11 months out. Few issues... are they normal?

[TwoStepsBack 15]

Hey Everyone!

So it's coming up to my surgiversary, and I'm 6lb from goal. Very happy with my loss and how everything is starting to tone up with my new excercise regime.

There are just a couple of issues I have which are ongoing and I wondered if anyone else has the same problems this far out...

I get diarrhea regularly (at least once a week). Sometimes I can pin it down to certain foods, sometimes I don't know what caused it. Problem foods seem to be: milky coffees, popcorn, chocolate, seafood... presuming popcorn is because it is hard to digest, and maybe the coffee flushes me out because I don't have as much food in my system to soak it up? chocolate seems to give me a "dumping syndrome" type reaction.

I have also had about four occasions in the past few months where I get a terrible pain in my stomach, which starts gradually and escalates to being so bad I've been doubled over crying and seriously freaked out my colleagues at work. I almost called an ambulance once it got so bad. I now recognise that after ten minutes of deep breathing it eventually goes away but it is very scary indeed. I haven't been able to identify what caused it, and it is definitely a pain in the actual stomach itself, rather than in the bowel or acid indigestion etc.

Does anyone know what this could be? I have my one year follow up soon, so I will ask my surgeon then.

xxx

[wondering1 103]

Do you still have your gallbladder?

[JackieOMonroe 123]

Do you still have your gallbladder?

This was my first thought too regarding the stomach pain.

As far as the foods that cause diarrhea, some of those were the same foods that caused the same trouble in me prior to my surgery, so it doesn't seem strange that they would make trouble with a more sensitive surgeried tummy. I'm not far enough out though to know for sure.

[kelli 3]

sounds like Gallbladder issues or possibly a stomach spasm...I would definately call your PCP or surgeon on this one..

[doggz109 41]

Is the stomach pain on the right side.....kind of up near the ribs? If so....and it occurs frequently after eating....that very well could be gall bladder pain. See your doctor to get checked out. It's very common for people to need their gall bladders taken out post WLS.

The foods you mentioned pretty much are common foods that give diarrhea. Milk, coffee, chocolate, etc. Your digestive system has changed, so even if these foods were fine before....you may be sensitive to them now.

[SeattleSue 25]

Sounds like you are passing gall stones (definately can affect your bm's...if these to issues are related). When I was passing Gallstones, it was intense wave like contractions that I had to breathe through...they left me shaky and weak. You need to get this taken care of immediately, because you can get a stone lodged in the duct. I urge you to take care of this ASAP as it can be serious.

It is very common to have Gallbladder issues with rapid weight loss.

Susan

[meggiep 57]

My surgeon prescribes a twice daily medication to protect against gall stones that I am to take until the major weight loss period ends. I know it is a hazard after the surgery. I t sounds like that could be your problem! I would have it checked out asap.

[TwoStepsBack 15]

Thanks so much everyone. I will go and have a read up about gall stones now and see if the symptoms fit, then I'll make a doc appointment asap.

Really appreciate the feedback! x

[jeniferdann 0]

I would definitely say gallstones - I've got them. The pain is exactly like that.

[TwoStepsBack 15]

So is this something which you can take medication for to correct the problem? Or is further surgery the only answer?

Is it something you can leave if it is only causing you occasion pain, rather than having more surgery? Or is it bound to get worse over time?

Thanks for the feedback again. x

[mjs6172 2]

What medication are you taking?

My surgeon prescribes a twice daily medication to protect against gall stones that I am to take until the major weight loss period ends. I know it is a hazard after the surgery. I t sounds like that could be your problem! I would have it checked out asap.

[Khy 16]

I had my gall bladder out because one of the stones got lodged in the beginning of the duct. My gall baldder had to come out fast because if it went down further... laproscopic surgery would not be an option and it would have been a much more difficult surgery. The surgery for me was easy enough. I had it on a Thursday and was back at work on a Monday. I think you will need an ultrasound for your doctor to determine the right course for you.

Khy

[TwoStepsBack 15]

Thanks all. I went to my GP today and she has arranged for me to have an ultrasound. She warned that it might be a couple of weeks as they can get very busy, but it should be in time for the results to be with my surgeon by my 1 year check up at end of August.

So glad I asked you all for your input, otherwise I would just have put up with it for another month at least!

[Janese58 11]

2 weeks to get an ultra sound...? Really? You could have a stone get stuck by then. Next time you have those pains go to the emergency room, see how fast they do one then.

I had the same deal 6yrs ago, it was gall stones and I was told if I didnt have it removed before a stone got stuck that they would have to open me up and recovery time sucks for that, but if I have it done soon then its ez ...in and out same day. Work in 5 days. I of course took the ez way. Anytime I would diet I would get these pains. I didnt know what they were until I got the attack that was so bad I thought I was going to explode. What insurance do you have?

[MustangAli 9]

TwoStepsBack, Please dont wait, and dont let them make you wait. I waited and waited and put it off because I only had "attacks" when I ate bad food and I didnt want to have 2 surgeries. I wanted to have my sleeve done and my gallbladder removed together. I waited too long and I was critically ill. This simple procedure ended up with me hospitalized for 5 days! Get it taken care of hun.