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Constipation after op

Posted , 7 users are following.

ann_marie_61947
ann_marie_61947

Morning my lovely ladies it's me again, I need some help. I'm struggling with my bowels, the problem is I don't feel constipated yet I haven't had a bowel motion as such since Wednesday, day of my op. I had very very small motion when I came out of hospital on Friday but to be honest it was nothing really and very loose. Has anyone else had problems with getting there bowels working again, I'm getting worried as I still don't feel I need to go yet.

Love Ann xx

0 likes, 20 replies

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  • lyn1951
    lyn1951 ann_marie_61947

    Posted

    Ann marie - Painkillers do that to you, they are very good at blocking things up.

    Will put in order of drastic action, pear juice, orange juice, and or prune juice. go careful, its what works for you. pear juice, and or orange juice (works faster for me) never needed to resort to prune juice thank goodness.

    • ann_marie_61947
      ann_marie_61947 lyn1951

      Posted

      Cheers Lynn, will give that ago today. I am on stool softeners but they don't seem to be working.

      Xxx

    • lyn1951
      lyn1951 ann_marie_61947

      Posted

      Ann marie - hope you understood what I said, try pear juice a half cup at a time, early in the morning, breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, etc, by the next morning if nothing has happened step up to orange juice, same order of business so to speak, then if still nothing happening prune juice, thats really pulling out he big guns.  For me the pear juice worked wonders, in the hospital, when I was on a really strong dosage of painkillers, and then I settled down to normal. Kept up movements with orange juice, when I got home, but very limited just how much I can drink, even though I love ornage juice. has a very drastic result for me. Cannot drink screwdrivers at the pub because half an hour later, nasty, and the toilets had better not have any holdups, with toooo many people using them at the same time.
  • karen42074
    karen42074 ann_marie_61947

    Posted

    Hi Ann

    was just catching up on posts. I am 10 weeks tom, post LAVH BSO (was originally to be a TAH but surgeon on day decided to try the other way first.

    Regarding BM, ask your doc for something lime Movicol, it really helps..some folks use Senna. I found Movicol gentler..,though my initial dose was to make up a huge jug of the dtuff and sip at it constantly...within a few hours the bowel impaction I had developed from not going for a week, was removed..,a bit painfully, but def better after...best get on top of it asap. (I was eating extremely healthily and drinking plenty of water and juices, but pain meds and iron tablets all bind you, but had no choice).

    keep taking the softener too.  The bowel gets a lot of handling during the ops whichever one you have, so can take a while to settle down again.  It's normal, so not to be frightened its somethng else.

    as everyone has said, take it easy, accept lots of pampering and help, any way it comes.  I've unfortunately had a few set backs, still being treated for, but still so much better than all the probs pre-op and knowing I am cancer free too. Huge relief.  Bless you. Karen

    • ann_marie_61947
      ann_marie_61947 karen42074

      Posted

      Thanks Karen great advice. I was told to take Senna but I have heard it can cause serious stomach cramps so I won't take it as I do t want that and the pain from op as well. Will call docs and ask about movicol and I'm also going to try pear and prune juice as well as that was adviced by Lyn in an earlier post. I forgot all about movicol I'm aware of this drug and how good it is so call docs now.

      Cheers

      Love Ann xx

    • karen42074
      karen42074 ann_marie_61947

      Posted

      Def try anything and everything natural, but dont let it go too long would be my best advice.  I was eating lots of pears (think supoosed to be good eostrogen type food, unless I'm getting my reading mixed up now), as well as juice, plus pruness, apricots etc. The latter just increased 'wind factor' lol, though it was a bit painful.  

      Am still drinking lots of peppermint tea, which did help wind-pain, plus mentos mints have been consumed like never before..(also to help with metallic-y taste in mouth-menopause symptoms).

