Sharp, crampy pain on the left side of my torso

[pintsizedmallrat 475]

Ok folks I want to pick your brains.

I am 18 months out from surgery, I got really sick a couple weeks ago and my doctor put me on steroids and an antibiotic. I finished the course of meds in 10 days, and ever since then it has been nearly impossible to eat. I gained 6 pounds in Water weight while ON the steroids and then proceeded to drop all that and 5 more pounds I did NOT want to lose just because I am not eating enough. I'm dangerously close to slipping into double-digit weights and I'd really like to stop this before I end up there.

I've gone back to basics and have mostly been consuming things that are really soft like Soup and making sure I chew everything very well, but my portion sizes are TINY (again, I'm 18 months out. My Breakfast the other morning was 3/4 of a scrambled egg and a forkful of hash browns, as an example. I should be, and have been able to, eat more than that.)

Every time I eat, no matter what it is, I get this sharp pain around the left side of my rib cage and my left shoulder has been aching for days. I went to my general practitioner (who himself is a gastric sleeve patient) who said that I probably am just having a harder time recovering from being ill because I'm not 20 anymore and that steroids can wreak havoc on our systems for weeks after we're done taking them, and sent me for some blood tests that I haven't gotten the results back yet from.

Before anyone makes this suggestion, yes I am drinking shakes to supplement and I'm having a hard time getting even those down. I feel like I'm starving to death. I just want to not be in pain anymore.

[kcuster83 1,505]

No advice here just stopping to wish you well.

I hope they figure it out and you get to feeling better soon.

[St77 87]

I've had that type of pain too and found out it atleast in my case it was gas pain. I now have to take a chewable gas-x pretty much everyday.

[pintsizedmallrat 475]

4 minutes ago, St77 said:

I've had that type of pain too and found out it atleast in my case it was gas pain. I now have to take a chewable gas-x pretty much everyday.

That's an easy thing to try so I will definitely be giving that a shot this morning to see if it makes a dent in anything.

[summerseeker 2,395]

Yes same as @kcuster, just sending a hug. I hope you get things sorted quickly. Antibiotics and steroids are a combination I hate, my come down off them was worse than the reason I was put on them in the first place.

I still am on 5 or 6 tiny meals a day because I cant eat a lot at once, I dont know if it help you but I will post a menu that my team said will help me with weight and energy, my calories were very low before before this

Breakfast - Protein yogurt and berries

Mid morning - whole milk

Lunch- A homemade Soup with chicken, veg and lentils i.e. curried lentil

Afternoon snack - nuts

Dinner- meat and vegetables or fish and salad etc

Supper - cheese and grapes

This gives me 1000 to 1300 calories a day and between 60 and 85 grams of protein

[pintsizedmallrat 475]

2 hours ago, summerseeker said:

Yes same as @kcuster, just sending a hug. I hope you get things sorted quickly. Antibiotics and steroids are a combination I hate, my come down off them was worse than the reason I was put on them in the first place.

I still am on 5 or 6 tiny meals a day because I cant eat a lot at once, I dont know if it help you but I will post a menu that my team said will help me with weight and energy, my calories were very low before before this

Breakfast - Protein yogurt and berries

Mid morning - whole milk

Lunch- A homemade Soup with chicken, veg and lentils i.e. curried lentil

Afternoon snack - nuts

Dinner- meat and vegetables or fish and salad etc

Supper - cheese and grapes

This gives me 1000 to 1300 calories a day and between 60 and 85 grams of Protein

I'm not new to this; I want to reiterate that I am 18 months out and have reached and exceeded my goal weight, and this does sound awfully similar to what I would "normally" eat. However, things are not normal right now. At this time, I am not able to tolerate a lot of things. This is a specifically difficult period. I know what I should be eating but it is very difficult to even drink shakes right now.

[Jeanniebug 476]

I know that with bariatric patients, abdominal pain shouldn't be ignored - no matter how far out we are. I'd really be inclined to ask about a scan, or ultrasound, or something.

[Arabesque 7,597]

Pancreatitis? Diverticulitis? Intestinal blockage?

Go back to your surgeon & ask for some scans to be done to be certain of what’s going on. It may be gas but better to know so it can be treated. Pain & being unable to eat should always be investigated further.

All the best.

[Bariiime 15]

Definitely see your surgeon and request testing. Sending love

[pintsizedmallrat 475]

Update: I had a really stubborn case of pneumonia and the pressure of my swollen lung was pressing on my stomach AND heart (it was in the lower left lobe of one lung). I've been on heavy-duty antibiotics for a week and I'm slooooowly starting to be able to eat again and have actually gained back 4 of the pounds I lost (that I DID NOT want to nor was I trying to lose).

[Jeanniebug 476]

Dang... That could've killed you! I'm glad you got treated!

[pintsizedmallrat 475]

6 minutes ago, Jeanniebug said:

Dang... That could've killed you! I'm glad you got treated!

Me too...this has been so horrible, i've missed almost two weeks of work because of this and am only just now starting to be able to actually eat again (I've felt like I'm starving to death, no joke. I've been eating spoonfuls of Peanut Butter because my capacity is so small it was about the only way to get any nutrition in me!).