I was banded 6/26/2012, and i just can't seem to stay regular! I take stool softener 2 to 3 times a day. I take fiber supplement twice a day besides eating fruits and veggies. I drink water all day long! And still dry, hard stool is what I get, which has caused hemmroids. Not fun stuff! Sorry if tmi but wondering if any one has any tricks, advice to help? O yeah miralax has stopped working for me as it seems everything else.

milk of magnesia helps a lot for me and my disabliled kids try that one. lets us know.

Line-dancer

Yeah, I was gonna say Milk of Magnesia. In a pinch, you can use Fleet Supositories. I know it isn't ideal but it usually does the trick within 30 minutes. Try M of M first though. Take it at night and I would say right after breakfast you should have some results.

I WAS having an issue with it until I dramatically upped my water/fluids. I would urge you to make sure you are drinking a lot during the day as it will help tremendously. I still don't have a daily bm; however, they are "normal" now. It was very painful and that has gone away. My doctor told me it is ok not to have one every day as we are not eating a lot of fiber (since we are focused on protein and only eating small portions of fiber).

I was banded 6/26/2012, and i just can't seem to stay regular! I take stool softener 2 to 3 times a day. I take fiber supplement twice a day besides eating fruits and veggies. I drink Water all day long! And still dry, hard stool is what I get, which has caused hemmroids. Not fun stuff! Sorry if tmi but wondering if any one has any tricks, advice to help? O yeah miralax has stopped working for me as it seems everything else.

I know this sounds simple but increase your water intake. Almost double what you're doing now. I know it'll be hard to drink even more water but believe me it works. You don't want to cause a fissure, NO FUN. I didn't drink enough water and got a fissure in 2008. Not fun.

milk of magnesia helps a lot for me and my disabliled kids try that one. lets us know.

Line-dancer

Do u take daily? Or is it just when u haven't went in a couple of days? I will try thanks

Thank u all, yes it's a hard balance. But I will increase my water intake hopefully that will help. I guess my issue is much harder cause if I don't go for a day with hemmroids, I'll pay big time when I do, so painful with hemmroids! Ugh <<sigh>>

follow direction first sometimes it takes a couple of days for me but then it empty's out completly.

Line-dancer

I second the fleet recommendation. Like you, I had taken MoM for several days, then added Miramax. When it was finally ready, it was impossible to pass without extreme straining and I wasn't going to do that no matter what. I was one step from going to the ER for impaction about 6 days post OP when I learned about the Fleet Liquid Glycerine. I used two actually and found relief within 15 minutes. I went to four stores to find it (it's not the same as the stuff in the big box). The box is about 3 inches tall; finally found it at Walgreen's. Would definitely recommend if you get to that level of desperation make your family leave the house before you do it. I never had to do anything like that before, it was awful. I must have been making a lot of noise during that 15 minutes; the dog and the cat were both sitting at the doorway to the bathroom with very concerned looks when I came out. But I didn't care, I was a new woman and thankfully haven't had an issue since. I know that's all TMI, but learning about that product was a lifesaver at that moment!

I drink over a gallon of water a day, eat fresh fruits, fiber, oats...and still have the same issues. Its so annoying to think I would go almost 2x a day before surgery to once every 3 days. it really suxs! I once drank half a gallon of welchs grape (in 3 days) juice and went 5 days in a row, but I don't want to depend on all that sugar and drink to keep doing this. grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

if your stool is hard/dry that means you arent getting enough water. drink 3x as much as you drink now ... also I eat raw spinach and lettuce salads .... like 2 cups of salad mix a day and Im fine.