Almost 3 years post-op... possible complications?

[thtrmgr 3]

So far bafflement... still undergoing tests but nothing conclusive so far... has anyone else experienced post-op complications several years out? Surgery July 2016. Only lost 100lbs (I know, I know, "only"), but I'm still about 100lbs overweight. I'm not unhappy w/the amount lost at all and feel much better overall so I do not regret the surgery.

First, not sure any or all of these symptoms are related at all but since they're all (potentially) GI-related, I can't help but think (especially now) that they are. So here goes:

I can't remember exactly when the first one occurred, but it was after "healing" for sure but the first time it happened, it was definitely after surgery: a charlie-horse in my abdomen. These occur very suddenly and occur when I'm bending, reaching or twisting my abdomen--but always forward, not backward. For example, I might just tuck my belly in to look down at my feet and whammo, charlie horse. I reach forward to pick up a kitten... whammo. They can happen at any time and are excruciatingly painful and I just jerk backwards in reaction and take diaphragmatic breaths and they'll ease up.

About 4 months ago, I had a sudden pain "attack" after eating a relatively fatty meal... I'm talking waves of pain in the gut so intense that I actually called 911. Since I still have my gallbladder, I assumed gallbladder problems. Pain lasted about 7 hours or so, even through narcotics given in the ambulance and at the hospital. Worst pain I've ever felt in my life. Multiple tests run... no gallstones, so they basically sent me home after the pain finally subsided with a ridiculous "gastritis" diagnosis. Sorry, was crapola.

About 6 weeks after that, I started to have diarrhea... for over two weeks straight, every single day. Didn't respond to OTC anti-diarrheals. Saw walk-in doc (my doc was on vacation) who ran a bunch of tests and nothing positive except blood in the stool. Diarrhea eventually cleared. PCP ordered endoscopy and colonoscopy--both normal.

About 6 weeks ago, another pain attack--but not after fatty meal... just yogurt. This time I remembered I had meds at home--took anti-spasmodics (hyoscyamine) and oxycodone... took 3x regular dose to make pain tolerable. Faded again after about 7 hours. PCP suspects gallbladder function is to blame, even though no stones, so HIDA test this Thursday. In the timeline, this pain attack was about a week after the diarrhea cleared up... about a month ago.

But here's the deal: I can physically (i.e. with my hands) feel that under that trocar scar is a hardening of tissue... it makes sense that it's scar tissue of course, but I feel like it's getting bigger? (as in, over a wider area, not deeper). It's not painful when pressure is applied, just uncomfortable? I have not yet brought this part up to PCP, but she has palpated my abdomen before and didn't call out anything as unusual.

So I'm at a loss as to what's going on but something definitely is. Anyone experience anything at all like this? Especially those who are years out from surgery?

So confused and tired of taking tests that aren't leading anywhere... thank goodness I have excellent insurance.

Michelle

[Saxons 71]

Hey Michelle, Nurse Practitioner here. Sounds like you have developed surgical adhesions. Difficult to treat and unknown why it happens to some and not others. Google it and see what you think.