Constipation Question

Hi, All! Constipation is a problem I haven't had since I was a young girl (can't say "little girl" -- I was never little). Just sitting on the "throne" and relaxing with something to read usually works, sometimes day after day and sometimes every 2nd or 3rd day. After surgery, my 1st BM was brought on chemically (couldn't be discharged from the hospital until I had it so they gave me suppositories until it happened). Since then, it's been about every 2-3 days without doing anything special. Since I had my episode of passing blood a week and a half ago (for which I'll be seeing a gastroenterologist in 6 wks.), followed by abdominal cramps (at least once a day since then, if not several times a day), it was 5 days till my next BM, and now it's 6 days and counting. Should I be concerned? How long between BM's is considered constipated if you're not having pain and don't feel "stuffed"? What should I be eating/doing? What's worked for you? Debby

Hi Debby! I have never had "that" problem until I had this surgery. What works for me is simply smart milk. Usually within minutes! ;) Plus, it has decent protein in it. Good luck with it. I'd certainly mention it to a doctor soon if you don't resolve it. 6 days is a long time to go (or not to go in this case ha ha). Love, Tammy

Hi, Tammy! Thanks for your suggestion. Just posting my question must have helped, because things moved yesterday afternoon and again this morning. Love, Debby

I had the same problem. You should go every two to three days. What worked for me is the nutritionist's suggestion to try Benefiber. It is a gentle laxative, non-thickening, in powder form. Two tablespoons in my glass of Carb Countdown OJ each morning worked for me. It is tasteless and odorless, and doesn't change the consistency of the drink. Check with your doctor first though, since he or she may not want you to take a laxitive until they find out why you passed blood. If you have to have both an endoscopy and colonoscopy, try to get them both on the same day as it will save you another trip to the hospital (and anesthesia). The anesthesia for the endoscopy is not the same as the anesthesia you have during surgery - it is a concious sedation. The recovery time is short, you're usually up and walking around an hour after the procedure. --Steve

Hi, Steve! Thank's for your suggestion. When I saw the nutritionist before surgery, she mentioned the possibility of constipation after WLS and suggested Benefiber, but I had forgotten about it. But I think you're right about not taking anything until after I see the gastroenterologist. She's going to be doing a colonoscopy a couple of weeks after the office visit, but so far no one has mentioned anything about an endoscopy. Do you take the Benefiber every day or only if you have a problem? At any rate, just posting my question seems to have gotten things moving in my system (both yesterday afternoon and this morning), so I'm OK for now. Debby