So last night after I ate (a little chicken & a Aldi's carb conscious meal bar) - I started feeling REALLY bad soon after. (It was not the Aldis Meal Bar - I eat those all the time)... Nauseous but could not throw up (I never can actually throw up after surgery -- I just get severely nauseous periodically). I was dry heaving.

I have promethazine but I was so nauseous - I could not even make myself take it. So I decided to just sleep it off. I woke up at 4am with a KILLER migraine, so I took 100mg of Imitrex (migraine med) and 50mg of promethazine... My back was also KILLING me... worse than I've ever had back pain. There was NO position I could get in that made it tolerable. I fell back asleep... woke up at 7am. No more nausea (thanks promethazine), but my back still hurts.. all around the lower back area and my lower abdomen hurts too. We can't take NSAIDs... only Tylenol (which is worthless, IMO). Back pain isn't centralized.. it is all over my lower back --from side to side...

I googled to see if this could possibly be related to gallbladder issues? I am debating on going to the hospital... I really don't want to but if this could be serious, then I will.

BTW, at first I thought I pulled a muscle, but I only went on the exercise bike for 40 minutes yesterday & the treadmill 30 minutes.. which I do everyday for the past two weeks (besides Sundays) -- and that should NOT cause back muscle/abdominal pain. Plus - the pain is so widespread -- I don't think that would be it either. I did not do any exercises with weight, nor did I do any heavy lifting.

Any thoughts of what it could be? If things don't feel better in the next few hours - I am going to the hospital.

PS - I have not taken any pain medication, at all. I did take Xanax because I was so upset - I needed it to calm me down. (in summary, I took 100 mg of Imitrex, 50mg of promethazine and 1mg of Xanax.

If you read all of this - thank you. I appreciate you taking the time and having the empathy to read this manuscript -- I am just scared and confused... and in severe pain.

@McMocie - I did not even think monitoring my pee! i will do it next time I use the bathroom.

I think I'd rather go to the ER rather than doctor.. that way the can do tests/cat scans, etc right then and there.

I am definitely afraid of having gall bladder isses.

I read no NSAIDs after sleeve surgery?? let me google around.

Thank you for answering.

Lanie992, sending you all positive thoughts and energy and hope you’ll keep us posted. I, too, have been on Imitrex and Promethazine, PRN, since Imitrex came out early 90’s from lifelong inherited migraines.

Anyone who knows this type of intense pain has usually developed a pretty substantial tolerance to pain, so when you describe the additional excruciating pain you’re having, trust your instinct to head to ER. It will be worth it for you to know what’s going on. Be gentle with yourself.

I went back to sleep and the pain subsided when I woke up. My pain level is more manageable now. I can get sit a certain position and it hurts, but not nearly as bad as it was. i am still nervous about it all. I have insurance and have paid my max out of pocket (thanks to the surgery) , so I won't have a copay--- it should all be free, so I might as well go in. I really don't want to though.. I am going to just wait a few more hours & see if the pain lessens even more. If it doesn't - I will go... if it does, then I won.t

@MsMocie Thank you for the info on the NSAIDs.. I do have some of those symptoms, but not all. It is so weird - I googled searched Aleve/naproxen (it's an NSAID, not sure it called the same thing in Norway) --and I get varying answers whether it is okay for sleevers. I think I am going to just try to take 2.

Codeine & opiods are prescription only in the US. I do have left over Codiene syrup from my surgery but that stuff tastes SOOOO bad - I can't drink it.

@Lily66 Yeah, migraines are rough. I've been taking Imitrex for a long time. It really helps. I have migraines for a long time too. And yes, you are right -- migraine sufferers are definitely used to severe pain, unfortunately... Thank you for the advice.

Edited September 19, 20205 yr by Lanie992

I actually felt a lot better yesterday afternoon. I even went on a 3 mile walk during the evening... and 1 mile walk this morning. Thank you all for taking the time to read my story. I probably should have waited a bit to post but I just got so scared.

Maybe I just slept wrong & that's why my muscles were in so much pain.. If it happens again - I will go straight to the ER though.

Much love❤️ to you all for offering advice and helping me through the rough patch!!

So happy to hear things have resolved themselves! When these migraine’s are horrible ones they affect, and pain, our entire bodies and we’re used to dealing with that. Five years ago I had a migraine from hell...Imitrex, nothing touched it, 24 hours later, entire body aching, I finally headed to ER.

Long story short, CT scan showed “lots of activity around my appendix”. Surgeon said he doubted appendix, because my age, over 60, AND that appendix pain was some of the worst known to man, and yet all I complained about was the “excruciating migraine that was killing me.” He said I’m going in to check this appendix because of CT scan, and they will come out one way or another because I’m in there and not going back in again. I agreed.

Turns out, thinking it was just migraine hurting my entire body, I waited too long to go to ER, my appendix had turned gangrene and were about to burst! Surgeon later explained that my extreme tolerance to pain has been built over a lifetime of dealing with these whole body migraine’s, but in the future I cannot wait that long before heading to ER. I was very, very fortunate that I went just in time, and HOPE it will never happen again, to any of us!?

Best wishes and take extra good care of yourself!

2 hours ago, Lily66 said:

So happy to hear things have resolved themselves! When these migraine’s are horrible ones they affect, and pain, our entire bodies and we’re used to dealing with that. Five years ago I had a Migraine from hell...Imitrex, nothing touched it, 24 hours later, entire body aching, I finally headed to ER.

Long story short, CT scan showed “lots of activity around my appendix”. Surgeon said he doubted appendix, because my age, over 60, AND that appendix pain was some of the worst known to man, and yet all I complained about was the “excruciating migraine that was killing me.” He said I’m going in to check this appendix because of CT scan, and they will come out one way or another because I’m in there and not going back in again. I agreed.

Turns out, thinking it was just migraine hurting my entire body, I waited too long to go to ER, my appendix had turned gangrene and were about to burst! Surgeon later explained that my extreme tolerance to pain has been built over a lifetime of dealing with these whole body migraine’s, but in the future I cannot wait that long before heading to ER. I was very, very fortunate that I went just in time, and HOPE it will never happen again, to any of us!?

Best wishes and take extra good care of yourself!

Wow!! I am so glad the ER doctor was so incessant on checking your appendix! That is so scary but having dealt with migraines my entire life - I can understand how it happened... I imagine that happens a lot --- that people concentrate on one area where the pain is the worst. I would rather have pain ANYWHERE on my body, besides my brain. It just overwhelms and clouds everything when it is your head.

Thank you so much for sharing your story!! I will be more careful in the future, because you just never know what else could be going on..

Absolutely! He decided to CT scan appendix area because I winced and pushed his hand away when he was pressing on that area. My white blood count was also through the roof so they knew something more than just the migraine going on. I was shocked and clueless when all said and done though, for to me? it was just another migraine from hell?‍♀️. I had even driven myself to the hospital, nearly delirious. Seat belt pressing on that highly inflamed appendix area could have been devastating. No more taking chances!!!!