Q for Veterans: increasing stomach pains @ 2.5 months

[cygnusatratus 73]

So I was sleeved December 13th and I'm happy with my progress so far. My growing concern however is my slowly increasing stomach pain for at least the last month. Now maybe pain is the wrong word. It's a deep empty gnawing feeling that could be perceived as real hunger. It is centered on my abdomen a bit higher than midway between belly button and sternum. The only pre-surgery feeling I can liken it to is when I was extremely hungry and was way past a mealtime.

I know the common response is "acid" and that may be the real answer but a few things make me question that. Over the last month, instead of weaning off my PPI I have actually increased to twice a day, switched from Prevacid to Prilosec, and added multiple Zantac 150 per day. None of this seems to impact what I am feeling and over time it just seems to get slowly worse. I never have acid reflux or burning in my throat or esophagus that I notice. I have "slimed" / vomited a few times since surgery from eating a few bites too much and the bile never burned my throat. Eating does not necessarily calm this feeling down as sometimes I experience it while I am eating or shortly after a meal.

My pre-op EGD was normal and I've never had acid problems before. In fact my first month and a half post op was pretty darned easy and uncomplicated with no hunger or pains. I am seeing my doc in a couple of weeks for month 3 f/u and I'm going to see what they have to say of course, but I figured I would ask here as well. I don't want to have another EGD, and aside from this uncomfortable stomach, everything is going well. So has anyone had something like this and what did it turn out to be and what did you do to get over it, if anything?

Thanks for reading!

[PdxMan 4,292]

I had a hiatal hernia repair with my surgery and ever since, I have not had any acid issues, so I cannot speak to that. But when I did have stomach "pains" as you mention, it was usually because I either ate too fast, didn't chew well enough or took too large of a bite. Once I got into the habit of smaller bites and putting my utencil down between bites, those issues went away. It made me more in tune with what was going on inside my tummy and stopping before my stomach was uncomfortable.

[cygnusatratus 73]

I should say that mostly my "pains" are between meals (walking up in am is bad!) but not exclusively between meals. I get the sharp upper chest type pain at meals sometimes if I go too fast or get too full, that pain is a different animal altogether and in a completely different area.

[Sassygirl06 962]

I got something similar for the first 6 months. Felt like my new stomach was so hungry that it was eating itself. I still get it occasionally when I have gone longer then 3 hours Inbetween meals, but other then that it is gone. Hope this is something that will go away for you. Good luck!

[SusieK710 130]

Ulcers present with gnawing pain between meals...when they get deep enough, bleed like mad. Check with the surgeon, especially if you've taken any aspirin, alive or ibuprofen.

[cygnusatratus 73]

Yuck. Now I'm researching ulcers and H. Pylori... Fingers crossed on this one...

[pottergirl 261]

i have exactly the same issues. gnawing away whether i eat ,drink,or nothing. i hate it as i never had serious acid pre op. i an going for an upper gi series so she can rule out stricture but i know it's acid and doubt you have h lori ...if you an endoscopy they would have detected it....ulcers too.....it acid and it's unfortunately

a side effect. how we can both get relief

[cygnusatratus 73]

Keep me posted on test results. I am worried that I have a post-op ulcer. The more I read about symptoms of ulcers, the more it matches what I am going through. (Location, timing, and type of discomfort). I'll be asking doc about it and maybe get some carafate.

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

I've had ulcer problems since I was a teen. The way I have always described the pain was like a dead body at the bottom of the ocean and the critters gnawing away my guts little by little.