TAH: Gas Pains

Hey Sister's

Can anybody explain why there will be gas pains and do I need to take the Gas X to the castle with me. Does Gas X really work?

I have been wondering that too. Also, why do we need the stool softener?

I had the daVinci procedure and they pump your abdomen full of carbon dioxide so they can see better. Additionally, the anesthetic also puts your bowels to sleep, so to speak. They pump out as much of the CO2 as possible, but your body absorbs the rest, and it's gotta go out, one way or another. Narcotics will make you constipated, and they gave me stool softeners at the hospital. However, they did not give me GasX because the goal is to get the gas to pass before you go home. Day 3, I finally had my first BM and if it hadnt been for the stool softeners, I'd probably have ended up laying on the floor crying like a baby. As it was, it wasn't that bad. Additionally, they don't want you to strain against your healing incisions, and I can certainly see why.
Hope this helps. Talk to your doctors to see what he/she recommends, because every doctor has a different philosophy on post op practices.
Good luck,
Ara

I think the stool softeners help to make the bowel movement a little easier and less painful. From time to time I use a natural vegetable laxative called Senokot because it doesn't gripe my stomach like most laxatives and stool softeners do. Senokot is on my list of things to take to the castle...just in case.

(((Ladies))) unless your DR tells you to, please do not take medications to the hospital with you. You will not be allowed to take them. Most hospitals ask you when you check in if you have any with you and they'll either give them to a family member with you to take back home OR, if your DR says it's OK, they may take them from you and then give them to you on the schedule your DR specifies. It is important not to take anything, even anything OTC, that the nurses and your DR are not aware of.

That said... normally you will be given stool softeners with each meal in the hospital after your surgery and most women are told to take them at home. Laxatives of any kind are a unless specifically ordered by your doctor. Gas-X can help with digestive type gas, but does absolutely nothing for the kind of gas you get from a laparascopic procedure, which is free in your abdomen. Gas-X is simethicone, which helps intestinal gas dissolve in liquids so it can pass more easily, but it does not magically draw abdominal cavity gas into the intestines and allow you to pass it that way. Ask your DR whether or not Gas-X can help you; if it will, they'll give it to you in the hospital.

Good luck with your surgeries!

s,
-Linda

I tried Gas-X with one of my previous lap's and it did nothing. The gas pain is the worst up around your shoulder. The heating pad worked some as did walking around.

They give it to you at the hospital and don't want you to bring medication. And of course, when I looked at my bill, I could of bought a crate load of Gas-X for what they charge for 3 or 4 pills.

Maybe talk to your doctor before you go for surgery about stool softeners. I started them in the hospital & continued them once home - they were extremely helpful for me.