Extreme muscle cramps after gastric bypass (Page 1)

It has been five years after I had gastric bypass and I too am experiencing severe stomach muscle cramps. It gets so bad while I am driving that I have to pull off the road. Nothing seems to relieve the pain. I can stretch and lean backwards and it helps some but the past couple of episodes has made me weak as if I was about to pass out. I would like to know the cause of this.

Did you have the tummy tuck after your gastric bypass? I did and I don't know if it is from the gastric bypass or the tummy tuck.

So don't know which either. Getting better at controlling it.
Seem to be intestinal in nature, some twisting or kinking doing surgery that is causing pain with I get specific gas. At least thats what I think so far.

I too had the GB surgery about 4 years ago. My pains are so intense they last about 3-4 hours and I can not move a single muscle without fighting back tears. I have NOT had the tummy tuck. I wish someone had a cure - these things are dibilitating!

I also had this happen to me. I heard a man speak at a meeting and he was describing my symptoms. I called my gastro doctor and was in surgery the next day. My stomach was flipping and it can be fatal.

Did you ever find out what causes the stomic cramping? I had my bypass 12 years ago and have problems with the cramping about 2 times a week. I cant hardly breath or move. Any help for me? thanks

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Thanks for your patience!

I had GB over 7 yrs ago and I had it done laparascopically. I also have a "charlie horse" pain on the left side right under the ribs. I just had a surgery to repair this as my GB surgeon thought it was an abdominal hernia. Well, he said it turned out to be a intestinal hernia. However, 5 days after the surgery I had the "cramp" again and cried because I thought this surgery would alleviate this pain forever. I usually get this pain when bearing down on stomach muscles during constipation or when doing exercises which require me to move my abdominal area. I'm clueless as to what to do next. My surgeon's regular doctor who does follow-ups said I may have to live with the pain. That is not acceptable to me. I need some more help as well. This is apparently not an isolated condition.

i too have had gb surgery several years ago. i have problems with anemia so i have to take iron. i have had severe cramping and with the iron, constipation. i am also a nurse so after having to dis-impact my self i got smart about this.my surgeon would not listen to me. he just kept saying drink more water. well that did nothing. first of all i increased the magnesium in my diet. i buy my ca with added mg and of course i still take my chewable vitamins twice a day as directed. i avoid things like broccoli that cause extreme gas and i now take a stool softener twice daily and a vegetable laxative that is all over the counter and safe to use. also a lot of sugar free sweets have a laxative effect but they also create a lot of gas so watch those. gas pain is the worst and you will feel like you are going to die. trust me i know after eating some sugar free twizlers, lol. if you are not having a bm at least every two days take action. don't let your stool get backed up in your intestine it can cause perforation. after any kind of stomach surgery there is always a risk of adhesions so if the pain is so severe after all this intervention you may need to have the doctor check it out for something more serious. it's very important to keep constipation at bay and if you are drinking adequate water it's not the water it's a need for a natural laxative like senakote.good luck! hope this helps.

This post is being reviewed to be sure that it adheres to our Community Guidelines.
Thanks for your patience!

It does feel like a charlie horse, and only happens when I bend to tie my shoe or strain my stomach. I dont' think these doctors really know what their patients go through. I have many regrets

Oh My God. I thought I was the only one. I am 3 yrs. out and have actually put weight back on after a pregnancy. I within the first year after surgery - GB no Tummy tuck - have been having leg and stomach cramping. Even lately affecting a band from my rib area around to my back. I started Medifast to get this weight off. Drinking about 100oz. water a day, taking calcium/magnesium/potassium and STILL suffering daily with the cramps. In the bedroom - forget about it.....let's just say it is not helping our marriage to have full body cramps and spasms constantly. Help. Anyone find out a solution.

I am post surgery 9 years. I had the Roux n Y. No tummy tuck, not laproscopic, full incision. Mine started with cramps when bending to the side, especially from sitting position. This progressed to full stomach cramping so severe that I must fight the tears from pain, feel like I will die during an attack. In the past 6 months,I have developed an onset of severe and frightening leg, foot, mid stomach, back of thighs, and buttock cramping. So severe I cannot do anything to stop the pain. It is horrific. I am currently on Vit D supplements of a massive dosage prescribed by my primary care physician (my surgeon, nutricianist and support group are long gone!). I have lost almost 2 inches of height and have gained 110lbs of my original 216 lb loss back. Nothing works. I am depressed, weak and tearful. I also have a tracheosotomy a complication from Sleep apnea. I am pretty miserable and experienceing strange muscle weakness. My cramps feel like rolling pain in my stomach. You can actually see the muscle rise up like something is alive in my stomach. Again, Horrific terrible pain! I can only wait until it subsides, trying to stretch until it goes away. I am back to doing 30 mins of stretching each morning and I am drinking a daily shake of crushed ice, ACAI berry juice and a banana, but it isn't helping. I take the vit D one per week for 4 weeks then a blood draw, no Vit D shows up even after this 3rd round of vit d.

