What to do if…
you have new abdominal bloating and vomiting after recent surgery

What to do now

1. Stop eating for now. If your mouth is dry, take tiny sips only to moisten your mouth, and stop if vomiting continues.
2. Call your surgeon’s on-call number immediately. It is often on your discharge papers, patient portal, prescription paperwork, or hospital discharge instructions.
3. Start the call with: “I had recent abdominal surgery. I now have new abdominal bloating or distension and vomiting.”
4. If you cannot reach a clinician promptly, go to the emergency department now. Vomiting with new abdominal distension after surgery can need urgent assessment.
5. Call 911 now if you have severe or worsening abdominal pain, a hard or very tender abdomen, fainting, confusion, chest pain, trouble breathing, vomiting blood, black coffee-ground vomit, black tarry stool, or you feel too unwell to travel safely.
6. Tell the clinician or emergency team whether you can pass gas or stool, when you last had a bowel movement, whether vomit is green, how many times you have vomited, whether you can keep tiny sips down, and whether you are urinating much less than usual.
7. Bring or show your discharge instructions, operative report if you have it, medication list, allergies, surgeon’s name, hospital name, and photos of medication bottles. Include opioids, stool softeners, laxatives, and anti-nausea medicines.
8. If you have a stoma, tell them whether the output has stopped, sharply increased, changed colour, or changed from your usual pattern.