Pain in old gallbladder surgery site

Hi Mike, welcome to Connect.
I'm tagging @gman007 @rosemarya @hopeful33250 @bonitav @jimhd on this conversation. They have all mentioned having gall bladder surgery. I wondering if anyone has also experienced delayed pain at a surgical site.

Have you already talked to you doctor about this pain, Mike?

@mikehow, Hi Mike. I am sorry about your pain. After 40 years, that must be unsettling to you in addition to the pain. My husband recently had gall bladder surgery. It was laparoscopic, and only 2 months ago. I have some abdominal scars from my organ transplants 7+ years ago. I had some pain during first year, but I learned that those were scar tissues and healing. I've not had any discomfort since. I wish you well. Rosemary

I had my gall bladder out 15 years ago, laparoscopically, and I haven't ever had pain at the surgery site. You might Google your question.

Hi Mike!!

I to have had and still have occasionally sharp pains at my old sternal incision. It to is about 10inches long. On the surface I have no feeling for about 6 inches wide and 8 inches long however I do get the stabbing sharp pain. My docs explained to me as damage to 1 or more small skin nerves, or when a nerve is squeezed by the scar tissue. In scar tissue pain, which can occur after an operation.

With my gallbladder surgery I developed

@mikehow
Sorry for the disconnected response.
With my gallbladder I develope Abdominal Adhesions which are bands of scar tissue that form between organs. Adhesions cause pain by pulling nerves, either within an organ tied down by an adhesion or within the adhesion itself. Some people have no symptoms.

If symptoms don't go away quickly might be time to see the doc!
Dawn

Thanks for your reply. My doctor (GP) said something about scar tissue being the culprit, but I guess I'm fixated on these staples. My next step, it seems, is to see a surgeon much more familiar with this problem. The performing surgeon has to be retired or passed.

@mikehow This sounds like a good plan. We learn as we age to listen to our bodies. And when something is just not right, we need to get it checked out. I have yet to meet a doctor who says, 'Why did you bother me with this.' Instead they will say, 'You did the right thing to get it checked.' Even when there is a simple explanation for it!
I hope you get an answer about your pain. Rosemary

Hi @mikehow,

I moved your message to the Digestive Health group, so that you can meet other members talking about similar symptoms.
I think you also might be interested in reviewing this discussion, where @rssanders, @jgirlatlaw, @justjane, @eddiesrp talk about their experience with scar tissue after surgery: http://mayocl.in/2kpKLyV

@jmacvol, @bettyjo, @renariki, you have also discussed pain from scar tissue in the past; do you have any insight for @mikehow?

Mike, I am sorry you have began experiencing pain in an area you probably thought you were all clear on. I did not experience pain following my gall bladder removal, but the surgeon and her team did tell me that "phantom pain" where they removed part of my pancreas would not be an uncommon experience. She said our bodies know when an internal organ is missing just as if it were part of a limb. I did feel something that felt like that pain after having the tail section of my pancreas and my spleen removed. There can be so many sources of post-surgical pain, that it is impossible to say I had THIS pain, but can only truly say I felt a pain that was different than what I have felt prior to this time. I hope docs can narrow things down for you and do something that will give you relief from that pain.

@gman007, Thank you for mentioning "phantom pain".
Rosemary