help! constipated/stool impacted

I know, I'm sorry for the grossness of this post...but can someone offer advice, help?

i had my surgery on 10/20.  yesterday, i discovered i was constipated...no go.  last night i took a senakote s, to no luck this am...very painful all night, little sleep.  thsi am, my hubby went out at 7 and bought me the glycerin suppositories.  have used about 4 of them, to no avail. 

i'm sorry for being graphic, but it feels really hard and large, like it won't/can't get out.  I have a call into my surgeons office.  My PCP quickly told me "you need to speak to your surgeon". 

any advice?  this is misery

With everything you've taken things should start moving soon.  Try to be patient.  However, if you haven't gone by tonight I would try a stool softener like Ducolax or my personal favorite "Smooth Move Tea".  It's an herbal tea by a company called Traditional Medicinals.  You should be able to find it with all the regular teas at any large grocery store.

You'll get a ton of different responses to this question but bottom line, you will need to find something that works to keep you "going" before you get impacted.  As a bandster you will deal with constipation forever because of the high protein diet and limited fiber.  Try something like a soluable fiber, i.e., Benefiber, Miralax, etc., as part of your daily routine to keep things moving.  (I drink the tea every other day).  The main thing is to keep ahead of the problem and not wait until it's been days before you've gone.

Take care!
Lisa O.

 If you are impacted as opposed to bring constipated, the only immediate solution is a stool softener. In the UK the main one  is Movicol. Ths can be taken as a single dose for constipation or for true impaction, you use up to 8 doses, drunk over a period of an hour or so.

Anything else just adds more on top of what is  already  in the gut. If that doesn't work, you need to see a doc or nurse for an enema! Sorry!!

We all have our own ways of avoiding constipation but if you are already at this stage of faecal impaction, softeners, enema or manual removal are the only options!

Kate

I feel your pain!!  I have the same problem often.  Try drinking warm water and if you have a treadmill go for a brisk walk, or jog...that usually gets things moving. 

I take stool softners and had to take 4 the other day..it took a full day for them to kick in but I definitely felt much better afterwards!! 

I am almost 3 years out and didn't have any problems until about 6 months ago or so...so I'm still looking for the magic formula to keep me regular!! 

Good Luck, I hope you get some relief soon!!

I am having this problem also. My surgeon said to drink magnesium citrate. I stir it because it is a little bubble. It tastes bad but you can mix it with your fav drink.

Try Activia it should help and i usualy get every once in a while Colonic(but you should not get that often).Unfortunatelly majority have this problem,I also drink special tea you can get that at the health food stores.
Good Luck
 

THank you all so much for your help and advice!  I did get a call back this afternoon from the nurse at my surgeons office.  Here is the advice she gave me:

Try the vaseline and glove routine. if no vaseline in the house, you can use mineral oil.  You can also use a drop of palmolive dish detergeant on your finger.

Next, use a fleet OIL emina, and try your best to hold it in for one hour, followed by a regular fleet enema.  If no luck at this point....emergency room. 

I think I'm ok now...very very VERY sore.  The lesson learned is that I need to manage this so i avoid this situation again.  Sooooo....i guess the idea is to take benefiber and a stool softener on a daily basis?  The hubby went out to get me Colace this evening and benefiber. 

I will say, I'm surprised the surgeon never mentioned this, and even more surprised that the nutrionist (whom I saw last week) never discussed this.  YIKES! 

but again, i'm greatful to you for your advice and wisdom

I wouldnt take laxative on a daily basis because it could get addictive,but activia and herbal teas do miracles.Good Luck

 Yes. I took a stool softener and added fibre every singie day. Both are OK for long term use, unlike laxatives. In fact, during  most of the losing stage, I took them both morning and night!

Kate

Every one is different so I hope you don't have to deal with this forever! It may be my young age compared to many bandsters but I have never dealt with constipation as a result of the band. I wonder if your recent change from liquids to soft food has anything to do with it? Maybe you haven't been getting quite enough water since moving to soft foods?  Making sure you drink a ton of water daily really does help.  Also, once you're further from surgery you should be able to eat some fruits and vegetables on a regular basis. I find apples are great for fiber.  As a last resort, over plain old fiber supplements and laxatives, I have found food from medifast.com is very easy to eat with the band and provides a lot of protein and fiber. I use their bars as snacks (110 calories, 11 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber!)  If I eat a couple of those a day I never suffer these problems.