1 Week Post Op...some concerns

[prdmommyof3 0]

Hey fellow Bandsters!

I was banded 3/31 and have some questions for you.

1. I periodically have a sharp pain on my lower right abdomen, in the lower fat roll, opposite side of my port when I walk. Is this common?

2. It's day 7 post op and I'm, of course, on full liquids. I sustain myself with 2 Protein Shakes a day, a cup of Soup for lunch, and V-8, Water, and sometimes sherbet or SF jello/pudding. For 2 days now, my intestines have been VERY unhappy and I've been very crampy with gas & the runs. Is this also normal?

3. Throughout the day, my insides are VERY loud. I'm not sure if it's hunger or my upset intestines, or a combination of both, but it makes for a very...umm....interesting feeling. I can't decide if I'm hungry or full...and that feeling alternates all the time. Is this normal?

4. When I feel like I have to burp, I really have to contort my body to allow the air to come out. I sometimes hiccup instead of burp, which is SO PAINFUL. Is it typical to have to "help" air up past the band? Does this last forever, or usually go away?

Thanks for all your help!! :thumbdown:

Edited April 7, 2010 by prdmommyof3
typo

[vow 0]

I know for about 10 days after surgery it was a very wise decision to NOT be walking behind me, especially not with open flame nearby.

The gas gets better, drastically, as you move it out of your system (walking seemed to be the big key to that)

I didn't pass much gas from the other end, but the ability to burp for sure felt as though it'd been surgically removed during my band install.

[btrieger 21]

It all sounds normal to me.

I was unable to burp as well. I looked into it here and it seems to be common for the first couple of weeks after surgery.

As for the sharp pain, is it outside your body or inside? I had a very sharp pain that was coming and going and finally narrowed it down to where I had "ripped" my skin. Basically a very painful stretch mark.

[♥Amy♥ 5]

I get that sharp pain still in my right side. My surgeon said it's intestinal cramping and may take a while to go away. When you're walking and get that pain try to keep the same pace and see if something starts building up. Does it almost feel like a pain you would get if you ate a meal and then exercised too soon?

[♥Amy♥ 5]

Oh and btw...all of that is normal and it will all go away, except maybe the noises. I still have a hard time (I'm 2 weeks post op) telling the difference between my stomach grumbling because I'm hungry or the weird noises it makes now because of the band. :thumbdown:

And I am now able to burp like a bar stool jockey! :thumbup:

[RavenClaw779 2]

1) Yes

2) Yes

3) Yes

4) Yes

It is a scary time - I started feeling freaky about a week out- the whole foreign object in my body and the weird rumbling - it will all pass(esp the gas:biggrin:) - take it easy!

[joyintheband 0]

:thumbup:I am super new here...my first post....and I am actually being banded April 13th....but i have a comment that might help.....a lot of times the broths and the sugar free stuff can cause that rumbling in your tummy....MSG causes this in my tummy which is in almost ALL broths....and the artificial sugars are not good either and cause that for my unbanded belly right now....

check into the ingredients of the liquids....it may help reduce the gas if you get rid of MSG broths and artificial sugars.

[michellehoeffel 1]

It all sounds normal. Walking really does help. The runs are because you are not eating anything. Just keep in mind what goes in comes out. Sipping really does help the grumpling for me and keeps the pain down.

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

I'm closing in on 4 months post-op...the noise, good lord the noise...I don't think it ever gets better...People can hear my stomach from across the room, it's the craziest thing. Diarrhea, Constipation, I've read about a lot of people going back and forth all over the place. I was on the constipated variety and IT SUCKED (well, in fact it is STILL an issue and I've never had problems with it before). It took me a while to be able to burp but once I was able to I coule burp like a 14 year old boy...as I've developed more restriction I'm having more trouble burping again....

Sounds like you're mostly normal! Good luck!

[BetsyB 9]

Yep, all normal.

[mimi1512 0]

I too was banded on 3/31 and have been feeling fine up until 2 days ago. I started having this awful tightness in my chest that seems to travel up to my jawline. I havent read about this pain here and Im hoping its gas pains, but I havent experienced this pain ever in my life and I am getting concerned.

[prdmommyof3 0]

Thank you so much to everyone's posts! They were very reassuring that I'm still "normal"...well, as much normality as there can be with the band I mean!

The pain is kins of like a cramp after you eat then exercise...more like if I pulled something. But, it's very intermittant...so I just have to deal with it.

Good luck with everyone's journey!!:smile2: