Question:
What is worse and how did you deal with it?

From what I have been reading in actuality...the post op gas is worse than the post op pain! How have you dealt with it and what were you each able to do or take orally for the gas? Was it helpful? How long to take effect? Please feel free to email me about these issues you have had at [email protected]. I really want to get a jump on the problem especially since my surgery is like 11 days before christmas! Thanks everyone! Vicki    — Vicki R. (posted on October 27, 2002)

October 27, 2002
My doctor gave me prescription pepcid to take the first few weeks after surgery. I didn't even need it after a couple of weeks.
   — Linda A.

October 27, 2002
THe WOrst?? There are different things that are worse at different stages. I did not have much gas. So that was not it for me. Immediately post op (the day of surgery and the next day) the muscle spasms are AWFUL!!! The morphine helped those alot. Then there was dealing with the NG tube..YUCK ask for chloraseptic..that makes it a little better. Don't even want to talk about the leak test...give a person thick sweet gunk on an empty stomach and watch her wretch!!! At home, I was not in much pain, think I took percocet at night to help me sleep for 2-4 days, then I was fine. I did get the flu post op...and was vomiting non-stop. I then had a stricture, but after the dilitation, I was fine. Basically, the first 6-8 weeks were hell. I am over 10 months out now. The worst part for me now is trying ot stay on track. Always be aware of the food I eat and what it's nutritional value is for me. This gets old to me and a little frustrating. I would love to be able to go into a mcdonalds and just get "quickie" food, but that is not the best and i have to force myself to do better. And remembering to take my vitamins. I think I have that down now too. No real pain for me now, no unusual gas. Very Rare vomiting.
   — Vicki L.

October 27, 2002
Are you talking about gas cause that is trapped inside us from surgery or the gas that seems to hit us post ops for several months after surgery? You know, the "sonic booms" that ripple through a house and cause everyone we love to run in fear (and disgust) for their lives? In any case, I used Wal-Marts "generic" Extra Strength Gas X. It didn't stop the sonic booms yet it helped "my pain" tremendously as all that trapped gas was like having a bowling ball roll back and forth in my insides. (As a guy, being able to "let" the biggest booms of my life was a macho thrill... yet the pain before the Gas X wasn't. :)
   — Danmark

October 27, 2002
I think while I was in the hospital, the gas pain was the worst, but generally, if I could get up and while, I was fine. Then the next problem (I have horrible allergies.) was about 3 weeks post-op, I started throwing up everything that went in my mouth. Come to find out the drainage from my nasal allergies was getting in the pouch keeping everything from going through. What I had to do to keep it from happening was (while I take allegra in the AM), I have to take an extra benedryl and then a zantac, prescribed by my doc every evening. As long as I do that, I don't have much nausea problems. But that was awful. I think the first day that happened, I threw up like 15 times in one day. Not fun. Now, I'm 11 weeks post op--haven't weighed since 7 weeks post-op and I was down 51.5 pounds then.
   — Cathy S.

October 27, 2002
I've never understood this issue with gas/horrific BMs that some post-ops suffer. I find that I go approx. every three days and that it's much more "ladylike" than before. (Unless I've eaten something funky, and then I hate life - fortunately, this is very rare.) Anyway, I just want to go on record as saying that this is one proported side effect of WLS that I, for one, have not been bothered by....Good luck!
   — rebeccamayhew

October 28, 2002
Vicki, everyone is different....I am 10wks post op and have had NO PROBLEMS with gas, nor pain (knock on wood)...It may be based on my overall health (which is good), my age (32) or that I eat a ton of fiber & protein...But, this has never been a problem for me. Remember, everyone is different. Nothing is set in stone. Good Luck!
   — heathercross

October 28, 2002
I'm 4 1/2 weeks post op. I have had problems with gas discomfort (I wouldn't call it actual pain!), but I really don't pass much gas! I will burp more than anything, but it's small little "lady-like" ones. It's just that I will frequently feel gas trapped in my guts and it feels really bad while it's in there. I use extra strength Gas-X. It's chewable and works great for me. The discomfort goes away very quickly and that's it. I wouldn't compare it to the pain I felt in the hospital post-op at all!
   — ediecat

October 28, 2002
For those who have lap RNY (or probably any lap surgery), they blow up your stomach with gas so that they can see better inside. For me, the trapped gas after surgery was the absolute worst pain-much more so than the surgery incisions. It hit me mid-way thru the first day post-op and I was in extreme pain for an entire day. Though they gave me some meds (that didn't seem to work), they told me that walking was the best thing to move the gas. I walked and walked but nothing helped but time. There are so many others who don't even experience the trapped gas, so I guess everyone reacts differently. I don't think this is a problem or issue for non-laps.
   — Cindy R.

