In hospital, gas won't come out. So much pain

Hi everyone,

I had surgery yesterday at 1:30pm, it was originally scheduled for 11:30am but there was an emergency surgery so it was delayed. Anyways since i woke up i've been having horrible abdominal pain, they say that's the gas pain. All of yesterday I walked like crazy, probably more then anyone else on my floor. I started feeling a bit better.

Fast forward to this morning when i woke up (around 7am) I was in excruciating pain. My abdominal pain seemed to have gotten worse. so I asked for some pain medication and went to walk again. As i'm walking today I begin to realize that my shoulders kill. Not when I lay down or anything else, just when I try to walk. The abdominal pain hurts so bad I'm now crying cause nothing i'm doing seems to help. The nurse tries to switch me to liquid Tylenol to see if it'll help. But other then the sleepiness I'm still in so much pain and it won't go.

Everyone says it's gas pain which I get but do you guys have any tips or tricks for letting the gas out?? I've been walking and drinking nonstop but the pain is still there. I can't seem to pass any gas or even a little burp for the life of me? Are there any medications that helped you? What about gas x? Any advice will be kindly taken because I'm suffering right now

Congrats on your surgery. I went through a lot of hot towels they eased the pain, don't think they helped with the gas being released but neither did the meds. It was my second night at 2 am that the gas started to come. Good luck

I asked the nurse about bringing GasX and she told me that the gas pain we get is not the kind from digestion.. it's because gas is blown into the cavity. So GasX won't do anything (it's for digestive system gas).

I have read heating pads, hot towels, upping your pain meds, walking (I know you're trying) and moving as much as possible (ie. will a nurse help you to very carefully bend or twist a bit in a way that does not hurt your incisions? jiggle around those air bubbles?

I hope you get relief really soon! What if you get into bed and kind of curl up fetal on your side? My friend always toots when she lies on her stomach, hahaha, but I don't think you can do that with incisions?

Trying pulling your knees up like you are walking up stairs. That's what finally got the gas moving for me. It's kind of like a colicky baby. You know how colicky babies pull their legs up. It helps.

Make sure you tell them before you go home that you have not been able to pass gas. It's important that they know that.

The gas is from the air when they inflate your abdomen. It can travel up by the shoulders and hurt like crazy. Walking helps your body metabolize that gas and dissipate it, but it takes time. By tomorrow morning it should start to feel better. Hang in there, this will get better. Some people has it worse than others and it can be brutal. It can happen with any laparoscopic operation. They usually have a blanket warmer on all of the wards. Ask if you can have a warm blanket for your abdomen and one for your shoulders. If the Tylenol isn't helping, ask the nurse to get an order from the doctor for some stronger pain meds until this passes. Sending hugs.

when you are lying down, try to lay on your left side if you can. Someone gave me that tip and it really helped me.

How are you feeling this morning? Any improvement?

I'm back home today, some improvement but not much. I tried a heating pad, laying on my sides, and others. I just sat on the toilet for 10 minutes here at home and passed some gas. I'm still uncomfortable and really hope this stage passes quickly.

I'm glad you're home, but sorry that you are still in pain. Is the pain still in your shoulders? Sending you hugs.

My gas pain seem to settle in my chest more than my lower stomach and was burping more than passing gas. When I walked I held my arms over my head. For me it helped:) Don't worry relief will come!