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Had Abdominal Surgery. Have Cramps And Bloating. Feeling Abdominal Itching. Remedy?
Question: I had abdominal surgery 11 weeks ago- I have had cramps and bloating for the past few weeks and now my abdomen itches as well
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
What kind of surgeries have you had? Was it an intestinal surgery? or gallbladder removal?
Every abdominal surgery causes adhesions in the abdominal cavity. This adhesions are like a strings, which can cause intestines handing over it. Due to this process, intestine gets narrow and stool can not flow freely. We do call it partial bowels obstruction. Moreover, if you have had any intestinal surgery and there was intestines junctions, this area can get narrow as well.
This can give symptoms like yours. Due to impeded stool passage you can suffer from cramps and bloating. Nausea, constipation, diarrhea can be also present.
Hernia in the scar area is also possible. If the hernia stuck, can cause bowels obstruction as well.
I suggest you to visit your doctor and have some diagnostics. Depending of the surgery type you have had before, colonoscopy or abdominal CT with an oral contrast should be done.
Abdomen itching can be caused by stitches left in the scar (if the itching is in the scar area) or due to jaundice (if you have had gallstones). If jaundice is present, you should get dark urine and whitish stools as well.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Thank you for the query.
What kind of surgeries have you had? Was it an intestinal surgery? or gallbladder removal?
Every abdominal surgery causes adhesions in the abdominal cavity. This adhesions are like a strings, which can cause intestines handing over it. Due to this process, intestine gets narrow and stool can not flow freely. We do call it partial bowels obstruction. Moreover, if you have had any intestinal surgery and there was intestines junctions, this area can get narrow as well.
This can give symptoms like yours. Due to impeded stool passage you can suffer from cramps and bloating. Nausea, constipation, diarrhea can be also present.
Hernia in the scar area is also possible. If the hernia stuck, can cause bowels obstruction as well.
I suggest you to visit your doctor and have some diagnostics. Depending of the surgery type you have had before, colonoscopy or abdominal CT with an oral contrast should be done.
Abdomen itching can be caused by stitches left in the scar (if the itching is in the scar area) or due to jaundice (if you have had gallstones). If jaundice is present, you should get dark urine and whitish stools as well.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
thank you; I had small intestine obstruction performed in May of 2011 and this
April I had an abdominal hernia repaired - but the complication of adhesions which had to be removed- The latter surgery took 5 hours and I was hospitalized for 16 days. I saw my regular md today and he ruled out an infection via a urine test and ordered a lab test of the pelvic area for next week. I am also going to see my surgeon next week. The question is - why am I having these symptoms i.e- the itching and the cramping -so many weeks after surgery? I did not have these until last week or so...
Well, adhesions do not appear right away after the surgery. This is a slow process which takes time. Some people wont have any problems after abdominal surgery, some will have recuring adhesions problem.
Please note that such problems can appear even few years after the surgery. This is a problem as medicine does not know how to prevent adhesions.
And it seems that your problem with adhesions is still there. Your symptoms indicate that intestines can not pass the stool freely.
You definitely should visit general surgeon. Abdominal CT with oral contrast (enteroclysis) should be done to determine where is the problem.
Hope this will help.
Regards.
Please note that such problems can appear even few years after the surgery. This is a problem as medicine does not know how to prevent adhesions.
And it seems that your problem with adhesions is still there. Your symptoms indicate that intestines can not pass the stool freely.
You definitely should visit general surgeon. Abdominal CT with oral contrast (enteroclysis) should be done to determine where is the problem.
Hope this will help.
Regards.
Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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