Question:
Has anyone had a rectal prolapse due to severe post-op constipation?

Just spent an hour & a half this morning straining on the toilet until I finally gave up (I managed to get some poop out but not all of it; still felt full). I jumped in the shower & when I went to soap my anal area, I felt a firm protrusion. I was terrified. Now I'm just lying on the sofa, hoping whatever it is goes away. I think it may be a rectal prolapse. When I sit on a chair, I feel uncomfortable anal pressure & some slight pain in lower abdomen; when I stand, I feel dizzy, so that's why I'm lying down. I've been battling constipation on & off ever since rny (distal) 3 months ago. And I've used Milk of Mag and Citrucell; I guess I need to take the Citrucell daily from now on. But anyway, if this is a rectal prolapse, does this mean trouble, or will it go back into place on its own? I dread having to have the doc look at my butt. It's embarassing and plus I have my period now!!!    — [Anonymous] (posted on August 20, 2001)

August 20, 2001
My daughter had a prolapsed colon (through the rectum) because of severe constipation. Fortunately she was only 2 years old at the time and I was able to push it back in for her by pressing it in with my finger. If you are unable to force yours back in then you will need to see a doctor. The doctor told me that my daughter would have to stay on stool softeners for quite awhile since the bowel had given way it was now in a weakened state and needed time to heal and strengthen. If it kept happening, she would have had to have surgery. It did keep happening and I began to panic--not wanting my daughter to go through such a painful surgery. Each time she was through using the toilet I would force it back in. I felt the doctor's treating the symptom rather than the cause was not a correct treatment. After spending time in prayer I felt led to take my daughter off of all dairy products and fed her daily doses of acidophilus. That did the trick. Her constipation went away and she never had another repeat episode after I took her off of dairy. I didn't let her have dairy products for 2 years after which time I slowly reintroduced it back into her diet and she was fine. Your constipation is most likely diet related and you need to find out what you're eating or not eating that's causing it. You may not be getting enough fiber. I also strongly suggest taking acidophilus to get your intestinal flora back into a healthy state.
   — artistmama

August 20, 2001
Talk to whichever of your doctors you feel will be the most sympathetic and not likely to embarrass you too much: your surgeon, your PCP, or your gynecologist. The upshot is, though, that you should see ONE of your doctors, SOON. Untreated rectal prolapses can get more and more serious until they require painful surgery, but treated ones can be reduced and healed. Doctors see it ALL, especially gynecologists and surgeons. <br><br> I have a rectocele, which is a little different... my rectum bulges into my vagina because those muscles are weak. I'm one of the especially unlucky 25% that has to use &quot;manual expression&quot; in other words, sometimes I have to put a clean finger in my vagina and then push hard to finish pooping. I am waiting until after I've lost most of my weight to see if I need to get this surgically fixed.. probably.<br><br> Good luck, but don't ignore this problem!
   — Julia M.

August 20, 2001
I am 9 1/2 months out open RNY distal for the first few months it felt like I had to poop more then was coming out the Doctor told us not to push and it always felt like I was not done but I was scared to push and the Doctor said *little in, Little out* it means just what it says maybe your not constipated maybe there is no more in there just the feeling of more stop pushing try the pushing it back in and then staying off the pot if you can and when you have to go sit back and relax and if it doesnt fall out then get up and let it alone I know drinking plenty of water and walking helps with BM's
   — Kathleen M.