Evening ladies! So, my diagnostic laparoscopy date is finally through - I will hopefully have an answer on 4th June! Now, I know they’ll pump my tummy up with gas and that the best thing to help it is peppermint tea.
Now, I can’t stand mint. Brushing my teeth every day I can just about cope with but I really don’t like mint. Does anyone know of any alternatives I could take instead of drinking the tea?
Thank you in advance 💛
Trebor soft mints - peppermint!
To be honest, other than a bit of gas movement today, and a minor shoulder ache for 10 mins yesterday, I was fine! So you may get away lucky xx
Looks like you can also buy peppermint capsules!? Perhaps they would be worth looking into - tablet form.. have to check you can take them with other meds but shouldn't see this being a huge problem! X
I may go for that! Less chance of tasting mint.... hopefully! 😅 xx
Haha yeah! I realised afterwards that it was the taste you didn't like so tablets would be great I'd say!! I cant stand peppermint tea UCH!!! x
All tea in general for me is just eww 🤷🏻♀️ I’m a terrible Brit 😂 xx
I'm a tea belly but it has to be a good ole cuppa with 2 sugars 
not any fancy pants rubbish!!
I take the capsules but they do leaves bit of a taste, like they repeat on me a little bit. I do happen to like mint tea, but I also had ginger tea which helped a lot and activated charcoal tablets, too. Heat and painkillers are the main help though! Good luck for your surgery, I'm having an op the same day (not endo related) so I'll be thinking of you!
I also hated the taste of mint before I was diagnosed - I drink it like water now though cause it really does help, so you never know!
In terms of alternatives, fennel has similar properties. I also like camomile and cinnamon tea, but I think fennel is the closest to peppermint for effectiveness 
In the run up, I might try chewing some gum or something to see if I can get used to it xx
Haha, I still hate chewing gum - the tea is much less strong than gum x
I know you don’t like mint but the only thing that worked for me (had at least 10 laparoscopies) was extra strong mint in hot water, peppermint or spearmint is really the only thing that helps with gas pain
Spearmint and camomile isn't very minty
I really dislike peppermint - especially the tea. I bought a box for after my surgery and I had to dump the very first cup and the box is still sitting in my cupboard! What I find much much better is green tea with mint, especially if it's Moroccan mint tea as that's green tea with spear mint. It's much more subtle and the mix of green tea with mint really helps ease gas. Only steep it in water for about 2 mins and make sure the water is only about 80 degrees and not boiled all the way. I swear its this tea and my hot water bottle that have got me through the worst of times!
I found windeeze tablets very effective. I hate peppermint tea and anything to do with mint too!
I’ve heard of those! I might see if I can pick some up. Thank you xx
I found drinking hot chocolate helped. I also find drinking coke really quickly helps to move trapped gas.
That is something I’ll definitely give a try! Alrhough lemonade instead of Coke for me - I haven’t drunk that in about 15 months now xx
As someone that drinks a fair amount of coke I would say that was the worst thing for me! If you really cannot tolerate peppermint tea then warm water may help, but putting a hot water bottle or heatpad on the area will help, I had my heatpad on my shoulder for a few days and it helped with the gas pain but didn’t get rid of it. You really do have to move around as much as you can.
Good luck with your surgery
Look for wind relief remedies in your chemist. Windeeze, or anything with simethicone / simeticone in it. It helps you to expel the air faster 😊
I was in sooooo much pain until I discovered hot peppermint cordial. Like you I despised the taste but I was so desperate to stop being in pain I did anything. I ended up having a large swig of the peppermint cordial and then following it straight down with orange lucozade before I gagged! I tried peppermint capsules but didn't find they did a lot and when I burped it still tasted like mint haha!
Peppermint capsules and also I’ve recently been recommended Windeeze tablets. Going to try them for my next lap as I did have really bad pain after my diagnostic lap. Good luck.
I haven't needed peppermint after laps. That said I have some trouble this time round (surgery three weeks ago now) and will be chewing some fennel and cumin seeds when I need to and maybe pick up some probiotics as the antibiotics hit me hard this time, I think. I detest fennel and cumin tea, but a quarter to half a teaspoon full of seeds I can chew and swallow and get on with things. As and when needed. You can add some sugar if you prefer. We used to get this at an Indian restaurant and I find it really helpful.
Otherwise: Get your gut moving again, that will help enormously. So healthy eating for the win.
Chamomile can also be an alternative to mint. Mint is pretty cool though, I admit. And I am lucky that I don't mind the flavour too much.
You can get stuff at the pharmacy, it didn't help me much, but maybe it does the trick for you as others suggest.
Also: Psst...you can get pomegranate and similar toothpastes at health food shops. 
When it is 2 for 1 the price works and you can stop using mint for brushing your teeth.
All the best for your lap!
I found gasease tablets worked for me. Or any product with simethicone.
Fennel is used in my country for gas in the intestines
Oh right! I’ll have to see if it’s something that helps me. Thank you xx
I have had 6 surgeries and the best thing I found was "gas pills" over the counter meds. Hope this helps!
GAS X GAS X GAS X!
I used tumeric and ginger tea. I think the thing that helped me the most with gas pain was actually gas x and activated charcoal tabs. HIGHLY recommend. Made a huge difference in recovery from my first to second surgeries.
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