Can a blockage be misdiagnosed as a gall bladder issue?

First topic message reminder :

Ugh!!

I had started a thread about a blockage, but starting a new one as I'm not convinced it's not gall bladder issues.

I was sleeved 21 March 2012 and things were going ok until I had temperatures 2 weeks ago. Surgeon ordered a cat scan and it revealed I had pneumonia, but he said later, there was also inflammation in the stomach. Antibiotics... all ok.

Last Sunday night, I started to get a mild fever again. During this time, I've had issues with an awful feeling that makes my chest feel like it's ripping itself inside out. I had it mildly when I visited my surgeon last Thursday and he berated me saying it was a blockage from the food I had eaten. He said if it didn't clear, via chucking it up or it eventually breaking down, I'd have to come back and have some procedure done to push the food thru. Sounded positively ghastly!

He suggested coke might work, and I hate the stuff, but I drank a whole bottle. Other kind souls here suggested I try hot cups of tea, or milk will help. I chose the tea and it seemed ok. But last Saturday night, desperate to try and eat something again, I made up pureed potato, peas, bit of cheese & the inside of a mini pie. Blended the lot with water. I've not felt right since. I've been in such pain since!

I've tried to chuck up anything in my stomach... but there's nothing coming up. I can drink fluids, but I feel like the middle of my chest does a big flip over and it can be so bad I have to hold my chest, close my eyes and wait for the spasm to stop. The constant pain is in my right hand side, right where my bra would sit. Though I can't feel pain under my rib cage, I feel like it's in my right boob... so maybe that's under the rib cage...

Thing that is super weird though, I feel like I've got tonnes of food in my gut and get that same feeling of when I was pregnant & ate too much. The food sitting at the back of my throat. But I've not eaten anything since Saturday night. I've been drinking water, tea, supradyn made up with water, iceblocks & a cup of sustagen & skim milk. I tried the protein shake from Coles with Michelle from Biggest Loser on the tub... it's the worst god awful crap ever!! Cost bloody $26 for the tub and I felt like I was having flour & water glue!! ewwwww

Maybe I've just got a really bad case of reflux? I don't want the surgeon just chucking something down my throat without an ultrasound to see what's happening. I've been reading about gall bladder attacks, and though I've got some of the symptons, I have no vomiting or nausea. Just pains & spasms. It goes without saying, I have dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep over the past couple of weeks.

I don't know whether to just put up with it for another day and ring the surgeon tomorrow or go down & wait at casualty for an ultrasound to check it's not gallbladder... Crikey... I never thought things would be this hard going :(

Cheers

Ellen

how goes it now Ellen?

Thanks Kate. If you have a wander down the baby food aisle, you'll find things are dramatically different... well, they were for me. I couldn't believe the choices and they come in larger bags now. So far my fave is butter chicken... too bland on it's own, I'm now having a little bit of the moussaka. None of these were available when I had my last baby LOL.

Fingers crossed for June xxx

Hi Ellen,

I'm glad you have seen the doctor but sounds like you need to see someone who has treated patients with sleeves before. I hope the meds do the trick though :) I have a tentative date booked for 20th June. Baby food and soy sauce sounds gross but may not in a few months so I will keep it in mind. Let me know how everything goes, I really hope you start feeling better soon.

Hi Kate & Trishah

Well... the doctors in my area seem to have absolutely no experience in dealing with any issues that come from a gastric sleeve! But, I explained what had happened & that the degas & coloxyl had made me feel better. He just said keep taking the degas and a laxative if required. I got him to give me new scripts for the Nexium too, 40mg. He agreed that the Zoton wasn't as good.

I had to race into town this afternoon to catch the mail and while waiting for my scripts to be filled, I felt the same twisting again, but not as severe. I'll take Kate's advice and if things start to go downhill again, I'll ask for some tests. Fingers crossed it's going to be better. This afternoon I peeled a juicy orange and put half a segment at a time in my mouth, chewed the juice and tossed the rest. I swear, it was like heaven... I felt sooooo good having it!

Have you got a date for your surgery yet Kate? Baby food watered down a bit & spiced up with some soy is delish! lol I'm not risking anything that might get stuck from here on in. I was able to sit in the car with all the Friday night Maccas on the way back home this evening without feeling any longing... No feeling of wanting just one chip... it's all gone. In fact, the smell made me feel a bit nauseous :) The only thing I can have there would be an icecream, and they are not that appealing! lol

Cheers

Ellen

sooooooooooooooo... what did the doc say Ellen

Hi Ellen,

I was just reading all these postings as I am new to the site and have a family history of gallstones so am worried I will get them post op (not sleeved yet). I'm glad you are feeling better at the moment. Acid reflux and gallstones often are confusing to diagnose and with the sleeve it makes it a bit harder. I would suggest if you have further problems to ask to have less invasive tests such as an ultrasound, barium swallow and bloods. I'm a nurse and I always try to self diagnose myself which is bad because I always come up with the worst possible diagnosis!! If you feel unwell again insist on some noninvasive tests and get a second opinion if you feel like you aren't being given the right care. Let me know if it's gallstones so I know what to look out for!!

