Question about Constipation

Hopefully this isn't a TMI question.

I just had my surgery on June 25th at Humber and have a couple questions about constipation. 1) how many days after your surgery should you expect to have your first bowel movement?  2) did anyone take laxatives due to constipation? 

I was severely constipated after surgery. Was the worst part of the whole thing. Take 3 Senokot S pills with water and that should help. Don't let it go too long. I had to do that two days in a row before things moved and even then it was painful as hell. I still take them occasionally but thankfully I don't have to very often. Good luck. 

I wouldn't do Senokot... you probably aren't allowed to take pills this early out unless they are crushed.  I had surgery end of April 2015 and had to take Milk of Magnesia... I took 2 separate doses and things moved along and I felt SO much better!

Now 9 weeks out - I still have issues, although I have a BM daily after my walk, it is a difficult task.  I've just started incorporating more fiber and that seems to have helped. 

At humber we can take pills right out of surgery. 👍

I was about a week after surgery for my 1st BM.  It was too long, I took Milk of Magnesia (MOM) and a Ducolax suppository.  It wasn't fun, but it worked.  I know that once they are started, some have to take laxatives for a while.

Just make sure you keep hydrated, if you don't, it will make things worse.

Cathy

I had a couple of "mini' BMs 4 days after surgery and then nothing for 5 or 6 days.  Milk of Magnesia worked after a few doses.  Then I "plugged up" again for about a week.  That required several doses of Colace and it eventually got things moving.  I still need to use it once in awhile.  If you are in discomfort and really feel the need to go but can't - talk to your doctor/nurse practitioner just to verify what they think you should use.

TES

I was told I could take milk of magnesia only 2 days out when I had not gone in 3 days. It is disgusting tasting, I usually hold my nose to get it down.  And like someone else said lots of water. 

How did your surgery go? How do you feel apart from constipated? FYI senakot comes in liquid 

the surgery went well. I had it at 8 am and was up and walking by late afternoon. The only part i found really uncomfortable was the gas pain but I started to pass wind by late in the afternoon  the day after surgery and by the next morning the horrible bloated feeling was gone. I am 5 days out now and everything seems good. Little to no pain, a bit of discomfort now and then but nothing serious. I haven't had problems with keeping full fluids down. I was in a bit of heaven when I had a couple of spoonfulls of vanilla pudding, after 4 weeks of optifast it was fantastic. 

the most incredible part is that i have reduced my diabetes meds and insulin by a huge amount. My insulin use is almost non-existent, down from about 350 units per day to about 5-8 units per day now. I have cut my metformin in half as well. If I didn't loose a single pound the surgery would have been worth it for that alone. I am hopefully my BS levels will remain were they are and perhaps with the weight loss I will be able to get off the insulin and metformin all together.

That's amazing good for you. And thx for sharing.