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How Long Does Bloating/Gas Pain Last After Laparotomy?

Hi.

I had a laparotomy 4 weeks ago to get a 6cm ovarian cyst removed from my right ovary due to endometriosis.

I had a bikini cut about 4.5 inches. Right now, my abdomen is still very swollen. I still feel a lot of gas and bloating, which gets worse around late afternoon to night time. (Why does it get worse at night?)

The doctor told me the wound would take around a month to heal, but the gas takes longer to go away. Is that true?

The area around my wound is still painful, but the most painful is the pressure from the bloating and gas.

And I feel like I have to go pee very often when I feel gas pain because it feels like the pressure from my abdomen is squeezing my bladder.

How long will this bloating pain last? I can't fit into any of my pants right now. I have to wear dresses all the time!

I'm also taking simethicone tablets now. But they don't seem to work very well to alleviate the gas pain.

What can I do???
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Avatar universal
How long is the bloating last.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
It can vary a bit and depend on how extensive the surgery.
Avatar universal
Hi ! I had mine 10 days back to remove a 10 cm ovarian dermoid cyst - worst  experience in my entire life .

I stopped pain killers 3 days back , the first day was painful and then it got better . Today I'm alright and feel no pain when I'm still

Bloating is getting better and better . I realized it's better to many short meals a day rather than 3 big meals . In my case I am eating 5 times a day . It gives much much much less gas, you feel less pressure against your cut .

I eat what is easy to digest.

