I am scheduled for surgery February 7th & I have 2 questions - I keep reading all the comments regarding the gas pain after the surgery, has anyone ever had their gall bladder removed where they fill your abdomen up with the CO2, if so how does that pain rate in comparison? Next, I feel the hardest thing for me is going to be not drinking w/meals, has anyone else struggled w/this that you could share some advise on? I have done all the research & understand why but doesn't your mouth get awfully dry? Thanks.

Sunny - congrats on setting your date! I haven't had gall bladder surgery but there was another thread comparing the lb pain to that of a csection. For me the lb surgery pain was minimal and I took no pain killers. I was driving the next day and back to work 4 days later but everyone's pain tolerance is very different. As for not drinking with meals I think a lot of people struggle with it. I can't drink 30 minutes before which is easy enough because I stop drinking while I'm getting dinner ready. I make sure not to have any beverage near me when I eat to avoid grabbing for it. No drinks for 1 hour after either which is the hardest part for me but I get up and so the dishes and clean up or surf the net...anything to keep my mind off it and that usually helps the time pass quickly. But a couple of us have also done the swish and spit too. Rinse your mouth with water but don't swallow. Eventually I think it will become second nature.

I drink right up to the point where I'm about to start eating. If I'm in a restaurant I push my water glass away. If I'm at home I don't sit down with a glass. It's awkward in the beginning but you adjust quickly. Best of luck.

Sunny, you will get there! I thought the same thing. Once you realize how much it really helps to not drink while you are eating and 1/2 hour afterward you it will become easier. Before we drank to help "wash everything down." now we want everything to stay there as long as possible to keep that satisfied/full feeling as long as possible.

Keep a drink with you throughout the day whenever you are not eating and you will be able to get all of your fluids in! Good luck!

I have had 3 c-sections, my gallbladder removed and the lapband. To me the worst gas pain was after the gallbladder. My lapband surgery pain was very minimal. I was up walking very soon after surgery. I walked throughout the night in the hospital corridors. The gas is very different than the intestinal gas. It builds up in the muscles and the only way to alleviate it is to WALK,WALK ,WALK. You will have no problem as long as you are moving Good luck!!

My gas pain was horrible after my lap band surgery. I was in sooo much pain. I just recently had my gallbladder out and the pain was no where near what I went through with the lap band. Remember that we are all different and our bodies react in different ways. Congrats on your New Life Journey!, I know that you will do great.

I had my gallbladder removed four years prior to my lapband surgery and don't recall any gas pain.

With my first lapband surgery I definitely had gas pain, and the gas pain was the only reason I had to take pain meds. A heating pad also helped.

In November I had to have my lapband restitched and the doctor added plication, and I didn't have any gas pain at all.

Had NO gas pain at all.

I certainly was blessed, no gas pain in fact no pain at all. I was up and running the halls right after I was put in my room. Even that evening when dinner timed rolled around, I left the floor (with permission) and went to the cafeteria with hubs while he had his dinner.

Congrats on your surgery date!!! I found gas pains minimal as long as I forced myself to walk at least a few minutes ever hour and at night I would use a hitting pad to relax my abdomen muscles enough to let the gas out(maybe a little TMI but it was very helpful for me).

As far as the drinking, well not drinking, it was definitely an adjustment at first. I used a timer for a long time to remind me of the rules. Honestly there are times I still set a timer to refocus myself when I get off track.

Staying focused and remembering the rules will help keep you successful.

Thanks everyone for your replies, there is such a abundance of information on this site & bless all of you who are so willing to share. I go tomorrow for PAT & my endoscopy, f/u appt on Monday & the surgery is just a week away. Like most people I'm both excited & nervous. Down 21lbs since this all started & made so many changes already but still concerned with the not drinking w/meals & my low pain tolerance but hoping to say it wasn't as bad as I thought in the near future.

I've never had another surgery so I have nothing to compare the lapband to. At the worst (before the drugs really kicked in), I'd say the pain was an 8. My incisions and getting up and down out of bed was the most painful. But I never had the gas pain everyone talks about.

Not drinking with meals is weird, but you do just kind of accept it. It has become habit. I always look at the clock to see what time I finish a meal, and drink Water 30mins later.

The lap band was my 8th major surgery. 6 of which were in my abdomen. I've had my gallbladder removed and never remember there being gas pain. However, I had exploration laparoscopy for endometriosis and had mayor gas pains after. With the band, I only had gas pains in my left shoulder while in the hospital.

I am scheduled for surgery February 7th & I have 2 questions - I keep reading all the comments regarding the gas pain after the surgery, has anyone ever had their gall bladder removed where they fill your abdomen up with the CO2, if so how does that pain rate in comparison? Next, I feel the hardest thing for me is going to be not drinking w/meals, has anyone else struggled w/this that you could share some advise on? I have done all the research & understand why but doesn't your mouth get awfully dry? Thanks.

I had my gall bladder out years ago. The pain from lap band surgery doesn't come close!!!! Both were laparoscopic so I don't know why but with GB I was down for 3 weeks... With the band I never took a pain pill!! And I was 22 yrs younger for the GB surgery

As for the drinking with meals... It's hard..very hard. You just get used to it. I know that's a lame answer but it's the truth.

I have never had my gall bladder out but the gas pain kicked my butt for 8 days straight...the only thing that helped me was my heating pad....you may be one of the lucky ones and not have any pain or very little...I hope so! I never was much for drinking with meals so that's been easy for me.. Best of luck and Best Wishes!

This was my third surgery. The hysterectomy was more painful. I took pain meds at night for the first five days to sleep well. More pain from the hiatal hernia repair. No gas pain. I did walk once an hour the first week.