Question:
I have not had a bowel movement in two weeks.

This is while eating prunes, taking Colace for the past two weeks, and am now on a prescription medication since Tuesday. It is now Friday. I have absolutely no pain. Could I be impacted????????? What should I do?    — Melva F. (posted on May 14, 2004)

May 14, 2004
I'd get to a doctor or ER. That seems like way to long.
   — Danmark

May 14, 2004
hi i was just like that after my surgery my doc gave me some sodium citrate and it worked well but you can also by it over the counter.
   — JENNIFER S.

May 14, 2004
How far out are you and are you passing gas? If you aren't even passing gas you should get to the doctor right away. This could be serious. Good luck!
   — Pambylah

May 15, 2004
I just had my first since the hospital april 30th yesterday 5/14. It was a relieve. It will come as long as you are passing gas and walking it will come.
   — Susan R.

May 15, 2004
I let myself go that long and have been paying the price ever since. I finally took 2 extra strength ex lax and it worked me, but not without pain. It cramped my stomach but the worst was the rectal pain. It caused hemmroids and a tear that took forever to heal and if I go too long it tears again. I was so impacted that I couldn't incert a suppository. Now if I go more than 2 days, without going, I drink a cup of smooth move tea at night and go in the morning. I live in the south and boiled peanuts help me also. Colace was a big mistake for me because it just made things gummy when it finally happened so I don't use that. It is a softner not a laxitive. Good luck and I hope something moves by the time you read this.
   — Tawnda C.

May 15, 2004
When I was early post-op, I took a spoonful of Phillips Milk of Magnasia every day, and it really helped, I would have a bm about every other day. I tried Benefiber, Colice, exlax and none of these worked. When I was about 4 months post-op, I started eating about 1 to 2 oz's of shelled sunflower seeds, I liked keeping my hands busy cracking the seeds, and eating the seeds keeps me having a bm everyday. But about every two months, I have to take alittle MOM to help the movement, otherwise the seeds do the trick. My doctor told me that you should not go more than two days without a movement.
   — cindy

May 15, 2004
As a nurse, I say call your doc back if the prescription isnt working, you could be obstructed. As a recent tummy tuck and couldnt go for 5 days...whew, I tried prunes, colace, ducolax, fiber and finally got a bottle of yucky mag citrate from Walmart and drank it...next day...success.
   — Connie M.