      Ended up using Movicol once or twice a day after initial heavy dose, then eased back to see if body was settling down and just used if I didn't go for a day or two or started getting that ache in the side.  No longer use at all now. Best wishes. Karen x

  • jasdip68
    jasdip68 ann_marie_61947

    Posted

    Hi, Mrs, a story familiar to most of us, I suspect. I'm a bit impatient and was eating and drinking normally, but worried where it was all going if it wasn't coming out! Had been on Morphine for 2 days then some codeine, both cause slowing of bowel muscles. Had op on a Tues, no action by Sunday so I talked to pharmacist and came out with glycerine suppositories. Worked within 10 mins, was a relief!! Hospital had prescribed docusate (Senna) to soften, and glycerine just seemed to get things started up again. Only did it once, then all seemed to settle back into a routine. Be warned, it may be different than before the op- I used to be a daily girl, now 2-3 days, but not apparently doing any harm!! See what doc says.xx
  • Nannyrose
    Nannyrose ann_marie_61947

    Posted

    Hi Ann Marie

    Glad to hear you're on the mend. I tried everything, peppermint tea, peppermint capsules, fruit, movicol but the only thing that helped me was lactulose. Also i had read if you try curling your legs up on the toilet or leaning forward and backwards on the loo this can help 'move' it. It certainly helped me.

  • egemom
    egemom ann_marie_61947

    Posted

    Ginger tea works great too. My aunt brought me licorice tea as well. She said that it worked in about 10 hours. After my surgeries I had a lot of problem with constipation. It was terrible. TO the point that I had to get prior authorization for a prescription med to get my bowels moving. Needless to say that worked!! 

    Also I drank a lot of prune and apple juice. I hope that helps. 

  • kim216
    kim216 ann_marie_61947

    Posted

    Hi, it was 6 days before I had a movement after recent hysterectomy, and I tool lactulose, got it from my Mum, but think you can buy from local Chemist or GP.
  • ann_marie_61947
    ann_marie_61947

    Posted

    Hi there ladies thanks for all your comments on such a delicate subject haha. Everything is ok now I ate pears and apples and liquorice worked well, only problem I'm being left with now is pain when opening my bowels and having a wee it doesn't feel like an infection feels like muscle spasms, but oh my does it hurt. By the way ladies does this blooming swollen tummy ever go down and will it ever look right again I seem to have what looks like a pouch and it's horrible, not happy as I had lost a lot of weight prior to surgery.

    Scribble back soon my lovelies

    Ann xx

    • Nannyrose
      Nannyrose ann_marie_61947

      Posted

      The swollen tummy lasts months, I still get a 'tight' feelin now and that's 9 months post op. The pouch may go down but I was told by my gynae it will never be the same as they cut all your stomach muscles so will never go back to how it was. It's early days for you yet, take your time and enjoy the rest. X
    • karen42074
      karen42074 ann_marie_61947

      Posted

      I remember similar type pains/spasms...felt like body was trying to leap frog inside if that makes sense...a hurdle at the last minute..they do settle down too. Think its bruising.. Keep eye on tho as infection best picked up early. I had a high white cell count at that time but no 'germs' grew from whatever was causing it.

      Hi ann marie, the tummy swelling is supposed to go down eventually tho may be around in varying sizes during the next year...apparently bigger towards end of day and when overdone things..it too is supposed to settle eventually..it is a pest but better than bleeding all over the place for me..I am only just getting used to the pressure caused by wearing a bra for a few hours too. Cant stand it for long at all. Living in nighties and very loose pj bottoms so i can save my few 'floatier' tops for outings...dont like tight clothing anyway, but even my normal stuff makes me feel like i look pregnant, with my rounded sort of belly lol.

      best wishes. K

    • karen42074
      karen42074

      Posted

      Somehow managed to move my greeting to second paragraph...it's late! Lol..
    • ann_marie_61947
      ann_marie_61947 karen42074

      Posted

      Hi there Karen, thanks for your reply, I think I'm just worried the swollen belly will never go down, and your right at the end of the day it looks alot worse, I was really fit and healthy before my op and I under estimated the painful recovery and the amount the belly swells. I guess l will just have to ride it out haha. As for the pains when urinating and opening bowels I will keep my eye in it as it's very painful I dread going to the loo.

      As for the clothes in the same as you but in wearing all my size 16 clothes there very baggy I look like a trampling them as I'm only 9 st 4 lb now very frustrating isn't it.

      Speak soon and thanks again I do appreciate everyone's comments

      Xxxxx

    • karen42074
      karen42074 ann_marie_61947

      Posted

      If you havent got an infection cuasing pain on urinating, it could be hormonal..i had terrible burning type pain, like chafed skin..felt very uncomfortable, doc gave me some hrt suppositories, as she thinks its to do with eostrogen loss (I uad everything out and surgical menopause fully kicked in around week 6), and though not all the problems have disappeared the burning chafed feeling definitely better.  Maybe something to ask about. X 
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