Post-Surgery TMI - Help!
Phrick
Posts: 2,765 Member
Hey everyone - I had robotic hysterectomy on Monday, 5/9 at 7:30am and all went well except I haven't pooped since the pre-op bowel prep! I can feel gas bubbling around, I can feel the pressure building, but nothing will come out. I can't bear down to force the issue either. I know it is due to the pain medication (Norco and Tramadol) since they always back me up quite a bit, but on my surgeon's advice I've been taking Miralax twice a day since the minute I got home (about 2:00 Mon. afternoon) but no dice. It is making the pain way worse than it needs to be and I'm practically in tears every time I have to stand up because my lower gut is so painful. The discharge paperwork says "DO NOT let yourself become constipated" (too late) but doesn't say what to do if it does happen! I am drinking plenty of fluid (back up to 12-16 glasses a day, my typical)... help! 
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You sound so miserable! Have you tried adding some magnesium? That always does the trick for me.0
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Always find strong perc coffee does it!!
Hope you get better soon x0 -
@Sabine_Stroehm I took 2 tsp Natural Calm in addition to my usual 400mg of Mag glycinate this morning - nothing. I even broke down and took some Correctol but it says it can take 6-12 hours to produce a BM so it could be a while.
@slimstrauss - yeah I had strong coffee this morning and yesterday too, still no luck. Thinking if nothing moves by this afternoon I'm going to have to call the doc again.
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@Sabine_Stroehm I took 2 tsp Natural Calm in addition to my usual 400mg of Mag glycinate this morning - nothing. I even broke down and took some Correctol but it says it can take 6-12 hours to produce a BM so it could be a while.
@slimstrauss - yeah I had strong coffee this morning and yesterday too, still no luck. Thinking if nothing moves by this afternoon I'm going to have to call the doc again.
Ooh that's too bad. My one abdominal surgery went the same way. Let us know what the doc says.0 -
I had a TAH almost 2 weeks ago. I had 4 prunes, 1 cup of warm prune juice, and a strong cup of coffee the afternoon that I got home and was able to go a lot that evening. Due to my hemoglobin being low I've been put on iron along with colace because the iron constipates me too much. I haven't taken anything for pain in the last week, but I do know that narcotics can constipate some people. Ask your doctor if taking a stool softener would help in your case.0
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I had a TAH almost 2 weeks ago. I had 4 prunes, 1 cup of warm prune juice, and a strong cup of coffee the afternoon that I got home and was able to go a lot that evening. Due to my hemoglobin being low I've been put on iron along with colace because the iron constipates me too much. I haven't taken anything for pain in the last week, but I do know that narcotics can constipate some people. Ask your doctor if taking a stool softener would help in your case.
So yesterday I tried Miralax (2 doses yesterday and 2 doses the day before) with no luck;
6 prunes & 12 oz prune juice - no effect;
2 tsp of Magnesium Citrate powder in water, nothing;
1 tablet of magnesium oxide 400mg, ditto;
15mg (3 tablets) of Correctol stimulant laxative - still nothing;
finally called the doc in tears and was told to get 2 enemas... use one, if it didn't work in 30 minutes, use the other and if THAT still didn't work, get and drink some Magnesium Citrate colonoscopy prep.
Well, I did have to use both enemas but it finally worked, but things are iffy already again today. I mean when I can get anything out it is still loose from all the things i tried yesterday, but actually GETTING it out of me is the problem!0 -
^ I would say that if you had all of those things and went yesterday, not to worry about going everyday. After any type of surgery it is normal for our systems to slow down and even though we might have gone daily before. It's fine to go every 3'rd day now. That said, Before my Surgery I was hardly able to go even every 3 days due to the size of the fibroids that I had that were most likely compressing my colon. Since the surgery I go every day with the help of all the water, coffee, colace, that I have daily.
If you are on a lot of narcotics for pain management, talk to your doctor about other things that you can try that would be less constipating for you. I also walk 6 to 8.5 miles a day. If you like walking, try walking more as I think activity really helps a lot. Plus, give yourself some time. You are only 3 days post op and like I said it could take a little time for your system to return to normal again...Hope you feel better soon.
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How are you feeling now?0
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@Sabine_Stroehm - oh so much better - although i've pretty much gone the opposite direction. I think I went back to my Bullet Proof Chai Tea maybe a little too soon lol. But I'm getting around more, and got permission to drive, and go to my chiropractor, yesterday... things are looking up. I only now wish for the bruising in my fat flap to go away, it's the only part that's still pretty painful (which is probably good since it is the only thing reminding me to keep it slow...)0
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@Sabine_Stroehm - oh so much better - although i've pretty much gone the opposite direction. I think I went back to my Bullet Proof Chai Tea maybe a little too soon lol. But I'm getting around more, and got permission to drive, and go to my chiropractor, yesterday... things are looking up. I only now wish for the bruising in my fat flap to go away, it's the only part that's still pretty painful (which is probably good since it is the only thing reminding me to keep it slow...)
It sounds like you're doing great!!0
