Colace is not working!!!!

I am sure this problem will be of no surprise to anyone. I havent been able to have a bowel movement for a week and a half!!! The doctor gave me Colace and I have been taking it for 4 days but nothing. I am eating vegetables, drinking water. You name it, I am doing it. My stomach is so bloated. Is this normal after surgery????

I don't have my poop log (no pun intened - it's a notebook for when I was newly post op) here, but I recall it taking forever to get that first poop! Like just about a week and a half.

1) Do you hear gas and are passing gas? If so, that's a GOOD sign.

2) Are your veggies/fruits all cooked? That might help.

3) Are you in pain? If not, that's another good sign.

4) Have you tried Gas-X, as the bloating could be from gas?

5) Make sure you're walking around - like 2,000 steps or so a day. That can stimulate some movement.

Your body will likely be ready to poop soon, but if you're feeling pain or vomiting, that could be serious and call the doc.

I am not in pain, just a feeling of heaviness. I had a bowel movement twice since the surgery, but not in the last week and a half. As a nurse, I know being constipated this long can cause problems. But with Gastric Bypass, this is probably the norm. I have done all of the above with no success. I guess I will wait it out and see what happens!!

 Lisa

You may have to break down and do a laxative to get the relief and then go from there.  I know I did.  I now take a generic stool softener from Walmart.  It sounds like a huge amount but I played with the dose until I found what works for me.  I take 3 of these capsules in the am and another 3 in the evening.  Since they are stool softeners they are not addictive and do not interfere with your natural efforts.  They just soften up everything so that everything comes out nice an easy.  The capsules come in a bottle of 100 and cost around $3.00 so they are reasonable.  

I tried just about everything after surgery.  Miralax helped at first, so you could try that (after asking your doctor).
I now take 2 "Colace" per day (at night), 2 probiotics per day (one morning, one at night) and one Magnesium Oxide (400 mg, at night).  I am now regular as can be.  The Magnesium Oxide made all the difference.  When I first took it, I took 3 or 4 and they worked TOO well.