What causes all this gas?

[ShrinkyDink 0]

Howdy.

I'm 7 weeks post op now, and I'm still having double or triple the amount of gas I've ever had before. Sometimes I'm so uncomfortable it's painful and I'm visibly bloated. I'm not constipated, just so gassy! I'm a nurse and I know that right after surgery this is common, but I'm baffled about why it's still so bad this long after. Does anybody know?

My suspicion is that it's from the Fiber I'm taking, but I'm not taking in more than I did before, it just came from food before and supplements now, I'm getting a total of about 20 grams between what I eat and the Fiber Sure tablets. If it is the fiber supplements, does anybody know of one that causes less gas than others?

Thanks :cursing:

[justmel1957 1]

LOL! I'm 5 months post op and still have terrible gas. Not sure why......I don't use straws, and eat slowly, but it still continues. Go figure.

[IM_LORI 0]

DITTO! One thing I've noticed, I cant burp. Have never been able to burp since surgery a year ago. It's gotta come out somewhere; if not one end, then the other :cursing:

[Jennifer77 0]

I have discovered that since my banding I have been extremely lactose intolerant. At first it was painful. I was living on gas-x strips and nothing helped. I was mixing my Protein Shakes with milk. So I switched to lactaid. It helped a little, but it was still an issue. So I tried lactose friendly powederd Protein shakes, and that didn't do much. I started drinking the clear Isopure sugar free drinks from GNC and stoped eating milk, and cheese products. I felt a billion times better. I don't have the gas cramps any more. I decieded to do an experiment and I added cheese to my meat and crackers at lunch, and the gas came back. So, no more lactose for me. It makes me sad. But gas and diarhea just aren't any fun.

[ShrinkyDink 0]

yikes I hope it's not lactose intolerance for me! I can't live without cheese!

[pttcarol 0]

Hi all,

Those of you that have been banded...how long did the gas last, and what did you do to help burp? I hate this, I cannot belch or burp.

[muffingal 0]

Hello, I am 3 weeks out and I am really gassy where I feel like there is a lump (ball) in my throat, i just started taking gasX to see if that works so far it has. So, I will cross my fingers.

[crsmom00 0]

I have the same problem. I was banded in February of 2008. I asked the doctor why I was so gassy as well as burping ALOT. The doc told me it was very common. She called it "Anatomical gas" because it's caused by the stricture of the band. She said Gas-X wouldn't help because it isn't caused by the food you eat. She told me I'd just have to put up with it. My gassing isn't painful but at times I can't hold it and it's extremely embarrassing. Same with the burping.:w00t:

[ShrinkyDink 0]

My problem isn't trying to hold it, it's trying to get it out! It just rumbles away in there and hurts like the dickens sometimes but won't come out until it's good and ready. GasX doesn't help, but I tried not taking the fiber for 2 days and it's some better. Now my problem is not taking in enough fiber. Anybody know of a fiber supplement that doesn't blow you up like a balloon?

[dacoz21 0]

I feel all of your pain as well. I am currently 6 weeks post op and lately been having terrible gas pain discomfort. I went to go see my PCP yesterday to see whats up. My doc informed me that the reason we are having so much as is due to our gallbladder. This is quite common for someone having WLS which makes your gallbladder work hard with burning your fat. Hope this sheds some light......

Chris

[ShrinkyDink 0]

Ah, I had never heard that! I'll take my gas pain as a sign of my fat melting away then! That makes it a little easier to take hehe

Edited October 4, 2008 by ShrinkyDink

[justmel1957 1]

I feel all of your pain as well. I am currently 6 weeks post op and lately been having terrible gas pain discomfort. I went to go see my PCP yesterday to see whats up. My doc informed me that the reason we are having so much as is due to our gallbladder. This is quite common for someone having WLS which makes your gallbladder work hard with burning your fat. Hope this sheds some light......

Chris

I don't have a gallbladder, so must be something else for me..........

[josephine 1]

Well,

In the banding world I am older than all of you. I was banded on Nov. 10, 2005 and the gas pain (colic) I call it that because it is trapped gas hurts like hell sometimes. I also feel like my stomach is going to explode. Nothing really helps too much but I keep on trying to walk and I will take Rolaids Gas Relief Chews. Those do help sometime but I eat a lot of veggies and I bet you that is what that is. It is what you eat probably that will cause you pain. Broccoli and cauliflower are now out of the question in my life and I love those veggies. The pain tough just isn't worth it.

On a funny note though, one day at work I couldn't take the pain and I went home. My trapped gas was so bad and I was tossing and turning in the bed to get comfortable and my poor dog was with me laying in the curvature of my back legs. Well, all of a sudden the gas finally decided to escape. The air in my stomach that came out was so loud that the dog got scared and ran out of the bedroom. I felt so good that my stomach went back to normal and happy that my husband wasn't there either to hear all the noise. That is the day I discovered I couldn't eat broccoli anymore.

Just keep an eye on what you eat and see if it reoccurs when you eat certain foods.

Josephine

[ShrinkyDink 0]

Josephine I had exactly what you describe last night, I had such sharp pains I was afraid something was wrong, it felt like something was tearing loose, I was in tears and awake for four hours in the middle of the night. It's been bad but never this bad, and all I had for dinner was a chicken leg and a small serving of mashed potatos. I finally passed enough to at least go to sleep but I'm still uncomfortable today. I'm going to call my doctor on Monday, this can't be normal.

[josephine 1]

Lauralee,

I have had gastritis and I was prescribed Protonix by my weight doctor after he did a scope on me. I do take this daily because I don't want any problems. I eat a lot of vinegar and coffee. It is from acidic foods.

You don't have a burning sensation in your stomach do you?

Josephine