I'm 4 days post op and no matter how slowly I sip protein drinks and liquids I get these god awful sharp stabbing pains in my abdomen from gas. I am having real issues with trying to get the protein in too. I'm starving and my stomach growls like a wolf but the protein shakes don't seem to be helping. Does this go away with time?

It should get better each day. Get yourself some gas-X strips. When drinking your protien shakes or anything for that matter, try to think in terms of drops instead of drinks or even sips. Try getting it in a drop at a time. Once you can handle a few drops without pain, then and ONLY then, progress to sips. Once you have mastered sips then move up to small drinks. This technique is what I used. It helped a lot. Do NOT worry about getting as much protien as you were told for the first few days. You will get to that point in a few more days. Your primary concern right now is staying hydrated. Just keep getting drops/sips in all day long. Soon you will have no problem getting your protien in. Hope this helps. I am 5 months out and have lost over 110 pounds. If you are interested, we have a support group on Facebook called Back Country Bariatric. Feel free to join us. Same goes to everyone else here!

You need to walk walk walk to get rid of that gas. My surgeon's office did not recommend gas x or beano so early after surgery and to try and try to get it out naturally. As the gas goes out you will feel much better.

It will get better! Make sure you drink slowly to avoid making it worse.


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

Gas-X doesn't help reduce the CO2 gas that was pumped into your abdominal cavity during laparoscopic surgery, which causes pain or discomfort for some bariatric patients. It gets better from walking a lot and time.

It took about 5 days for me; don't know whether that's the average or not.


RNY 14 April 2017
SW: 295 lb / 134 kg
GW: 187 lb / 85 kg (I'll see when I get there)

Are you sure it is gas? The only sharp pain I had post op was from drinking ice cold fluids, which felt like daggers. Do you have this issue with fluids of all temps?

Also contact your Dr. You are supposed to be able to nourish yourself post-op.

I called them spasms more than stabbing. I agree that cold things made it way worse. I had lukewarm everything for about 2 weeks after surgery. They eventually went away. If any symptoms comes with fever call your doctor immediately.

Lots of irritating symptoms will come and go over the next weeks. Just doing a quick search here helped me because I found that I've not experienced anything really new.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the advice. I had my first successful walk around the neighborhood this morning and am sipping my drinks very slowly. I still have the occasional gas pain but it's getting better.

It should get better each day. Get yourself some gas-X strips. When drinking your protien shakes or anything for that matter, try to think in terms of drops instead of drinks or even sips. Try getting it in a drop at a time. Once you can handle a few drops without pain, then and ONLY then, progress to sips. Once you have mastered sips then move up to small drinks. This technique is what I used. It helped a lot. Do NOT worry about getting as much protien as you were told for the first few days. You will get to that point in a few more days. Your primary concern right now is staying hydrated. Just keep getting drops/sips in all day long. Soon you will have no problem getting your protien in. Hope this helps. I am 5 months out and have lost over 110 pounds. If you are interested, we have a support group on Facebook called Back Country Bariatric. Feel free to join us. Same goes to everyone else here!

This is exactly the advise my surgeon gave me.