Life After Gastric Bypass Surgery
Little known side effect - Flatulence

What is it?

Gastrointestinal surgery such as gastric bypass is often the best option for someone that is severely obese and is unable to lose weight with traditional diet options. Gastric bypass and other weight loss surgeries work by restricting the food intake. Gastrointestinal surgery for obesity, also called bariatric surgery, alters the digestive process.
Gastric bypass surgery makes the stomach smaller and allows food to bypass part of the small intestine. In a gastric bypass, the part of the intestine where many minerals and vitamins are most easily absorbed is bypassed. They restrict both food intake and the amount of calories and nutrients the body absorbs.
Most people who have open gastric bypass surgery quickly begin to lose weight and continue to lose weight for up to 12 months.


What To Expect After Surgery

Patients are typically notified up front of the possible side effects and severe risks of the surgery, such as fatality. The patient needs to decide if this surgery is right for them because the gruesome side effects may not outweigh the benefits.



Side Effects

One of the biggest side effects of gastric surgery results from the reduction of calorie and nutrient absorption. Because gastric bypass operations cause food to bypass the stomach and parts of the small intestine, where most of the iron and calcium from food is absorbed, women run the risk of anemia, developing osteoporosis, and other nutritional deficiencies. Nutritional supplements can counteract these deficiencies, but they must be taken life-long. The more extensive the operation, the greater the risk is for complications and nutrient deficiencies.

Documented side effects of gastric bypass include:

• An iron and vitamin B12 deficiency occurs more than 30% of the time. About 50% of those with an iron deficiency develop anemia.
• The connection between the stomach and the intestines narrows (stomal stenosis) 5% to 15% of the time, leading to nausea and vomiting after eating.
• Ulcers develop 5% to 15% of the time.
• The staples may pull loose.
• Hernia may develop.
• The bypassed stomach may enlarge, resulting in hiccups and bloating.

Ten to 20% of people who choose this option have to have follow-up operations to correct complications (abdominal hernias being the most common), and more than one third develop gallstones from the rapid weight loss. The risk of developing gallstones can be countered though by taking supplemental bile salts for a short time after surgery. If a woman for any reason believes she might be pregnant, she should avoid such severe weight loss, or wait to become pregnant until her weight has stabilized.

This is clearly a difficult decision, and one that should only be made after receiving all available information on the potential risks and benefits. There are many online resources available on gastric bypass surgery and obesity.

Other common side effects of gastric bypass:

• Nausea and Vomiting
• Dehydration
• Food Intolerance
• Changed Bowel Habits
• Cold Intolerance

An unpublicized side effect of gastric bypass surgery is excessive flatulence odor.

It is understandable why these patients have highly malodorous flatus. The surgery causes them to have a malabsorptive syndrome. Their systems don't absorb the food and nutrients as well anymore and when the undigested food gets down to the colon, the enzymes and bacteria go crazy digesting the food. One of the by-products of their digestion is gas (flatulence).

Most post surgery patients are desperate for a solution to this side effect, which actually causes embarrassment and most of these individuals have been dealing with embarrassment for most of their lives. The majority of these patients will try over- the -counter medications, only to be disappointed to find out they're ineffective and very costly.

Helpful solution





More and more gastric bypass patients are contacting a company called Flat-D Innovations, which specializes in odor control (caused by flatulence). Flat-D Innovations is the manufacturer and distributor of a non-drug, non-invasive and simple solution to your odor problems called the Flatulence Deodorizer. It is an activated charcoal cloth pad that is placed in the underwear next to the buttocks. When intestinal gas passes thru the pad, it deodorizes and neutralizes it.

Flat-D Innovations has been contacted by many gastric bypass patients and has worked with them to develop several different products to meet their special needs.

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May 2011
New Testimonial - " Thin and Happy- no problems! ".

I thought I'd go back into hiding after my bypass surgery. I was so isolated when I was obese - then, this horrible gas problem afterward! Even my daughter wouldn't go shopping or eat out with me! And meeting my son-in-law-to- be or his family???? I fasted for a week! I don't know what it is about flat-d. When I put it on, I have LESS gas! I think it's because I'm not as nervous. It really WORKS! It doesn't take ALL the problems away - I still have to be careful with some veggies and beans, especially when I work or have meetings - but my confidence and HAPPINESS is 150% better. I would never be without flat-d! Now I'm thin and HAPPY! And I had a marathon shopping day with my daughter - no problems! THANK YOU!
I.S. - Seattle, WA

February 2008
" You have changed my life! ".

Just one weekend of using your product and I am no longer a social pariah! There's no point in trying to be delicate about a problem like this I had gastric bypass surgery about 9 months ago and have beyond awful gas. There is nothing I can take (Beano - Gas-X, etc) that works. I have tried being very careful with what I eat (and I don't eat much!) My coworkers have been pretty nice about it for the most part, but I know it was hard to work in a small office with someone like me. I never went anywhere without a bottle of air freshener. My family complained all the time and I know I was an embarrassment to them. I sat at home in a room by myself a lot. In social situations, I would have to leave and find someplace to hide and pass gas. Fine if it's a public restroom, but not so discreet if you're in someone else's home. Then I ordered your product. My first day using it, and it was unbelievable. I'm at work and my colleagues are laughing with me, not running away! I can ride in the car with my family and keep the windows up! It's absolutely amazing. A bonus is the protection it also provides against feminine odor. I'm a new person and can walk free and confident in public now without fear of embarrassment. THANK YOU!!!


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