Kate

Hi Linda/Trishah

Last night, I took 2 degas capsules & 2 coloxyl and amazingly the pain reduced and I didn't have any alien trying to get out of my body. I've been to the loo and just made some very bland pureed porridge to try a couple of teaspoons. I think all the pains I'm getting is wind! It is somehow being caught and can't go anywhere, hence the excruciating pains & twisting. I'll chat to the doctor about it today and see what he thinks. Man, there are so many bizarre things that go down after weight loss surgery, hey!

Thanks for your wonderful help ladies. I'll let you know how things go after the doctor today.

Cheers

Ellen

I agree with the chest pain.. I am sure the GP will address it when you see him... hopefully TOMORROW!!!

I have my fingers crossed that it will all settle quickly for you darlin... but you do really need to go see someone ASAP... I think you have tried enough of the home remedies and its not going away.

You dont need to suffer like this there is help for you but it will take a doctor to prescribe it.

Hey Ellen u poor thing ...

i was sleeved 2 yrs & 8 months ago, I was on nexium 40 mgs morning and ranitidine which is zantac cant remember the dosage now at night, that was for the first 6 weeks then went down to 20 of nexium and then over a few months dropped the ranitidine. Over the last 12 months I have tried to wean off the nexium and now just take it when I feel refluxy......

i used to get the burning, horrible pressure pains, never in my shoulder (only there after I have laparoscopic surgeries) but also get the vomity feeling /taste in my throat, coughing a lot at night and weird "gassy" feeling in oesophagus, very hard to describe.
There is light at the end of the tunnel though, BUT can I just get on my soap box for a moment.....

ANY chest pains need to be seen by & investigated as appropriate. Just because it could be reflux doesnt rule out cardiac/ heart pains and I have personally cared for and treated many people who thought their heart attack was " just indigestion" its never a waste of time :-)
am off soap box now, hope u feel better soon, am going to try that rooibos tea tonight, got some today to try :-)
linda

Ahhh..... I didn't know that. I used to bit a bit of hot water in a glass, mix up a tablespoon of raw sugar till it was melted then put in freshly squeezed OJ. That would make me go like asap but I've not needed to do anything like that in a long long time :)

Maybe tonite I'll go the coloxyl as a once of and get the other stuff to keep here.

I just find it easy to take... Like I said I put it in my cuppa and its done.. Ive put it in my shake too...either way I dont know its there.

You can take the coloxyl everyday as long as it doesnt have senna in it my doc told me. He said the senna will make my bowel lazy if used long term.

That sounds like nice & gentle stuff... it's now on my shopping list for tomorrow. I've got some coloxyl in the draw, which I used to find very gentle too, but your stuff sounds way better.

for the BM ( I was having the same prob) go get some osmolax or clearlax (same stuff different name) and put a teaspoon full in your cuppa at night or in your juice or in water.

Its a non gritty powder that has no color or flavour when mixed with liquid ( hot or cold)

its the same stuff they talk about on the american sites when they are bunged up.

I found it took 2 doses for me to 'go'. doc said I can take it everyday till I can go on my own or if I cant go I can take it forever. It comes with a scoop but I found that a bit aggressive and for a normal movement daily 1 teaspoon is enough...mind you a good clean out first up is probably beneficial.

It is an osmotic so it puts water into the stool and keeps it soft so it moves through the bowel easier and faster and its not tough to pass.

Right now, I'm willing to try anything Trishah :( I haven't had any BM since Saturday either, it's like everything has gone & bunged up! lol

I'll tell the doctor to give me 3 months of 40mg & 3 months of 20mg...And I'll speak to the surgeon tomorrow. Something has to give somewhere along the way. Today all I had to eat was 3 flat teaspoons of fruit puree. It was all I could manage. I've kept up the water too. But the pains would just keep coming & going. I think it's time I went and propped myself up in bed. Just finished packing all the parcels for postage.

Thanks for all your help too Trishah, I really appreciate it

Ellen what you are feeling is a really irritated and acid burned eosophigus... I used to feel like it was boring a hole into my spine and out my back from the sternum... if I ate anything that iritated it, it increased in intensity and would be unbearable I also got shoulder pain.

You want 40 mg of nexium to start then they will drop it down to 20.. you cant stay on 40 for very long I think maximum is 3 months. nexium helps the irritation heal and can take 3 days to a week to kick in depending on the damage so dont panic if it doesnt work straight away.

