Question:
5 years post op RNY and I need advice on what to do for constipation.
I had my RNY surgery 5 years ago. What can I do for constipation after having RNY surgery? I havern't had a bowel movement for 5 days and when I saw my doctor yesterday he told me to take metamucil. I have done this all day yesterday and today but no BM yet. Is this serious? — Dawna W. (posted on June 22, 2010)
June 22, 2010
Greetings Dawna:
Please let me know what your daily diet consists of: what are you eating
and drinking? How much of each. How much protein. What types of protein:
meats, poultry, fish, eggs, protein powders, etc. What else are you eating
and drinking? What about fruits and vegetables? What about nuts? Candy?
White foods? Milk? Truthfully, these are not casual questions. Please
provide the answers to these questions. Then, I'll be in a position to
offer to you what works successfully for me and it is not taking metamucil
or any other stool softeners, but methods/foods which allow your body to
function normally. Dawna, I am 5 1/2 years post RNY. Blessings, Christine
— Christine Gibson
June 22, 2010
This is going to sound a bit crazy but it REALLY works. I saw it on a show
from the UK called You Are What You Eat. Assuming you are getting down
fiber and such... sometimes it just gets stuck. I only have a bm about
every third day. But I have a trick...
Get a foot stool... even an upside down trash bin will work... just
something to put your feet up on. You want it to be at least a foot high
but a bit higher is better. It changes the shape of your body, the shape
of your colon and it makes bowel movements MUCH easier... even the painful
and hard to pass ones. Try it. You won't be sorry.
— Jeanette Hagar
June 22, 2010
I have suffered constipation all my life, but prior to the RNY surgery I
finally got it that I no longer had this very BIG problem. Now, I am back
at square one, I suffer all the time. My Dr said, that this is a part of
surgery. I now am back taking greens, i.e., Barleans Greens in the
morning, and I eat 5 stewed prunes each day. I have to take Benefiber on a
daily basis and a stool softener. Plus, my NUT told me to eat more fruits
now that I am under my goal weight. I feel your pain big time. Once a
week I take Milk of Magnesia too.
I also eat complex carbs usually if I am eating carbs. I told my NUT the
other day that I was a tad more hungier and she said, that I maybe eating
too many carbs. It is a struggle, but would I do this agsin, in a heart
beat, but I would have had the sleeve instead.
— FSUMom
June 22, 2010
Try Miralax. It isn't a stimulant so it doesn't cramp your stomach or give
you diarrhea. Just pulls more water into the intestinal tract to make it
easier to go. Usually takes a day or two to kick in but it will and you
can take it daily thereafter as a preventive if you feel you need it. It
isn't habit forming. Best of all it's tasteless, gritless so you can put it
in any drink. Make sure you're getting in at least 64 oz of water a day as
well, especially during Summer where you lose more through perspiration
than usual if you're active and outdoors a lot.
— Arkin10
June 22, 2010
I am 5 weeks out and I had a very bad back up as well. I almost ran to the
hospital. That day I took Mirlax, Script for Colace. That all didn't work
so I called back my doctor and he gave me a script for Enulose syrup
(10gm/15ML) 3 doses and 3 hours later it worked!! Been there good luck!
— slvbullet
June 22, 2010
I'm working on this with my surgeon currently. It appears that some of us
have vagas nerve issues after the RNY. I have from the begining had
trouble with standing up too quickly and feeling like I would pass out.
After reviewing that my heart was ok, bp was good (low but good) and that I
wasn't dehydrated, we chalked it up to the fact that even though they are
careful around that major nerve, some of us are more reactive to having it
moved around.
I've always been constipated, but recently it is making for a huge pain and
has been making me nauseous when I get too backed up. My routine for
months has been Miralax every evening, colace 3 times a day, and
acidopholus tablets. About 6 weeks ago things got so much worse when I
increased my complex carbs to support maintanence and my level of exercise.
Checked for hernia, next week testing for ulcer and a possibility that my
intestines like to fold up back into the pouch (seen last december when I
was having a round of this issue). After that we'll try a motility agent
because the vagas nerve has control over that as well and seeing as how we
know that mine doesn't seem overly happy with the surgeon moving it
around--well you get the idea.
Hope this helps. By the way I'm only 15 months out but have had this
trouble the whole time to varing degrees.
— scootermedic
June 22, 2010
Yes, it can be serious. You can develop a bowel obstruction. It can even
be life threatening. That isn't likely however. The metamucil can take more
than a day to work.
