I had the gastric sleeve on Nov. 29th. I am doing well except the constipation is horrible! I take colace twice a day and today is day 4 with no bowel movement (sorry for the TMI). I am wondering what others use to help with this? I am feeling so bloated. I have milk of magnesia, and some generic laxative pills i got from CVS pharmacy, also have miralax in the house. I am not sure what I can take. I called the Dr office but with it being Friday late in the day the MA said she would call me after she gets an answer, which may not be until Monday. I don't think I can go that long without this making me sick. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I drink at least 80 oz of water a day so its not that. Thank you all in advance.

Constipation is a common issue after bariatric surgery, due to changes in the digestive system and the decreased food intake. It's important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and other fluids, as well as eating high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

There are several over-the-counter medications that may be used to help with constipation, such as stool softeners (such as Colace, as you mentioned), laxatives (such as Miralax or generic versions), and fiber supplements (such as Metamucil or Benefiber).

It's always best to check with your surgeon or primary care physician before taking any new medication after bariatric surgery, since some medications may interact with the surgery or have other risks for bariatric patients.

It's also important to try to establish a regular bowel movement routine. This can include regular physical activity, eating at regular times, and avoiding dehydration.

Have you tried the glycerins suppositories? On my list it states safe to use 2-3 times a day.

I had the gastric sleeve on Nov. 29th. I am doing well except the Constipation is horrible! I take colace twice a day and today is day 4 with no bowel movement (sorry for the TMI). I am wondering what others use to help with this? I am feeling so bloated. I have milk of magnesia, and some generic laxative pills i got from CVS pharmacy, also have Miralax in the house. I am not sure what I can take. I called the Dr office but with it being Friday late in the day the MA said she would call me after she gets an answer, which may not be until Monday. I don't think I can go that long without this making me sick. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I drink at least 80 oz of Water a day so its not that. Thank you all in advance.

Hello it's a huge problem for a great many of us. I once went 15 days and oh boy did I suffer. I had hot sweats and nausea every day. I was on two sachets of benifiber a day. Eventually the dam burst and I was so thankful. I found by accident that unsweetened dried cranberries work wonders for me.
I hope you find the magic formula for you soon.

On 01/13/2023 at 19:17, Merri Beth said:

I had the gastric sleeve on Nov. 29th. I am doing well except the Constipation is horrible! I take colace twice a day and today is day 4 with no bowel movement (sorry for the TMI). I am wondering what others use to help with this? I am feeling so bloated. I have milk of magnesia, and some generic laxative pills i got from CVS pharmacy, also have Miralax in the house. I am not sure what I can take. I called the Dr office but with it being Friday late in the day the MA said she would call me after she gets an answer, which may not be until Monday. I don't think I can go that long without this making me sick. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I drink at least 80 oz of Water a day so its not that. Thank you all in advance.

I had the sleeve in 2016 & take 2 Dulcolax every other day. High protein diet & iron in my vitamins. ? Not sure if your can swallow the tiny tablets just yet, but it’s a gentle laxative.

Hi Merri Beth,

We are almost twins - same weight/height/goal. My surgery was Dec 14th. I had the same difficulties. Colace didn't work for me and in fact didn't sit well in my tummy. For me I find Philips Milk of Magnesia to be the best and does not create gas pain. Miralax worked for me but created gas pain. Good luck to you.

Try cloudy pear juice, it was a miracle worker for me. Half a glass every morning . Remember the reduced amount of food means reduced B M s. I am 18 months out sometimes I go every day for a few days then not again for 3 or 4 days I try not to stress about it comes when it comes ?

Thank you to all who responded. I finally got in touch with my Dr. and was told to take either Milk of Mag, senekot, or miralax so I took the milk of mag and will see it it works.

Thanks again everyone!

One thing that I found helped me was taking probiotics (either a supplement or Greek yogurt) at the same time as my fiber. The fiber acts as "food" for the probiotics and it overall helps digestion and helps to keep things moving.

I'm going to second probiotics; I haven't found a laxative that doesn't wreak havoc for several days but I find that probiotics solve my "problems" quite well with less side effects.

This has been my biggest Pain In The Ass problem, literally.

I have been taking fiber pill daily, and it has helped a lot. I also try to have a small No Sugar Added apple sauce every day.

It will get better when you figure out what your body needs.

I actually learned a magic solution from someone on these boards. Smooth move tea which has senokot. My gastroenterologist approved it for 2-3 times a week. You take it in the evening and by the next morning after your first coffee or tea you’re a new person. Whoever i recommended it to can’t stop thanking me- it is a lifesaver

I had my surgery 11/28 and struggle with this too. I now take 3 colace a day, two in the morning and one at night which is the maximum daily dose. I still only poop now once every few days but it’s not as miserable as before. If miralax is too much for you, you can try half of a capful instead of a full one.

It's a huge pain in the arse! I'm the same, but for me I just don't ever get the urge to go, its like that signal was completely disconnected..... I have to use some sort of laxative to get it going and they dont always work and I only get the urge when its literally knocking at the door ?.....Usually every 3-4 days I'll start taking dolcolax cause thats the only thing I've found that works for me. I've never tried smooth move though. I'm going to give it a shot.

Edited January 21, 20233 yr by Rebekahlynn9

Senokot