I did have my surgery on 10-14-08 and have lost 52 pounds! I now have a problem with horrible gas and constipation. My surgeon told me to take a laxative to start off with and then take a daily stool softener. The problem with that is I can no longer swallow pills and have to grind up my BP meds and have gotten most of my vitamins in either liquid or chewable. There are no chewable stool softeners that I can find. I tried Pedialax stool softener that is supposed to be fruit punch flavored. You mix it with juice so I tried mixing 8 oz of diet V8 splash and that did not help the taste nor did adding 8 more oz of splash. I took 3 sips and was on the verge of throwing up and poured the rest of the bottle as well as the juice mixture down the drain. Now I have so much gas and don't go to the BR unless I chew up some ex-lax. I am seeing the bariatric md where I live at Tuesday and am going to see what he says. Is anyone out there having these types of problems? What if anything can you recommend that will help? I am desperate as I fear that strainining will lead to a surgery of a different kind.

OMG!!! Please buy Pysllium Husk Powder. You mix it with water and drink it two or 3 times a day. I was so constipated that I would bleed from forcing myself.

This was recommended by my cousin's freind and she was so right. At first, until u get used to the extra fiber, you will have some gas and a little bloating, then u will go normally and it foesnt give you the runs or diarrhea. This is a godsend to me. I buy it from vitaminshoppe.com

good luck

HI Catlover ,

Sorry you are feeling sooooo bad . I had the same problem and read on this sight an article by a gastrointestinal surgeon . EAT FOUR CHOPPED DRIED APRICOTS A DAY. Personally I have them in the morning with my porrige oats ,but then I am Scottish so that explains it . Try it . It worked for me and I was really bad .. Good luck

I too have terrible gas since my surgery in January. My surgeon told me to take a metamuscil fiber supplement (I use Walgreens brand, think it's called Walmuscil or something). You mix 1 teaspoon with water (it's orange flavored). It's not great, but I have terrible gag reflex and I can drink it. I just drink it first thing in the morning. You must take it EVERY day -- it helps - my gas is gone and when I do get it I take a few charcoal pills (they are capsules and you could open them up and put them in something) which also help. My problem was really bad and this has helped it amazingly well. Good luck. Linda.