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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:

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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:

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!!

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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.

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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.

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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

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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...

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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.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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