Question:
Do your first bowel movements hurt after WLS...........

This is so embarrasing; but I have always been constipated and unregular. I am ten days away from surgery and my surgeon said we don't need to do a bowel prep kit the day before surgery. He said just to avoid meats and cheeses two days before surgery. Should I start taking something now to get them moving before surgery. I was just thinking of doing a bowel prep anyway for my own peice of mind and if I do which ones are the best? I've never done this before but I'm worried that I'll be all backed up and it will be very painful to have a BM after surgery if I don't flush out my system! I know this is gross. Sorry but it really bothers me. Thanks in advance for any help!    — denisel (posted on March 10, 2003)

March 10, 2003
hi there :) i want to wish you the best of luck for your upcoming surgery! congrats! :) people have different experiences with bm surgery. while 2 friends of mine had issues with frequent loose stools, i had issues with constipation so its hard to tell which way it will go for you post op. it took awhile for my bs to come back to life, i had a hella time going at firt. and it freaked me out that i hadnt had a bm in like 6 days so i called the surgeon and he suggested something for me to take. preop i was very regular, i am now but still have constipation cuz i eat alot of cheese, a few grapes or a small slice of apple seems to help me, i now have a bm maybe every 4 days but we are all different so this may not be the case for you. i would at first expect some changes. good luck to you :)
   — carrie M.

March 10, 2003
hi, me again, hehe sorry for the typo, i meant people have different experiences with bms after surgery, not bm surgery, lol, sorry. i also wanted to add that it may help also to just make sure you get your water in as best you can as that always seems to help too. :)
   — carrie M.

March 10, 2003
I have always been irregular myself, so I know what you mean. I had the bowel prep before surgery and in retrospect, I'm glad I did. I was given magnesium citrate (lemon flavored over ice) and then a Fleets enema the night before surgery. You can get both of those things at any drug store. The magnesium citrate is powerful stuff and REALLY cleans you out. Good luck with your upcoming surgery.
   — Cheryl D.

March 10, 2003
Hi, I didn't have a prep before surgery, and didn't go that morning. I tend to be a little irregular but don't take anything for it. My advice would be to be careful with your pain medication. I was popping 2 percosets every 4 hours in the hospital. I went home, and the next day went right back in, after throwing up everything in my stomach from the day before. I refused to eat or drink til they figured it out. To make a long story short, the narcotics can bind you quite severely. It took 3 days, an enema and suppositories to clean me out. I've been totally fine since then. Ask your Dr. or pain management person about this. Maybe they can add a stool softener or laxitive to your meds. Best of luck!!
   — Fixnmyself

March 10, 2003
Denise, don't be embarrassed, we all have to deal with these issues, and its okay to ask! I asked a question on BM once, and got nice responses and everyone told me not to be embarrassed, it was great to get that encouragement. This is what AMOS is for! :) Back to your question, everyone is different post-op, so it's hard to say. I was constipated at first after surgery b/c of the anasthesia, but then had loose BM. But ever since the beginning, I get a horrible stomach cramp and then I know I have to go to the bathroom, and many times it does hurt. But now I am trying to eat more fiber and seems to help. Also, milk of magnesia can help as well. As for doing a bowel prep, I didn't have to do one either, so I didn't. Just make sure you tell your doc about it beforehand, and follow the directions carefully, you don't want to still have to go to the bathroom once you are all cleaned and ready for surgery! Goodluck to you!
   — Lezlie Y.

March 10, 2003
Hi all...Original poster here....Just wanted to thank everyone for their responses. It seems that everyone had something helpful that I took away with me from asking this question! Just wanted to say thanks!! See you on the losing side soon!!
   — denisel

March 11, 2003
I have always had a problems with being irregular, but now on top of irregularity, my stool is as hard as a rock and wants to come out sideways. Oh my God! Lots of times I am in such pain I think that I am going to pass out and I never had the problem pre-op. I know it's because of the protein and the fact that protein doesn't have any fiber in it. My dietician told me to try FiberOne Cereal. I prefer shredded wheat, it works!
   — aprilbaree