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Sorry but I have to ask.

Posted , 6 users are following.

phoebewhite
phoebewhite

What have other ladies been taking or have taken for sluggish bowels? redface I am a little over 6 months post op and still having problems in that area, it's the only thing I have had problems with, it's getting really frustrating, am I being impatient in expecting things to be back to normal by now? I am taking 1 senna tablet most nights to help things along but if I miss a night nothing happens the next day, I am vegetarian for heavens sake so cant eat any more veggies than I do already, admittedly I am not so good at drinking water.........blahhhh! don't like it but I try to drink fruit teas regularly, I have heard that taking a Magnesium suppliment can help, anyone else taking it for this reason? I love prunes so am going to up my intake of those and am eating almonds as I think they are supposed to be good as well. Please ladies any help/advice very greatfully received. Many thanks.

Phoebe x biggrin

1 like, 26 replies

26 Replies

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  • lyn04748
    lyn04748 phoebewhite

    Posted

    I had my op last nov & have also suffered with my bowel , I had to take large amounts of iron tablets for months afterwards so that did not help , the doctor prescribed a softener until I was off the iron but I still need to take Senna twice a week , I try to eat prunes & drink more water which does help , things are getting better , just did not expect it to take this long , hope things improve soon for you .x
    • phoebewhite
      phoebewhite lyn04748

      Posted

      Glad it's not just me but sorry you are suffering as well, I'm not much of a cereal eater but I suppose it would be a small price to pay to try to put things right, it's just so annoying, you don't get told all of this before the op or at least I wasn't told, I was on masses of iron tablets before my op but they didn't cause me any problems at all, things were always as regular as clockwork, I want to get back to that again, is it too much to ask? LOLlol.

      Phoebe.

  • lyn04748
    lyn04748 phoebewhite

    Posted

    I was told that your bowel could play up but not for this long & iron tablets plus pain killers just made matters worse , most of my pain was down to my bladder & bowel , I'm now on hrt & I think things are settling down better now I'm on it , Senna is good & I only take them a couple of times a week , really try to make my diet better with more fluids , it does not have to be water & soft fruits , you would think with being a vegetarian everything would be good , it is an awful operation & for a while I really wished I'd never had it done but I'm sure we will all get there in time , I just want to feel normal .x
    • phoebewhite
      phoebewhite lyn04748

      Posted

      Yes I know what you mean about the wanting to feel normal, my tummy still swells up from time to time during the day, I sometimes go a whole day without it happening but not often, I have never wish I hadn't had it done though, I was bleeding such a lot beforehand, don't miss that.

      Yes I think I must up my fluids, I am one of those people (my eldest son the same) who can have a drink first thing in the morning then suddenly realise at 4 in the afternoon that I haven't had a drink since, I consciously have to remind myself to drink.

      We will all have to come on here and put out some kind of bunting when we feel normal again.

      Take care

      Phoebe x

  • maria16574
    maria16574 phoebewhite

    Posted

    I am 3 months post went back to work 2 weeks ago and now vacation. But I do have bad problem so bad they put me on lizness and can't go without it. Doctor hopes I can get back normal if not an ultrasound. I do like lizness it cleans me out daily. Best of luck. And take care.
    • phoebewhite
      phoebewhite maria16574

      Posted

      The bowels obviously suffer a lot after having a hysterectomy, I know I was quite paranoid about getting constipated in the early days but now I am really getting fed up, I will begin today by making sure I drink plenty.

      Take care

      Phoebe x

    • belper2012
      belper2012 phoebewhite

      Posted

      My sister fore warned about everything apart from the swelling lasting so long so I was prepared for the bowels had peppermint tea at least 4 cups a day it really does work if that fails curry is the next best thing lol xxx
    • phoebewhite
      phoebewhite belper2012

      Posted

      I can't eat curry so that's out, Peppermint tea it is then.

      Thanks. I have had my 1 cup of decaf coffee just now, prunes and weetabix and a handful of Almonds, Peppermint tea for the rest of the day then. x biggrin

  • jacqueline67292
    jacqueline67292 phoebewhite

    Posted

    Hi Phoebe

    Try Movicol, you can take up to three a day and it has quite a gentle action but very effective, also eat lots of veg.  

