honeymoon is over... fiber suggestions??

I've had a pretty easy go of things so far, but this week has shown me that the real work is beginning.  Last night I had some sort of dumping episode.  I was actually curled up on the bathroom floor praying for vomit that never really came.  I was just miserable and my attempt at inducing vomit lead to a small foamy episode.  Time healed the issue.

Tonight I was excited to feel like I needed to have a BM.  I headed off to the bathroom and what ensued was hours of pain, discomfort, pushing.... I took Milk of Magnesia, and an hour later I tried to go again and i pushed and felt so horrible that my fingers were tingling and i had to wake Zeke up because i was afraid i was going to pass out.  (yes, i brought the phone to the bathroom and used the intercom feature).  Zeke came down and calmed me down, gave me some stool softeners and some anti-anxiety meds since i was so tense and we practiced deep breathing.  I left the bathroom and walked around a bit, he called the surgeon, *****assured us that we'd done the right things and suggested I drink more water and try to add fiber.   (last week the NUT told me not to worry so much about the water since i was ahead of the minimum and to worry about eating more frequently). 

The story ends by my finally passing whatever rock was in my colon.  i feel like i gave birth.  someone is going to have to pay me to eat again. 

how do people do their fiber?  food alone?  chewable supplements?  drink mix? 

I take chewable Benefiber - they don't taste that bad either. I'll take 1 or 2 a day depending on what I ate.

My nut said if I was really blocked up to take Miralax - which is a laxative and works QUICK! But I've only had to do that once. The Benefiber has been working great! 

Good luck!

Ohhh I feel for you. It does sound like you are right on schedule, though with feeling like the 'real' work is beginning. At this point you're pretty well healed & that little pouch is alive and well and ready to show you who is boss.

I've heard great things about Benefiber and Colace. I haven't used any fiber supplements, I stick to the mini-sunsweet prunes, I eat a couple every day and this has worked for me. I don't necessarily recommend that though because you might have a bad reaction to the sugars in them. (I had a problem with raisins early out)
Hang in there. I had a bad go of things after the blended phase ended & I started on solids. You WILL figure it out, things will improve.

As for that honeymoon... it's really only just beginning

I take Senna-C.  It works for me,but I adjust daily, depending on food, etc. also.   BTW, the nut said to move from Premium Wheat Crackers to a more high-fiber cracker.  No problem there!  Wheat Thins makes a high fiber!      I use the crackers with Laughing cow cheese for a great lunch or snack!    The foamies are tough.  Sorry you had to go through it.    You're not the only one who has had them, though!  

hemorrhoids hi Sue,

I had terrible problems at the beginning. I ended up with awful hemorrhoids. The follwing works for me. Breakfast: Activia vanilla fat-free yogurt. I add half a scoop of protein powder since the yogurt does not have enough protein. I also add one heaping tablespoon of milled flax seed, since my good cholesterol has always been low. I add several spoons of raspberries. I love this breakfast and after about a week ended up with lovely soft stools.

good luck!

Jayne

So sorry to hear about your experience... but it prompts me to ask a question of you all who are suffering from constipation:  WHAT KIND OF CALCIUM ARE YOU TAKING?

If it's Calcium Carbonate, that's why you are stopped up...  it really should be Calcium Citrate (and taken 4 hours AFTER your multivitamin)...

I have not been at all stopped up.

i have the right calcium for sure... but with the megadoses of that plus the iron, and limited fiber in my diet... oy!  i have now started adding benefiber to all the water that i drink, and it has made a difference!

My only issue has been the iron that causes me problems. I cannot take the Vitron C oh no it was not good for this old lady.

When you feel like you have to go and going get rough it is a problem. I had that bogged down feeling in my abdomen.

I keep a lot of different products handy. I drink my water, and usually add spinach to my salads. I find that it helps.

I have my one year appointment on Tuesday.

Linda

i agree, the Vitron C is a real problem causer.  I've become a daily benefiber user, and that has made a big difference.

the same thing happened to me around the same time...thankfully fruits and veggies were added by my nut. a short while later and that solved the problem...hang in there...