So bloated after laparoscopy – when will it go down?

[ReallyQuiteFazed]

I had my laparoscopy a couple of weeks ago and I'm still very bloated and feel a bit embarrassed about my tummy, lots of trousers too tight to wear... I feel like someone's going to ask me if I'm pregnant any minute now when I couldn't actually be further away from bloody pregnancy 😑

Just wondering if anyone else has had a diagnostic laparoscopy and how long it took for their stomach to go down. Mine was to check my womb to see if I was suitable for a hysterectomy.

Yes it will. I looked the same, 7 months pregnant but it did go down eventually it's just the gas they use.

Peppermint tea is your friend!

Yes it goes down.

they pump you full of a gas to separate everything out and so they can see.

You could also try charcoal tablets (available widely) along with the peppermint tea.
Be prepared to be windy!

the gas that is used to insufflate during a laparoscopy is let out at the end of the procedure. Small pockets do get trapped and those are absorbed over a few days (usually) afterwards (and after being absorbed it is removed from the body mainly by exhaling it). Doing abdomino-pelvic surgery can make the intestines go to sleep a bit and that can cause bloating for a while but should recover fairly quickly. If you're worried about bloating you should see a real-life HCP who can assess the risk that came with the operation and ask the relevant questions to see if there's any sign of serious complications, rather than take advice from MN (where the advice for almost every post-op complication is to use peppermint).

Yes i knew about the gas and I had a bit of pain but I have been walking, drinking herbal tea etc and I'm just surprised at how bloated it still is, skin is a little bit itchy too.

one thing I have read about is taking a good probiotic - wondered if anyone found that helped? I had to take a course of ABs after the op to prevent infection (I had a catheter overnight - no issues) so I wonder if that is contributing to the problem.

off to put on my clown trousers....🤡

How long do you think it took for you?

That doesn't sound like a simple diagnostic laparoscopy and a fortnight post op any bloating now is going to be nothing to do with the gas used intraoperatively. I'd have a pretty low threshold for speaking to a real life HCP, but even more so if there's any trouble with bowel movements/passing gas/nausea/pain etc.

Sorry but the gas from the surgery would have been gone by now if its been couple of weeks! Do go back to the doctor for a checkup

I was only bloated for a few days after laparoscopy. I’d be speaking to my dr if I was still bloated after two weeks.