Advice for husband who is 4 weeks post op

I am posting on behalf of my husband.  He's been reading, but just not posting.  He is looking for opinions from others who have had RNY.

He had the surgery on a Monday and was on clear liquids until Friday.  Friday he started full liquids.  He was getting in all of his liquids and protein just fine.  He was on full liquids for 8 days and then they moved him onto their phase 3.  Phase 3 called for eating soft proteins but they said he could have moist meats if he cut them up and chewed well.  That started on Saturday and from Saturday through Wednesday he was fine.  He was having less than 3 ounces at a time.  He had no trouble drinking or getting his protein shakes in.  This will be TMI but he also had a solid bowel movement versus the liquid he had the week prior.

Then starting Thursday he started getting some discomfort after he ate.  He feels like it is below the pouch. He felt like this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  He could not eat anything or drink anything without feeling this discomfort and I mean he couldn't have more than two sips of liquid at a time.  Saturday night he was able to dry heave and felt a little better.

He decided to just go back to clear liquids.  He saw his doctor on Tuesday and told him what was going on and the doctor seems to think it is normal.  He says maybe it is just his "full" feeling that he feels.  He also mentioned that it could be his intestines because they are used to getting digested food and they are adjusting to getting undigested food.

It has now been a week since he has had a bowel movement of any kind.  He can't drink much and doesn't really eat anything.  Yesterday he had a few bites of yogurt and two Baby Bell cheeses.  He thought maybe he was better so he had two small bites of a meatball and the same pain came back.  He has been uncomfortable since yesterday.  He is not able to sleep well because of the discomfort.

My concern is that he is now drinking less than he was 2 days after surgery because of the discomfort.  And I don't understand why he would be okay with the food they told him he could have from Saturday through Wednesday and then suddenly Thursday he has this pain.  The doctor said constipation is normal, but a week with no bowel movement?

Does anyone have any advice for him? I am just afraid he is going to become dehydrated and malnourished.

Thanks!

Sounds like he might have a stricture.

I would call the surgeon's office Monday morning and ask if they think a stricture is possible.  I would be insistent that something is not right and he wants them to do something about it.

If he thinks he is dehydrated, he should go to the ER for IV fluids.

Thanks.  It does sound like perhaps it is a stricture.  He went to the ER today because he was nauseous after just drinking two sips of water.   I don't know if his surgeon is on call this weekend but if not he will definitely be calling again Monday.

Sounds like a classic case of constipation. I would call your doctor for advice but Milk of Magnesia is a weight loss patients best friend.  Also adding Benefiber to his diet will help him from getting impacted. 

That's what we thought last week too.  He read the forums here, but didn't post, and came to the same conclusion.  He did take milk of magnesia last weekend in the hopes that it would help.  It didn't really do much for him.  He told his doctor about it on Monday and he told him not to take any more of it.

that early I did Miralax once a week and a stool softener every other day.

A week without a BM is not a good thing!!!!  Poor guy, hope he feels better soon

I had this trouble right after surgery and it was a stricture.  

However, if it isn't that, severe constipation can be extremely painful.  I take 1.5 tsps of Natural Calm Magnesium (in the lemon raspberry flavor).  It's sweetened with Stevia so no carbs.  The Magnesium has the best effect on BMs of anything I've found.

Sometimes it is just the transition to more solid food. I know I struggled and still have a hard time and get pain. Not extreme pain but very uncomfortable. Doc actually just told me to up my prescription Prilosec and take tums. They are watching to see how it goes. During the transition he is in I had to be supercareful I chewed well, didn't take too big a bite, ate slow and the food wasn't dry. Good Luck!

It took some persistence on my part when my body wasn't acting right after surgery. The change happened when I went to soft mecahnical diet. I had a stricture, thankfully my doc listened and I am much better now.