Regarding walking be careful . I read online that I should walk. 3 days back I went for a short 200 m walk  towards and beach And came back . The area above the cut got so swollen and the cut became red. I took a rest for 2 days and it is now gone . Well I do not think it is a good idea to go for walks - I will try again after few weeks and c
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Avatar universal
I'm glad to come across this question and answers.  I'm 3 weeks post op laparoscopic oophorectomy and I'm still so bloated.... glad to hear it eventually goes away.  Does any one know how to speed up the process?  
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2 Comments
Dear ladies, I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy 4 weeks ago and have been using the belly belt that is recommended after such operation. I started wearing it from day 3 after the operation and it has been wonderful to keep the insides firm, and perhaps helping pushing out the air too. The first week, when I took it off, after a while I would feel pain around the belly button, put back on and all wonderful again. It has been great! Week 4 and I am using smaller one and also taking it off for hours now. I cannot imagine not having it!
Dear ladies, I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy 4 weeks ago and have been using the belly belt that is recommended after such operation. I started wearing it from day 3 after the operation and it has been wonderful to keep the insides firm, and perhaps helping pushing out the air too. The first week, when I took it off, after a while I would feel pain around the belly button, put back on and all wonderful again. It has been great! Week 4 and I am using smaller one and also taking it off for hours now. I cannot imagine not having it!
Avatar universal
Heating pads really help. And socks. And putting pillows under your legs to prop up, behind your head and on belly. Walk around when possible. Take stool softeners, drink lots of fluids. And eat grains fruits and veggies. Light massages help too
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
its been more than a month since i had laparotomy and i still have the gas pain espeacially when i am up too much. I think the best thing is to keep the abdoman area warm and wear socks all the time and drinking hot drinks like herbal teas really help me...
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1 Comments
I just had my ovaries removed bout 2 weeks ago.. n I feel the same pain due to bloating.. n pain in the incision areas.. Dr did not give me any antibiotics during surgury.. but I've had hysterectomy  n it did not hurt at all after surgury.. this time bloated n pain..thank you for your post.. helps.. I wanted to put something on my tummy warm to hrlp.pain
Avatar universal
You described what has happened to me. My surgery was June 13th and its July 2nd and im still in pain. I have tried walking, and rubbing my abdomen. laying down and bringing one knee up to my chest and holding it there. I couldn't do both knees at the same time. But nothing is working. I want to cry because this is going on so long and I am tired of feeling pain.
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1 Comments
Did your belly get to normal?
Avatar universal
Pleased I came across this too!  I had laparoscopic surgery 5 days ago which was my 2nd (previous 5 years ago) The first one was fine & I was up and about the next day and had no problems at all.  This time, whilst in hospital straight after the op, I had severe sholder pain as wall as extreme pain down one side of my tummy to my rib cage area, to find out it was "trapped gas", well, I was so shocked, I'd never felt pain like it.  That subsided, and I am now very bloated & uncomfortable, i've been quite active the last few days, but now feel in a bit of pain around the incision areas more so, but just an overall pain on my whole tummy area and inner pain.  I'm worried I may have over done it earlier today carrying some bags as I've been fine other wise, I don't have a recovery advice note, and just reading your post has frightened me a little about "complications"! :-0 All of this information has been great, thanks all, especially about the bloating, I keep catching myself in the mirror with my trackies up to my boobs and this big belly sticking out! It's so depressing! x
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Avatar universal
COMMUNITY LEADER
Yes, the gas pains from laparoscopic surgery can be quite painful! Please be sure to follow advice during the recovery period...you don't want to over-do activity and risk complications.
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Avatar universal
I'm so thankful for running across this forum. It has been almost 2 weeks since my hysterectomy surgery and the gas and cramping is the worst. I almost passed out this morning after getting out of bed cause it was so bad. I now know after reading these posts that due to having both endo and IBS it can probably expect it to hang around for another cpl months. Thank you everyone for posting.
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11434720 tn?1490584307
I am SO glad I stumbled upon this forum! I had laparoscopy surgery 5 days ago to remove my appendix. The surgeon told me this excess "air" in my abdomen should dissipate with 3 days. Nope! I look 6 months pregnant and am wearing my old maternity clothes! Of course after googling the possible complications I was sure that my colon was leaking, but then I found this site. Thank you to everyone involved in this 5 year discussion; it's been very helpful. :-)
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Avatar universal
I had surgery two weeks ago and I feel great but still very bloated!! I feel a little bit of pain around the bikini area  and I feel more bloated during night time. I feel that my belly is never going to be flat again. Do you think its normal that I am still very bloated eve though I feel good?
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Avatar universal
For the last ten years I kept telling and showing my doctors about my pea sized hernia that got to be the size of a walnut, to no avail.
Tuesday night it was so painful and red,so I went to my primary doc and was sent to ER for emergency surgery.
I question why nothing was done til it became an emergency!!
Now home I am suffering from excruciating intraperitoneal gas pain.
And wonder why, before stitching me closed, that there was no effort to eliminate at least some of it !?
It cannot be passed either orally or rectally since it is in the body cavity.. So how does one get rid of it??
Don't know how much more of this pain. I can take.
My stomach looks like I'm 9 months pregnant!
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Avatar universal
I am so glad it's not just me being a fatty!!I had a laparoscopy to remove a cyst a week and a half ago...still bloated and it's made my body shape look so ugly

I'm very hourglass and my clothes are all quite fitted and I look awful in everything at the moment-awful awful awful
I started jogging again but I still look like Mr Greedy-when will I get back to normal?
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Avatar universal
Hi all, one week today i am having my cyst removed, i do not have endo, the consultant feels it is due to having been on the progesterone only pill for over 8 years.  i have recently lost 5 stone so this is soul distroying. i look pregnant my pants don't fit, when i go back to work my uniform won't fit. and i made my boss promise me she would never let me have a bigger uniform. i would like to know if you get this message how all you ladies got on back in 2009.  having read your story i am now more frightened
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1 Comments
How long u got to be back to normal
Avatar universal
im slightly worried about my op. im overweight and after the doc has scared me with his risks etc i am a little unnerved! im having an 11 cm cyst removed by laparotomy and am having the insision down my tummy from my belly button down. has anybody had a similair op at a weight of 20 stone or above? xx
Helpful - 0
1306310 tn?1273234258
Hi,

