The gas pain thing

Hi Gals,
My question for you is this: many complain about gas pain after surgery. TAH sisters, was this a problem for you? VH and Lap sisters was gas a problem for you? My uneducated guess is that gas is used for Lap and Vaginal surgeries but NOT? for abdominal hysterectomies??
Maybe I should be posting this on the other forum for post-op sisters to answer? Maybe the hostess will let me know.
As always thanks for your replies,

HJ

I had a LAVH, and about 12 hours after surgery (I guess when the anesthetic started wearing off) - the gas pain started!! Whew, I think that was the worse!! I hadn't had anything to eat for 3 days, and was just drinking liquids. My doc hadn't prescribed anything (when asked, they said they liked to evaluate each case individually - that maybe I would have had to use a suppository), so by the time the nurse got around to asking someone and pharmacy sent it up, it was 4 hours of agony. It was the only time I cried from the pain.
I called my DH to bring some gas pills from home - which worked just fine. So anything with symethicone will work - if you can tolerate something by mouth. After about 8 hours I didn't have it anymore - and by that time I had food to eat.
Thanks to Hystersisters, I knew it could happen. But after the first 6 hours after surgery, I thought maybe I was one of the lucky ones that didn't experience it. Oh, well, at least I knew what it was when it started and didn't panic from the unknown.
Good luck.

It has now been one week since my surgery and I can tell you the gas pains are the worst of this whole thing!! I had everything removed by lap and vag. The first night in the castle I was on morphine. By the second afternoon I was down to just Percocet. During the second night the pain was unbearable until we realized it was the gas and not "surgery" pain. I was given an anti-gas pill and by morning things were beginning to move better and I felt so much relief!!!
I am now taking aspirin during the day and Percocet at night. The only true pains I feel (besides the ones that tell me I am doing too much) are the occassional gas pains.
I still think this has been the best decision I have ever made...no regrets.

Thank you ladies, I was hoping that the gas might be less with and abdominal surgery. Shows how much I know! Wishful thinking. I had a c-section. I wonder if the gas is comparable to that experience. I have too much time to mull this over! I have gas-x in my 'to go' bag. The thing is I always have gas problems. I'm dairy intolerent and soy intolerent but I cheat and get regular gas problems! Hard to keep friends
Take care gals,
HJ

I had a tah and had horrible gas pains. I was throwing up from the pain. To me they felt like contractions and I was doing lamaze breathing for them. The nurse gave me a suppository(sp) and it helped out a bit and also gave me a bm. Good luck to you!!

Don't worry -- this is exactly where you should be posting this question! Lots of post-op ladies show up here to give hugs and support to l-i-w (as you can see by the replies here!).

Yes, I had gas issues, and I had a TAH. I've had them every time I've had abdominal surgery (two c-sections). I've also had constipation, probably from a combination of narcotics and just a sluggish digestive system.

Walking, slow breaths (I always hyperventilate when I try to pant!) and lots of water and fiber do the trick for me, although this time I did use stool softeners, too. Make sure you check with your doc to see what he/she prefers you use, if anything, and if you really have severe issues, don't be afraid to call. Trust me -- they have heard everything!

I had LAVH and for me gas was not a problem. I was fully expecting major gas pains, but luckily, they never materialized!

Thanks for asking this - exactly something I was wondering about too! At least I know now to just "be prepared" and take stuff from home so I don't have to rely upon the nurses.

My lists of questions for the Dr./things to think about/things to take with me/things to buy.... are all growing longer and longer b/c of this site, and I thank you all!
Lycoris/Lisa

(Lycoris Radiata is the latin name of this beautiful lily I found growing behind my azaleas)

Gas pains are not inevitable! I never had a single one--when my bowels woke up, I just felt gentle bubbling across my middle, which bubbled on out without making an issue of it. And here I'd come prepared with industrial strength GasX and the whole kit and caboodle.