Dehydration & Constipation 6-weeks post-op??

Well, I am not 6-weeks post-op!! I can't believe it!! It seems like just yesterday! :-)

The only thing I'm having trouble with thus far is staying hydrated and constipation, which go hand-in-hand. Sipping on drinks all day makes me feel as though I am going to get sick. Has anyone else had this problem (either/or problem). What did you do to aid in this issue? I've been taking Ducolace and M.O.M. sporadically, which helps, but it's still a problem.

Any tips?

-Sarah

Hydration salts and drinking at night helped me.  I think the brand people in the US go for is Gatorade, so get a calorie free version of that.

I drink right up until I go to bed and when I get up to use the bathroom during the night.  I also drink plenty very first thing before I even get in the shower - these little tricks helped me greatly.

You might want to try some Miralax as I found MOM to be a little "unpredictable", ie suddenly having to go immediately (and that was preDS on unaltered intestines).

If you're still stuck (pardon the pun) you may want to try an enema - you can get the bags from  places like ebay but hopefully it won't come to that.

What are hydration salts?? I am actually drinking a lot of Powerade Zero (and trying to ge****er down) it's just hard!!!

Thank's for the tips!! LOL. I did use an enema once, and we have one more, just in case (thank god for a wonderful loving fiance who is willing to go above and beyond!!) ... the poop was so hard, I couldn't get it out (and that was after I gave myself hemrrhoids).

Sigh. I'm sure it will get better! Thanks for the tips! :-)

hydration salts is like G2. i don't know about powerade. you might add a few stool softeners,EVERY DAY, I take 4 at night or my stools will be hard and painful to pass,and I am 3 years out. I will always take something. it is a fair trade off as far as i am concerned.

Losing/maintaining 110 # and having to take stool softeners to poop. I can live with it!

GL

Holly,

Thanks for the reply! Powerade Zero is what my nutritionist recommended, it has an advanced electrolyte system and 0 calories.

The Ducolace is a stool softener, so I guess this may be a problem I'll have forever! I'm 55# down in 6 weeks, eek! I will keep telling myself that! :-)

Thanks for the advice darling!

Then take 3-4 of the dulcolax every nighht then. One taken sporadically won't do the job.

GL

3-4 seems like a lot, especially since the warning label advises do not take for more than a week, and the recommended dose is not 3-4.

-Sarah

WE are not the people who warning labels are written for...they also put a warning label on generic prilosec that it is only for 14 days...Many of us use that for years!

If one is not helping, add a second and see how that works, and keep adding til you get relief.

what Liz said. You are going to find that nearly NOTHING that is written for normies is going to apply to you anymore. it is what it is.

for some of our vitamins,a daily dose for a normie is 1-3 tablets. our surgeons often (at least if they are even aware of the ASMBS guidelines for us) will tell us to take twice the recommended daily dose and often tell us to take twice the dose two times a day or  more!  That is because when they set the guidelines for vits,they are taking into consideration the normie stomach that can hold up to 2 quarts of food!!!!! per meal instead of our 2 ounce sleeves/pouches. if we can't possible eat enough to get all our vitamins and minerals from food,then it makes sense to me that we have to seriously  increase the supplements we use.,

I took this http://www.dioralyte.co.uk/content/about-dioralyte which replaces electrolytes - AKA mineral salts which are lost when you have diarrhea.

Funnily enough I have some Powerade Zero in front of me now and it does contain mineral salts.  Strangely I don't find it totally hydrating so I still have plenty of water.

It's also worth getting some Crystal Light if that helps you get more fluids down - careful though I really enjoy Crystal Light and you don't want to push beyond full which is easy to do when something's liquid and tastes that good.