I hate to bring this up on a public forum but I'm sure I'm not the first or last lapbander to deal with this problem. Ok, here goes....hmmm.....hard stools....ok, I've said it. I'm 5 weeks post op and have been going every 3 days or so but the past two days I sort of "stuck" if you know what I mean. Can we say...rock hard?? Now what do I do? I've been taking 2 stool softners every night and still have the problem. What's a girl to do? Anybody else have this problem and if so, how did you get things moving without being painful? Thanks for any help....

Sorry to hear about your problem..Try prunes/prunejuice. Also try apple juice. Hope this helps

The Dr. told my DIL who was having the problem following a C section, that if she was at the point of impaction--as it sounds like you are, already knowing they are rock hard, to use glycerin suppositories to help with the movement, then to begin to up her Water intake, Fiber intake, and move more.

Once you get the immediate problem dealt with, I read a lot of posts of Dr.'s recommending Miralax lately. I personally have the problem if I do not drink enough water. So I glug, glug, glug all the time!!!

Good Luck----you might also try the juice warm, when my DD was in infant we had to use it warm to get her to go!

Kat

I take an over the counter stool softener-brand name 'Colace' but I buy generic...I also use the suppositories occasionally...

Miralax worked wonders for my son who, as the doctor put it, "had a colon full of crap". It doesn't work overnight but it did work within days. He had to have it everyday for 3 months. I would try Miralax. That is my plan if it happens to me.

Miralax! It works!!! I had to buy mine through the pharmacy, but it's not a prescription. They just keep it behind the counter. It's tasteless and you can mix it in just about any beverage.

Thanks everybody for your quick responses. Tomorrow I'm heading to the store for some Miralax and glycerin suppositories. After I posted I took some Milk of Magnesia and it quickly did the trick. I certainly don't want to go through this again. Oh, while at the store I'm also getting Preperations H. Oweeeey Oweeeey!!!

Now that you seem to be getting the immediate problem under control, definitely increase your fluid intake, and make sure to get good fiber in your diet. We get very focused on protein, but lots of protein + no fiber=stuck! Beans have been my friend lately. They have protein themselves, plus lots of good fiber. Prunes, if you like them, also work well. A few is a good snack and has vit C too. And I make up little baggies of shredded mini wheats to take with me to work--12 of the bite sized ones are 100 calories and have a lot of fiber. Good for a snack. There are lots of other ways to get the fiber into your diet--you don't want to go there again!!!

Good luck!

try taking magnesium in the form of natural calm. you can get it at most health food stores. Not GNC. but it acts as a natural stool softener. and will relax your muscles as well. most adults are deficient in magnesuim anyway.