2 weeks out from surgery and constipated......

I have been eating a soft diet, adding limited dense proteins, however I am finding I am getting constipated.  Not sure if this is normal or not.  How can I counteract this? I can't really add more fats to my diet since I am still in the soft food stage.  I am lactose intolerant so milk based products are out.  Any ideas welcome.

I ran into the same issue.  I also suffer with chronic pain and take a lotta narcs, which doesn't help.  The NP advised keeping up w/fluid intake and walking.  She also told me I could take a stool softener, but I'm not sure exactly how far out I was at that point.  Please always check with your surgeon before taking any meds, OTCs included.

Good luck!  I hope things get moving for you!  Constipation can really make you miserable....

When you say lactose intolerant, what happens when you have milk? I am just asking because I came out of the surgery lactose intolerant. It gives me gas and diarrhea. When I'm constipated I add some dried milk to my protein shake and that loosens things up.

Also, one of the nurses said Colace as a good stool softener. I haven't used it yet but my mother used it for years.

Are you getting enough water?

We have the same surgery date. I was stopped up a couple days ago because of the pain med and the calcium. I'm not saying you should go against your surgeon's advice. But I personally went ahead and had bacon - 4 pieces - for two meals in a row. I chewed it to oblivion before I swallowed. It was literally mush.

But I was also told that Miralax can help get things moving. That was my next step if the extra fat from the bacon didn't work.

I think once you are off the pain med for a bit things will start to move regularly. That med sure stops me up but I can't go a day without it yet. Still have some significant pains.

Good luck!

Add water.  Lots of it.

Add fat.

Try something really carb loaded like a donought.

~b

Unfortunately, constipation is very common right after surgery.  Once you can eat plenty of fat, this should disappear!  Perhaps try heavy cream or butter for now.

This "formula" for constipation is from Vita Lady and it has saved me many times from constipation, especially early on:

1 dose MiraLax (either at night or first thing in the morning)
4 stool softeners at night
1 mag ox with lunch, 1 with dinner
 

WOW!  That should blow you out!  Sounds like a colonoscopy prep lol!

Can you eat sour cream? If so, make yourself some Ranch dip and eat it off a spoon. That's my go-to constipation recipe, except that I eat it on raw cauliflower. (NOT a soft food, lol!)