18 years Post bariatric surgery and have severe pain in my stomach

I was diagnosed with esophageal cancer last fall and was on a feeding tube for a number of months while undergoing radiation and chemo. I had lost 20 pounds due to not being able to swallow whole food. The feeding tube worked with the help of my wife, we did 6 feedings a day and I started gaining weight back. We used one container of ISOSOURCE for each feeding which has lots of calories and protein. We ordered ISOSOURCE each month and it was delivered to our home. The good news is that after 28 radiation and chemo treatments, I am cancer free and the feeding tube has been removed. I'll be happy to try and answer any questions you have. Let me know what your docs tell you about the feeding tube?

They haven't told me much about it, except for the many side effects as well as infections possible. I feel they are treating the Symptom not the problem.

We did flush the feeding tube before and after each feeding. When you order ISOSOURCE you also get box with several syringes to use to flush tube and to input liquid ISOSOURCE in the feeding tube. We did not have any problems with infections. Hopefully you will get more information before you get tube inserted and start using it. Your symptoms are probably just from cancer and not the feeding tube. Let me know when you find out more?

I am 21 years post surgery and I have a feeding tube. From bad experience my suggestion is unless they are going to also do exploratory laproscopic surgery to try to find the source of your pain at the same time DO NOT allow a general surgeon to insert your tube. Instead choose an Interventional Radiologist to insert it. They use flouroscopy (basically a tv screen allows them to see exactly what they're doing) You are awake but normally medicated. That said, my opinion is that even though the tube will treat the symptom rather than the problem you should allow it. It's very possible that if you keep losing weight your health and level of fatigue will suffer even more. (I've had so many issues with surgeon inserted tube after going without my tube for3 years that I only weigh 82 lbs @ 5ft 2.)
BUT... If your pain is after eating, the feeding may do the same thing so Id like to ask you a few questions (please feel free to refuse to answer!)
1. When you say stomach pain is it high up like at the level of your pouch? Lower or abdominal? Right, left, or mid?
2. Is the pain constant or does it come and go?
3. Are there any triggers that make it worse? Like after you eat or when your stomach is empty?
4. Have you had an Endoscopy to check for ulcers? Especially at the anastamosis site.
5. Do you still have your Gallbladder?
BTW between myself and my husband we've been through the gauntlet of issues related to our Gastric Bypass surgeries.

I am three years post bariatric surgery and I get sick to my stomach all the time! Going in for another procedure on the second so they can look down my throat.. never ends

@deborahkay
Welcome to Mayo Connect. It is a shame to do something to help your health only to have additional side effects.

I assume they will be doing an EGD (Esophagogastroduodenoscopy) to assess the condition of your stomach/pouch. After my surgery, there were certain foods I could not tolerate and had problems with blood sugar levels. Also, if I lay down shortly after eating, I get GERD.

Have you been able to identify any pattern that makes it worse?

Let us know how the EGD goes and if they find a reason.