Post Op Mystery Gas...how the heck?

[CandyPants81 94]

Ok, so I am NOT a doctor or a nurse, so forgive me if this questions seems to have an obvious answer...

Regarding the post op gas pain that I keep hearing so much about: Where does the gas come OUT? I hear walk, walk, walk to relieve the gas pain. Walk to expel the gas, walk to get rid of gas. But my question is how does that work? As far as I understand, regular everyday gas travels through your digestive system or is created there. It's in the digestive system and is expelled either through burps or farts (I hate that word, by the way. LOL). But the post op gas is caused by the gas the surgeon puts in your belly to puff everything out and give him/her room to work, right? Sooo...how the heck does that gas come out if it's just trapped in your body? Does it just dissipate gradually? Is the walking just for pain relief, or does it somehow help you to pass gas? If so, how??

Also, I keep seeing people say the Gas X strips help, but how do Gas X strips help if it isn't your regular everyday gas?

C.

[Juba 19]

ooooooooh it finds its way out trust me I was one of the lucky ones and only had the post surgery gas pains for maybe 2 days. I found that a heat pad on the area bugging me (I..e shoulder or stomach) helped a lot and to just keep moving around.

I used the Gas X strips more to help with stomach gas as I found once I started eating Soups etc right after surgery that everything gave me gas for the 1st week or 2. I doubt they work to release surgery gas.

But it does find its way out via the normal routes for sure and/or your body must absorb it.

[Travelmego 235]

I wondered about this too!

[Rachelle_B 13]

I had the sleeve done June 3rd.....but I also had my gall bladder removed in 2010...I remember my doc saying that your body absorbs the gas....so maybe that's how...it absorbs it and then releases it the old fashion way..lol..Idk ...just a thought.

[CandyPants81 94]

That makes sense!

[Jersrose43 837]

I thought this was interesting

Gets reabsorbed in the body not expelled

http://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/post-operative-gas-813641.html

[mschacht 1]

I'm 6 days post-op from Gastric Bypass and I will say...I did have the feeling like I was Veruca Salt on Charlie and the chocolate Factory because I felt like a ginormous balloon through my middle. Eventually, after I started walking around, the gas came out. I've never been so happy to fart. Burping on the other hand, that was touchy and kinda hurt. Now, not at all and like I said, I'm 6 days out. The CO2 is absorbed by your body if it isn't expelled otherwise. You'll be okay...you'll have other things to keep your mind occupied like the awesome new clothes you're going to buy!