hi friends

I am 4 weeks post op. I've been doing relatively well (although I struggled with fever in the beginning). I've been losing weight as well.

I've been on more solid food for the past 2 weeks. My food ranged from chicken to fish and shrimp - boiled egg - gem squash, gherkins, mash potatoes, asparagus in a can, bit of Peanut Butter, vegetable Soup, bean soup, ham, cheese wedges.

I try and eat slowly and chew chew, but sometimes i still struggle with it. A few times it also happened that I ate a bit just too much and then suffered the consequences. I had a terrible pain in my chest/tummy area and was laying down, even falling asleep, feeling quite horrible.

I really have to try and slow myself down some more.

Anyhow, why I am writing to you. For 2 days now I've been feeling a slight pressure in my tummy area, just below the boobs area...

I used to suffer from stomach ulcers from time to time and it is a bit of a similar feeling.

I was ulcer free when I had my op, although 4 months previously my doctor did find there was some inflammation and I was on medication the whole time up until my operation (for 3 months then).

I received some Nexium to drink after my op, but I could only manage to drink it for a week. Then i HAD to stop all medications as it was making me very ill and extremely nauseous. Since stopping all meds my fever has gone away and I've been doing a lot better.

But now I am just worried about this weird little pain in my chest/tummy area. it also feels as if my bra is on too tight. Do you know the feeling?

I don't know whether I should be worried or not.

* can it be an ulcer?

* can it be me who "broke" my intestines by going on more solid food too quickly?

* Can it be me who "broke" everything by those few times that I struggled and ate a bit too fast and too much and had to lie down?

* can it be the gherkins that are quite sour and strong?

* is it just me healing?

* or feeling the pain for the first time now that I am totally free of fever?

* or perhaps even me ovulating and now if feels weird?

Please I would love to get some feedback. I can't just go back to my doctor for any little pain or so, I don't feel comfortable (you know surgeons and how they can be... I don't want to be saying any more).

Before calling the surgeon lets wait a while. I think you did eat to fast but it's ok you just eat slower next time & walk as much as you can & drink liquids but not fast. Take your time eating & drinking but not together.

My first thought was gallbladder. My pain was in the area you describe. If the pain has lasted two days I would call the doc. Certain foods make gallbladder worse. Dairy is a trigger food and if you just ate some cheese then I would lean towards gallbladder. When I was in the hospital for my gallbladder they had to figure out if it was an ulcer or the gallbladder. I was convinced it was my gallbladder, but the surgeon at the hospital said it was an ulcer. He even bet me 5 dollars that he was right. I should have collected my money because I won that bet. The pains are very similar from my understanding.

My other thought was that it sound like dumping. The feeling of having to lie down is what dumping felt like to me.

It could also be a stricture. Maybe you need an endoscopy.