Question

Hello Men! Ever since my RNY I have been constipated.  Is this common?  Any information you can provide would be helpful. Thanks, Bound with a Frown in NJ

Make sure you are getting in your fluids and walk a lot. That helped me.  You can also try Milk of Maknesia (sp??)

Hey Jersey! Common in the early months, But very avoidable. Info? I just happen to have some.......

Constipation! Yep. I remember times when I was regularly passing Granite Tombstones! There were times when I considered Drilling & Dynamite. At the least, I wondered about a long teaspoon or one of my least favorite fingers. I have seen similar "un-seemly issues" discussed by many others. So, for all of the early-post-ops and those heading into their processes? So you can avoid "embarrassing future questions," Here’s some info and "Tales of tails" to read or skip…. (makes good bathroom reading….) To start with- Once it’s gone solid, there’s only Stool Softeners Like Dulcolax®, Colace®, and the like, Or The Mother of them all- MOM- Milk of Magnesia. If it has gotten to critical stage- There’s the Fleet® Enema. But when it comes to Constipation, An ounce of Prevention, Really is Worth a Pound of Cure. With the reduced amount of food in the pipes, The large intestine has less traffic to push stuff on through And since the large intestine removes water from the waste material The slower it travels trough, the drier it becomes. Fiber is your friend in keeping stuff moving. Many Docs recommend increasing overall water intake as well Which just makes sense. The more water in the overall system, the more remaining Even when the large intestine has taken out all it can. "An Apple a Day" is a great one, so are most all crispy Veggies. If Oats aren’t good for you, then maybe more salad stuff Like celery, carrots, raw veggies in general? Be selective though. Broccoli, Cauliflower, and other High-Insoluble Fiber foods such as Cabbage, can cause major gas and act more like "Colon-Blow!" Resulting in more output than one might think of as "Normal." You can always just get some Metamucil Or any of those clear drinkable fibers, But it would be beast to adjust your typical dietary intake To include more roughage, rather than be tied to some "Product." Whole grains are also a good source. Just look at the fiber content on labels. Also, More Fat. I know it sounds counter-intuitive to weight-loss But more Essential Fatty acids are a great way to Boost your overall health as well as "lube" the system. It also scrubs the "bad-Cholesterol" out of your system. That’s what all the rage about Flax-Seed Meal comes from. Excellent fiber source as well as Essential Fatty Acids in one food. A teaspoon or two of Flax Seed meal in Yogurt or in "Anything" Is hardly noticed and it’ll keep you regular and provide The essential fatty acids needed for great health. Cold Pressed Cannola Oil and Olive Oil are also great sources That fit easily into a normal diet. Some Essential Fatty Acid info- http://goodfats.pamrotella.com/ I have Flax-Seed Meal in some food most days, Also, I still shoot for "an apple a day" (well more like 4 or 5 a week) and that has worked well for me. Most of the dramatic intestinal swings from "The Screaming Runs" To a full scale "Lock-Up" fade away around the 3^rd month. Particularly if you get in the habit of eating enough fiber And getting in enough water. For those who are dealing with this on an ongoing basis, Hang in there. This too shall pass. Those just starting out?—(some insider info…) About the time this stops being an issue, Look forward to having enough A$$-Padding Gone- To start feeling like your tail-bone is going to poke a hole through your butt. Talk about a Pain-In-The-A$$!: That one takes about another 3 to 6 months to fade away. If you aren’t having trouble with that yet, Start looking for a cushion to put on your chairs now. If your progress is typical? You’ll need one! Sorry to "put all this crap out here," but if it helps, it helps… Best Wishes- Dx

Ok, I hesitated about chiming in on this one but there is a really good and fast way to fix this problem.  While Milk of Magnesia works quickly, you can always use a douche for immediate relief.  Embarrasing, yes, but better  than straining  and waiting....

I'm almost a year out (Jan. 22) and I'm still having a time with constipation. I take two stool softners daily, drink a glass of metamusal and have added a magnesium pill to my daily intake. Still its a struggle, to the point I've had to get a hemmoroid lanced (that was good time). I try to eat my protiens first etc. When I snack I mostly eat raisons and peanuts or nuts. I talked to my Dr. and she said to drink even more water, at least one more glass immediatly after drinking the metamusal. That has helped but I still can't call what's going on normal. I exercise 3 to 5 times a week for at least an hour each time. I went through a time where I was drinking about 4 cans of diet pop a day. Some of it had caffine in it. I've since been trying to ween myself off the stuff and that too has helped relieve the problem some. Bottom line is I'm still dealing with it and not sure what else I should be doing?

Yes, it is common.  I had a problem for about 4 months then overnight everything went to normal.  Fluids intake is a big part of the porblem Rich