October 28, 2002
Once again I will say....Don't judge what will happen with you by what happens with others. I had Lap RNY Oct 8th and have had absolutly no problem with gas. I had none in the hospital and none since I've been home. In fact other than being sore, I had no pain at all. So don't worry about something that may not even happen with you. My stomach was swollen with the gas or air or whatever they pump into you but never any pain. When I eat or drink there is a lot more burping going on but I expected that. So cheer up and good luck! You may be one of the lucky ones also! Congratulations on your surgery!
   — Sharon B.

October 28, 2002
Hey Vicki- I had lap rny 26 days post-op but my burps were nothing but wall shaking! Certainly not "lady like" at all. But I can tell you honestly from my experience, that I suffered minor pain and the gas wasn't that bad. Just annoying. But everyone around me understood. The only time the gas was painful was when I hadn't learned I was now lactose intollerant and my body was not happy with the lactose. But once I started taking to lactaid pill, all was resolved. Please don't worry about this. If your hospital has a floor for bariatric patients ya'll be passing the gas together, a bonding experience! Mine did not so I blamed all the noise on my husband :) Good luck sweetie!!
   — Heather B.

October 28, 2002
Not all of us have the gas problem. I went to some support meetings before my surgery and everyone was complaining about the gas they had, well it kinda scared me, but I would rather have gas than die from my obesity. Well my surgery was 4-15-02 down 99lbs to date and no prob with gas, not even with dairy products. I have my protien shakes everyday with skim milk,,,no gas so you may not get it either.
   — stacey1273

October 28, 2002
From what I've heard this is a problem with the lap surgery -- not the open proceedure. Since I had my RNY open I didn't experience this.
   — Jenni K.

October 28, 2002
I had the open procedure, and about 4 days after the gas pain hit. Man did it hurt!!! I just lived through it, and after a few days it ended. The worst for me was that I didn't know when I was only passing gas and when I was actually going to have a bowel movement. Made a few messes there. Good luck and God bless!
   — Christine L.

October 28, 2002
The gas was the worst part of the whole surgery... that and not being able to get comfortable in bed. I had Lap RNY on 10/08 so I am now 3 weeks post op. The day of the surgery I had morpheine and that served more to help me rest than it did with the discomfort...after passing the leak test they gave me lortabs elixer and for some strange reason that worked better with walking to help eliminate the gas than anything did... created some pretty scary sonic booms good thing I was alone in my room when that happened. I haven't had any pain meds since the night before I left the hospital and if I have gas problems getting up and moving around seems to work better than anything. Any discomfort that I have had to date has been of my own creation but then when I was talking to one of the nurses on one of my little hallway excursion trips she told me that I seemed to have a very high pain tolerance and was very fortunate for that but varies from person to person... Good luck with your surgery. Try to keep busy and healthy and the time will fly by before you know it. :-)
   — Laurie F.

October 29, 2002
I had horrible gas pain in my shoulders and upper back from the surgery. Laying in the hospital bed was practically impossible without moist heating pads...ask for them! Sitting up in a chair and walking seemed to help very well. It only lasts a couple days...this too shall pass! lol Good luck to you! Leah
   — Leah H.

October 30, 2002
I had the "gas" pain you were talking about on the message board. In my case (and remember everyone is different so you may or may not experience the same thing) my gas pain was worse than my post-op pain! It only lasted me a couple of days and there will be a time when you THINK it is going to be gas but it isn't! I think that was my most embarrassing moment! My poor boyfriend had to help me, so just be prepared incase! For me, to get rid of the gas, there was nothing to take for it, and my doctors told me to just keep walking. I belive that to be true because I would walk every 2 hours in the hospital and finally it happened. So to say there is anything you could take for it, there isn't. Is it bad?? Not really realizing the final outcome of this whole surgery anyway. I'm 2 1/2 months out and 71 pounds down and 2 clothes sizes smaller!! I had open rny on Aug. 20th.
   — Carole M.

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