Constipation. The word...there, I said it. And yes, I'm having issues. I have to admit, I thought I'd be the ONLY post-op pt to NOT have issues because I have been SO regular allll my life. But.....sure enough....I'm having issues.

So......what do I do? I mean, I know to drink more. But, seriously.....what works the best? Will I have to be constipated the rest of my life? Do I take something to keep me regular the rest of my life? What do I do for RIGHT NOW since I am only going a very little bit every day (with 2 stool softeners already).

I want to get a bottle of Mg. Citrate and just drink it and deal with the consequences.

HELP!!! :cursing:

am with you on this, I am now on day 12 without anything in sight! Doctor has given me some gentle laxatives which I started taking last night but still nothing :cursing:

Miralax is really amazing stuff. I only dealt with constipation on a couple of occasions, but it was resolved quickly, painlessly, and efficiently with Miralax. I mixed it in gatorade or juice, let it sit for 10 minutes and then drank it. Within a few hours, I had relief.

Once I started back with my morning coffee, I never had issues. Protein is notorious for causing constipation. If you're on protein supplements/drinks, you can add benefiber to them or add it to your Clear liquids to help keep things moving.

When you can start adding in more Fiber filled foods, it will help as well.

I am a month out and if it weren't for chemical help I wouldn't go at all. My surgeon said it was okay to take MoM. Now, I'd rather do a lot of things than drink milk of magnesia, but I also miss being regular so I'm just going to suck it up, literally.

I make sure I get plenty of fiber, but there are still days that nothing happens. That has never happened to me in my life. I mix Fiber One with my greek yogurt for breakfast and that helps!

I have been constipated since surgery also, but I have found a couple of tricks that help me stay regular. I add benefiber to my water. It comes in individual packets that are easy to carry in your purse and dissolve completely. Also, there's a 60 calorie pack of sunsweet prunes which are a great sweet treat. I have them at night as my "dessert" and it really helps my sweet tooth and my bowels. Be sure to keep your water intake up. Hope this helps.

I agree with the miralax it worked for me not immeadetly but within 5 days of taking it everyday mixed in propel I feel better and not so bloated.

I am now adding more veggies to my diet and I am hoping that will help prevent me from getting so backed up. I am also doing 2 dried prunes in the evening.

Ya'll have no idea how much I needed to see this thread today. It had been over a week, and I felt awful this morning, so bad I stayed home from work. I tried the miralax, stoof softeners, MoM, an enema and finally suppositories did the trick. Now, i just want to make sure it doesn't happen again. I'm going to try the benfiber and prunes to see if that helps. thanks to all of you!!

So...am I doomed to be constipated forever?

I had the same problem. 4 days after surgery it was horrible. I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital it was so bad. Ill spare you the details of that awful day but I will tell you I never want that to happen again. Ever since I have been eating 3 benefiber chewables a day and it helps. My friend told me about Mirolax. I bought some but haven't used it yet. I have been 3 days with no benefiber or anything to help and haven't had any problem so maybe not a forever problem but I have everything on hand in case I feel the problem coming on again.

Sooooooooo.....I finally got rid of my constipation. All I had to do was drink 1/3 of a bottle of Magnesium Citrate. Worked within 1 hour. I'm alllll better. Now, I have to find a way to stay regular.

My doctor reccomends adding 2 teaspoons of benefiber to you morning protein shake. You cant even taste it in there and it's sugar free. Thats always a plus.

So...am I doomed to be constipated forever?

No it will get better but it feels like forever!!

I eat bran cereal every day now and at least one apple a day to keep it going, but I don't go every day, its just a volume thing.

Jane x

I'm 3 weeks post op and I got like 2 times/week and not much is coming out anyway. I mean, I know I'm not going regularly but I don't feel the constipation discomfort. It's not like I'm full and bloated and can't go (only have this feeling today actually). I'll try adding some fiber and see how that goes...

Jane....I think you hit the nail on the head.

My husband said I wasn't going a lot/barely because there was hardly any food (your 'volume' comment hit home).

When I drunk 1/3 of the Mag Citrate, I went....but it was not a lot. Cleaned me out...but I was still like, "That's it?". And it was. he he

I think my nerves were freaking me out a little. I bought some Chewable Benefiber tablets (take one 3x a day) to keep me regular. I'll see how that works.

Maybe I've just changed to where I don't need to go every day.

Hi Sunshine,

Unless we can manufacture mass from nothing there is no way we can go every day!!!!! This is my considered opinion after a bottle of red wine;-) The most we can achieve is a reasonably comfortable even every few days with the aid of fruit, veg and water plus exercise as inputs.

Failing that senna pods.

Jane xx