Question:
Whats the difference between bowel obstruction and lazy bowels?

I go for my preop test tomorrow and will receive my surgery date after the tests. Years ago I had a hysterectomy and when my Surgeon went in he said I had a kink in my bowels. So I got a blue plate special..and he fixed it since he was already in me. My bowels have always been lazy. I can go for days with no movement. After he did that things passed normally. Now I am back to the old sluggish plumbing and sometimes clogged drain :-). How do most WL Surgeons handle this... I am assuming it will show up in my barium test tomorrow? Terry    — TerryS (posted on September 4, 2003)

September 4, 2003
An obstruction is an actual blockage - nothing getting past. A partial obstruction is when it is almost completely closed off. "Lazy bowels" is when your intestines don't function well, but not the same as blocked off. Don't know the answer about postop issue on this, luckily I run well in that department :)
   — bethybb

September 4, 2003
If you had a "kink" befor, it could be that it is back. Be honest with the surgeon and let him know this. I had a blockage after the RNY and had to have them go back in open to repair it. Your surgeon could probably do the repair if he does the surgery open but he needs to know this ahead of time. It is much worse if the "kink" gets blocked later on.
   — Jane S.

September 5, 2003
Before surgery I only went every 2-4 days and now post op, I still only go every 2-4 days! I asked my primary (internal medicine) about it, and he said that being 'regular' is different for everyone and just because you don't go every day, doesn't mean theres a problem. Good luck with your surgery.
   — eaamc