3 day post op, terrible gas

Hi-
I'm sure this question has been asked a million times, but here it goes again. I'm 3 days post op, back home since last night, and feeling pretty good after 1 terrible day of throwing up in the hospital. The cramps from gas hurt more than the incision. I got sick of waiting for a normal BM, so I took some MOM (the doctor said that was fine) and an enema, so that lessened some of the pain and some of the gas. But here it comes again.

What foods do you find prevent gas and also prevent constipation? I'm trying to eat fiber to lessen constipation, but all the fibery things I know of make me pretty gassy. (Prunes, spinach, flax, berries).

I'm taking a lot of gasX and stool softener, although I can't tell that either of them do any good. A rocking chair hurts my incision after a little, so it seems too early for that. I am drinking a lot of water and walking around the house every hour.

Is it ok to take Milk of magnesia every day?

Thanks. I'm looking forward to feeling better. Everyone from work keeps emailing me and asking if I'll be in next week. What a joke. Or they email me and ask if we can have a long phone conference tomorrow about their dissertation topic, and I think I somehow didn't convey very well what this surgery was about.

Dear Tiva,
I am 1-week post-op today! It was day 3 that I was ready to explode and pretty much take out everyone that was around me!!! Then, after the Gas-X, stool softener, walking, water and Triscuits.... the miraculous occurred. It was about 11:30 at night and I was actually able to lay down and sleep afterwards. It was one of the most pain relieving experiences I've ever had! Here's the good news, it can't stay in there forever... keep up the water and walking... try the Triscuits... lots of fiber, didn't make me gassy. I didn't do the MOM, but I've stayed on my daily regimen of water, walking, Gas-X, stool softeners and Triscuits... it's working and getting more regular each day.

Take good care.

I am day 10 post op and feel pretty good today! Day 3 and 4 were tough. Day 3-home from hospital and very nausueas (spelling!) and had first bm on day 4- Ok, I resorted to warm prune juice (on advice) and I never have prune juice. It'll get better. Rest, move a little, and I like ice packs on the swelly belly (not heat!) Hang in there. It does get better... hugs

This is what I was told on day 3 (the worst day ever) is that when the doc touches your bowel during surgery it causes it to stop for a while....the more he/she touches the longer it will take to start up again...the mid wife was telling me this in the hospital when i was suffering...and like she told me the bowel has to start working on its own...maybe knowing this helpped me understand all the gas pain a little better...hope this helps
take care sisters

Hi I wish I knew! I was hoping to get the same information I am 6 days post op and I have gas settled on my right side and it hurts to breath all the dr said was gas x but I can't do the fiber thing I had 12 inches of my colon removed with my left ovary and uterus and my diet is limited does the gas x help I can't sleep and the pain is worse than the surgery pain.

Yall. That pain is worse than the surgery. I'm at 10 days post-op but things are much improved. That cramping was the worst. I still have it some but nothing like it was.
There is light at the end of the tunnel.
elaine

Oh my....GAS...can I tell you I surely remember that. It was the most HORRIBLEST thing in the world! It felt like I was trying to pass a bowling ball through a straw down in there! GasX helped somewhat but nothing took it away. Make sure you take a stool softener and not a softener/laxative

Yep day 3 for me too and have had bad gas pains. I ate soup with okra the first day home thinking that surely would start things moving. Took a bowel softener/with laxative also. Nothing--ate more soup with okra prune juice and bowel softenter again--nothing. Today after the 3rd bowel softener and soft diet. Success but I was surprized at how constipated I was. A little scared also cause I don't want to hurt or strain and damage the good work the doc. has done. I feel much better and hopefully will improve as the week continues. Good luck. walk rest and plenty of fluids.

Thanks, everyone! My mother came to help out for a week, and when she and my husband are hanging around, I have to keep warning them to leave the room quickly. Where are gas masks when you need them? The milk of magnesia and enema worked well to get my bowels moving again (about 8 times, actually, today), and that feels a million times better.

Hi tiva and everyone recently post-op:
I found a few foods that helped me out in the early days and are now on my regular diet : popcorn, grated carrot salad, licorice, frozen green peas or corn, mini shredded wheat and all-bran. Everyone's bowels react differently but I really missed my broccoli and cauliflower and by 4 weeks was able to eat them again. Hurray!
Kendo