abdominal bloating

[melenzbee83]

Hi,
Is it normal to still being experiencing abdominal bloating  months after surgery? (or even longer?)
i am only 24 and extremely frustrating at how bloated my stomach is... it cause alot of pain and discomfort.

I have stage IIIA borderline serous tumor with NONinvasive implants, i had 5 spots removed 9th Jan this year however i still look 6-9 months pregnant by the afternoon. In fact my stomach has never looked the same since first being diagnosed in 2006. I work out at the gym five days a week and do regular sit ups and pilates. I eat a good diet and raw vegetable juices. can anything help?

Thanks
Mel

[Nursemommy34]

I think the reason you 'grow' as the day goes on could be edema.  My incision started leaking alot at the very bottom, out of nowhere 10 days post op.  Turns out my body finally decided to let go of its own defense system and calm down, in the form of sero sanguinous dranage.
Maybe it's kind of like that..as the day goes on, you up and down, at the gym, drinking your fluids, eating your veg, and slowly, but progressively, during the day you swell.
At night when you lay down, and your feet are at equal hight with your body, everything kinda comes back much easier to the kidneys and gets peed out.  That's why when you wake up you always have to pee, even though most people don't drink anything all night.
Just thoughts.
Maybe watch the salt.  There are some veg with considerable amounts of natural sodium.  Celery is the saltiest one, I am sure.  But there are others.
Nursemommy34

[ChrisP2236]

I am a good deal older than you are but was in excellent physical shape prior to my surgeries - I worked out daily and cross trained with weights, pilates, fast walking, etc.  I had two laproscopic surgeries in a row - one in March 2006 and one in April 2006.  It took a full 20 months before I felt back to "normal" with my abdomen (I never had a flat lower stomach anyway, but it was toned).  I had trouble with swelling almost every day for the first 4-6 months post surgery. Then I would go for days or weeks with no real problem but when I tried to get back to vigorous exercise or spent too much time on my feet, I had a terrible time with swelling, bloating, and actual physical pain where my waistband was.  I found I had to let the really hard work outs go and just concentrate on walking and other lighter exercises, like yoga, that didn't impact the abs so much.  And staying off my feet when I could seemed to help.  I used ice packs a lot in the evening - I'd sit with my feet up and the pack on my lower abs and that helped.  I am now almost 2 years post-op from the first surgery and I can now work out as strenuously as I want without a problem, but my waist is definitely larger than pre-surgery although my weight is the same.  Good luck and don't lose hope - this is normal for a lot of women - they just don't warn you about it!  Chris P  PS - if you check the Hyster Sisters discussion board you will find swelling is a regular topic there and you might find some more info - they call it swelly belly.

[melenzbee83]

Hi,
thanks so much for your help.
i have had two laboroscopies! soon to be 3 and yes one laparotomy (15cm vertical scar from belly button down) ... yes my stomach will never be the same despute youth on my side and being so active. What i cant handle is watching my stomach blow up like a balloon throughout the day..it is so uncomfortable and my clothes dont fit me by the arvo or  night.

All the best. x

[melenzbee83]

Hi,
thanks so much for your help.
i have had two laboroscopies! soon to be 3 and yes one laparotomy (15cm vertical scar from belly button down) ... yes my stomach will never be the same despute youth on my side and being so active. What i cant handle is watching my stomach blow up like a balloon throughout the day..it is so uncomfortable and my clothes dont fit me by the arvo or  night.

All the best. x

[Nursemommy34]

Did you have a laparotomy or laparascopy?
If you had a laparotomy, I can tell you my tummy never ever went back to normal.  The bulging did go down abit after about a year, but never really went back to itself.  But I'm not a gym regular.  
Have you checked with doc about your work out schedual?  Also watch out for recurrent cysts.
Good luck
Nursemommy34

[melenzbee83]

sorry it posted twice!