It is the premium reflux med and you cant get a generic brand of it either, it will cost between 30 and 40 dollars for a script but trust me its worth it.

I know, I'm just not sure what the hell it could be. I need more drugs... lol

Hey just because my symptoms are different doesn't mean that what you're experiencing isn't reflux! Everyone feels it in different ways. Hell, maybe mine isn't reflux.
:-)

Thanks Trishah.

I have a feeling I don't have reflux.... but obviously something is going on. I should have bit the bullet and called the surgeon today. I think I was worried he'd just stick that probe thing down into my stomach to check for a blockage.... I'll ring him tomorrow.

I just get these pains and no feeling of liquid wanting to come back up. Crikey... this sucks big time! grrrrr

Hi Ellen
So sorry it is giving you so much grief, I can commiserate. I don't get the "twisting" sensation in my sternum, rather it is a "raw" and sometimes "hot" feeling. When I lay down I can feel liquid in my chest it is much worse at night. When I exercise and after I eat I sometimes get my last meal repeating on me. I almost reguritated lunch today. sometimes my left shoulder has discomfort too. My thinking is that I've been eating too quickly, stuffing my 1/4 cup in within ten minutes or less. I didn't realise I'd have so much trouble sticking to rules - I just don't think.
I called my surgeon today as even two Pariet a day are not helping, in fact it's getting worse and mylanta double strength isn't doing a thing. He said to go back on liquids for two weeks and take three to four pariet a day. I'm not sure he realises I'm on 20mg tabs - must clarify that.
Hope this helps in some way.

Thanks Trishah :) I've made an appt to see another GP tomorrow. Couldn't get it today. If I ask for Nexium, what dosage should I be on to ensure it's correct?

As I have never suffered heartburn or reflex, can you confirm the feeling I have in the back when it twists then radiates into the sternum, is correct? It feels like something is wanting to push up out of there.... causes so much discomfort :( I'm like a walking zombie now. I am trying to stay away all day so I might have a chance of sleeping thru tonite. The only downside to Mersyndol Forte is getting the hungover effect from them.

the general rule is 6 months for the ppi then go off and see what happens but I dont care if I stay on mine forever...beats the arse off having reflux

Hi Linda

Thanks for the advice re PPi. I did get some relief yesterday when I took a second dose of it. I've had it before when I was getting stomach pains after eating certain foods. It was only when I stopped to listen, I realised there were certain ones doing it... like bananas, honey... avocado etc. I'll ring and see if he can send a script out in the mail today and I'd get it tomorrow.

I woke up last night about 1am with the excruciating pain in my right shoulder blade. I got up and cut up some mersyndol forte into little pieces to take then had a hot shower. I then propped myself up on pillows to a sitting position and read until the drug took effect. I'm just sipping the rooibos tea now and about to take the other meds I'm on. I'll be so glad when this little hurdle is well and truly over and done with.

Do you know how long we remain on PPi meds for?

Thanks Oceangirl for your warm wishes :) How are you going with your diet? And Trishah... gotta love ya with your positive nature & words of wisdom !! xxx

awwwww spanks Oceangirl.. some times I think I have too much to say and need to reign it in. So its nice to hear that I do ok sometimes.

Hi Ellen, I really do hope you get better soon! Glad Trish mentioned Rooibos tea to you, I am very familiar with it, grew up with it and it is excellent for all kind of ailments. I am from South Africa, and Rooibos literally means red bush. It is a native shrub in South Africa and apart from tea that they make from it, a whole range of baby products are also made from it. We grew up right on the beach and I remember mum always throwing a handful of Rooibos tea leaves in our bath water when we had sunburn. I still use it for that!

How wonderfully supportive are the people on this site! Although I don't post often, I read posts and diaries every day. I am also a March 2012 sleever and I agree that Trish is a real treasure. Hope you will be writing soon to say you are feeling better Ellen!

Elize

I absolutely agree with Linda on the PPI change. Lansoprazole (zoton) is one of the older PPI's and there are definitely better improved ones out there.

Not all PPI's are the same. So you might have to try a couple of different ones to see which suits. nexium for instance is often given when an ulcerated or irritated esophigus is present as it helps to heal it.

Cant hurt to see your surgeon (or gp in the mean time) and see if its of benefit

Hi Ellen,

Just a thouht, maybe you are progressing too soon for your stomach???
You said you also had a hiatus hernia repair when you had the sleeve and thats about 5 weeks ago now.....
I know every surgeon is different but just maybe you need to be on a slightly stronger dose of ppi for a while longer, its worth discussing with surgeon or even having a chat with dietitian.
Maybe you need to stay on a blander diet or fluids for a little while.

Good luck!
Linda