clue so she checked herself out and went to another that found her problem. Very brave on her part and I will now follow in her footsteps if I find myself in the same situation. Hopefully she'll read this and tell you more about this.

Wishing you all the best and also, congratulations on your huge weight loss so far!

 

[dianeseattle]

Hi, Lula and welcome. I had the pain you're describing and I also likened it to childbirth and it went on for a day. It turned out to be diverticulitis. It was my first flare up in my life. You may have been experiencing the exact thing that I experienced, or your new diet may have cause your flare up.

I agree with your nurse who said she didn't think it was dumping. It doesn't sound like dumping to me. I have never read an account of dumping that included excruciating pain. Usually it's over very quickly and resolves itself with a nasty bowel movement, and that is the worst case scenario. However combining those juices may have contributed to a bout of indigestion that turned into an attack.

BUT... we have a tendency to erroneously contribute one thing to another when they happen in close succession. After you've had a major surgery, you are hyper aware of your body and everything that you are feeling. Even though the combination of juices might have made you feel a little sick, they are most likely not the cause of the pain, but they are coincidental to the pain.

I agree that the hospital should have given you fluids, but they might have been withholding because your pain indicated that they should be preparing for emergency surgery of some kind.

I would have a lower GI series and a colonoscopy to rule out diverticulitis. I don't know if you already have this and know all about it but it is excruciatingly painful. And there are a lot of other things that can give you that much pain that might surprise you, including trapped gas. That is no joke. A gas bubble or two can make you want to die, the pain is so bad.

I don't know if anyone told you this oh, but you should not be taking ibuprofen or any other NSAIDs. If you have been a regular consumer of NSAIDs, they may have damaged your bowel. That's another cause of abdominal pain.

Now that the urgency has passed, you really need to go back to your surgeon and let him or her have a look at you. You can certainly let the surgeon know what we have said here. Most surgeons have vast knowledge of your digestive system and all the things that can go wrong in your body. He or she might actually find something or diagnose something that you never even thought of. And remember, the pain might not even be related to your bariatric procedure.

Congratulations on your surgery and your weight loss and don't mix carrot juice and apple juice again!

 

[Pink Julie]

I’m new to this site. I was looking for someone that may have a similar story as mind. Any comments are welcome. Thank you.

Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass
Surgery date 8/14/19.
Starting weight 265 / Weight today 248
Down 17 pounds !!!
From day one I’ve done pretty good.
Then yesterday I had really severe pain!
It was more intense than giving birth to
both of my children times 10! I was doing so good and I decided to add just a little “Simply Apple Juice” to the raw carrots juice I was drinking. I had drank the carrot juice for 3 days with no ill effects.
Within 10 minutes of drinking the apple carrot juice mix I was in horrible pain! I noticed the pain would ket up for a bit then return with a vengeance. After 3 hours of this horrible pain I decided to call my bariatric nurse. I live 2 hours from my doctor/hospital where I had surgery.
The nurse asked me a lot of questions and determined that i was not having dumping syndrome. (I still thought it was dumping) Nurse told me I should go to the ER and get checked out. 6 hours later labs were normal. X-rays were normal but didn’t do any scans. My oxygen levels would go up & down and sound the loud alarm. (I’m sure that was because of the pain I was experiencing) I was also dehydrated. I’m sure from not drinking anything for the 6 hours I was in the ER! Oh get this I’m dehydrated but was not given any fluids through the IV they started to take my blood. I was offered zofran & morphine to help with the pain which I decline to take because I wanted to know what was causing my severe pain which I had not experienced until now! It was so hard not to give in an take the instant relief! I was scared if I took the meds and felt better then I would appear ok and they would send me home without finding the true cause of my pain. I don’t think the ER dr was happy that I refused the meds. ER visit was not a good experience at all! I was sent home with no diagnosis but was recommended that I follow up with my bariatric doctor in three days. If pain should get worse I should return to the ER. Oh and drink lots of fluids due to the the dehydration.
I’m still confused why I wasn’t given at least one bag of fluids at the ER. After returning home I was still in pain but was much more tolerable. This morning I feel a lot better. My stomach is very sore but I’m not in any pain. I feel like my stomach is bruised but of course it’s not. I’m very thankful that I’m better. I feel like I must of had a severe case of dumping. Only without diarrhea and vomiting. (who knows) I will see my bariatric doctor in a few days. Hopefully I will get some answers then.
Anyone else have a similar situation as this?

