Question:
How much did you have bypassed and do you have bowel movement and odor issues?

I know this is a very sensitive and personal subject, but the information would be very helpful to my roommate as she is having distal gastric bypass in a few weeks. Thank you for all for your help.    — Skyedancer4u1 (posted on April 23, 2002)

April 23, 2002
I'm 10 months post, Open RNY, and have basically the same issues as far as BM's and odor as I did as a pre-op. I don't poop or pass gas any more than I used to...and no, it doesn't smell worse either.
   — Becky H.

April 23, 2002
100 cm bypass, proximal RNY. No BM or gas problems or changes, except that the BM color is much lighter and the movements a little less frequent. I either take Citrucel or eat a high fiber cereal every day to keep on track. No big deal at all.
   — Kathy J.

April 23, 2002
Hi ~ 180cm bypassed almost ten weeks ago, down 51 pounds. No problems with my BMs, no problems with gas. Occasionally go a few days without a BM, but I don't get any fiber out side of 2 oz of fruit and 2 oz of vegetables - at best - each day. In anycase, it's never constipation...just going a few days witout is still kind of weird to me. When you say "odors", I am not sue if you are talking about body odor or gas or BM odor. BUt, I gues it doesn't really matter becasue I don't have problems with any. :)
   — PaulaM

April 23, 2002
How distal do you mean? I'm as distal as you can GET. No diarrhea (I'd pay extra for that, actually!), but probably you want to let a good 5 minutes pass before sharing my bathroom. If there is gas, it is foul, true enough. Of course, when I was full sized, it wasn't roses. I keep good odor neutralizers at hand everywhere so that my workers are not offended. And *I* am not offended if they use them!
   — vitalady

April 24, 2002
I must be the exception to the rule, I am 150cm bypass - distal, and prior to the surgery I had stinky gas and BM's. Now it has completely changed, I don't pass any odorous gas or bm's-no scent at all. Imagine that! My daughter has confirmed it. Also, my regularity of movements has gone from daily to 1 or 2 times a week. Hope this helps.
   — Stephanie R.

September 8, 2006
Odor-free gas and BMs is likely a sign of not enough protein. I only began to have really stinky gas and BMs when I got my protein intake where it was suposed to be in my fifth month post-op. I did some web research, and sure enough, protein digestion releases evil-smelling sulfides. Sulfides from a high protein diet are responsible for the smell of dog and cat poop and gas. It hit me- that's exactly what mine smell like, and the fact that it seems "inhuman" has been adding to my distress. I did more research to see what could be done about the smell (I CAN'T decrease my protein consumption), and the only thing that was reported to really help was taking some form of chlorophyll to neutralize the smell. Brain Flash! I have Nu-Greens in my fridge, and what are greens but chlorophyll? Guess what? I had some new greens and a Gas-X about two hours before a first date, and I didn't let one stinker (thank GOD!).
   — Anna W.