I had a 7lb (yes, 7 pound) ovarian cyst removed when I was 23, (which was 5 years ago now) and I still have gas ALOT and it's horrible.  I went on the pill right after the surgery because they did half of a hysterectomy on me and since I was so young, I was hoping to have kids someday.  I have gained about 60 lbs since the surgery- and I was (and still am) very active.  I was a size 4 when I had the surgery.  It ***** and I have had more pain in the past 5 years than I ever had pre-surgery.  I'm hoping I am a rare case, but I want to know why I have so much gas 5 years later!  
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Avatar universal
I know I am VERY late to this discussion, but it helped me so much!  Bloating is definitely my worst symptom and I felt like there was something seriously wrong.  I am not yet 3 weeks post op and I can only fit into a few pair of pants (that were big on me before the surgery).  Just wanted to say that it is so good to hear that my symptoms are normal and that with time (hopefully) they will subside.  
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Avatar universal
Don't give up I am finally starting to see an improvement and I am almost at 10 weeks now. !!

Try to go for walks alone. I find I have expelled quite a bit of gas while walking. Also try to watch what you eat for the next couple of weeks not to eat food that give gas. My stomach also gets worst at night. The doctor told me it is normal because we use our stomach all day and it is still sensitive so by the end of the day it starts to swell up again. Also we eat and so sometimes by the end of the day it is bloating. Me too the area gets sore by the end of the day especially if I didn't stop all day. I still don't fit into my jeans but at least I am starting to get pants into some of my pants. I thought I would have to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe !!

Are you fitting into your clothes yet ?  I actually put on 5 pounds and I am convinced it was all gas and swelling weight not actual fat weight gain.

Did you gain any weight since surgery ?
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Avatar universal
Your gas is lasting about as long as mine did.  I also thought it would never go away, but it did.  I had that "rock" feeling for months.  Nurses and friends recommended adding ginger to tea and such (which I did, but not every day).  Maybe that will help?  There are a lot of side benefits to adding ginger to your diet. Do a Google search for ginger tea and you'll see all the talk about it.
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Avatar universal
Geez, this is so frustrating.

This is my 8th week after my surgery and I'm still bloated!!!!

The area right above my incision all the way up to my belly button is still puffy and swollen. At nighttime the bloating is so bad the area feels painful when I press on it.

The worst part is the bloating doesn't seem to be getting any better from this point on. I see no improvements at all.

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Avatar universal
Well I guess every doctor is a bit different, my gynecologist said that the endometriosis is a disease with no cure we can clean it up but you still have it and she also said that Irritable bowels can go hand in hand with endometriosis. I hope she is wrong, but I must say in my case I have had gas and bloating and constipation for years. It is encouraging to know that the bloating due to surgery can last for 3 - 4 months, my doctor had said that it lasted only a couple of days ??? So six weeks later I just assumed it was still Irritable bowels due to the endo.
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Avatar universal
Well, my gynecologist told me that the gas/bloating is because of the air that got inside when he cut me open. He told me that it could last up to 3-4 months before my stomach will become completely flat again. But I had a friend who had the same surgery done a year ago and she told me her gas/bloating went away in 4 weeks. So I guess everyone's different?

I also had similar bloating symptoms before my surgery, which was caused by my endo adhesion, a 6cm endometrioma cyst. But my doctor said that I shouldn't have anymore endo symptoms after my surgery because the adhesion cyst was already removed and he cleaned everything up.
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Avatar universal
You are like me and you have endo and the gas and bloating can be symptoms of your endo. In any case as I mentioned I have the same symptoms and I am almost six weeks after my laparotomy for removal of my endo and my two chocolate cysts.
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Avatar universal
The gas pain and bloating is also my worst side affect so far.

My swollen stomach area is so tender to the touch, that I feel so much pressure inside when I press on it.

When I feel the gas pain more at night, I also feel like I have to pee more often. I don't know if any one has experienced this also??????

When I walk it feels like I am carrying a rock in there. I am getting frustrated as well, I feel like this will never go away.

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