3 Days Post Op & Wondering If Bloating Is Normal Until I Heal?

My belly just feels HUGE and looks HUGE too. Im doing my protein and liquids, nothing solid- but Im just being a nervous nelly. Is it normal for your belly to feel and look bloated until everything heals? I also have not had a bowel movement since day before surgery...

Also, can you stretch your pouch with liquid?

I was just banded on Friday an I was wondering the same thing. I also made a 13 hour car ride back to my hometown to visit (which I probably shouldn't have done) I stopped every hour to hour and a half and walked... and also excersized my legs while riding. I still feel bloated and gassy

Is it normal for your belly to feel and look bloated until everything heals? Absolutely!  Give it a couple of weeks.

I also have not had a bowel movement since day before surgery...    Obviously because you haven't eaten anything solid.  Once you get to mushies, things should even out.  If not, daily fiber supplements would be something to consider.

can you stretch your pouch with liquid? Not really, since it goes right through.  Think of a funnel - liquids run through it.  Think of how anything solid (and a lot of it) would stay in the top of the funnel.  That would be stretching.

 You are totally normal - you just had abdominal surgery and that is to be expected.  It does subside day by day.  It usually subsides in 7-12 days.  Make sure you sip your water throughout the day - I've never heard of stretching your pouch on liquids.  Make sure you sip though - don't guzzle as your tummy is still healing.  Don't skip ahead of your doctor's post op instructions to give yourself the best healing and least discomfort.  

Ask your doctor how long you should wait before taking anything for constipation.  Most people here recommend Milk of Magnesia.  I like Senna tea (aka smooth move tea) - can be purchased in health food stores.  But again - check with your doc to see what he/she wants you to take and when.

Good luck to you - you sound like you are pretty much on track as far as post op goes.  Please realize you are recovering from a surgery & for the first 4 weeks so let your body heal.  We have plenty of room on the loser's bench - cuz all our bums are shrinking..........lol.  See you there soon enough.
Sharon

This too will pass.  You are doing well.  Keep walking and sipping your fluids,  keeping hydrated and moving at this stage is the best healing you can do.  My doctor will not allow fiber at this stage(again all drs are different)  I was allowed to use stool softeners or milk of magnesium.  Good luck!

And the traveling 13 hours in  a car this close to surgery is deffinatley not a good idea,  make sure you keep youself hydrated and get out and walk every hours.  Any surgery can lead to a blood clot and sitting for an extended period can exasperated this.

Here's how big my belly was after my port repair surgery.  When looking at it, keep in mind that I reached my goal weight almost 2 years ago.  My "normal" belly doesn't look beautiful, but it doesn't look like I'm about to give birth to a bouncing baby basketball either.  The swelling subsided gradually over the course of 3 weeks.

Jean

Hi Jean, love your posts, but in the name of propriety this photo should have been cropped. I am only sending this to you because you may not have previewed and seen the "full Monte" exposure...

Thanks.  I did crop it, but obviously something went wrong when I saved the cropped photo.  And I was in a hurry when I posted it this morning.  I hope I didn't offend anybody with the side view of my pubic area, but I hope everybody realizes that there is absolutely no sexual content in that photo or my post.

I'm kind of matter-of-fact about this kind of thing, partly because I work as a bra fit specialist and see women's "private" parts every day of my life!

Jean

I'm 5 days post op and I still look very pregnant.  I'm wondering what I will wear to work.
I am told- it does get better!!

I am 10 days post op & still feel bloated. It has gotten better each day but I still don't feel back to normal yet. I think it just takes time. I went for my first post op visit last Friday & they said everything looked good.
It just takes time to heal, so don't be worried. : )