Hi, I am sure this has been addressed before but looking for some re-assurance. My husband is nearly 3 years post Ivor Lewis. About 18 months after the operation he experienced severe pain around his middle at the front, which he ended up going to A and E with. They were extremely thorough and found nothing wrong - he also had a scan and nothing found. Since then there have been other episodes but nothing like the first time and he can feel it coming on. He immediately takes Gaviscon and a little water and it goes as quickly as it appears but it sometimes it is very painful and makes him very anxious. Last year he went 6 months without it happening.
Thank you Sue
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toots1951
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I am now two years post (transchiatal) oesophagectomy. I have seen responded to others on here who have experienced pain "like" you describe. I also get pain that can be severe, but usually happens in the morning when I am getting dressed. It is severe enough to make me need to either sit or lie down and does take a while t recede. But it does always go eventually. I then have an almost constant burning pain around my middle. This will ease with Gaviscon but never really goes away. Like your husband, the Doctors have found nothing to suggest an issue.
I am coming to the conclusion now, that this is life after this surgery. I have spoken to to many people who all say that they do have pains and most on a daily basis. They all just learn to live with it, and work around it. That is not meant to sound patronising. I really think that this is just what it is now? So when the Doctors say they cannot find anything there? They mean that there is nothing to see. I think our pains are unseen and my theory is that they are as a result of all the cutting and joining with subsequent nerve damage.
I find that I am now starting to enter into a routine of working around it. The stress of the imagination is huge and can be really awful for me and all around me, if I start to think it is back.
I would always say "seek the correct medical advice" but it may just be that it is what it is. An impotent answer, I'm sorry. But good luck.
Thank you so much for your reply. My husband would re-iterate what you have said and he just gets on with it. I am the worrier and I feel for him when this happens, which it did last night. I always come on here for re-assurance and it helps a great deal as you have - so thank you again.
I get these very severe pains in my abdomen usually after eating. They are very painful but I have been told that they are muscle spasms. They last 20-30 minutes. Very unpleasant minutes. Then they go and I am fne. Back to normal. I'll try the Gaviscon and see if that works next time.
Good morning Haward, Thank you for your reply - as I put in my reply to Bruce, I am the worrier and my husband just gets on with it and coming on here helps me so much. Thank you again.
If the pain is around your husband's middle, then it is most likely intestinal rather than in the stomach. In which case, Gaviscon, which forms a barrier in the stomach, should have little or no effect. But if it works ....
I was told by my gastroenterologist a few years ago that the intestines sometime get nicked or kinked during the gastric pull-up part of the operation and this can result in small hernias or blockages, which can cause discomfort or pain. There is nothing much they can do about this, but, unless there is a major problem, which would have shown up on the scan, it will normally subside over time.
Thank you for your reply - it is so difficult to describe where the pain is - more probably higher up than the in the middle, so sorry to mislead. Thank you so much for your advice though.
Sue
Does the pain subside if you burp? I am wondering whether the pain could be colic / trapped wind? When you eat you can swallow a certain amount of air with the food (probably depends on speed of eating, how well you chew etc) and this can lead to wind that gets trapped, a bit like babies and their wind, which can be very painful. I have heard of people taking gripe water, but I guess that anything that might relax the bowel might have a beneficial effect? And perhaps this is why the Gaviscon might work, notwithstanding that Gaviscon aims to create a protective raft against reflux? It might also be something to do with not relaxing for long enough after eating? Or even posture?
This is complete non-qualified speculation, so feel free to disregard it!
Hi thank you for your reply and I appreciate your advice - I think the fact that my husband can massage the pain down makes me think its wind but didn't realise wind could be so very very painful. He always has to lie down when it occurs and it doesn't last any longer than 10 mins. Last year he went 5 months without any episodes and this year 4 times so far say once a month. He has started today drinking a probiotic in the morning which might help. I realise this operation changes so much inside of you and there are bound to be these problems. I do find this site so very helpful. Thank you again.
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