    Very glad everything is going well, don't worry you will soon have your bowel under control.

    Love

    Jacqui smile

    • phoebewhite
      phoebewhite jacqueline67292

      Posted

      Hi Jacqui,

      hope you are doing well?

      Thanks I will try Movicol, I'm vegetarian so already eat loads of veg, that is the annoying bit, I get plenty of excercise as well, I think a lot of my problem as I have said before, I don't drink enough so am trying to address that starting today.

      Phoebe x

    • jacqueline67292
      jacqueline67292 phoebewhite

      Posted

      Hi Phoebe

      Yes thanks I am extremely well except for quivering like a jelly! cry I have my cataract op on Friday and I am terrified!  Everyone keeps saying to me 'you have just sailed through a hysterectomy what is the problem?'  Tee! hee! being awake is my big problem.  I love being put to sleep and then told it is all over when you wake up, then I can be the model patient! I am the patient from hell if awake, I am quite likely to run through the nearest exit!

      I hope the Movicol works for you.  I am prescribed it because I have Diverticulitis and movicol stops any pain I used to get.  Also my Ian has it prescribed  because his morphine stops bowel movements dead!   

      It is great you have lots of veg, and good you are going to increase your water intake it really does help get the system working and also lots of walking, really gets things fired up.   Fingers crossed that it works for you.  

      Love

      Jacqui smile

    • phoebewhite
      phoebewhite jacqueline67292

      Posted

      You'll be fine Jacqui, I have a friend who has just had hers done and she said it wasn't as bad as she had anticipated.

      Yes Morphine is awful for getting you all bunged up, I was a nursing auxiliary on a cancer ward and this was always a problem.

      I have managed 2 pints of water so far today, but I really have to push myself.

      All the best for Friday, when you are allowed to read etc afterwards, let us know how you got on.

      Phoebe xx

    • jacqueline67292
      jacqueline67292 phoebewhite

      Posted

      Hi Phoebe

      Well done on the 2 pts, keep at it, 2 litres is a very good amount each day.  The things we have to do to keep our bowels happy!  

      It could not have been an easy job for you working on the cancer ward, but lovely for the patients to have someone as caring as you looking after them.  

      Thank you very much for your good wishes I will let you know how I get on.  Do you know I never even thought of 'when can I read', I have a long list of questions for Friday, ah so now I have another question.  Tee! hee! my questions are all 'when can I wear makeup, put eye cream on etc'  On the forum for cataracts on this site I asked some of my questions and a lovely lady suggested I wear pretty large sunglasses to compensate for no eye makeup for 6 weeks, what an excellent idea, I will bling it up and probably look much better than before.  A gentleman came on (not used to men answering!) and thought it was strange that all the women on the site were only concerned with when they could wear eye makeup and have their hair coloured!  That's another thing I did not realise you could not have your hair coloured until 6 weeks after the op!  Luckily I am having my done 2 days before the op!  These forums are like getting a complete eductation, plus meeting lots of amazing people.  

      I did reply to James explaining that my wonderful Surgeon Mr Johnson had explained the operation to me fully, I didn't want him to think that I was totally obsessed with frivolous things and didn't care about my sight.  He wrote back and we had quite a laugh in the end!

      Hope you have good results from the bowel soon Phoebe, let me know how you are getting on.  

      Love

      Jacqui smile

    • phoebewhite
      phoebewhite jacqueline67292

      Posted

      LOL, can you imagine men coming on here saying things like 'Hope you have good results from the bowel soon, let me know how you are getting on'.   That did make me chuckle.

      I don't know where I got the not reading part after cateract surgery, I may be wrong or it might be 'old' advice I don't even think my friend said it, I might be talking out of my hat! LOL. I do know you aren't meant to lift for a while afterwards so you should be used to that one.

      Phoebe x

    • jacqueline67292
      jacqueline67292 phoebewhite

      Posted

      Hi Phoebe

      Tee! hee! any men wandering onto this site would soon disappear when they see how graphic we often get. redface But that is why I love this forum you can ask anything and usually someone can help or suggest something! No question is off limits.  

