Post-Op Pains?

[ggriggs92]

I had my Lap gallbladder removal on Sept 7, 2010. I had the normal pain after the surgery as the gases in my abdomen  dissolved and was absorbed. But, periodically after the first week, I was having horrible, throbbing cramps that felt like getting punched in the stomach followed by a tightening feeling in my chest. There seems to be no common trigger to these symptoms and since I have completely cut out fatty foods from my diet, I have eliminated that from the causes. several weeks passed and the pains seemed to become more and more sparse and less intense. I made my follow-up appointments with my surgeon and he has made no sense of my symptoms. An ultrasound and MRI show no abnormalities and eventually the symptoms stopped. Since then, I have moved to another state and cannot revisit the physician any longer but the subsided pains have returned, less intense. I got one while driving around town and almost couldn't drive myself home. The next month I had another. The month after as well. Just like the pains before, there seems to not be a common trigger. Unlike the pains before, there is only the tightening feeling or a strong pressure on my abdomen and chest; as if a person were sitting on me or a belt is being tightened on my ribs. The current pains are nowhere near as bad as the previous in that they don't cripple me, laying on the floor in the fetal position crying; but, they are disruptive and disturbing. I have asked other 'surgery survivors' and none have seen or heard of pains lasting as long as mine have without a solution. Please Help! I don't want to live in pain anymore!

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Your symptoms may not be related to post surgery complications. If with movement you are getting pain it is likely to be an inflammation of the skin, subcutaneous tissue or the bone. This can happen with injury, repetitive activity or an infection of the skin. Sometimes it can be costo-chondritis, inflammation of the sterna rib junction. If the pain is aggravated with work or exercise then it could be due to cardiac pain. But when in doubt always best to have it checked. So please consult your primary care physician who may ask for an EKG or a treadmill test to rule out a cardiac cause for the pain.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[ChitChatNine]

Hi,  Welcome.  Hoping others will stop by with some of their thoughts.  I'm not sure .. have you done any searches for Sphincter of Oddi Spasms

Here's some posts that be helpful for you:

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/search/1208?utf8=%26%23x2713%3B&query=sphincter

C~