Two Quick Questions

[yourshoesareuntied 50]

1.) post surgical gas.. Is the pain actual flachulent type gas pain? Like the kind you get after a questionable gas station burrito?

2.) Is the plication portion of the surguery where the stomach is folded into the band? My surgeon does a small plication in the back of the stomach... My understanding is not all surgeons do the plication. I don't mind calling the office again but I want to know before Monday.

I called earlier this week and asked if he did plication but was unable to answer when they called back, I asked them leave a message if I didn't answer. She said he does do a plication but just a small one in the back of the stomach.

[Sarahemma94 29]

Yea the wind pain is just like pain in your chest like you can't burp, it really hurt for me but gripe Water helped get the wind up and the plication is so important, it really prevents the band from slipping and honestly should be done with everyone who gets the band. I asked my surgeon did he do it and he looked shocked and said 'of course, if I didn't then your band would easily slip off' so definetly ask your surgeon about it

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[elcee 3,343]

No it's not that kind of gas. It is gas that they pump into your chest/abdominal cavity to give them more space to work. Some gets left behind and that puts pressure on nerves/organs which can cause pain. Often the pain is felt in the shoulder. Because it is not in your digestive system antiflatulence type meds won't work, you will need to take the prescribed pain killers.

[Angelizz10 76]

No it's not that kind of gas. It is gas that they pump into your chest/abdominal cavity to give them more space to work. Some gets left behind and that puts pressure on nerves/organs which can cause pain. Often the pain is felt in the shoulder. Because it is not in your digestive system antiflatulence type meds won't work' date=' you will need to take the prescribed pain killers.[/quote']

The way it was explained to me was it is the gas they pump into you to do the procedure and it is that, which presses against the diaphram. It is very painful and sent my neck into spasms. Thank goodness for the good drugs to get you past it. I am 3 weeks after surgery and no problems. First fill ( small one) in three weeks, as we are going on a Med. cruise Oct. 11th and I need to learn how to eat with it BEFORE we leave.

[RobinGirl 34]

I actually had bad stomach gas (yes some of it made its way out) from all the Protein Drinks I had to drink. 80 grams of whey Protein with no other real food can do a number on your digestive track. Gas- X was my friend during the first two weeks.

[yourshoesareuntied 50]

Gas- X was my friend during the first two weeks.

"Sounds" like it would have been your family's friend too.

[Starting Over! 31]

I was a lucky one who had almost no gas discomfort!

Did not have the plication the band alone is working well for me.

My first fill is on the 27th and I am down 30lbs since I started my journey 6 mos. Pre op.

No regrets at all...best of luck and success to you!

[jen_1381 446]

It's a tricky gas So you have the left over gas (actual medical gas) that was pumped into your abdominal cavity to expand your abdomen. It's impossible for them to suck all of it out so most people have some discomfort. Mine was mild, irritating, but not excrutiating. Some people have it pretty bad. It's not the kind of gas to where if you "release some pressure" it will feel better. BUT, keep in mind, the first few days/weeks you are drinking Protein drinks which can do a number on your digestive tract. I seemed to tolerate it okay, some people learned the hard way not to "trust a fart" - - their words not mine What helped me was walking pretty much non-stop (except when the pain meds knocked me out), taking my pain meds regularly for the first two days, and a combo of heating pad and ice pack. Ice pack to incisions, heating pad to shoulder (typically the gas travels and settles in a shoulder or spot in your abdomen. After I had a hysterectomy robotically, it landed in my right side and I had a horrid sideache for a week)

Plication is an additional procedure, one that is becoming more popular with lap band placement. I had just the lap band placed; I was too nervous for plication.

Whatever route you decide to go, I wish you all of the luck in the world!

[Angelizz10 76]

My surgeon does not do the plication at all anymore. He stated that plication in conjunction with band has shown in recent new studies does no good. I was disappointed, because the plication is what prompted me to do this whole surgery. They do still do them at Duke Hospital in NC.

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,722]

i had the plication and def helps with me being full at about 4 oz of food.

i had never heard of it until my dr told me when i met with him. seems to be working well with me

all the best

[Jellyfish 17]

I didn't experience gas pain with this surgery but I did after I had my first child via C-section. Apparently it's very common and the nurses were able to tell me what it was, but it did NOT feel like regular gas pain at all and I never would have guessed that on my own. For me it was a nagging, achy sort of feeling in my upper left shoulder almost at my neck. No pain medication that they gave me helped it at all, the only thing that helped was getting up and walking around. When I got banded, the nurses had me up and walking barely ten minutes after I first woke up. I kept taking short five minute walks at least once an hour for the first week post-op and I never experienced any sort of gas pain. Some people say that gas-X strips work if you do get the pain, but a lot of people say they didn't work too. You should probably have some on hand just in case. They're also good if you end up swallowing too much air when you drink, they did help me with that.

I don't know anything at all about plication process, sorry.