Are you taking in a lot of sugar? I mean real sugar. If you have gained a lot of your weight back you have increased your intake in considerably. When I have an intolerance to something I have the same problems. Sugar was my big one. I had to cute sugar out of my diet except in very small amounts. Keep a check on constipation as well. Keep the stool moving with a stool softner that you can get over the counter. Keep up with your vitamins. Avoid gassy foods like broccoli. Sugar free foods with artificial sweetners cause a lot of gas and some of them are very high in fat too. watch those hidden things that can cause big problems. you have got to keep your protein up. after my surgery i was told to stay around 60gm. that did not work for me. closer to 80gm does. stay with lean meats. i have a george foreman grill and i love it. green giant has these great steamer veggies that you can cook in the microwave for a great, easy meal. if you don't have a nut allergy snack on nuts, i like almonds and unsalted peanuts. you have got to get control of this and not put this weight back on. you have come too far to go back!! i'm going to be your cheerleader. you can do this. we can all do this together. i am a nurse and i had no idea so many people were having this much trouble after gastric bypass. you need to get in a support group for gastric bypass patients so they can support you. are you exercising any?? you gotta move. drink water and move. i know it sounds simple but it works. i am several years out and i used to have those problems but not anymore. hang in there

Wow, I too thought I was the only one suffering from this pain. I have a painfultwisting sensation in the upper left abdominal area, I am 12 years post op. I think it feels like a charlie horse also lasting from 3-10 minutes. I also have extreme charlie horses or spasms in the arches of my feet. They are so bad I can not move my foot until they subside.

I am 4 years out and I have experiened lately the charlie horses. I was told that this could be the intestines kinking, but I will get a check up tomorrow.
It does last 3-5 minutes and it is horrific! I am so glad to see I am not the only one. I am not discouraged I got the surgery! It is just another obstacle that I knew I would have to get through in order to be healthy!
Keep your chin up ya'll!

In DK it seems like the health department or someone else has shut down all critics of GP surgery.
There is absolutely no one telling you 'bout any complications like cramps or others.

But my girlfriend can join the choir abowe... 3 years post GB she's developing severe cramps in legs, arms, and abdominal. She has also started having problems talking, stuttering and confused while talking.
I am more than convinced that the problems occour as a result of vitamin and/or mineral deficiency, but no one in DK shows any interest in looking in to the problem.

Probably there is too much money at stake, granted there might be an income (and insuranse) issue in this..? Does anyone know of a UK or american organisation for GP side effects?

I see this thread has been going on for a while...Has anyone figured out what is causing this yet? I had gastric bypass about 10 years ago and these cramps are getting worse. It''s like a charlie horse and a contraction combined! I can actually see the muscle moving around in my stomach, like and alien or something!

I thought i was alone .it has been 6 years for me and my husband think i need to see a doctor and i have with no help .or end in sight it has gotten so bad that i have to get out of my car and stretch, & sometimes that don't help. one day i feel in the floor,and my daughter thought i had fainted. the pain that i felt was so bad....

I can relate to alot of the post on here. I am 3 1/2 yrs post-op rou-n-y GB. I am starting to get the cramps too. My stomach got this terrible charlie horse a few weeks ago during a BM while I was bearing down due to being constipated. I haven't seen my GB surgeon in a few months because he's active duty military and he was deployed to help out with Haiti. Now that he's back, I have to go see him for this. Plus I'm having really bad cramps and pain in my stomach pouch. Doesn't matter if I eat or not. I had to have a upper endoscopy 1 yr post op because I was throwing up all of the time. He found that one of my staples had come loose and was causing alot of inflamation inside the pouch itself. And developed an ulcer on top of that! I guess my ulcer is acting up. I don't know. I'll update any info I can as I find out...

