Question:
How is the bowel movement post op?
I wondered would there be a change in the amount, consistency, strain, or other changes to the bowel movement — bypasschick (posted on January 12, 2008)
January 12, 2008
I can only speak from experience. I use to move my bowels every day. Since
the surgery I did move my bowels for a couple days until I returned home
from the hospital and they were very lose and very loud movements for a
couple of days. Then they started to become more formed and my movements
were about everyother day. I just started the phase three and started
taking my iron tablets and just started movements around every two days
well I only had one and it was green which they say is normal. So far that
has been my experience oh and things are much quieter now thank god! Did
not want to go back to work being a thunder roller if you know what I mean.
— iwilllose
January 12, 2008
I am five weeks out and had the same as Chris....I was sent home with
liquid colace, which is horrible. I may have to start to take it, to ease
things through!
— lesleigh07
January 12, 2008
There can't help but BE changes. You're going to be completed
"rewired" as it were. And, the changes are different for every
person. Make sure you doctor knows if you are having problems either way.
— Shirley D.
January 12, 2008
I had LAP RNY in Sept of 2003 and I noticed I am more regular and less
constipated after surgery.
— Carlyn M.
January 12, 2008
here is my experience:directly home from hospital i had very loose and very
dark bm's with blood for about the first 3 days, then they were pretty
normal to slightly loose while on pureed stuff (about 2 1/2 weeks), once i
started on regular foods i became constipated and had a really really hard
time- had to finally end up taking 4 stool softners a day and occassionally
a mild laxative. i am 3 1/2 months post op now and for about the last 2
weeks they have been normal and i am skipping some of the stool softners-i
still usually take at least 2 of them a day. the constipation was bad and i
am soo glad it's better now. just monitor your bowel movements and make
sure you go at least once every 3-4 days because you don't want to get
obstructed or impacted!!! also you don't want to have diarrhea for extended
periods of time because it leads to dehydration and electrolyte
imbalances!! the amout of course will be less because you are eating way
less. good luck.. it's different for everyone and it takes some trial and
error sometimes. hope this helps...Holly
— RNlvnCARSON
January 12, 2008
At first I called it "liquid in - liuqid out", but then as I
added more and more solids and more and more protien only - I became very
constipated and got hemorroids - I edned up having to take 1 stool softner
a day, sometimes two - I am 6 months post-op
— Dyna
January 12, 2008
The doctor told me to try Fiber Choice with Calcium they are chewable's,
they sell it at H.E.B. It will help you regulate your bowel's.
— 2409w.poplar_rodriguez
January 12, 2008
horrible.isnt it.?im 5 1/2 yrs out and still CONSTIPATED.
— deb44m
January 12, 2008
I m lucky if I go twice a week and it's more ike constipation. I go for my
three month check on the 18th. I am going to take to the nutritionist and
see what I should do.
— t_roxus
January 12, 2008
Hello
I had really bad loose diarrhea in the hospital from the upper GI barium
they gave me. I thought I would not make it, it was so painful and it made
me weak. But it passed and when I got home it was very loose and runny for
a couple of days and I had massive gas with it. Now Im back to my normal
morning bowel movement and it has form but is much less than before surgery
for obvious reasons.
Blessings
Tina
— inatiff
January 13, 2008
Sure you are eating differently. If you are having liquids, etc, nothing
going in, nothing really coming out. As I progressed into soft foods, I
felt a little more regular. I haven't felt constipated but feel I may need
to take a stool softener now that I am on "real foods". The real
foods brought back more of a regular bowel movement and of course more of
it! The more that is going into your body, the more you need to eliminate.
— Linda R.
January 13, 2008
Great question. I've seen several posts from brand new post-ops who are
concerned about constipation.
You will probably not have a bowel movement for a couple days after
surgery... don't panic. Pre-op, you most likely had to drink that awful
drink and got all cleaned out. You wake up from surgery "empty"
and then for the next couple of days you "eat" very tiny amounts
of liquids/purees. It will take some time before you accumulate enough
"leftovers" to have a bowel movement. As other posters have
said, you've been rewired so it will probably take some time to develop a
new routine (for lack of a better word).
If you are not having regular bowel movements and start to have pain or be
uncomfortable then call the doctor. In the immediate post-op period, you
should probably report any diarrhea or constipation as well.
As far as constipation goes, its much easier to prevent it than to fix it
once it happens. Fiber is vital... if you aren't able to eat veggies, then
consider adding a fiber supplement. Colace is an over the counter stool
softner that works pretty well, unexpensive, most don't have any side
effects. Last but not least.... keep drinking!!!
Best wishes.
— mrsidknee
January 13, 2008
I also stay very constipated. And OMG when I was pregnant it was HORRIBLE.
I was also on extra iron then too though. When I was about 3 or 4 months
out it got so bad I had to go to the hospital!! They told me to drink more
liquids and add some fiber, and I take stool softeners everyday as well. I
don't ever want to end up in that mess again! I was only eating protein,
and have long since added other foods, so it is better.
— GAYLE CARMACK-LYONS
January 14, 2008
Thanks everyone for the advice. Preventive maintenace is what we call it
in the Auto Industry.
— bypasschick
January 15, 2008
My experience. I had diaherra in the hospital and for about 1.5-2 weeks
after I got home. Then I was regular. Then I was consipated. Then regular.
Then constipated. Now...I am regular. I was all over the place it seemed
like, but it always seemed to change when I switched eating phases. Then I
leveled out. Got a bit constipated after eating real foods for a while,
then regular again and have been for about 6-7 months now. Hope that helps.
— jammerz
January 19, 2008
To all those who are very constipated, try Mirelax, a powder that you can
put into your foods. I usually put my in coffee or hot chocolate and it
helps regulate you. Now it can be gotten OTC; used to be only by
prescription. I find it better than taking Colace or such.
— KRWaters
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