GI issues post-op, a year out. Did anyone else experience this?

[jessgnc 167]

WARNING: This post talks a lot about poop!!

Hi everyone!

I'm almost a year out from surgery and I've been having issues. I want to know if anyone else has experienced this or if I'm a special snowflake.

Disclaimer: I am working with my doctor for a solution. We've drawn blood and taken a stool sample. I'm just hoping to possibly narrow down the list of issues through you fine folks!

I had the DS. After surgery, I was one of the small percentage of people who instead of being constipated, couldn't stop pooping. It got to the point I was worried I'd have to be readmitted for dehydration since I couldn't keep up with Fluid intake. My doctor prescribed me Cholestyramine and it helped with the issue.

This past February, I started getting terrible gas. Peel the paint off of the wall, make your husband sleep in a separate room levels of stench (note: I discovered the Devrom already. It doesn't make much of a difference but I'm taking it!) My poop schedule also started becoming irregular. Instead of 1-2 times a day, I would have awful diarrhea throughout the day. As the month progressed, it became a constant. I was afraid to fart for fear of gambling and losing. Every trip to the bathroom was an adventure.

It wasn't until mid-March I realized that I was experiencing the same issue as I did post-op. (If you're wondering why it took so long, I actually had real food in my diet, and I was able to keep up with my liquids enough to not panic. So I just thought it was weird stomach issues). This time I took Cholestyramine and it barely helped the issue.

I went to my primary doctor to try to figure out what was going on. He ordered a bunch of blood tests and a stool sample to test for IBS, Celiacs (which apparently can be triggered by a major surgery) and a few other things. I was fasting at the time of the tests, so I'm not sure how accurate my results are. He also gave me heavy duty anti-diarrhea medication which took almost 4 days to kick in, but once it did, the opposite problem came into effect.

He prescribed the medication 2 weeks ago. I last took it last Monday (it is the following Wednesday now). I've been able to poop twice. I feel like a bloated balloon. I know it is in there but all I can get out is gas. Each time I poop now, I weigh myself before/after for a laugh and I'm losing 2-3lbs per poop (which, while hilarious, is obviously not healthy). Then I go a few days without pooping and it obviously comes right back. I'm suffering from awful stomach pains related to gas and Constipation, to the point that standing is sometimes painful.

Has anyone else gone through this? I'd love to know what they found out was wrong with you, what you did/used to resolve the problem or just how you coped.

tl;dr: Bad diarrhea. Overcorrected via medication, now awful constipation and bloating. Anyone else go through this see saw of GI issues? What was the cause? Any tips or tricks?

[Creekimp13 5,838]

Only advice I can offer is to build good populations of good gut bugs.

My kiddo is a microbiology major who just went to a lecture on gut microbiota and fecal transplant (yep, this is a thing) and she was telling me that a lot of chronic Constipation and diarrhea issues can be related to out of balance gut microbiota.

How can you improve your gut bugs?

Eat quality dietary fiber... 30g a day for the gals. More for the guys.

(obviously, discuss this with your doctor)

Fiber feeds the most beneficial gut bugs and helps them re-establish healthy populations when they've been wiped out by antibiotics, or dealing with the new conditions of a modified gut.

Here's a cool list: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/high-fiber-foods/art-20050948

Also, try to eat cultured and fermented foods...yogurt, miso, pickles, sauerkraut, kefir, cheeses.

The key...she says...is not quantity...it's diversity. Don't overdo portions, but mix up the variety a lot.

Just a little bite of each kind of thing adds up to benefits.

Edited April 11, 2018 by Creekimp13

[FluffyChix 17,409]

Dang. I'm so sorry you're struggling with this!!!! What a nightmare!!! I hope you guys get it figured out!!!!

(Your warning made me laugh! I'm all about the poop!)

[Sosewsue61 3,185]

I have no special advice, but I hope you get some help and relief. Maybe the test results will yield something, have they done an endo? Maybe have that done to check the bacteria?

[jessgnc 167]

@Creekimp13 - Thank your daughter for me! This is excellent advice.

My body seems to have self corrected finally. I've been eating greek yogurt and Probiotics, taking meds and added a little more of the BRAT diet (basic foods for the body to breakdown - Bananas, rice, applesauce, toast - so basic carbs) and it seems to be helping.