This does make me very scared for you, you should not be having pains like giving birth, that is not normal.

I have had pains like that twice since my RNY on 4/30. The first time, I had eaten turkey, it was on my plan, but my stomach rejected it, and I was told I was not ready for eating solids yet.

The second time was around 2 weeks ago and I had a mechanical bowel obstruction, caused by scar tissue twisting my bowel, nothing to do with what I had eaten.

As Brenda said, the 1st ER said I may have a bowel obstruction, the first hospital said I most certainly didn’t have a bowel obstruction, and were happy to observe me and give me morphine for the pain. I discharged myself and travelled by car to see my surgeon at the original hospital 2 1/2 hours away, but the ER there didn’t prioritize me, and just marked me down as having nausea and vomiting. After 6 1/2 hours in the ER, in agony and constantly throwing up, I finally got seen, scanned and diagnosed immediately and had surgery the next morning.

I’m fine now, back to work tomorrow.

If this happens again, stand your ground, you know when something is seriously wrong, and it is not normal to be in that much pain.

Good luck! I sincerely hope it was a one off and doesn’t happen to you again xx

 

[Lula]

Thank you all for the comments. I’m doing fine now. I still don’t have any answers about the cause of my horrible pain! I will see my bariatric surgeon September 4th. I’m sure he’ll have some answers about the horrible episode of pain I had.
In the future I will always go directly to Tyler ER. It’s only 2 hours away. I was in the ER for 6 hours in my hometown and got no relief or diagnosis. I did find out that the ER doctor I saw was a PA which is usually ok with me but he was just not competent.

Thank you for all for comments! You guys are the greatest! It really helps me to have a place where I can express my feelings with other people who have had bariatric surgery. I’m blessed to have family who cares and wants to help but they just don’t get it! I didn’t get it either until I experienced it myself!

I have an appointment to see an acupuncturist at 3. I’ll let ya know how that goes. I’m hoping my sore muscles will finally get some much needed relief.

May you all find health & happiness as you journey through the stages of recovery from bariatric surgery! Onward to victory!

 

[LoveLee]

Blessings to you. I'm 8 days in & pain has been an issue since awaking from surgery. They kept dismissing it as air from the procedure but it wasn't! I will be honest the way I was treated post op by the facility & staff here I feel like I fell for a trick. They tried to rush me out the hospital the next day even with high blood pressure & pitting.

 

[Brenda2010]

Blessings to you. I'm 8 days in & pain has been an issue since awaking from surgery. They kept dismissing it as air from the procedure but it wasn't! I will be honest the way I was treated post op by the facility & staff here I feel like I fell for a trick. They tried to rush me out the hospital the next day even with high blood pressure & pitting.

Hi Love - I'm sorry to hear you're having pain and that your care has been lacking. Have you been back to see your surgeon? Was it the hospital staff or the surgeon's team who rushed you out of the hospital? I hope your surgeon can get to the bottom of your issue and get you some relief. Do you have a different nearby hospital? Good luck & please keep us posted.

 

[LoveLee]

Hi Love - I'm sorry to hear you're having pain and that your care has been lacking. Have you been back to see your surgeon? Was it the hospital staff or the surgeon's team who rushed you out of the hospital? I hope your surgeon can get to the bottom of your issue and get you some relief. Do you have a different nearby hospital? Good luck & please keep us posted.

