4 and a half weeks POST OP

Hello everyone,

First time posting! I am 4 and a half weeks post op and been having some trouble in the bathroom........my first bowel movement was painful but not too bad. Then everything was fine for a week or two and last Saturday was probably the most painful thing since surgery I ended up passing the movement but it was soooo painful and still is today, like 5 days later. I had another bout last night which was equally as painful and ended up using a Preparation H suppository in hopes that it would help - it did help some but was still uncomfortable when I woke up this morning and sitting at my desk all day today. Anyways - can anyone share what my next step should be? My PA suggested Colace, Benefiber and drinking all my fluids (which im still having trouble with because of a set back two weeks after my surgery due to refried beans ) Sometimes that area even hurts when I'm just sitting around and I am TERRIFIED of my next bowel movement.

I am striving to get to 64 ounces of fluid everyday! How long will it take to heal so that I don't dread going to the bathroom? I am literally terrified even thinking about having to go :(

Any insight/criticism/advice is more than welcome and sorry for the TMI.

I'm with your PA here. Fluids are the most important thing here. You need to find a way to get even more than 64 ounces especially during the hot days of summer. Drinking is your job now and you need to have fluids with you all the time. Sip every time you think of it. Soon it gets to be a new habit. I also take a dose of colace every night before bed and 1 or 2 doses of benefiber every day. I aim for 100 ounces of fluid every day. And days when I am short there I can tell for sure. You will get a routine going and it will get better,I promise!

I'm 4.5 weeks post op too... been driving down the same road as you!

I get at least 64 ounces in, but that isn't helping me. I've used suppositories a few times (regular dulcolax ones), and I've started a regime of fiber every night... miralax a couple times a week... just trying to find my sweet spot so to speak 

I think this is part of the game. Learning to drink water and getting our bodies to cooperate... and also a very common issue post op or else I don't think this  emoticon would be here 

If you're not going anywhere you could try milk of magnesia, worked great for me but because of the WLS it works FAST! Also berries :D!

MOM is what made the first two painful ones happen, the one two days ago just happened on its own but still so painful! I just need to find a way to get back to normal or I'm scared I will have to see a doctor and that is definitely not on my list of things I wanna do.

Ugh, I'm sorry about that! I was put on prescription stool softeners right after surgery maybe those would help?

I appreciate all of the responses! This is just something I am not used to - it is painful even when not havin a bowel movement! Today I am literally concentration on drinking water rather than my job! I definitely know that I am not alone - I just want whatever is going on to heal so that I can move on and try to be better with fluids and fibers from now on! I'm glad people here can understand what I'm going through - there are times when I regret doing this but if I were to tell anyone in my life like my mom or husband they would either feel bad for me or get upset because I chose to do this to myself. I don't want these feelings of regret, but they are there sometimes.

Only thing that works for me is a cap full of miralax in my water bottle daily 

My PA did mention that as a solution, but she said I could only take it for up to one week. Not long term and then I see people on here who take it daily for long periods of time, so I just get confused.

Yah, I read on the bottle no longer than 7 days... do lots of people just make it a daily serving??