Living with gas

[christina.banks 5]

Ok, so I am calling on all you veteran RNY-ers, I got rid of the gas from the surgery but I am still gassy more than I was before surgery. Is this just something that I am going to have to live with forever or is it just my new body trying to adjust. I'm kinda getting tired of being able to keep up with my husband in the passing gas department.

[michellew1 72]

I am almost 9 months out and I still have gas like something awful. Sometimes i cant control it. I was in the drug store yesterday and felt one coming on and tried to hold it in but....it happened. Luckly noone was around. I do not know why it is happening. Good luck!!

[James Marusek 5,244]

During the first couple weeks right after surgery, you will pass an extraordinary amount of gas. This is because they filled your body with gases for the surgery and it takes a while to get rid of this gas. During this time, walking helps immensely in reducing this gas and the pain associated with it.

After this period, you will still pass a lot of gas but at a much reduced rate. What happens sometimes during the first few months after surgery, you will fell like you want to pass gas. You pass the gas but it wasn't really gas, it was a bowel movement. Therefore you get extra cautious and try to find a toilet before you pass gas. Fortunately this condition seems to last for only a couple months.

Then that problem seems to correct itself and you deal with passing extra gas by choosing when to pass gas, when you are outside earshot of most people.

[SkinnyDown 409]

If they fill your body cavity with gas, how does it get into your intestinal tract? I'm just curious how that actually works. It's not like they fill your stomach and intestines with gas, right?

My understanding of things, is this...you have a shortened length from food entering and exiting. Hence the extra gas coming much sooner after eating a meal. In my case, I have an even shorter distance for it to travel, since I'm missing a foot of colon as well, from a previous colon resection. So, when I eat...20 - 30 minutes later, I'm heading to the bathroom. If it doesn't improve, they want me to see a G.I. Dr. soon. I've had diarrhea ever since the surgery (6 weeks ago). Negative for C Diff. They tested me for that.

I think it's best if you are having issues, and it's bad, let your bariatric team know. It might be a food allergy you didn't have, or an intolerance to something you didn't have before. Or they might be able to prescribe something to help.