TY Brenda2010. I see my surgeon next week. The way it works here there's one hospital in our city that specializes in Bariatric Surgery. So the team/clinic I go to their patients all are brought in thru outpatient surgery, sat in a room, well to recovery and then straight into surgery. A new patient every 30 to 45 minutes. I initially felt like the surgeon's suggestion to have the surgery was to assist in my many complex issues, however, the post op & 1 day turn around made me feel like I was part of a puppy mill. No humanity. No compassion. Referring to patients as "Baris" & insisting the move around and be ready for check out in 24 hours.
The business of it was primary to the service and I didn't care for that aspect. I was sent home with a heart rate of 110, and a BP of 177/103. Luckily my baby sister is a nurse or I would have been in bad shape!

 

[Brenda2010]

TY Brenda2010. I see my surgeon next week. The way it works here there's one hospital in our city that specializes in Bariatric Surgery. So the team/clinic I go to their patients all are brought in thru outpatient surgery, sat in a room, well to recovery and then straight into surgery. A new patient every 30 to 45 minutes. I initially felt like the surgeon's suggestion to have the surgery was to assist in my many complex issues, however, the post op & 1 day turn around made me feel like I was part of a puppy mill. No humanity. No compassion. Referring to patients as "Baris" & insisting the move around and be ready for check out in 24 hours.
The business of it was primary to the service and I didn't care for that aspect. I was sent home with a heart rate of 110, and a BP of 177/103. Luckily my baby sister is a nurse or I would have been in bad shape!

My goodness, that sounds AWFUL! And referring to patients, vulnerable human beings in your care as "Baris"??? That completely pisses me off! I'm so sorry that was your experience.

 

[dianeseattle]

Brenda, looks like you've added 3 pounds to your weight loss stats. Congratulations! You're doing so great, just sailing along. Isn't it amazing? Like, you expect it to stop, for the dream to end, but you just keep taking good care of yourself, being thoughtful, and then bingo! You lost weights while you were at it.

 

[Brenda2010]

Brenda, looks like you've added 3 pounds to your weight loss stats. Congratulations! You're doing so great, just sailing along. Isn't it amazing? Like, you expect it to stop, for the dream to end, but you just keep taking good care of yourself, being thoughtful, and then bingo! You lost weights while you were at it.

Thanks for noticing and commenting Diane! I want to be sensitive to anyone having a difficult time so I wait for someone to notice my losses before talking about it. That said, yes!!! It's completely surreal! Obviously I'm still in the "honeymoon" phase, but I'll embrace it for as long as it lasts. Truly incredible, this journey has surpassed all my expectations.

PS - love the new signature, sing it sister!!!

 

[LoveLee]

Thanks for noticing and commenting Diane! I want to be sensitive to anyone having a difficult time so I wait for someone to notice my losses before talking about it. That said, yes!!! It's completely surreal! Obviously I'm still in the "honeymoon" phase, but I'll embrace it for as long as it lasts. Truly incredible, this journey has surpassed all my expectations.

PS - love the new signature, sing it sister!!!

I am sorry Brenda I am just learning to use this forum but I definitely want to acknowledge your accomplishments.

 

[Brenda2010]

I am sorry Brenda I am just learning to use this forum but I definitely want to acknowledge your accomplishments.

Thank you very much LoveLee!!!

 

[Redy2go]

Brenda awesome!!! Love that you are doing well!!!

 

[Brenda2010]

Brenda awesome!!! Love that you are doing well!!!

Thank you so much Redy!!! It means a lot to be congratulated.

 

[honeysgirl]

Brenda, looks like you've added 3 pounds to your weight loss stats. Congratulations! You're doing so great, just sailing along. Isn't it amazing? Like, you expect it to stop, for the dream to end, but you just keep taking good care of yourself, being thoughtful, and then bingo! You lost weights while you were at it.

I like your new pic Diane.