Bowel Issues Following Tummy Tuck

I am 7 weeks out from a full tummy tuck with hernia repair (hernia from gall bladder surgery found during surgery). I realize I am not fully healed, however I have significant bowel changes. These changes are excessive pain with gas, I can hear and feel gas in my abdomen and my sides. Gas and bowel movements have an extremely strong odor like I have never known.

I brought this up with my PS and he flatly responded it had nothing to do with my procedure even though these began immediately and have not gotten any better. What could be causing these problems and is there anything I can do?

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abdomen

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3 Doctor Answers | Asked by LD47 in Hattiesburg, MS

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Bowel changes following tummy tuck

You should speak with the general surgeon who did the hernia repair about these gastrointestinal issues. If the plastic surgeon did the hernia repair, I would suggest asking for a referral to a GI doctor to be evaluated. I agree that a tummy tuck should not affect your bowels, but clearly there is something going on that needs to be evaluated. Good luck, /nsn.

Bowel changes with tummy tuck

The tummy tuck should not affect your bowels. However, something has changed. I would urge you to see a gastroenterologist to get this evaluated. Seven weeks is a long time.

Foul smelling gas and abdominal pain following tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)

It should not be due to the mechanical effects of the abdominoplasty but it may be a side effect of the antibiotics. This may be especially true if you are allergic to penicillin and the physician used clindamycin. The use of probiotics may help. If this persists, you may need another antibiotic such as Flagyl but I would first see a physcian for an evaluation and possible stool culture.