4 and a half weeks POST OP

I guess surgeons are different. Mine does not want laxatives like Miramar or dulcolax to be a daily thing but says stool softeners like colace and benefiber are fine for daily use.

I tossed the 64 oz. requirement straight away. I don't know who or how this arbitrary number came from. Everyone needs much more than 64oz of WATER a day. I think the baseline should start at 100 oz. We could avoid taking these strong medicines if we would insist on making ourselves take in this liquid. In a 16 hour day, anyone can get in 100oz. of water if it is done diligently. I have yet to take anything to help digestion.

I drink 2 cups of coffee in the morning, I do not count that as liquid intake. As a rule, I only count actual water as liquid. These are the rules that are working for me, so it's all I can honestly sugges****er=Flow.

Good luck.

I had a very similar situation happen to me too-- even while using Miralax and a fiber supplement everyday.  The biggest help I have found is adding some fruit into my diet every day.  I have been able to back off of the Miralax which I don't believe should be taken every day, but still mix about 4 tsp of fiber supplement into fluid every morning.  Things are moving much more smoothly since I added the fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, applesauce, mixed fruit).

Oh, I have been where you are. Misery. What helped me was 1. Getting in all my fluids even if I had to stay up later than normal to fini**** before bed. 2. Miralax every morning for about three months, then I cut back to every other day for another month, then just as needed. 3. Walking more. When I did not get in at least 4000 steps (even now) I back up. I'm working toward 7000 steps a day now but don't always make it. Having a Fitbit helps me keep track.

And I forgot the most important thing: Yogurt and other fermented foods (like raw sauerkraut) (Not alcoholic beverages). I eat one or two fermented foods daily. It doesn't take a lot, but it sure did make a huge difference. Just a couple of tablespoons here and there.

hate to tell you , but this is likely your new "normal". You will not be " normal" like you were pre surgery, because your insides have been changed.

We eats lots of protein, also and protein is constipating. We have to have the protein , so we have to manage the bowel problem with medications. 

I did well using four stool softeners a day and Miralax if I didn't have a stool by bedtime.  Be careful with fiber products, I got even more constipated using them, when I was already constipated, and had to manually remove the impact ion, myself. 

You will need to get cleaned out well by mOM then start adding stool softener EVERY night. I started with two capsules and increased the dose by one every night until the consistency of stool was comfortable for me. I got softly comfortable at 8 cap lets a night. As my stool continued to soften, I decreased by one every night until the consistency was again soft formed. This plan was approved by my colorectal surgeon.iwas drinking over 100oz of liquid a day but also eating lots of protein toO.

You likely will have to develop a bowel program for yourself, to used regularly. This may be your new normal and you will always have to have a program to govdaily

I hope you find a way to get through this soon.  I am one week and 3 days away from surgery and my surgeon has me on a high protein -protein shakes, yogurt (0%), and either raw veggies or a green salad with lite vinagrette each day -also I had to add 100 mg colace and 3 servings of benefiber each day in my water.  I thought this would be really hard but up until tonight it hasn't bothered me at all.  I hope him starting me on the colace and benefiber now will help with any problems after surgery. 

were you intending to reply to me or the original poster?

I took a capful of Miralax every day for 4 months.  In fact, my doctor said if I wanted to I could take it twice a day.

I tried going with colace, while it helped...it didn't make me regular. Sometimes it would cause the other problem. Now that I am on a daily dose of zmiralax in my morning coffee I am regular. Took about 2 weeks to even itself out...but a godsend...