Just back from hospital for impacted bowel - Gross

also remember fluids fluids fluids!!! If you are adding extra stool softeners and fiber they will suck the water from your body. You need to make sure you are getting all your fluids in to keep things moving.  hugs!

Thanks, I will continue  to do that! I usually drink at least 80 oz of water a day and have always liked water. Ironicallly, the more constipated I became, the harder it was to want to drink anything. I am pounding water today like it's going out of style and will continue to hydrate. Hugs back!

 Aww Laura, I'm so sorry you had that experience after that whole talk about complications.  I sure hope you start feeling better soon!

I have to say you are lucky it was just an impacted bowel - I know you dont' feel very lucky right now but in October of 2010, I got severely constipated and waited too long to do anything about it - never thought to go to the ER and waiting until Monday - ended up going 5 days without a BM. By time I saw my gastro doctor and he sent me for a CT scan, I had a total bowel obstruction, internal hernia and large part of my colon had died.  Needless to say my pain was horendous and didnt' know why.  I was rushed into surgery.  They removed a large part of my colon, removed the feces that were causing the obstruction and fixed the internal hernia.  I wont go into detail about the next 4 months.

Long story, my surgeon told me to avoid becoming constipated again - if I needed to take 2-3 senna tablets nightly and 2 colace nightly - peri colace if needed.  I haven't needed it but I have it just in case. I actually have had diarhea since, so it isnt' a problem for me but be careful - constipation is very dangerous for us - it almost cost me my life.

How horrible! I'm so sorry to hear that! When I was in the ER and the first two enemas had not worked, I asked what would happen next. The nurse said if I didn't go, I would be admitted and they would consider surgery to remove the obstruction. Since I got home I researched it further and heard that the impacction could lead to having colon removal of the damaged parts just like what you experienced. How horrible and scary. I do consider myself  lucky and I hope you never get constipated again. I'm glad that constipation didn't cause you your life!

I am hopefully back to normal now. I took it easy yesterday and already had two big BMs today, without pain or straining. I didn't know I had it in me and it must just have been the residue left after the enemas. It is such a relief to feel cleaned out and not yucky! I will be much more careful from now on.

Thanks for your sharing and hugs for surviving your horrible experience!

 I am currently 4 weeks post op RNY. Reading these posts has made me realize I need to get to the ER first thing tomorrow. I haven't had a BMW in over a week. My dr wasn't concerned as of Wednesday at my 4 week checkup but something has got to happen. The urge and "it" is there but nothing happens. I've tried a suppository, two enemas, and magnesium citrate and still nothing. I'm absolutely miserable. I truly hope going to the ER helps. Thanks to everyone for sharing openly and giving me the reassurance that I'm not just being a baby. 

 Crap. Stupid autocorrect. I meant I haven't had a BM in over a week. 

No, you are not being a baby, getting rid of waste is a big deal to keeping our bodies functioning normally, and if the waste sits in your colon too long it starts eating away at it and a person could  need to have part of their bowels removed to repair the damage. If I hadn't gotten in and had enemas work it out, the next step would have been bowel obstruction surgery. Its horrible to think about. Please go to the ER before you are in too much pain and get this taken care of!