How long until passing gas after surgery?

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tzvia

tzvia

Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
470
I had a resection 6 days ago and I'm still in the hospital waiting to pass gas. I have terrible gas pains, I've been walking, squatting, using heating pad, bending knees in bed. I feel the gas in my abdomen and it's very painful but it won't come out! It's been like this for days. What else can I do? This is horrible. Sometimes the gas radiates to my shoulder, ribs, and back
 
Well, mine had always shifted through by that time! I'm so sorry for you, I know how painful it always is. Mind, wait till you laugh at the farts. That laughing is enough to shift the rest though. I never needed anything to help it along, but it started around 2-3 days and went on to a fourth. So maybe ask the specialists otherwise you might be there forever.
 
I've been allowed only sips of clear liquid. It's six days post op. The gas is radiating in my ribs, shoulder, back. Ugh. And they just put me back on morphine because it hurts so bad.
 
About day 4 for my two kids.

Hope you can get it out soon and find blessed relief!

Dusty. xxx
 
Thanks all. Still haven't passed gas. I'm worried about a blockage. Waiting to talk to doctor. So much pain! And since I haven't eaten in so long they are talking about starting a central line.
 
It's a catch 22 in my opinion because you aren't eating but air and sips of liquid should create gas. I hope it begins working. It does take some people longer and hopefully once it starts you'll be passing gas a lot.
 
It does sound on the long the side. What did the doc say? I didn't pass anything till day 8 post resection. I was in absolute agony by then. Turned out in my case it was ileus (sp?). That may be a possibility in your case but the docs treating you are best placed to tell you. Also was your surgery laparoscopic? The gas they insert to inflate the abdomen so that they can see better, can be quite painful and can take some time to dispearse if you are mainly bedbound. Peppermint tea is supposed to be good for this, though I don't know if thats just a placebo and it might not be best after a resection. Hope things move soon!
 
Walking might help if you have the strength? :( Poor thing. Yes I hope they figure it out ASAP! That is too long in my opinion
 
How about drinking warm water? I have had terrible gas, and felt like you are talking about how it radiates to your ribs and shoulder. I usually drink warm water and walk a lot.
 
Muppetgirl said:
It does sound on the long the side. What did the doc say? I didn't pass anything till day 8 post resection. I was in absolute agony by then. Turned out in my case it was ileus (sp?). That may be a possibility in your case but the docs treating you are best placed to tell you. Also was your surgery laparoscopic? The gas they insert to inflate the abdomen so that they can see better, can be quite painful and can take some time to dispearse if you are mainly bedbound. Peppermint tea is supposed to be good for this, though I don't know if thats just a placebo and it might not be best after a resection. Hope things move soon!
Click to expand...

Muppetgirl,
Yes, it was ileus. But good news...... I finally passed some gas an a little stool tonight. The way I did is was by piling 4 pillows on top of each other and laying on them, stomach down with my butt in the air. Before, I had done walking, yoga, and squats for 6 days
 
I had ileus with my first stoma surgery - it was awful! My latest surgery, I was so pleased when there was gas going into the stoma bag after two days - though the gas hurt so much when it first passed through my bowel!

Have you managed to avoid the central line? I don't want to worry you, but I had terrible experiences when I had one. I've had TPN via a normal IV into my arm before, which is only safe to use short-term, but I feel it's preferable to having a central line in.

Also when I had ileus and couldn't eat much, an NG tube to drain my stomach was an absolute life-saver in terms of relieving pain. With my recent blockage they had an NG tube down straight away, I kept it after the surgery just in case I had another ileus (apparently if you have one, you could be prone to more at future surgeries), and the pain this time round was far more manageable.

Hope all is well and your recovery is going smoothly.
 
When your doctor puts his stethoscope to your stomach does he hear bowel sounds? If so that's a good sign. If not, it was explained to me that your bowel is not awake ie. ileus.

Hope you get relief soon.

Miles
 
There are bowel sounds and I did pass gas a couple times. The doctor hasn't decided about the PICC line yet. I should know by tonight. I think she is considering it just for me to get extra calories because I am so undernourished at this point. Will keep you updated! Yeah, that ileus was no joke
 
If you can walk, even with assistance, please do it. When I had my first resection many years ago, the head nurse on my floor would not leave my room until I walked for the first time

Two or three days later, my bowel began to respond.

You have my sympathy for the gas you are experiencing. Tomorrow will be better-maybe- if you walk RIGHT NOW!

Best/
Miles
 
Sorry to hear that it is ileus. It is indeed no joke. I can still vividly remember the most painful night of it as if it were yesterday. That's a novel method you used to get things going! But I can understand you'll try anything when feeling like that. I'm so glad that things are waking up and moving now. I hope that tomorrow is an even better day and you avoid the line. I don't think it goes back to sleep once it's up so thats positive. Let us know how you get on.
 
Feeling much better today and just got word I can go to soft foods tomorrow! As long the food passes through I can go home!
 
tzvia said:
Feeling much better today and just got word I can go to soft foods tomorrow! As long the food passes through I can go home!
Click to expand...

That is great news! Fingers crossed. Btw, do you mind me asking which hospital you had the procedure done? PM if you wish.
 
The procedure was done at University of Pennsylvania Hospital (HUP) by Dr. Mahmoud. I'm happy with her as a surgeon. She came highly recommended and has a great bedside manner. The quality of the nurses here varies a lot, but it's overall been good experience here (except the gas!)
 
You'll think very seriously about any further surgeries after that experience. Glad you're on soft food and I hope you keep farting happily, if you get what I mean. God, the intestines feel so much better once the gas is out.
 
It's so true, Spooky!

Good news-- I had 2 BMs today and chances are that I can leave tomorrow! BMs are loose but I'm glad about that because I can't imagine how much it would hurt the inscision site to have to strain and push out a formed one.

Not much gas coming out though I can feel it rumbling around in there.

I'm so excited to see what my new life without my old stricture feels like!
 
It took me like 10 days! And my anal retentiveness was to blame (it's been so embedded in my psyche I guess...).
All it took was one glycerin suppository after all those days, and bam! I passed gas and more lol. Thinking of you, hoping things get moving quickly!!
 
Ugh, the docs still want to keep me because I'm not passing enough gas. Apparently passing gas is more important than passing BM's after surgery. It's been 9 days since my surgery.

Going a little stir crazy here in the hosp. Anyone have any Netflix recommendations for me?
 
It's funny u say that Emily- I've been thinking about my own anal retentivness and how it might impact my crohn's. I also notice how my body is rarely ever relaxed in the abdominal area....just due to being kind of a high strung person. Surely this is a factor too.
 
I really do think so. Like there's got to be a reason it takes me intense effort to pass some gas when I'm just sitting around at home or whatever. It's funny how it just becomes totally subconscious.

PS my netflix recommendation is Orange is the New Black!! It's so good to binge-watch.
 
Aw I know it sucks when you want to get home, but you are in the best place if there's still a chance they have to intervene. I hate going home only to have to return to the hospital a few days later. And you are making progress, even though you're not quite there yet. It sounds like they are talking no chances which is refreshing. Netflix...House of Cards is amazing but you may well have seen it already.
 
I'll check out House of Cards! No BM's today and one baby fart that took hours to coax out. They still want to see my bowel speed up, so looks like I'll be here for a little while longer.
 
Arrr I remember after my surgery, i had ileum - it was the most horrible thing ever. So painful, I remember having the NG tube in at night and it made me gag every-time I tried to breath- I ended up throwing up green bile all over myself eveynight...arrr good days:biggrin:
 

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