I had GB 4 yrs ago and I had it done laparascopically. After a year and half post op I had a perforated ulcer that nearly killed me. They cut my full abdomen open in er surgery. Before the ulcer I was drinking milk products etc fine now I am extremely lactose intolerant....and I loved milk Products. Since this time I have EXTREME Cramps in my legs that last sometimes ten min. I have stabbing cramps in my stomach area a stabbing pain in my gallbladder area. I did not get my gallbladder removed. I have a band of muscle across my abdomen that will bring tears and still my breath. Since I have been unemployed I do not have insurance and being post op I am a leper to the medical community and cannot get help anywhere. Also I was told I have Barrett esophagus and need follow up care. I try to find work but the pain makes working very hard heck makes breathing hard. If I am lucky enough to get work ie insurance..I cant take off the time it takes to get help and since I have not stayed with my surging no one will see me I feel alone and in pain. I need help. I though taking vitamins would help but clearly they do not Please help if you have ideas???

wow! I stumbled on this site by accident. I had GB about 4-5 years ago...(I know, I don't remember when...I try to forget) A year and a half ago I was 155 and had ripped shoulders thanks to working out 3-4 times a week...all of a sudden I had to stop, I was getting headaches and weird flushing with the feeling of blood rushing to my head and not getting out...like my head would pop! I am now 195 and the feelings have subsided, mind you, this is after EVERY TEST IN THE WORLD from auto immune, stress test, thyroid, gallbladder removal...you name it! We can't find anything! I'm going back to school (God give me energy) and I opened my book, nutrition, to catch up...seems I forgot everything, and I opened to Thiamine B-1 deficiency and it's symptoms....! BINGO! Everything I was experiencing!!! I didn't mention the cramps in my legs, and body that sent me looking...those just started. I can't point my toe or stretch without getting a cramp! Since most nutrients are absorbed in the first part of the intestine, the part that is bypassed, vitamin and mineral deficiencies are obviously to blame! I have gotten LOTS better about taking my vitamins and I will admit to feeling a little better. My advice to every one, and I'll use my example of the meds I take, I take a prescription prenatal vitamin...these are higher in minerals than regular multivitamins and I suggest everyone take prenatal...even men. Next I take vit. D capsules...one a week. I take 2 Iron tabs daily...Ferris sequel, they don't bind because they have a laxative in it. I then take 2 calcium caramel chews...usually at night as a treat. I'm going to start B-1 tabs and I also take B-12 shots about every other month. This sounds like a lot, but it must be done. I take my prenatal in the morning, my Iron with a sip of OJ at lunch, my vit D on Sat. my B-12 when I get my cycle (so I don't have to write it down to remember) my calcium at night, and B-1 whenever I can. One multi vit. tablet is NOT enough for us. I am hoping my cramps don't get worse and I will keep everyone posted

I am 7 years post op and I too am having the same symptoms. I have taken gasX, Nexium, tums, whatever to relieve the pain. I take morphine sulfate sometimes for the pain to relieve the spasms. Awful? What the heck is it? My doctor put me on Nexium which didn't help and I refuse to pay the price, I was told I was constipated after having all kinds of x-rays. I like not weighing 400 lbs anymore but this is awful.

I am almost 4 years post op and I am hoping to reply to PeggyH and what she is suffering with. I had severe, make me want to die pain in my abdomin and chest which felt a lot like gas pain. It started about 8 months after surgery. I tried Gas X, Tums, Prilosec and no relief. My surgeon decided after performing an upper GI to do a scope to see if I had any obstructions and found that I had a surgical hernia. My bowel and intestine had pushed through the Roux n Y and rapped around my stomach. Its rare, but possible. Not sure if you could have the same thing, but thought I should post this anyway for you or anyone else.

EVERYONE....please have your copper serum levels checked! I have been in so much pain I went to the doctor to find out if I had MS! Low and Behold, COPPER DEFICIENCY!! Google it! It is very rare and is missed often! It is misdiagnosed as iron deficiency! AND I read that the symptoms mimic MS! I had to have copper infusions for 3 days and go back tomorrow to have my levels checked! I have been put out of work for a month and will probably have to stay out longer! You will be shocked at what all the lack of copper can do to you! The bad part is, in all my research I have found that even when your coper levels are restored, the neurological symptoms remain! The only people who typically have this condition are people who consume too much zinc or have had gastric bypass! By the way, I had gastric bypass 4 years ago! Spread the word about copper!