Question:
I haven't opened my bowels for 5 days is this normal?

I'm 4 weeks post op and haven't opened my bowels for 5 days, up to them was loosing weight steadily 26Lbs now not loosing at all. Very worried.    — Marianne T. (posted on April 7, 2002)

April 7, 2002
I'm sure that it is nothing (easy for me to say :-))but I think that you should call your DR. If only for your peace of mind.--- Good Luck
   — Robert L.

April 7, 2002
OUCH!!! I am sure that does not feel good. I would call your dr and see if he can give you something to realive that problem. I have that problem every now and them.......and it may sound silly but i eat a atkins sugar free candy bar called endulge, i buy them at a health food store, and it helps me go to the bathroom when i am cloged up. Sorry to be gross but I know i tried all kinds of over the counter drugs and none of them worked for me. You might try them(either over the counter or the bar) and just see, if you can not get ahold of your dr.
   — nkoehler88

April 7, 2002
I'll be 4 weeks on tuesday and I had the same problem. I called my doctor and he said to take milk of magnesia. I took it and a couple hours later I had relief. I also haven't lost anything for about a week but I hear it is common to have a plateau at 3 weeks. open rny 3-12-02 down 34lbs
   — Alison N.

April 7, 2002
I am almost 6 weeks post. I had and have the same problem. My doctor told me to take Colace as needed. Relief will come in about 2-3 hours. You will feel MUCH better.
   — terrifogle40

April 7, 2002
Hi, this sounds just like me. The past week I have had a BM 3 days in a row, which is like a miracle!! In the beginning I tried everything: citrucel, laxatives, colace and peri-colace. Nothing worked. Some things that seem to have helped me in the past week: 1) Don't do protein ONLY, do protein FIRST but include some complex carbs (fruits, veggies and whole grains) in your diet at least one meal a day, 2) make sure you are drinking at least 64oz water each day, and 3) walk, exercise gets the bowels moving. Every day I eat about 5 Wheatsworth Stone Ground Wheat crackers and I include some vegetables at dinner. I introduced salad to my pouch this week (it went down great!) and I think that has helped tremendously. GOOD LUCK!
   — Laura B.

May 5, 2003
well. it started when well it was kinda my fault see i have a problem with going to the bathroom i hate it but you have to go and well i had to have a bowel movement for like 2 day's i holded it in i have a problem with that and well i went in to set down and try to take it and it was so hard to get out i had to force it out it was hard and part black part brown this is the first i've descovered that i was bleeding never happened before and now everytime i have a bowel movement i bleed sometime's when i have a bowel movement i won't bleed and sometime's i will it stop's but then continue's i went to see a doctor about this problem but they just sent me back home said i might have a tear inside my colin or in my upper stomic or on the outlinning of my bottox they told me to set in warm bath for 15 minute's use preporation H for any sign's of hemrroid's and to take stool softners i havnt tried setting in the water for 15 minute's nor the preporation H but what do you think i could be possibly having? i wanna get this sorted out and over with because i seriously don't wanna have surgery i am so scared even if they do put you to sleep i couldn't handle it sometime's it will bleed and sometime's it wont but i've had bowel problem's sence i was little and for some reason my stool come's out just one one whole big thing and it shouldnt come out like that... after i wipe the toilet paper is just covered in blood and in the toilet theres blood and i had to go thru an awful colin test i felt so uncomfortable i just hope i have a tear inside my bowel then i do in my upper stomic would there be anything i could try to take to help this if its what i have ? because the blood is sometime's dark red and light red well to say exact when you have a cum on your arm well that's what the color of the blood is when it come's out with the stool
   — jake C.