Question:
Is it normal to use an enema and not have ANYTHING come out ?

Including the water that JUST went in!! I'm almost 3 months post op. (open rny) I've had contipation issues since surgery. I don't have BM's w/out an enema. (Before surgery, I would go at least once every two days) Now - after surgery - it's enema or no BM! :( Today, which is only the 3rd time I've done the enema, NOTHING came out! Not even the water that just went in!! Has that ever happened to anyone else? I'm getting scared - I know I need to call the doctor - just wanted to post here since it's Sunday. Thank you all!    — stacey93 (posted on May 18, 2003)

May 18, 2003
Boy I bet that IS scary! Does your dr know that you have to use an enema to get going? I'm also concerned that you are 3 MONTHS postop and can only go with an enema AND this is only the 3rd time you've used one! You only go once a month??? Really, you should call your dr ASAP (if not sooner!).
   — [Deactivated Member]

May 18, 2003
That's bizarre. I'd call the doctor right away. Heck, I might go to the ER if you're in pain, or things just don't feel right. You might be impacted, or have an obstruction. Although, I've read that if you have an obstruction, it's painful and you feel really, really sick. My doctor told me just last week that if you aren't "going" at least once a week, it's a problem that needs to be taken care of somehow. Call your doc! There are things they can do to help you. You don't have to live like that!
   — Diana L.

May 18, 2003
Obvously, you're calling the docs in the morning, but I can say yes, that has happened to me. When I was young, just a few weeks post-baby delivery, I had a kinked intestine, or bowel obstruction. They gave me the first enema of my young life (!) and nothing happened. After determing that was the problem, they finally gave me something for pain. I was EXTREMELY luck that when I wok eup, it had managed to unkink itself and no surgery was necessary. The 2nd time was later, same thing. NO return at all. It was suggested to me that perhaps the colon absorbed that liquid because there was nto enough there...? So, my questions would be: do you drink enough water? Real water? And do you avoid fats/oils?
   — vitalady

May 19, 2003
You must be dehydrated and your body retained and absorbed all the water. If you did another enema you would probably have had results. Let us know what the doc said.
   — Dana S.