So, I am now 5 days post op. Feeling pretty darn good. Stopped pain meds three days ago. My fluid intake & exercise are where they need to be. Everything is great. EXCEPT, I can't [emoji90]. I have been taking Miralax for two days now and nothing. It's been five days...should I be worried? When do I call the doctor/nurse? We all [emoji90][emoji90], so I appreciate your sharing.

It isn't time to worry, but time to take action. Get an enema. Immediate results while figuring out which oral med will work. I did an enema every two days for the first two weeks until I could start fiber. My GI doc approved because it is just so important to not get impacted. I'm 6 weeks out and don't have trouble now because of the fiber.

It isn't time to worry, but time to take action. Get an enema. Immediate results while figuring out which oral med will work. I did an enema every two days for the first two weeks until I could start fiber. My GI doc approved because it is just so important to not get impacted. I'm 6 weeks out and don't have trouble now because of the fiber.

Thanks! I'll give my doctor a call on Monday! Here's hoping to healthy [emoji90][emoji90] for everyone!

The oral meds I was talking about are Milk of Magnesia, Smooth Move tea (I found it in the tea isle of my local grocery), and the miralax. All over the counter.

Good luck!

So, I am now 5 days post op. Feeling pretty darn good. Stopped pain meds three days ago. My fluid intake & exercise are where they need to be. Everything is great. EXCEPT, I can't [emoji90]. I have been taking Miralax for two days now and nothing. It's been five days...should I be worried? When do I call the doctor/nurse? We all [emoji90][emoji90], so I appreciate your sharing.

Definitely get your doctor's/nurse's advice but this is what mine had me do in that situation: 1) one tablespoon of milk of magnesia every hour for up to five hours 2) take a stool softener (I now take one daily before bed) 3) add benefiber (or similar) to my daily routine. I use the dissolvable powder in one of my bottles of water each day. 4) make sure you're drinking the amount of water they have told you to drink each day (my dr.'s requirement is 64 oz/day)

I've added a spinach and fruit smoothie to my diet. I don't have to take anything anymore! (2oz spinach, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup berries, coconut water).

I was in the ER for impaction. Not fun. Good luck to you.

If you are on a liquid diet... you really don't have much poop being made. Honestly, if you are at least having some gas, you should be fine. I didn't have a bowel movement for something like 8 days after surgery...and even then, it was just a little bit. Give it time. As you change your diet, your body should respond accordingly

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Ideally there will be a BM by 5 days post op, and at least every 3 days thereafter. Even if you're not eating, the body still makes waste. If that waste stays in there for multiple days, it will start putrifying, getting reabsorbed, and drying out. In short: nothing good.

I did an enema every two days for the 2nd and 3rd weeks post op until I could get fiber on board. This is not harmful for just a few weeks, but impaction IS very harmful.

I visited a gastroenterologist my 3rd week post op, and told them about the enemas. They were just fine with it, they just wanted to make sure I was GOING.

Now, there is a difference between doing this for 2-3 weeks, and doing it for months. It is good to move to dietary management, fiber supplements, and the like.

Even milk of magnesia, miralax, and smooth move tea shouldn't be used forever. But that's something that should be discussed with your doc.

Try some baby food prunes or prune juice.

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