Puffy Stomach after surgery??

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bresa
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Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:12 pm

Puffy Stomach after surgery??

Postby bresa » Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:15 pm

I've read all the comments and experiences everywhere about this surgery, but I have not read anything about what happens after. I had this surgery 4/16/07 and came home 4/20/07. The surgeon I had was awesome, left me with 3 small incisions. I shouldn't be complaining since everything was very successful and the piece of colon that had the polyp with the small trace of cancer came out negative and gave all my genetic cancer impaired family hope., but...before I went in for surgery my stomach was flat and had some muscle tone, NOW..TODAY..it is swollen and I have a pooch. I lost about 7 pounds, but I look like I've gained 15. Everytime I eat or drink, I feel like it was a Thanksgiving meal. I do have "ok" bowel movements and take pain meds that gives me a little nausea, but it keeps the pain away. Is this normal? My family says it doesn't look bad, but I KNOW what I looked like under my clothes, they didn't. I feel like my skin was stretched down so tight, that if I overeat I will pop. I just think that I am blessed it was caught early and so what if I'm left with a pooch. I'm alive. Does/did anyone have this problem? I don't want to go to the ER and wait 15 hours just for someone to say it's normal and it will pass.
puffy and bloated

Luv2Run
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Postby Luv2Run » Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:27 pm

It's normal - I have had three abdomenal surgeries (one for removal of most of the colon, one for ielostomy/removal of cancer, and one for repair of bladder fistula). Each time my flat stomach bloated out. It lasted only about 2 weeks each time, but I was a bit uncomfortable and had a "full" feeling. One morning you will wake up and no more "poof"!

blondi1984

Normal

Postby blondi1984 » Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:04 pm

Yes, very normal. I had my surgery on 4-17 and my stomach is still puffy. They say it may take a little while to go down. Don't feel bad about the weight loss either, it seems to come with the territory. If you have any other questions, email me at blondi084@yahoo.com.

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cynnycal
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Postby cynnycal » Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:47 pm

i'm assuming you had your surgery laproscopically (since you said three small incisions) and don't worry, a puffy stomach is absolutely normal.

in order to do the work with the instruments laproscopically, they blow your abdominal cavity up with air so they can see things in there better.

i remember after my laproscopic ovary transposition surgery my stomach was so bloated, i looked like i was a malnourished orphan. and when it started to go down, i could press on my sides and belly and it would feel like little mini air bubbles (almost like bubble wrap). i even had my friends come and try it (i'd keep running up to people going "touch my stomach, doesn't it feel like bubble wrap?!?")

but it will go down, no worries. it may take time. and i have heard (and was forwarned by my docs) that sometimes air travels up and you can get pains under your arms. but i didn't experience that, though a friend of mine who had laproscopic surgery to remove her appendix did.

bresa
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Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:12 pm

Postby bresa » Wed Apr 25, 2007 11:12 am

Thank you, I am noticing it is going down now. Whew, I feel like the geico gecko. :lol:

shel28
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Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:50 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA and Denver, CO

Postby shel28 » Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:49 pm

I had surgery on 4/17 as well and I am also very puffy. I was wondering when it would go away as well. Also my whole abdomen feels numb to the touch and it really hurts. I was expecting to feel better after 1 week. Maybe after 2 I will be better.
Michelle. Stage III rectal cancer. Diagnosed Dec. 27, 2006. 28 years old. Los Angeles, CA and Denver, CO.

MAB

Re: Puffy Stomach after surgery??

Postby MAB » Mon Feb 02, 2009 3:02 pm

During a routine colonoscopy early on in the procedure (still at the first part of the sygmoid colon) my colon was punctured. I have an 8 inch scar running from the bikini line to just above my navel. It's been 4 months and I still have a pooched stomach. After a meal it is worse. I'm thinking that when they did the surgery, the large intestine is behind the small intestine and the small just got heaped back into the abdominal cavity, with no regard for what my belly would look like after. Ah well.

CANCUNCHICKIE@YAHOO.COM

Re: Puffy Stomach after surgery??

Postby CANCUNCHICKIE@YAHOO.COM » Mon Mar 09, 2009 6:44 am

HEY I HAD THE SAME SURGERY DONE ON OCT.6 2008 AND TODAY TTHE LEFT SIDE NEXT TO MY NAVEL IS STILL PUFFY...I HAD COLON RECTAL SURGERY DONE WITH THE SAME SCAR AS YOU. NAVEL TO BIKINI LINE.. IT BOTHERS ME SO MUCH BECAUSE I WENT IN WITH A FLAT STOMACH... IF YOU KNOW OF ANY PRODUCTS THAT WILL HELP LET ME KNOW THANKS... GAIL

soniae914@yahoo.com

Re: Puffy Stomach after surgery??

Postby soniae914@yahoo.com » Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:17 pm

Hi all, I am a little bit relieved to read your post,however I did not have colon surgery. I had breast reconstuctive surgery last thursday and since then have
moved from a size 8 waist to size 14. I have gone back to the ER and was told that it will pass.Its now day seven and no improvement. My surgeon does not seem the least perturbed. At this time I have no clothes that fits except for one sweat pants.I am worried that this might not go away without treatment.If there 's anyone with a similiar experience I would like to hear from you. Its enough dealing with the normal pain of the surgery.Thanks.
Sonia E.

thestockman

Re: Puffy Stomach after surgery??

