probably too much information yet again

Hi everyone,  Sorry I haven't been posting much.  I had an issue that I would like to share with you, especially those of you waiting for the Band.  I would also appreciate comments from any previously banded people who monitor this forum as to their experience.  I hope I don't offend anyone and if you are put off by discussions about bodily functions - read no further. 

I have always eaten a higher than usual fiber diet.  Mainly because I have a fischure that bleeds and so keeping that healed and in good shape is a must.   Once I embarked on the Optifast diet, I immediately ran into trouble.  There is no fiber content listed on the Optifast packaging and I believe I mentioned this before in a post.  So I contacted Rinette, Dr. Beau's dietician and got her approval to add Fiber Sure or Benefiber to my Optifast shakes.  That worked well.  However, once I had surgery I was told not to add the fiber just yet, they did not want me to do anything to compromise my Band seating itself.  I found that completely understandable but they didn't tell me I could take a stool softener.  OMG I wish they had!  I have just lived through the most excrutiating 24 -36 hours of my life.  Here I was only a day or so away from one week out of surgery and I was so constipated nothing had moved since December 4th.  Now I understand that my food intake has been compromised but I expected to go at least every other day or so and that was not happening.  Then I discovered I was the "proud parent" of a huge and I do mean huge mass of very dry stool.  Having never experienced constipation to this degree, I had no idea what I was in for.  

All the gorey details aside let me just say that I called the clinic and they way they talked to me this is a fairly common occurance in Lap Band patients and they frown on Fleet Enemas or laxitives.  They told me to try some Senecot S with stool softener - well guess what that's a laxitive with stool softener!  So I got hubby to go the the pharmacy and get me some and I took 2 tablets as directed at about 2:30 yesterday afternoon.  Thus began my ordeal.  By suppertime I was experiencing a great deal of pressure and called Telecare to ask if I should go to outpatients.  The nurse suggested given my proximity to my surgery that I should seek medical assistance so off to outpatients with me. 

They probably should have done more but the doctor suggested glycerin suppositories - never used those before either.  How nice.  I spent most of the night in agony trying to soften and move things along and by 6 a.m. I was exhausted and finally felt okay enough to fall asleep for a few hours. Nothing had moved to speak of and the agony was unspeakable. 

Finally around 24 hours after taking the Senecot things started to happen - painful is not the word to use but I don't want to sound dramatic.  Childbirth was nothing compared to this,  Lap Band surgery was but a blip in my life line compared to this.  

During all this time from about noon yesterday until about 2:30 today I consumed only water.  No meals no snacks jus****er, cups and cups of it because the doctor at emerg. told me to in order to assist the Senecot and the laxitive to do their job which is to draw water from the body to the bowel to soften the stool.  Now as you know dehydration can be an issue with Bandsters initially so I was very aware of this and made sure I drank lots of water. 

Once I got things going I had a meal of 6 oz of Tomatoe soup, diluted with water.  And I took 2 more Senecot.  The doctor told me to take a suppository after at least one or 2 of my "meals".  She knew I was a Band patient, I was lucky enough to see my family doctor at emerg. I have not done that again since I used the suppositories quite frequently last night.  I will probably have another one later on this evening.

What I want you to know is - This is a very real, very painful and very common issue.  I am kind of angry that this was not shared at the information session and I am going to tell them that in the future this is an issue that needs and I do mean NEEDS to be addressed. 

If I had it to do over again I would have started stool softeners right away,  I would have asked for approval to use Fiber Sure as soon as possible and I would have never gotten into this mess.  I now have approval from Rinette to use Fiber Sure and so I will do that starting tomorrow with my meals, just a teaspoon with 6 oz of soup or Carnation Instant Breakfast and maybe with one of my cups of water. 

Currently I am terrified that this will happen to me again and I cannot wrap my brain around the fact that they neglected to go over this beforehand. 

I hope this helps some of you - Charline W you are next to the best of my knowledge so please ask the questions and make sure you take care of this when you see Rinette on Pre Admission day.  I would not want anyone to suffer the way I did last night and this morning. 
Ann

OMG Ann,

I have suffered with this same issue...TMI coming....

I even had to go everywhere with a tube of polysporin, tucks and anusol for the longest time because of the fissure bleeding all the time while I was trying to get it to heal....it's awful...

This is such important information to have because the last thing anyone needs after surgery of this sort is trying to take care of "those" issues as well...

Thank you thank you thank you for sharing....

Charline

For sure Charline,  I too have done the whole tucks and tube thing.  This really was a horrible experience and I do not want anyone else to have to deal wih it so please please please be aware and be careful.
Ann

Thanks for sharing...kinda scary since I have severe IBS and was in agony all day yesterday with "Incomplete evacuation"

I hope the band dosn't cause me too many problems- I am the opposite of you, I am constipated most of the time. I will definetly discuss.

HI Ann,
I am so sorry to hear about your ordeal and I had never heard this happens...so I am with you...the word needs to be out so people can prepare and ensure it does not get as bad as you had it.

I hope you are feeling really well soon, but I am sure it will take a bit of time, you are just nicely post op...and have really been through the mill with this.

So...get lots of rest and get yourself healthy mentally and physically after the week you have had.

Take Care,
Catherine

I have the opposite problem usually, so I don't know what that will mean for me.

Please discuss this with Lise and Rinette on Pre Admission day.  At least then you will be better prepared for any eventuality.  Kind of looks like if you have constipation issues they continue for a bit.  If you don't then maybe you will have a better experience.  But please just don't overlook this issue.  I don't want any of my friends here to suffer the way I did.  That is why I posted.  I just don't want anyone to hurt like that.
Ann

I was just the oppsite. I had the (you know what's) for about a month after the surgery. When I called Lise in Dr. B's clinic, she told me that was normal...fluids in -- fluids out.  Once I started eating solid food, I was fine.  Sorry to hear you are having such trouble:(

Thanks for sharing that Carol.  I suspect that is what is going to happen now.  I am feeling better but am far more "gurgly" this morning.  I suspect that now that I am rid of the issue, things may act more normal - fluid in fluid out.  If that is the case, I might have to increase my milk intake.

I am feeling much better today but I am terribly weak so I am going to try to have more calories today in my meals and snacks and add some protein somehow.  I am down a total of 10 pounds in 8 days. 

I hope yesterday was a turnaround day for me and that from here on in things will go better.
Ann

I am so sorry you had to go through that.  As I mentioned before, I didn't have that issue, but that was due to other issues.  you mentioned gurgling, it could be partially due to your bowel but your band/stomach will gurgle alot in the first month.  It doesn't anymore for me, but at first it drove me nuts.  Now it's just normal.  or as normal as I can be.   Anyway glad you are on the mend !!!!