      I have added the reading question to my list, it is quite an important thing, so thank you very much for that.   Ian and I were laughing wondering why it never occurred to us!rolleyes  Oh yes, the familiar words of 'only walking' were echoing around the consulting room.  Luckily it is only for a week but I had just started my full keep fit programme and was in full swing! cry Still if dear Mr Johnson performs the miracle that most of his patients say he does I shall be extremely grateful,cool and the good thing about exercising is you can always build it up from scratch again and it does not take long to feel completely fit again.  

      Let me know how you go, don't forget to have your feet raised slightly with your heels up, elbows on your thighs and rock, and then the almighty 'slow moo.......' stop laughing, it really really works, honest, I do it every time (now we have the men running!)redface

      The very sad thing is I am still not allowed to lift Rosie. cry At 8 kilos I thought at my 3 month 'all clear' I would get the go ahead but it was all shaking heads and no way.   It is the only thing left to conquer but I was told 'avoid lifting her completely, still it is amazing how you get around these little problems.  

      Love

      Jacquilol

    • phoebewhite
      phoebewhite jacqueline67292

      Posted

      Jacqui you do make me laugh with your mooing advice,lol where on earth did you hear about that? In the nicest possible way I think I will always think of you whilst going about my business as it were smile.

      My stomach is gurgling, it sounds like a thunderstorm, it's all the bloomin' water I've been drinking.

      I am at almost 7 months now and still don't like lifting anything too heavy....though I do, I lifted a 14kg sack of dog food the other day, my other half went ballistic!! Quite rightly, but I have always been independant in that way and I find it hard having to ask 'please can you do this'............I'm a naughty girl.frown

      Phoebe x

    • jacqueline67292
      jacqueline67292 phoebewhite

      Posted

      Hi Phoebe 

      Ah just remember when you are performing I am with you!razz  A lovely lady on this forum explained all about the mooing when I was first asking questions, if you moo slowly it releases your diaphragm muscle which makes everything work much easier so no straining!  She then said 'you must tell your husband because I didn't tell mine and he nearly called the paramedics when he heard me mooing!'  Well Ian's sense of humour is definitely 'toilet humour' so when I told him he nearly collapsed with laughter and in the end we were both rolling up crying with laughter!  But it has been the best thing anyone has ever advised me to do.  Especially as I was so frightened, (having had my poor bowel resited), I did not want to do any damage!  

      Hee! hee! I can hear your stomach gurgling from here!  It will get used to it trust me!  

      Oh Phoebe oh my god 14 kg  rolleyes............ that is some weight, no wonder your other half went ballistic!  I really know what you mean though, I really hate asking for help, I always think 'I could have done the job completely and be onto something else in the time you have to go and ask and explain etc!  I have no patience that is the trouble!    Ah us independent women what will become of us!  Did your stomach hurt when you lifted the dog food?  

      Love

      Jacqui smile

    • phoebewhite
      phoebewhite jacqueline67292

      Posted

      I will try the mooing then, amazing isn't it, just 8 short months ago I was completely oblivious of all these fun things lol!

      My tummy didn't hurt when lifted the dog food but boy did it swell! I won't do it again............honest 😊.

      X

    • jacqueline67292
      jacqueline67292 phoebewhite

      Posted

      Hi Phoebe

      Happy mooing!  Amazing what education we have been lacking all these years!   Have you shared with your partner yet?  I cannot wait to hear his reaction!rolleyes

      Mind you you must be strong to lift 14 kg, but please be careful.

      Love

      Jacqui lol

    • phoebewhite
      phoebewhite jacqueline67292

      Posted

      No haven't mentioned the mooing yet, mind you hubby thinks I have lost the plot anyway so he probably won't bat an eyelid,eek.

       

    • jacqueline67292
      jacqueline67292 phoebewhite

      Posted

      Hi Phoebe 

      Tee! hee! I expect all our hubbies think we are on another planet,rolleyes I think we puzzle them completely but there is a certain logic in our madness!  Hope your bowel problem is sorting itself out, hee! hee!  I am just off to do some mooing of my own.redface  Take care.

      Love

      Jacqui lol

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