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What Causes Severe Pain In My Bowel After Abdominal Surgery?

Posted on Thu, 2 Apr 2015

Question: Hi,I am a 64 year old female and had my pancreas and gall bladder removed but the head of the pancreas was left.It has been producing enough insulin to keep my blood sugars under 10 although have lost 7kgs.
I am on Creon 25000 and have severe pains in my bowel which I take Tramadol 1 4x a day and panadol as well.Also natural laxatives which are a big help, the cause maybe after surgery I did not have a bowel motion for 10 days which may have done some damage but a scan did not show anything.I don't know wheter to increase creon or seek other pain meds, the pain is vertually there all the time and I can't do my normal light duties.Maybe I am still healing after 7 weeks and want to do some travelling and just want to be normal with no pain.Thankyou XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (27 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Colonoscopy and enteroclysis should be done.

Detailed Answer:
Hello!

Thank you for the query.

When have you had this surgery? For what reason? What kind of scan was done (CT or ultrasound, with or without contrast)?

Creon is a pancreatic enzyme which helps in digestion. It does not help with constipation. Moreover, if you do not deliver enough of Creon and pancreas does not function, you will get fatty diarrhea.

Please note that any abdominal surgery causes adhesions. Adhesions can be a reason of partial bowels obstruction.
Over the age of 50 also the risk of colon cancer significantly rises.
Both conditions (obstruciton or colon cancer) can cause symptoms mentioned by you.
That is why you need proper diagnostic. Colonoscopy should be done at first. Abdominal CT with oral contrast (enteroclysis) should be second.

Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (4 hours later)

Thankyou for your quick answer, I had the operation on the 27/1/2015 in Christchurch public New Zealand because it was found by CT scan that I had 2 cysts on the tail of my pancreas were enlarging over 18 months and cells were taken via a gastrostomy which if left could become malignant. It was starting to deteriorate and showing signs of malignancy,and the specimen biopsy proved there was no malignancy cells present.I was admitted back to hospital in pain when they took an xray and contrast scan showing only the head of pancreas slightly inflammed.I would like a colonoscopy or a colonography I guess it has to be done via specialist or privately through my Dr.
Thankyou, XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Colonoscopy and enteroclysis are advisable.

Detailed Answer:
Colonoscopy and CT enteroclysis are both necessary. This a good next step to rule out intestine narrowing due to adhesions and large intestine lumps.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (10 hours later)

Have appointment with my specialist so just hoping he can do a colonoscopy had to take 2 tramadol's last night it was so bad and a sleeping pill just to get some relief but still there this am.
Thankyou, XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
try muscle relaxing medicines in case of pain.

Detailed Answer:
You may try Buscolisine, Metamizole and hot bath in case of the pain. Tramadol is fine but it does not relax smooth muscles which are responsible for gastrointestinal pain.
Hope colonoscopy and enteroclysis will give diagnosis.

Regards.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar