Question:
What are these noises?

I am 4 days post op and on clear liquids.Every single time I swallow any thing I can hear a gurgle almost immediately.Maybe a five second delay.Sounds like a drain and others can hear it too.WHAT IS THIS AND WILL IT GO AWAY?    — Stephanie H. (posted on January 18, 2002)

January 18, 2002
This is soooo completely normal!!! I think it is a RARE person that it doesn't happen to. When you drink or eat, it goes down into your pouch which has air and the food or drink displaces that air and it comes out through your stoma (small opening) and back up your esophagus. I kinda use that noise to guage how much food I am eating...once I don't hear any more noise...I know my pouch is getting near full. I believe I have read that the stoma enlarges or relaxes some with time and it won't sound as loud after awhile. If it hurts or bothers you...just take smaller/slower sips or bites. I am 4 weeks out and I drink pretty normally w/ no pain except if the drink is especially cold. But, I still hear the gurgles!
   — Karen B.

January 18, 2002
Hi Stephanie, These sounds are definitly normal. I am 3 mos. post-op and they just stopped.At first I was a little worried,I sounded like an old house with bad plumbing.After talking to my doctor I was assured it was a normal post-op event.It is embarrassing when you are at a quiet dinner and the gurgling is loud enough for every one to hear.
   — Connie Z.

January 18, 2002
I am 7 weeks post-op, and I can clearly remember my body making the most awful sounds when I first started eating any kind of foods beyond clear liquids. My daughters could hear them,laugh and used to tease me that I would make an "interesting" dinner date someday. You have to remember that your bowels have been empty of food for several weeks. They're filled with air now, and as you put food into them, the air is getting pushed out. I didn't have a lot of gas (none, really), and no pain, but it took about 10 days of eating non-clear fluids and semi-solids until the noises went away. Give it sometime.
   — Cyndie K.