Not to be gross but I am so constipated that I have to put on rubber gloves to help get stool out it is that hard and large. This results in bleeding. Taking stool softener but I don't think the gel caps are being digested and clearly they are not working. Any suggestions? Don't want to get impacted and need to have a doc get it out.

I have been using Benefiber daily in my tea. (They recommend 3 teaspoons a day.) It dissolves completely and you can't taste it.

Iron supplements may also be causing it. I had to quit taking it every day and take it every 3 days instead.

3 teaspoons milk of magnesium

Can I take milk of mag one week post op or no?

I bought the squatty potty too. It has helped me. Puts the rectum in a natural position like you're squatting to go. You could probably pile some books up on the left and right sides of the commode if you can't afford the squatty potty but they would not be as stable as a solid piece of plastic.

I had AWFUL constipation when I went from the clear liquid broth stage to the Protein shake stage.

Another thing that people don't talk about is movement--you have to move your body to get your bowels to move. You have to have the Water, the fiber, and movement of your body. I take probiotics too. Since I'm not eating Greek yogurt every day to get the beneficial bacteria--I have to take probiotics in a pill.

I'm another prune juice person my one time constipated time was a week of trying with all them things to shift it nothing worked not even the gel suppository not to be real frank and graphic a douche nadda I too donned the glove in the end as my next action would have been going to hospital it was that painful thankfully that worked but boy oh boy I felt like I passed a whole watermelon while a donkey kicked me for the next 3 days it hurt so bad to move from that ordeal lol

that was NEVER happening to me again so I drank a glass of prune juice every day for the next few months after that I didn't go every day but I never had that problem again thank god!

Is it ok to take miralax everyday though? Where can I get that tea? Only two weeks out so worried this will get worse once I start eating food

Yes, my daughter has miralax almost daily as a toddler. it's not harmful at all.

I'm so confused over this. Mu surgeon also warned me about constipation. I'm only one week out but I've had diarrhea for the whole week. Should I be concerned???

I had diarrhea the first week also. I am going to take the Miralax every day now. I am in so much pain and feel worse than I did after the surgery. I took MOM today and really hope it works. I'd not I am going to have to go to the ER to have them get this out of me.

you firstly clear out and get diarrhea because your not eating any kind of solid food its liquid in liquid out then you change to more solid food and then fully solid food and your bodies way of handling this is to back you up and make you constipated.

Ok so I took 3 tbls of MOM and stool softener and I am still unable to go. There is a large blockage of stool that just won't come out. I really don't want to go to hospital for this I am set to go back to work tomorrow too. This is terrible.

....go and get an enema from the drugstore...it will clear you out in about 5 minutes or less.... then work with the MOM or Mirolax...

I had it REALLY bad at one point, and didn't want to go to the ER because I couldn't pass it, so I called my dr and that's what they told me to do, worked great...but shouldn't be used regularly, of course.

Have you called your doctor?

This is a normal thing...and they really should give us more info on that upfront on what to do... may need to mention it to the Dr's office, if I remember, next time!

Good luck

The first 3-4 weeks after surgery I hd serious constipation due to liquid diet and high doses of narcotics.I tried everything. After 10 days of no movement the only thing that worked was a Fleet Enema. It was recommended by my surgeon and can be purchased OTC in a drug store.

Since moving to soft Proteins, I take a daily dose of Miralax and one colace tablet. I also take a daily probiotic, recommended by my surgeon. I have become a regular daily contributor.

I've been having constipation issues as well. Milk of Mag has worked but boy is that stuff disgusting! I'm going to get a probiotic asap because I just don't want to have to taste that stuff again unless it's absolutely necessary.

Laura, this is a topic that's not addressed nearly enough preop or early out post op (IMHO)

I was in the ER due to a fecal impaction.....thought I had done everything I could to prevent constipation......at the ER suppositories didn't work.....had to have an enema.......even then it was so difficult and painful to pass........

To keep constipation at bay, they have recommended Colace and Myralax together.....I take them at night and it does the trick.......I am told I can take it every day for the rest of my life......you may want to ask your doctor about this.....hope it helps.

Not to be gross but I am so constipated that I have to put on rubber gloves to help get stool out it is that hard and large. This results in bleeding. Taking stool softener but I don't think the gel caps are being digested and clearly they are not working. Any suggestions? Don't want to get impacted and need to have a doc get it out.

My NUT has me taking prune juice at bedtime. Also, Walgreens carries the Smooth Move Tea, but the local stores did not have it. I ordered it online and it arrived in 4 days. Yes, it works, and they have several different flavors.