Fat lady with gas pain in curtain 2.

[Kel]

So I'm a year post-op band and hernia repair but only a week post-op gallbladder removal. Last night I felt a sharp pain in my lower right ribcage that worsened when I would take a deep breath or hiccup or laugh. I am a Googling fool so I checked out the symptoms which take you on a journey from blood clots to elevated liver enzymes to rogue gallstones missed during surgery. I called the surgeon's office and spoke with the nurse who doesn't believe I'm dying... She says it's gas. I never wanted to be the fat lady dramatizing gas pain but I'm telling you this really hurts! I remember having gas pain in my shoulder the first couple days after the band, but it wasn't bad and it seems odd to be fine for 6 days post op, then get knocked down by this.

Long story short, I've been in pain for > 24 hours now and have been taking Gas-X all day. Any other ideas? I was doing great with my healing and am really frustrated by the pain, as well as the setback in my recovery. Thanks. Kelli :faint:

[stac1982]

I had a pain once kinda like that. It ended up being a severely sprained muscle. I had to have pain killers and muscle relaxers. Hopefully you find out what is wrong soon!

[Idahobeauty]

This may be a silly question but have you been walking? Sometimes walking will get rid of this along with the gas x.

[kebsa]

Gas pain can be incredibly painful! and with laprascopic surgery you have 2 types of gas pain. the first is what you feel in the first 24 to 48 hours from the gas they se to inflate your abdomen, the drain most of it out but obviously can't get it all- the remainder has tobe absorbed over the 24 to 48 hours or so but can lead to shoulder tip painetc. teh second type of gas pain comes from the fact they have been fidling around with your gastrointestinal tract, the handling, the medications etc means that eveything basically shuts down for a few days, the GIT normally has very fine muscular movements called peristalsis that are to pushe everything along from the esophagus, stomach through the intestines etc- you cna sometimes feel it when you get tummy rumbles etc. but the surgery basically shuts this down for a while ( combined with the fact that you did not really eat or drink for a day or so) but the GIT also contains bacteria that are involved in digestion and as part of the normal way they work they produce gas that is usually passed out either end ( burps and farts to put it blunt!) when you have had surgery you are still having the digestion going on ( it takes a few days for a food to move through the entire git so even the day you had surgery you still would have had some stuff in your gut) so you stillhave the process that produces the gas and you are not able to get rid of it as quick as normal so you end up getting bloated adn having pain and it can be quite severe- as your diet gets back to normal, and you move around things will gradully get back to normal- you may feel a few tummy rumbles adn pass gas etc a bit more than usual. keep moving, stick to a light diet adn also keep your pain killers up - but be wre that some strong pain killers lead to constipation that is basically the same process slowing down again so - its important to keep your fluids up to counteract this . Having sadi all this, if your pain is continuing to escalate, i would get checked by a Dr they can listen to you abdomen adn if needed take an x-ray to make sure things are getting back to normal. I will say again though that WInd pain can be extremely painful, i have seen big burly blokes reduced to tears post op form wind pain

[MoOrLess]

I agree with Karen - it "may" be gas pains - and it might not be - so don't sell yourself short - we DO know our bodies and if you don't feel "gassy" demand that a doctor see you NOW!

I am dealing with some gas myself and I'm at 20 days since banding - so I think our bodies do need to re-adjust quite a bit -- but still - I have been "uncomfortable" but not in pain from gas - I say get it checked out - better safe than sorry - not only is the gall bladder on the right side - so is the appendix - and you don't want to mess with that!

[Will]

This may be a silly question but have you been walking? Sometimes walking will get rid of this along with the gas x.


Yep walking is the cure all! :) Hope you feel better soon!!!!!!!!!!:)

[NurseTeresa]

I had this same thing happen to me after having my gallbladder removed. Thought I was dying or having a heart attack. I had to reason with myself to stop whinning(ok ok I was in tears) to stop and think. Then it was like ok dummy your a nurse what is it you tell your patients. After some critical thinking.....I remembered....get out of bed and walk. If after ambulation it doesnt change then be worried. It was just gas from surgery the walking did help and I am still alive. Its not a fun feeling but work you can work through it. If you feel like it is more then just gas pains and ambulation doesnt make things better nor does your pain medication then you should call your surgeons office again or return to the hospital ER. I had bloating and occassional gas pains for about 4 weeks. It was also the monday before thanksgiving and we had a bad snow storm (i lived in a tiny house) and wasnt able to walk like I needed. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

[Kel]

I'm still struggling with this pain issue so you can imagine I'm getting frustrated. I've walked and pounded Gas-X. It got worse Thursday night after dinner. Much better Friday. Woke up in pain Saturday again and it hasn't stopped. Same issue of feeling a knife in my lower right rib cage if I breath deeply/hiccup/sigh/yawn/cough. I would add burp to the list but I hardly ever burp since my initial surgery a year ago. Walked around quite a bit while shopping yesterday.

Saw my primary MD the other day. He felt the area and it was a little tender. He tested my liver function and it was normal.

I'm off pain meds now. The Vicodin was causing constipation.

I'll call the surgeon tomorrow just to make sure there's nothing else I should be doing... I'm supposed to return to work tomorrow and can't really imagine it at this point.

Thanks for the support. Kelli

[Neets]

I will echo everyone with the Gas-X and walking. I couldn't believe how much the Gas X helped me after surgery. And yes that pain is real!!! Its still fresh in my head from last week. Getting in and out of bed was the hardest for me and when the ride in the car got bumpy...ouch!! Hopefully this won't last much longer for you. Feel better soon!

[Kathy]

Try some Aloe Vera Juice, it's good for everything from top to bottom when it comes to digestion. I know the pain. It hurts. Get those bowels moving again. Also, get some glycerin suppositories and attack it from the "other end", you know? Get things moving. Keep us posted.