One more thing!!!

 So I had my  DS done on Wednesday and I'm still in the hospital because I can't seem to pass gas or have a bowel movement!! I finally passed a little bit of gas last night and immediately felt better in my tummy.  My surgeon says that I can't go home until I can have a bowel movement. I haven't had a whole lot to really eat other than clear liquids though. I had a little bit of vanilla pudding and a little bit of vanilla yogurt last night. After a few little sips of cream of potatoe soup I felt really nauesous. I'm doing better keeping up with drinking, especially after I passed some gas and it didn't hurt near as bad to drink the water. 

I'm just confused as to how I'm supposed to be able to poop if all of the medicine they are giving me is stuff that normally constipates you. Zofran for my stomach and Lortab for pain. I'm walking ALL the time! My aunt text me last night and she said the saying for the day is DRINK-PRAY-FART! lol a play off of Eat-Pray-Love. 

If anyone has any secrets as to how you finally had a BM I would forever be in your debt! Also, to all of you other DS'ers out there...how long were you in the hospital? What is a "normal" stay? 

Have a great day! 

I was in less then 24 hours and I think all I had to do was tell them I passed a little gas. Keep walking and sipping and eating what you can. Seems a little unreasonable on your surgeon's part to say you have to poop before you can leave when you can't eat anything and your bowels are probably still asleep from the anesthesia.

--gina

 That's kind of what I thought. But I guess I'll see what I can do. I've gone from only being able to do a half a lap around the nurses station and I just got back from walking 4 laps, and that was going the "long way" out around the ICU waiting room too. Anyway, hopefully I can get it moving. They said they can hear my bowels moving when they listen with a stethescope, they just aren't moving very well. So I keep drinking and walking. 

This comment removed for privacy protection from OH.

I had the same requirements and was in the hospital for 5 days. My doc was super vigilant. I was glad for it though. Sorry you are having a rough time. The walking really helped and so did hydration. Keep up the great work and hopefully something will happen soon. 

 Every surgeon is different. I didnt have a bowel movement and had only a little gas. Keep walking. Maybe it will start "something" moving!

I was told that a 'standard' stay after the DS was four days, and that's how long I was in. I think I had a BM on day three---definitely had one before I was released. They were feeding me, though!

 I had my DS on a Monday and on Friday I told the surgeon I wanted to go home because I was feeling great and because the hospital was starting to make me depressed (too many really sick people around moaning and groaning).  He said not until I had a BM.  Then, his resident that he was training came by to check on me and I told her, "I know my body and I don't think I'm going to have a BM here. It's just not going to happen for me. PLEASE let me go home. I'm walking really well--fast even, LOOK at me--I'm doing great and passing lots of gas!?"  She said she'd take the chance and discharge me (risky since she wasn't sure how my surgeon would react).  

The drive home was about 2.5 hours and I felt like i was going to throw up when I got home. I ran into the house (literally) and threw up some stomach acid.  Then went to lay down.  But by this time I was so scared that I'd start throwing up again that I ended up upsetting my stomach even more that I ended up having diarrhea before the night was through. That scared me even more because I started assuming that I'd KEEP having diarrhea.  So I called my doc and he said that he didn't want me to leave before a bowel movement because I worried that the diarrhea could get really bad and that he wanted to get it under control before I got home.  Then he prescribed anti-anxiety pills since clearly I was emotionally unstable.  Boy did that work--it calmed me really well.

FORTUNATELY, I didn't have another bowel movement for 2 days and that one was solid. It's been solid ever since.  

Moral to the story?  I guess I'm glad I left when I did because I really believe it would have taken me days before pooping and I really hated that hospital.  But the surgeon's reason for keeping me was valid.  However, I've heard that it can take people more than a week to have their first bowel movement and had I stayed I think I would have been thrown into such a deep depression that I might not have been able to come home for that reason alone. 

I'm sure you'll poop--but if you are passing gas (and I only started once I drank Crystal Light which has artificial sweeteners that upset my stomach--you might try that) I think you might be able to convince your surgeon to let you leave--but maybe not.  

I wish you luck and happy pooping!  
Sheri

 So about an hour after I posted the orginal post this morning my surgeon came in and said I could leave. :) So I'm now at home...I haven't had a BM yet, but I'm still passing gas and walking a lot! Thanks for all of your advice!

Welcome home.