Question:
Is is normal to have frequent bowell movements

bowel movements even when you are still on the clear liquid diet?Im 9 days post op & have quite a few bowel movements a day.Today is the worse though, a lot.I guess being on clear liquids, I though there would be hardly any bowel movements.I cant tell if Im gonna pass gas or a bowel movement.Can some one tell me if its normal or not. Thanks.    — Steve Z. (posted on September 5, 2003)

September 5, 2003
my doctor said frequent bowel movements are more common then what most people on here complain about not being able to go. anyway back to your question i have very frequent movements, most days 5,6,7 up to 8 times a day. its literaly a pain in the you know what. usually i can feel it coming on which is very often but there have been times since surgery that i haven't made it to the bath room fast enough and one time i had to leave work and go home and take a shower. talk about embarasing. yes i also had them on the clear liquid phase and had one before i left the hospital. i was not required to do a bowel prep before surgery. best luck to you if your anything like me you'll need it.kimberly open distal rny 11/12/02 -120lbs
   — kimberly T.

September 5, 2003
Yes, this is very normal, i no its scarey like you said you dont no if its gonna be gas are a acuall movement,LOL. Iam 1month post-op and it has gotten better, and it wil get better once solids go in to. GOOD LUCK
   — blainejrjeni

September 5, 2003
I had frequent loose stools early post op. My surgeon allowed us to use Imodium AD. That stuff is great! The caplets are absolutely the smallest pills I have ever seen!! You would have absolutely no problem taking them. Check with your surgeon. This really helped me A LOT!! Shelley
   — Shelley.

September 6, 2003
Hi, I'm about 41/2 months post-op, down 103#'s and was told to expect frequent BM's after surgery but luckely I never did. One question comes to mind in reading your question. Do you wait to drink your fluids 30 minutes to 1 hour after eating? I think you are supposed to do that even if you are on an all liquid diet. I was only on that liquid diet while in the hospital which was for 3 days then I went to eating very soft food. For me now, I find that if I drink shortly after I eat it will cause me to have a very loose BM. Good luck to you.
   — Kim J.

September 6, 2003
Are you doing milk? Or real juice? Check the sugar g on everything you are eating/drinking AND the serving size. Try cutting sugar back to single digit g per meal. Eliminate milk for 3 days and then go back on---those are the usual triggers.
   — vitalady