Question:
How long does it take to have your 1st bowel movement

The reason I ask is I had mine at 6days post op. I am only on a clear liquids. I didn't have any bowel prep before surgery, only clear liquids the day before surgery. I also got asthmatic bronchitis at 4day post op. I'm taking medicine. Could this be why I go quite often.    — mary jane S. (posted on October 2, 2003)

October 2, 2003
I had my first one at 2 weeks post-op. I was on liquids for 2 days before surgery and 12 days after surgery. It would have been two weeks post surgery but I was hospitalized at 12 days post-op for a non-WLS-related condition. My philosophy is nothing in, nothing out *G*...JR (open RNY 07/17/02 -201# since surgery, -214# total, 13# til goal!!!)
   — John Rushton

October 2, 2003
I think I had mine about 2-3 days postop but it was close to diarrhea. My surgeon said it might take a while for my system to readjust and it did - was having normal BMs within a couple weeks.
   — bethybb

October 2, 2003
Had surgery on Monday, no food until Friday, bowel movement on Saturday. Been very regular ever since and no diarrhea (except when I ate an avacado - oy vay! not good! but that's a totally different story)
   — [Deactivated Member]

October 2, 2003
10 days, then the 2nd one was a week after that.
   — TheresaC

October 2, 2003
I had my first BM about 15 minutes after I ingested my first food! It was liquid and urgent! My bowels stayed liquid for a while, but then I was taking in only pureed foods and liquids. I have had loose stools for years, and now they are fairly normal. I used to go 10 or so times a day, now it's once or twice!
   — Linda S.

October 2, 2003
I just had my first bm today, and only after taking milk of magnesia (yuck, btw) and i am just at 7 days post-op. i heard that sometimes the anesthesia can slow all your plumbing down for a bit. i feel much better having gone.
   — jenn_jenn

October 2, 2003
I had mine at a week post op, after severe constipation and a trip back to the hospital for 4 days. I was convinced it was a stricture. Turned out that the pain meds stopped my intestinal tract cold. Narcotics can really do anumber on you. After an enema and some laxatives I was fine!
   — Fixnmyself