Postby thestockman » Wed Jul 08, 2009 10:39 am

Hey guys -

Reading your posts, and please tell me if nay of you have been taking any anti-gas, or medication for the bloat. I had abdominal surgery to remove some lipomas, and I was in great shape, with a flat stomach. Now, I have gained maybe 8lbs in 10 days, afterwards, and I eat very healthy. When I do eat, I feel as if my entire stomach and waist is stretched out, and like I have a lip over my belt and/or clothes and it hurts to set down because of the bloat.

I was on pain medication, and they also put me to sleep.

The thing is, and this is idsgusting, maybe a week after the suregery I had a bowel movement ( with assistance ), and I swear a small kid came out of me, into the shower. Perhaps I cleaned my entire colon out, I have no idea, but I don't think I ate that much food in an entire week, ... but it apparently was there.

I am now a good 2 weeks after the surgery, and the bloat remains. From a person who has always prided themselves on being in shape, this really just freaks me out, because now, I'm afraid of another movement like above, and from the swelling in my abdomen, it feels like it, even though I know that sounds stupid.

Any pills, or exercise you all have done would be great to know, this is just irritating me.

Happynow

Re: Puffy Stomach after surgery??

Postby Happynow » Fri Apr 23, 2010 2:05 pm

I'm glad I read this forum. I was starting to really worry about my puffy stomach. I noticed my jeans were fitting me tighter then usual, so I decided to look at myself in the mirror which I try very hard to avoid...hehe And there it was, a big bloated stomach sticking out. Had to look it up right away. Thanks to all of you for your comments. Some of you are really funny...especially the bubble wrap person ( : That helps even more. I feel much better now. Thanks all !!!

yorkiepal
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Re: Puffy Stomach after surgery??

Postby yorkiepal » Thu Jan 06, 2011 7:43 pm

Wow I am so thankful to have found this sight. My dad just had colon cancer surgery. He already had a stoma on the left side put in in Sept. They had to move it to his right side, remove part of his colon and fix a hernia. His stomach is swollen like an egg sort of. No one told us what to expect or what it should look like or things for us to look for. He came home on Monday. His wafers that they gave us keep leaking. They pulled off a bunch of skin at the hospital when they were trying to put on the wafer and bag. They wafer comes to the edge of his staples on his stomach. Then with his stomach so puffy I was thinking he was bleeding internally. He is seeing the doctor tomorrow but you all here have made me feel alot better. Thank you all so much for putting your experiences here.

claire22

Re: Puffy Stomach after surgery??

Postby claire22 » Sun May 01, 2011 8:21 am

I have had a very distended stomach since the abdominal surgery in Feb of this year and currently have a colostomy - my stomach is quite swollen/pregnant looking and has not subsided in the 3 months since surgery - I did not have laproscopy but a full incision. I have gained weight since the surgery as I had lost about 9 lbs - currently 130 lbs. Has anyone else experieinced this? My doctor says it is not a hernia and perhaps the abdominal muscles were not reattached. I am schelduled for re-connect surgery soon. Would like to hear from anyone that has experieinced this

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RayGirl
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Location: Texas

Re: Puffy Stomach after surgery??

Postby RayGirl » Sun May 01, 2011 5:45 pm

My stomach was relatively fine until four days post surgery, then the morning I was set to discharge, my bowels just stopped and I ended up looking about six months pregnant. I got to spend an extra 6 days in the hospital waiting on everything to wake up again. I ended up pulling out early maternity pants to wear for a month. So if you are noticing a lack of gas and BM call your doc, better to be safe than sorry.

Hope you get relief soon!
Stage III Rectal: T3, 3/21 Nodes
dxn:Feb-10
Radiation&Xeloda
7.5 hr surgery
12th FOLFOX Nov-10
Takedown:Jan-11

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning how to dance in the rain."

catlady10

Re: Puffy Stomach after surgery??

Postby catlady10 » Mon May 30, 2011 4:37 pm

claire22 wrote:I have had a very distended stomach since the abdominal surgery in Feb of this year and currently have a colostomy - my stomach is quite swollen/pregnant looking and has not subsided in the 3 months since surgery - I did not have laproscopy but a full incision. I have gained weight since the surgery as I had lost about 9 lbs - currently 130 lbs. Has anyone else experieinced this? My doctor says it is not a hernia and perhaps the abdominal muscles were not reattached. I am schelduled for re-connect surgery soon. Would like to hear from anyone that has experieinced this



I had surgery in jan this year. My stomach was fine for the first 3 months then blew up. It is painful and I feel like somebody stuck a pin in me and pumped me full of air. I had a full incision also. I had to have my colostomy moved to the other side of my body and all around the stoma hurts. I am going to the doctor as I have hernia surgery under the colostomy 3 times and never had this problem.


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