Abdominal pain is scaring me! Need advice please!

Specialties Gastroenterology

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In Oct. 2004, I had a colectomy in order to repair a prolapsed rectum. In Feb. 2005, I had severe pain and had an emergency operation for a blockage caused by an adhesion which had wrapped around my intestine. I am experiencing pain again, and I made an appt. with the surgeon for Fri. Is there any way to tell if the pain is due to adhesions again? Percoset takes the pain away, but as soon as it wears off, it is back again. I was just wondering if there is a certain type of pain that would be indicative of adhesions? When I had the blockage, the pain was on both upper sides, and it was the same type of pain but a million times more severe, and I was throwing up. Now it is the same type of pain , but only on the upper left side and not as severe. I am not throwing up. I have an appt. with the surgeon on Fri., but until then, any explanations or advice would be helpful. I really don't feel it is severe enough to go to the emergency room. thanks

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If you have a history of adhesions, and are having abdominal pain again that is requiring a narcotic for pain relief, I would not wait another 48 hours.

There is absolutely no way to tell if there are adhesions again without you being examinied. Usually if you had them once there is an increased chance that this is what it is again.

I highly recommend that you either see your surgeon today or make a visit to the ER.

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The pain has been coming and going for the past few months, but it has been getting worse. Today it is very bad. Can you have adhesion pain without a blockage?

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I just put a call into my Dr-surgeon they said to call back in 20 minutes. I just don;'t know how to tell if it is adhesions or another blockage caused by adhesions. I took two excedrin at 11-didn't work. afraid to take the percoset so soon. starting to panic a little

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Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.

Given your complicated medical history, you really need to discuss this with your surgeon or go to your local ER if there's been a sudden change in your symptoms. Let us know how it goes.

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Well i have been having these symptoms for months since the second surgery to remove adhesions-taking percoset which relieves it completely, but it has gotten more frequent, and now the pain comes right back four hours after taking the percoset. especially bad today with chills-put in a call to surgeon she said to call back in 20 minutes-thought i may have been in withdrawal from percoset but now I don't think that is it because pain is coming back four hours after last dose.

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just spoke to the surgeon he is making arrangements for a CT scan with oral and IV plus CBC and Chem 7- looking for twists of colon , blockages etc. Can anyone tell me what CT scan with oral and IV is like? Percpset takes the pain away-he said to keep taking it until after the tests

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just spoke to the surgeon he is making arrangements for a CT scan with oral and IV plus CBC and Chem 7- looking for twists of colon , blockages etc. Can anyone tell me what CT scan with oral and IV is like? Percpset takes the pain away-he said to keep taking it until after the tests

I"m not a nurse, just a patient, so I am going from memory of several abdominal and pelvic CT scans I've had for Crohn's disease of the small intestine.

Generally you will be given two bottles of a lighter barium type of drink to drink at home x amount of hours before your scheduled scan. When you arrive at the radiology department they will set the IV and give you another bottle to drink and then the procedure will begin. Basically you just lay on the scan table and let them "do their thing". Nothing painful, just scanning. On one occasion the radiologist saw "something" and I was introduced to an enema as well right then and there on the table and then scanned some more. They withdraw most of the enema after the scanning so there isn't the "urgency" to get to the "john" in a split second. But you are invited to head for the "john" as soon as you feel inclined to. All in all sure beats a lot of the procedures bowel problems tend to require.

PS: The reason for the "enema" turned out to be because I had a simple 6cm cyst on one ovary and that cyst was of concern to the radiologist and he wanted a better look at it as I am post menopause so such a cyst would be unusual. The tech let me take a look at it on the screen after the procedure and I recognized it immediately from watching my prior periodic ultrasounds which alleviated a lot of concern waiting for the CT scan report. I "love" techs who let me watch the monitor or screening!!! I dislike those who deliberately keep the monitor turned away despite my request to watch So I "tend" to be a bit uncooperative and "grumpy" in return.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

Krissy, I am sorry to read this. Hope you get to a doctor soon and get things taken care of.

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CT Scan just showed a hiatal hernia. I am not sure if that is what is causing the pain. I have an appt. with my surgeon tomorrow. Thank you all for caring. I was so scared of having another blockage csused by surgical adhesions. Krisssy

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