Stupid pain that wont go away

[Darkplaces 20]

I had my sleeve done in Nov of 2014. Everything has been fantastic...no throwing up...no nausea etc. In February I got this stupid pain on my left side of my back/shoulder blade. It is hard to describe where but if I had nipples on my back like I do on my front that is where it would be. I did a swallow study...was fine. I have lived with this stupid pain since then. 10 days ago Doc put me on carafate liquid 4 times a day. As an addition I have taken Protonix 40mgs since my surgery date. I almost think the doc thinks I am crazy because he said it is near impossible for me to have an ulcer. I did not have my gallbladder removed and have lost something like 190lbs in 7 1/2 months. I ask the doc about my pancreas or gallstones and he shoots me down everytime. He did say in 7 more weeks if it does not go away with this medication they will do an upper GI. I just wonder if I should get the upper GI done sooner rather then later. The pain has slowly increased since February. It is an annoyance more than anything. I really feel it on an empty stomach or when I took chewable vitamins (switched to bariatric advantages 3 times a day capsule and has been a huge help.) On a pain level it is probably a 3 on the scale but I have it most everyday with it sometimes radiating into my front just below my nipple. Just curious what some of you think. My labs don't show anything according to the doc but it can't be normal to have this nagging pain..can it?

[Joz31 90]

@@Darkplaces

I have been an ER nurse for about 10 years, and this sounds very highly suspicious of gallbladder problems. You really need an ultrasound to diagnose gallbladder disease, often there are no abnormalities in the lab work. Before my surgery I was having the exact same pain as you and my ultrasound showed my gallbladder was only slightly enlarged. They decided to go ahead and remove my gallbladder, and afterwords the surgeon stated it was the largest gallbladder he had ever seen in 25 years!! Medicine isn't always a science, so I would be persistent with your doctor to get an ultrasound ordered to check out your gallbladder. I'm not a doctor but it's just my thoughts and experience!

[Daisee68 2,493]

If this Dr won't listen, get a 2ND opinion. I know how hard that seems to do but we're it me in oak. For 4 months already, not sure I'd want to wait another 7 weeks.

[swimbikerun 1,046]

I had a huge problem with my doctor not listening about my gallbladder. 2 other surgeons, 1 ER doc, and my PCP at the time, all said gallbladder. The insurance ended up calling my doctor and asking him why he wouldn't do the surgery, what medical reasons he had for it. I got tired of getting smoke blown up my skirt.

It got done and not constant pain all the time. My weight loss settled down.

The doctor went off on me about it but it was worth it to just say, give me common sense stuff, you just operated on me, know my history, all my stuff is here, what's the problem? Some days, egos and or mindsets can be an issue and I hope that isn't true in your case. I would not wish what I had on any one.

[Darkplaces 20]

My big thing is the pain is on my left side not my right. My general Doctor and my Sleeve surgeon keep telling me this. "Your gallbladder is on the other side." The pain is mainly toward my back. It is annoying. I bring up my Pancreas and how gallstones can block ducts and they look at me like I am crazy. I just worry I have gone untreated for whatever the heck this is for 4 months and by the time they finally figure it out I am going to have something really screwed up.

I appreciate the input from everyone. I made an appointment with my general Doctor for Monday and I am not going to let her off the hook.

I have had my heart and lung ruled out two weeks ago after doing nuclear stress tests and ct scans by a cardiologist. I had to prove it wasn't that before my Sleeve Doctor relented 10 days ago and put me on Carafate to drink 4 times a day.

[Daisee68 2,493]

Is there any chance it is kidney stone? I ask because have a chronic issue with them (pre WLS) and sometimes I will get pain way up high like almost to my shoulder blade. My drs say no way it is kidney stone and then sure enough a week or so later, I will pass one. They need to do a sonogram or X-ray (if u do suspect kidney stone). Good luck. So sorry u r dealing with this. So frustrating trying to convince drs you know your body better than they do.

[Annie68 27]

I'm 14 months post op & having the exact same issue- has been about a week now. I saw my physician yesterday, who put me back on PO Prilosec twice per day & ordered an Upper GI study. My labs drawn yesterday were normal, just showed a very low elevation in my liver enzymes. White count & Hgb were completely normal. Today the pain seemed better- I only noticed a dull ache after Breakfast & again tonight after my last snack. Doesn't seem to correlate with any particular foods.

[Darkplaces 20]

I am scheduled for an upper GI in the end of July. The Gastro doc (my 3rd opinion) concurred with my reg doc and my sleeve surgeon. She said she will do the GI but doesn't think she will see anything. The area of pain I am having cannot be related to my surgery is her opinion. How? When I have an empty stomach my upper back hurts. When I eat a chewable Vitamin my upper back burns. So frustrating...

[LITZAR 1]

I am a physician who also has had Gastric Sleeve surgery. Advice: Get a new doc and have him do an endoscopy not an UGI . If they find something on UGI they will need to scope you anyway and if they don't it still doesn't rule out gastritis or ulcer. If they find something on endoscopy like a stricture they can treat it or biopsy it if its suspicious. UGI is waste of time and radiation.

[Darkplaces 20]

I am a physician who also has had Gastric Sleeve surgery. Advice: Get a new doc and have him do an endoscopy not an UGI . If they find something on UGI they will need to scope you anyway and if they don't it still doesn't rule out gastritis or ulcer. If they find something on endoscopy like a stricture they can treat it or biopsy it if its suspicious. UGI is waste of time and radiation.

Thanks..I am scheduled for an upper GI on July 27th. I will bring that up. The new doc (3rd opinion) said she doesn't think she will see anything but will do it anyway. She said the place I am describing pain is almost impossible to be gi tract related. So frustrating. I know it has something to do with my GI tract. It hurts when my stomach is empty and/or when I take my carafate. Also hurts when I take Vitamins. They did a mri of my spine this morning to rule that out. I have had a nuclear stress test, swallow study, kidney ultra sound. Upper left back pain and 3 different doctors say it is not related to my surgery. Sucks...

[Annie68 27]

I've still been having the pain, but it's much less with the PO Prilosec. I agree- there is no way this isn't related to our sleeves. My UGI is next Monday. I'm wondering if somehow it's referred pain from the gallbladder? I agree the the suggestion of endoscopy (I'm an RN & asked why we wouldn't skip the UGI if we were suspecting GERD/ulcer), but my weight center doctor called the surgeon & they wanted to start with that to rule out any possible leaks they said. My surgeon appt is next Wednesday. I'll update when I find anything out!

[swimbikerun 1,046]

I got told it was all in my head. Turns out it wasn't. I had some problems before the sleeve but a lot more after.

[Annie68 27]

Had my Upper GI- results showed GERD. No problems with the sleeve otherwise, thank goodness!

They want to keep me on the Prilosec. Since I'm still having that weird left shoulder pain off & on after eating, they are going to do an Abdominal Ultrasound to check my gallbladder. Hope you are doing better?