Question:
Any of you postops tried Benefiber? If so does it seem to work pretty well?

Sorry to gross any of you out, but for the last few days I have had the worst constipation ever! This morning I must have been on the toilet for 45 minutes. It got to the point where I had to take a glove and try to dig it out (really sorry to gross y'all with that, but its the truth). I went again this afternoon and it was literally like having a baby! Anyway I thought I'd try this Benefiber and see if it prevents the problem. I also bought some Colace too to try and help things along. What do you all think?    — Kris T. (posted on October 20, 2003)

October 20, 2003
My mother has difficulty with constipation. She takes one colace every evening before bed, and has benefiber in her morning beverage and then again some with her post dinner/before bed beverage. It has helped her maintain "normal" movements for over a year now. She actually had to have surgery because of a complication that developed from years of battling with constipation, and it was horribly painful for her... this is what was suggested to help prevent the problem from reoccurring. Good luck!
   — Kimberly J.

October 20, 2003
I had this same problem and now eat some Fiber One cereal every morning or snack on some during the day and it has helped to regulate me better. I still do not have a "daily" movement, but more like every 2 or 3 days, but it is normal when I do go.
   — K H.

October 20, 2003
I use Benefiber. I use four tablespoons a day (two in my morning drink, and two in my afternoon Crystal Lite). I like that it dissolves completely without changing the texture or taste of my drink. I was still occasionally having problems, so I've added two Fibercon capsules a day to the plan, and that combination works beautifully--so well that I can probably cut back to two tablespoons of Benefiber a day.
   — Vespa R.

October 20, 2003
I have had the same problem with constipation, to the point of drawing blood. My doctor told me to get 20 grams of fiber a day and take colace. If I havent had a movement in several days, I skip the colace that day and use Senekot (a natural vegetable laxative. This seems to work pretty good.
   — Denise B.

October 20, 2003
I am 2 1/2 months post-op, and the first few weeks post-op I had a very hard time with my bm, so I took Phillips Milk of Magnasia, and it worked, I took a tablespoon and cleaned myself out, then I took a teaspoon about every other day. I think you should have a movement everyday, except if you have dirrea, then you could go a day or so without a movement. Now that I am further post op, I eat 1 oz of shelled sunflower seeds everyday, I take the shells off and eat the seed inside, it gives me the fiber that I need daily, they have alot of protein, and I have a movement everyday, but best of all I love being able to eat them. It is a good snack for sitting and watching tv, the hand to mouth of opening the shell. You need to keep trying until you find something that works for you. Good luck
   — cindy

October 20, 2003
Benefiber does the trick for me. I only take it about once a week-- only when I go several days without having a bowel movement. But, when I take it, it does produce a bowel movement within 24 hours. Keep in mind that you may not go every day like you did before the surgery-- with so little going in, it may not come out but just every few days.
   — Wendy T.

October 21, 2003
I have been using Benefiber for several years and I really like how you can mix it in anything without changing the taste or texture! It works really fast too. It sounds like maybe you need more liquid intake? I know if I eat too many salty things and not enough liquids I have terrible constipation. Try the benefiber, it may be just the trick for you!
   — Karen M.