Fortunately, I have pooped everyday, sometimes several times a day, since surgery this past Monday. However, this morning it was more solid and I had to sit for about 30 minutes. I'm getting nervous and I'm trying to prevent the blockage. Anyone tried prunes within first 30-days of surgery? If so, what was the affect on the new pouch?

Maybe I should be worrying. Dietician suggested that I take a probiotic every night and that it would help. That was a bit confusing, but I've been taking it.

Edited February 14, 201610 yr by DDN

My dietician said no Probiotics for the first 2 weeks. But colace is ok. And mirilax.

But constipation is going to be a common side effect. And being right there-i was fine week one band now just had my first poop in 4 days. Week 2.

Jess, mom to Ysabel, 6 and Maggie, 3

I see. It really is true that every plan developed by Doc's and Dietician's can vary. The one I posted is what my dietician actually gave me once I was discharged from the hospital. Thx for the response...I appreciate it.

Generally during surgery, the patient receives antibiotics to prevent infections from the surgery. This kills not only the bad bacteria but also the good ones. So therefore after surgery it is generally recommended that you restore these colonies in your gut. That is what probiotics do.

Many people experience constipation after surgery. Some of this is due to the fact that some patients do not drink enough fluids each day. These are some of the methods individuals have recommended to counter this problem.

* Eating apples with the skin

* Smooth Move Herbal Tea

* Prune juice (warmed)

* Prunes (4 in the morning and 4 at night)

* Magnesium citrate

* Insoluble fibers (Garden of Life Raw Fiber or Renew Life Triple Fiber).

* Haribo sugar free Gummy Bears

* Aerobic Magnesium 07

* Low Fat Bran Muffin (recipe). 80 calories each

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups bran Cereal

1 ¼ cups milk

1 egg

½ tablespoon applesauce

optional: banana, berries, mini chocolate chips

Bake 400° F for 22 minutes

But since you are still within the first 30 days after surgery, some of these options will be currently unavailable to you.

James: Thx sir. Yes, I ran across your post from last year, but after posting my question. As always, I appreciate your wealth of info.

Question for ya...how far out were you before you actually started eating apples "with the skin"? I have enjoyed eating honey crisp with my 3-year old, but of course I've had to turn down his offers to share his apples since surgery. ????

It can be very difficult to get your fiber or the right food in. Even now if I eat an apple it really fills me up and I am 23 weeks out. I regularly take Colace(240 mg) daily and often have to supplement with Milk of Magnesia.

James: Thx sir. Yes, I ran across your post from last year, but after posting my question. As always, I appreciate your wealth of info.

Question for ya...how far out were you before you actually started eating apples "with the skin"? I have enjoyed eating honey crisp with my 3-year old, but of course I've had to turn down his offers to share his apples since surgery.

After surgery my problem was diarrhea in the beginning. It wasn't until after around 2 months when constipation became a major issue. I talked about this in an article that I wrote under the subsection titled Constipation. http://www.breadandbutterscience.com/Surgery.pdf According to my Bariatric surgery manual that I received, eating whole apples becomes an option at the 10 month post-op mark. But I was eating them around 4 or 5 months. But there is another option. Applesauce is approved at the 5 week post-op mark but you will need to make this yourself. I found that the best approach to do this is cutting up the apple into slices and removing the core but leaving on the skin. Put these into a blender with a little white grape juice and bend to a consistency of apple sauce. The grape juice should have only natural sugar, no added sugar.

How has your Fluid intake been post op? This is one area my nutritionist and surgeon couldn't stress enough: Water. Get at least 48 oz (with many recommendations being 60 oz daily). My BM's are always more difficult to move the day after I haven't taken in enough water.

Once you can progress to yogurt I would do so. The live active cultures will help your gut flora.

My fluid intake has been between 68 and 76 ounces within a 24-hour period. I'm not having any challenges with going, I'm just trying to stay ahead. ????

Edited February 15, 201610 yr by DDN