My first post is on the humble, so folks be gentle. I am officially 3 weeks post op VSG.

I had the most awful experience with constipation and i wanted to know what did you all do to stay regular through this process?

PLEASE HELP, because i’m so scared to eat now.

chronic constipation is a very common problem among WLS patients - or at least sleeve and bypass patients. A lot of us take a capful of Miralax every day to keep on top of it. Others take stool softeners, or magnesium tablets, or things like Smooth Move Tea. Just figure out what works for you and do that. Sometimes it gets better as you get further along and can eat more fiber (fruit, veggies, whole grains), but for a lot of us, it's a chronic issue. I've been taking a capful of Miralax every day for five years.

Edited September 12, 20205 yr by catwoman7

Taking a probiotic daily is great too!

Ugh. I suffered from constipation for like the first 4-5 months. I would go maybe every 3 days if I was lucky and it was always a “strained” experience (this is far cry from the 2-3 times of soft stools DAILY pre-op).

I did take miralax every day and added Benefibre to my protein shakes (2x a day).

Now (almost 2 yrs out). I go probably every other day and dont need to strain hardly ever. No more miralax nor benefibre needed. I also do eat alot more now than before so that probably helps (and alot of what i eat are vegetables...)

Are you taking iron supplements or pain meds? These are notorious for backing one up.

Edited September 12, 20205 yr by ms.sss

@ms.sss I just stopped taking Codeine.

So what you all are saying is to prepare for a long uncomfortable ride. ?

I will consider mirilax as a staple. right now i e been taking Colace

9 minutes ago, Zaiye02 said:

@ms.sss I just stopped taking Codeine.

So what you all are saying is to prepare for a long uncomfortable ride. ?

I will consider mirilax as a staple. right now i e been taking Colace

yours may get better in a couple of days just from being off the codeine - so you may be fine.

however, if it keeps up (and it does with a lot of us), Colace works, too (that's a stool softener). Either Miralax or Colace should do the trick...

21 minutes ago, Zaiye02 said:

@ms.sss I just stopped taking Codeine.

So what you all are saying is to prepare for a long uncomfortable ride. ?

I will consider mirilax as a staple. right now i e been taking Colace

I am two months post-op. I take a stool softener twice daily AND have a cup of Smooth Move tea most nights. I tried everything and this is what works the most consistently for me. I go pretty much everyday and feel best when I do. ?

3 hours ago, Zaiye02 said:

My first post is on the humble, so folks be gentle. I am officially 3 weeks post op VSG.

I had the most awful experience with constipation and i wanted to know what did you all do to stay regular through this process?

PLEASE HELP, because i’m so scared to eat now.

Im doing plenty of moves on puree so far but if i wasnt i would do miralax i used it in the past and you can get by usually with a spoonful in your flavored water a day. I would make sure bariatric nurse knows they may have something else for you

Codine is an opioid in which causes constipation.. Give it a few days. Your bowel movements will be different for a while..try prune juice.

...and if all else fails, glycerin suppositories are your friend.

Okay so tips for the topic:

-Miralax (in my flavored water, 1 time a day)

-Take Stool Softeners twice daily

- Smooth Move Tea

So guys, what about foods. I’m starting the Purée stage of food right now. Are there any recommended foods that will keep me “regular”?

anything with fiber - which would include many fruits and vegetables and whole grain things, but you're too early out to have much of that. That's why I said things *might* get better once you're at the point you can introduce those.

On 9/12/2020 at 2:14 PM, catwoman7 said:

anything with Fiber - which would include many fruits and vegetables and whole grain things, but you're too early out to have much of that. That's why I said things *might* get better once you're at the point you can introduce those.

Yeah this is an excellent point we cant do fibrous yet.