Question:
Any help for swallowing air and excessive gas?

I am 7 days post-op and everything has gone well, except I am filled with AIR. When I drink after almost every sip, I have to wait and burp. This makes it VERY difficult to consume all my required liquids. Plus, I have so much intestinal gas, that I am (embarassingly) continuosly passing gas. Is this a temporary problem? Has anyone else had it? I tried MAALOX per my MD, but I would have to take one almost every time I drink something (I am only on liquids still)and it really didn't help.    — Michelle F. (posted on July 22, 2002)

July 21, 2002
Hi, I am 5 1/2 weeks postop and I had the same problem. It was terrible, every sip (no matter how small)caused me a huge burp. This for me gradually improved and now it is just on big gulps of liquid or just occasionally that I feel that way. Hang in there and it should improve. I also found that I seem to get less air with a straw. That goes against what my doctors said - but it works for me.
   — Pam W.

July 21, 2002
I had the same problem. Had to burp between EVERY bite. It goes away with time. As for the gas, I took/take either Phasyme or Gas-x. They work quickly and are so small they are very easy to swallow.
   — Kim B.

July 21, 2002
Yeah several months back I mentioned that we swallow some air everytime we drink or swallow. Someone tried to make me look like an ignorant a## on that one. But I know we do, so to heck with them. Yes, there is always some air in our mouths so it is enevitable that some will go down. Pre op, no problem, but as a newly post op, it is a "big problem". Just use GasX Etra Strenght. It is a life saver! (I got Walmart's Equate Extra Strenght that is the same thing). It does get better with time, but it's no fun.
   — Danmark

July 22, 2002
When I went for my pre-op class with the dietition, she gave out sipper cups to us, (what a toddler would drink out of)This will cut down on air intake. I would also drink water out of the sports bottles. I don't have any trouble with air intake now. 7 months post-op, down 130 pounds
   — bbjnay

July 22, 2002
I'll put it to ya this way...remember when the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood movie came out and everyone was be bestowed with their Ya-Ya name? Well - I didn't even go to the name generator because I gave me my own due to the exact problem you're talking about. I'm 3 1/2 months out and I'm STILL having problems with gas - from both ends. Good luck to you w/yours. Signed: Empress Queen BurpsALot
   — Lisa J.