I had my gallbladder removed 3 wks ago. I did not have stones, but was experiencing very bad pain under my right rib that radiated through my chest and I also was having trouble breathing, especially after meals. My gallbladder fraction ejection rate was 17%. I had been on OTC heartburn medication for two years prior and was taking Prilosec at the time of my surgery.



I am still on Prilosec, 20 mgs once a day. I continue to have horrible gas pains in my chest and it goes up into my back. I cannot breathe when this happens. I have had my chest x-rayd and the lungs are fine. I have an oxygen level 99. I had an ekg and was checked either with an x-ray, or a ct scan for blood clots in my lungs, and none were found. I am still on a low fat, high fiber diet. I am eating prunes, apples and a lot of whole grain cereals, and a few green beans. I am so constipated it makes me bloated to the point where I just cannot breathe, just like before the surgery. I am having a bowel movement every day, or at least every other day. I am not drinking any coffee or cafeinated drinks. I am a smoker, but am trying to quit and have cut down to 7 to 8 cigarettes a day. It seems that the only time I am not experiencing the horrible bloating is when I have just had a BM, or am hungry. I am 49.



I am going to make an appointment with my family doctor tomorrow. I am wondering if I should try to go off the Prilosec (I read that it can make you constipated and bloated), or ask for an H.Pylori test. Two years ago I had the test where they stick the tube down your throat and it was determined that I had a very small Hiatal Hernia, but no damage to my throat from the GERD. The doctor said the hiatal hernia was insignificant. My heartburn bloating and gas are so horrible that I only seem to not have heartburn and bloating if I am hungry. Also, the gas pains in my back are almost unbearable. Unlike most reflux symptoms though, mine feels much better if I lie down and it never wakes me up at night. The pain under my right rib is gone after my surgery. I believe the surgery was sucessful, but I am having so many problems now that I am absolutely miserable.



Should I talk to my doctor about maybe trying a magnesium suppliment instead of the prilosec? I will have another tube down the throat (I am sorry, I can't remember the name) if I have to, but would I be out of line to ask for an H. Pylori test first? The tube down my throat left me with a miserable sore throat for three weeks.