leaky pouch? terrible con...

i know thats why i was so worried but the doc was just like try this try that. from what i read constipation is something that we just have to deal with. it has gotten alittle better. no more bleeding. i have also used enemas. its just a big change from being regular to hardly non existent but as time passes and i continue with the colace and benefiber its getting a little easier. thanks good luck with your surgery maria

I would definitely contact your surgeon to discuss what happened. Maybe have him check you out. If you're still bleeding - MAKE SURE to see him! Your aches and pains are probably just from the straining you did, and will go away in time. As for the constipation, it seems to be a very frequent problem after WLS. I, too, have the problem, and have been so impacted that I've strained (and being achey afterwards) and had some bleeding from being scraped as the feces worked its way out. Ouch and double-ouch! My surgeon, and several other people I know, recommended using a natural vegetable laxative pill (like Senecot) and a stool softener (either separate pills or a combined pill such as Senecot-S). I now use Senecot-S, and it does work. I found, as others did, that I have to use it pretty much every day in order not to have a problem. I tried the Senecot without the softener, but it didn't work as well. I also tried using it every third day, but my system seems to need it every day. Unfortunately, we may always need the assistance of such things. Remember, too, that you need to be drinking a lot of water. That will help your system whether or not you use a laxative. Good luck! ~~ Ilene Rachel Lap Roux-en-Y: June 22, 2004 (150 cm limb) Surgeon: Dr. Molave Adaniel Hospital: Southside Hospital, Bay Shore, NY 5' 4" [At Home, Naked:] Top WT 296.5/Pre-op 276/Present 193.0/Goal 140

hi ilene, thanks for the reply. my problem has eased up alittle. im going to pick up some of that med. on my way home and give it a try. i live close to southside. do you go to a support group at that hospital? i had my surgery at st. catherines in smithtown. take care maria

You're welcome! I'm glad to hear that your problem has gotten at least a little better! I hope it continues to get better. I've been to a few meetings at Southside (my surgeon's office manager - a WLS success story herself - usually leads one of the Saturday meetings), and one at the emergency service behind the hospital (Thursday). I've also attended a few meetings in Roslyn (at the DeMatteis Center/St. Francis). They're a bit far for me, so I am trying to attend meetings closer to me, hopefully, at Syosset Hospital, or possibly Mercy Hospital, although I may occasionally attend the Southside meetings if my friend from work (who's possibly having WLS in March) wants to go to them. ~~ Ilene Rachel Lap Roux-en-Y: June 22, 2004 (150 cm limb) Surgeon: Dr. Molave Adaniel Hospital: Southside Hospital, Bay Shore, NY 5' 4" [At Home, Naked:] Top WT 296.5/Pre-op 276/Present 191.0/Goal 140