bad day yesterday, ended up in emerge....

Happy to:  Natural Factors; Acidophilus and Bifidus, double strength, 10 billion active cells...

Been there, experienced that pain.

Have you tried adding benefiber to your drinks?  I have a large scoop (like 2 tablespoons) of it in my morning shake and it helps alot.  I have added it to water in the past and I swear you cannot tell it is in there. 

I am not sure how far you are to the border but it is much cheaper to get it in the states.

CNC

I take a lactobacillus acidopillus pill a day....they are good bacteria your instestines need and they help w ith keeping things moviing, digesting, absorption of nutrients ...I find when I dont take it feel boated and a bit backed up. You can find them at walmart or any store pretty much I take a high dose so that ones you can find at a health food store in their fridge section they need to be refrigerated for the bacteria to be efficient.
Its a natural thing , I always try and go the homeopathic or naturopathetic way first .
Hope that helps

YES!!!!

 I have a question... I know when I am blocked up (I am pre op) I will take a tablespoon of mineral oil in the morning with a HOT cup of tea... and by about noon I gotta go! 

I will only do this on a Saturday "in case" .. would this still work post op?

Leanne, I was having lots of issues with abdominal pain and extreme bloating and constipation. I waited months to see a GI doc. Here is what worked for me for the constipation that he recommended.
Cut back on cheese was one of his recommendations
Eat yogurt twice a day.
For the first week drink a dose of Lax A Day twice a day (Cheapest at Cost****do this every day for the whole week). Also drink at least 6-8 glasses of water every day. After the first week add another dose of Lax A Day if you still are not going regularly or subtract a dose if you are going too often. I cut my dose back to once a day as that seemed to do the trick for me. This stuff is a miracle and can be taken safely long term. You can mix it in almost any liquid and it has no taste.
It hasn't solved all of my issues as I still have extreme bloating and pain but it is better then before.

Linda

I too take a probiotic, one from the health food store that is refrigerated. Sorry I am not at home and am using a drug store type for my holiday, just to help.

A friend of mine who has colitis was told by one of the many doctors that she saw to massage her lower belly 365 times in a clockwise fashion each evening before bed. I started doing this and found it actually helped me get gas out and keep me regular. If I forget at night I just do it in the morning. It really does make a difference in helping the motion of the bowel. I find when I haven't done it for a few days I have a more difficult time "going". Since the surgery I have found I don't have the strength to push as well, but this action really does help.

 Sorry Leanne I didn't see this.  I was told by someone you'd been in emerg.
Post it on the Scar/New coffee group they'd have lots of advice.

Thank you everyone for your replies :)
I will definietly be trying some of these ideas...

That so sucks Leanne...hope you will find some relief soon!!

PROBIOTICS are your FRIEND!!!  This was mentioned awhile ago at the Barrie Meeting and I'm not one to try "natural" stuff...but I tried it and they work like a charm.  But me being the skeptic I am decided it was all in my head...so I stopped taking them when they ran out...bad move.  Once I started them again, everything got moving along again.  I "go" everyday...and big...like before surgery LOL Sorry if that is TMI.

I use Jamieson Multi-Strain...2 morning and night...or the Cosco ones are good too...