Is the doctor that you saw the doctor that did your surgery? If not, I
would call the office and tell the nurse there about the constipation. You
should be able to tell her about your normal bowel habits. Also tell her
what you have done to remedy the situation. An enema could help. They sell
Fleets enemas pre-packaged at the drug store. Personally, that is what I
would do at this point.I would look to preventing this from happening in
the future by taking fiber daily, (something like Metamucil). You can add
Miralax. Please talk to the surgeon's office first.
— MargaretHM
June 22, 2010
White carbs, nuts will do this to you but what I do is have one envelope
every morning of instant, low sugar oatmeal from quaker. even the no name
brands work. this will help loosen.Prune juice works too but can give yoou
the tu mmy rumbles. You might want to start to use suppositories to smooth
the exit so to speak. You dont want to push as I did and ended up with that
horible hemmorids that can be extreemly painful. Sittin in a warm bath with
hot warm towels across your tummy helps to get things moving too. rubbing
in a counter clockwise motion on your tummy helps the direction of flow
out. As wellDRINK DRINK DRINK .. Water that is..LOL.
— OntarioSilk
June 23, 2010
My primary doctor recently recommended a Shaklee product called Herb-Lax.
It is a natural solution which contains Senna leaf powder and 8 other
herbs. It is a tablet, but it can be chewed. I must warn you though...it
does not taste good. It seems to work for me though. The directions state
to take 4 tablets once or twice a day. I took 4 the first couple of days,
but now I only take 1 and sometimes 2 a day and I am completely regular.
Before this I tried Miralax, Benefiber, and Milk of Magnesia. This seems
to have my body working naturally. I thought I would need to find a
Shaklee dealer, but you can order it right on their website. You can also
look up a dealer if you have questions. Anyway, I've been where you are
and I hope you find relief soon!
— GinaF
June 24, 2010
Try Magnesium Citrate. it is a liquid in a glass bottle and and the
flavors are lemon and fruit punch (cold are best). It is very gentle, no
cramping or pain. it works within 4-6 hrs (or sooner) but it is better
than the others that take 4 days to work. After you use this product, just
to be sure every thing is out, try a "fleet". U will feel so
much better.
— Kristy
June 24, 2010
Good Afternoon! I have that same problem sometimes. I eat fresh fruit. I
eat watermelon and cantalope and they work the fastest. I try to eat fresh
fruit everyday and very seldom have that problem.
— Vikki U.
June 24, 2010
I am only 4 months post op and have had severe problems. I have tried
everything even prescriptions. None worked at all. I found a tea, it's name
is 3 ballerina tea and it comes in a green box. It is all natural, herbal
tea. But, it has never failed me. In about 8 hours, your system is cleared.
If you do try it, I recommend you do it on a day you are at home. It does
give a little cramping, however it is much better than being backed up for
a week. If you have any problems finding it email me at [email protected]
and I can help you find. This tea is also wonderful to speed up your weight
loss. I hope you get relief, as I do know just how you feel.
— dowens67
June 25, 2010
Dawna, also remember that some medicines, especially things for pain relief
like Lori-tabs, Vicodan,Hydrocodone,Oxycodone, etc. will constipate you.
Not getting all of your fluids in will definitely do it, and you might try
drinking a full glass of water 30 minutes before you eat, at night, and in
the morning. You can get fiber from whole grains, fruits, leafy vegetables
etc. and these all help. Solible fiber from steel-cut oatmeal is wonderful,
you can get high fiber bread, if you are going to eat bread and if you eat
rice, make it brown rice. I'm sure you know a lot of this, but you pretty
much have it in your hands. A little warm milk or sugar-free ice-cream is
like a dose of salts to me since I had my RNY. Lol but there IS an answer,
don't be discouraged. If none of these things help, keep on your doctor
till he finds out what the problem is, blockages can be serious. GBY Dusty
— Dusty Ray Vaughn
June 27, 2010
Learned this from weight watchers...take 2 teaspoons of oil daily. I use
olive oil and put it on my salads . I still use salad dressing and then
dribble the oil over my salad. It lubricates the pipes and is good for your
skin too. I am 3 1/2 months out and this method works for me. you can
find more info on the Weigh watchers site.
— Akgrandma
July 22, 2010
Hi, I am 8 years post-op RNY, and anytime I have constipation issues I eat
those fiber tablets. I can't think of what they are called at the moment,
but they are orange flavored and taste good!
— fropunka
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