Hi Everybody,

I'm 14 weeks post-op, and since I've had my surgery I get a pain in my upper back usually at least once a day. It's on the left side, under my shoulder wing. It's not that painful, but can be annoying. Lasts anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. Sometimes I get it after I eat, but I have it right now and I haven't had anything to eat for more than three hours.

When I went for my six-week checkup, the PA told me that it was gas and a lot of bypass patients experience it. When I went for my three-month checkup last week, another PA told me that it could be pain from another organ, like my liver or pancrease, that is radiating to my back. Or it could be gas...he didn't seem too concerned and ordered a hepatic function panel, in addition to my regular bloodwork. He said if something shows up, he'll send me for a scan.

I still have my gall bladder, which is loaded with gall stones, but he didn't think it was from that.

Sometimes Gas-X will relieve it, but not always. Walking helps sometimes. Has anybody else experienced this? --Kathy

The answer is yes and I am still hunting an answer to my problem. I had my gallbladder removed in 2004 and that didn't fix it. Until I came on this site, I had never thought about the pain being connected to my surgery. Does anyone else have some solutions?

Hi Ina,

It might not be related to the surgery, but to the diet...all the protein, no/low carbs, etc. However, I've been on many high protein/low carb diets in the past and never experienced this before, so that's why I'm thinking it's the surgery.

Ummm.....I hope you don't have what I had, which I doubt you do.

About 1.5 days out, I developed a pain in my left shoulder that more or less felt like being pinned to the bed with an arrow through it. Luckily I was in the hospital still and the doctor eventually came around and shot me with morphine (good s**t, the best). It turns out that I had a leak at my anastomosis site and had to have another surgery and 6 more weeks in the hospital. It's funny though, his first reaction was that it was gas pain as well. Good luck with that. I've given you the worst case scenario.

stu

I was just wondering...why didnt they remove your gallbladder during the surgery? Thats when I had mine removed because my ultrasound showed that my gallbladder was full of stones also. I was kind of glad because I didnt want to have to go back into the hosp to have it taken out. I dought its a leak 'cause that usual only happens within the first couple days. If it really concerns you I would talk to the MD not the PA.

Hi Burly,

My WLS center doesn't remove the gall bladder when they do the sugery. They believe that it's better to do it as a separate procedure...didn't make sense to me, either, but I couldn't persuade them. So I will have to get it out later this year...hopefully before I have a major attack.

I'm not that worried, just wondering if others have experienced this. The PAs said this gas pain is common among bypass patients, but I really have not heard that much about it. I'll wait and see if anything shows up in the bloodwork.

Hi Kathy, I hate to say this but they probably didnt remove your gallbladder then because they can get more money when you go back in to have it removed....hehehe you know how doctors are! Well I will pray for you and hope that your blodwork is ok.

Hi Kathy, I hate to say this but they probably didnt remove your gallbladder then because they can get more money when you go back in to have it removed....hehehe you know how doctors are! Well I will pray for you and hope that your blodwork is ok. Michele

Yes, I have gas pain all the time and I am 5 yrs post op. Gas X Extra strength can help but moving and belching it out works the best as gross as it sounds.

Kathy

A question for all of you...
Can you relate the pain to any particular foods?

The only time I've had sharp radiating pains up my back was during a gallbladder attack and right after my WLS surgery which was done laporoscopically.(don't ask me how to spell that darn word. LOL) They pumped me full of gas and it took a few days for all of that to dissipate. Talk about pain. My gallbladder was filled with stones and they removed it at the same time they did the WLS surgery. The doc said that surgery took twice as long as the bypass because my gallbladder was so filled with stones. When I have severe gas pains they usually occur on my left side just below my ribcage. Not to stress you out or anything. but as someone who has had a bad gallbladder, I definitely think you should pay attention to that pain.

It could be plain ol' gas from your intestines or colon.
(just pondering...)
Some folks become lactose intollerent after WLS...
Or too much Sweetner (or the type of sweetner)
Check to make sure you are not eating too many sugar alcohols.

This is a question to ask yourself
How are your BMs - good?
Do you have stink gas?

Just some thoughts.

Real food is best..

OK, I am "colon retentive".
"If colon ain't happy, nobody's happy" LOL

TMI