The way I describe it to patients is that when you have surgery, everything goes to sleep. The gut is the last thing to wake up. First you usually feel the "gurgling" and as gas begins moving through your system, it can cause pain. I've had patients say the gas pain is worse than the surgical pain. There is Simethicone that can help with gas pain, otherwise, ambulation helps to encourage passing gas, which should make some of the pain go away. Some of the pain is from the surgery, too. Good luck to you on your journey!

I was told the same thing as packerbacker said about my gut going to sleep and taking a while for it to start waking up after my surgery for removing my ovaries and hysterectomy. It took about 5 days for mine to start working. It started feeling better after I threw up.

Hi Jen,
I experienced that as well. They blow you up like a balloon for surgery and they gas can get trapped for a few days. It's awful, but it just has to work its way out. It will get better. :-)