Hi, I'm still on Clear liquids.

I think my codiene elixir has constipated me, because Im having painful cramps in my stomache and intestine. Meanwhile, I am experiencing no pain and very little discomfort from the lapband and incisions.

I've been taking gas-x for gas pain. but not convince that it is helping.

My lapband clinic is closed for the weekend, and I'm hoping to avoid theirs emergency service.

Am I experiencing something that is common enough? Can any provide me with some advice?

Thanks

Tyler

Tyler:

I'm also 3 days post op, and I'm right there with you. The only problem I really have right now is the gas. I've been told that is pretty normal. According to what I've read, the best thing for dealing with the gas is to fart, burp, and walk around.

As for the constipation, my surgeon recommended that we take something to help if we didn't have a bowl movement by day 3 after surgery.

Jason

Tyler, see if you can discontinue the codeine (yes it does constipate!) and switch to liquid tylenol. Are you getting at least 64 ounces of water in each day? Are you walking frequently? If not, try water and walking and no more codeine. If your problem doesn't resolve by this evening, you may need a stool softener tonight.

My physicians office recommends taking one tablespoon of mineral oil daily the first month post-op to combat constipation. I know that at 3 days post op I had bad pain and cramps and it was due to gas. It was pretty awful until I was able to "realease" some of it. Using gas-x strips really helped.

You may also want to switch your milk for your protein shakes with Lactaid. And try to use a lactose friendly protein powder. I was never lactose intolorant at least I never thought so untill the band. I switched from protein shakes to Isopure clear protein drinks. The lactose in the milk and protein powder was causing terrible gas cramping and pain. The gas made it hurt to breath. I thought I was going to die. But after the first week, I switched and felt a billion times better. I am 5 months post-op and have never been happier with my decision to have this done. Hope this helps a little.

P.S. Cut your Isopure in half and dilute it with water. They can be a little thick and heavy. That way your not only getting your protein, but you are also getting your fluids. I would just keep an empty glass bottle around and pour half of the new bottle in and then fill the rest of the way with water.

tyler, you can try over the counter stool softeners which will help you go to the bathroom. if your not in pain stop your codeine, that can defiantly cause your constipation.. good luck to you....irish

I used Milk Of Magnesia (spelled wrong oops) I had the same symptoms.

Hang in there it shall pass and you will feel better soon. Myrolax also works great and it has no taste to it.

I didn't have a bowel movement for like 2-3 days after surgery because I wasn't eating solids and then I had diarreah, so it did make my intestines a little sore. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Not to mention they pump so much gas into your belly for the surgery, I'm sure that area gets irritated.

My doctor recommended Milk of Magnesia for constipation brought on by the liquid hydrocodone. I only took one dose, and it did the trick. A couple of days later, when I was starting to feel it again, I drank some apple juice, and it helped. Once i got off the hydrocodone, I had no more problems.

Tyler-

I am 4 days post-op, my Dr. recommended Benefiber, that I added to my protein shakes, walking does help a lot!

hi im 2 weeks post op and trust me the pain goes really quickly i was only on paracetomol but things done slightly different in uk because i was on soup, yogurt, and pureed food with in a day and now 2 weeks on im already back to normal food as long as it not to hard ie toast and biscuits etc just make sure you get lots of rest but when wind bad either walk or rock back and forward i found this eased it greatly or try gripe water if you have it you may also be constipated because your not eating i only go once every 3 or 4 days now

I didn't have any movement for 8 days. I finally called the dr. and they said Milk of Magnesium.

Trust me when I say it did the trick.

hello,

I am post op 5 days now. I was told to walk , walk and more walking will help. I havent had a bowel movement in 5 days, but the gas is very much undercontrol by me walking as much as I can.

good luck to you on your new journey and don't stop walking, that will be a major key to your success!!!:embaressed_smile:

Hi, I am 4 weeks post-op, feeling good, but I really wanted to update this thread ( with the advantage of hind sight of course)

My surgery was in the morning, I was pretty groggy but cheerful, I rested that afternoon, but went for a short walk to a local shopping mall that night to pick up some groceries.

Second day post op was quite good! I spent the whole day at the shopping mall with my wife. I walked lots, and rested at each bench just to make sure I didn't over do it. I started to break my fast with fruit juces and strain chicken noodle soup from Tim Hortons. By the end of the day, I was pretty tired.

I felt so good on day 2, We were planning on going to Naigra Falls on Day 3 but my experience the night before was terrible. My stomache had finally woken up from the anestetic ( hindsight) and the gas production in my stomache was in full swing. I was taking gas-x every hour or so, and I was interpreting the stomach cramps as needing to poop. I spend a great deal of time eternally optimistic sitting on the toilet hoping for a bowel movement. Day 3's trip to Niagra Falls was cancelled.

Day 4 - If I thought Day 3 was bad, day 4 was more of the same and worse. By this time, I had stopped taking the codiene because I thought I was constipated. I was into the children's liquid tylenol( sickening sweet, almost gagging), I was taking milk of magnesia, and was also trying to induce a bowel movement with glycerine suppositories. I had also noticed that I had reverted back to an almost a Water fast. Nothing but water was weakening the heck out of me, yet, I didn't feel like I could handle anything else. Anyways, I started to force down the protien shake. And, I started to feel a bit better.

Day 5 - because I was starting to feel better, we tried our luck at a trip to Niagra Falls. I was pretty much comatose on the drive there, and I don't think my wife realized how miserable I felt. We walked to the falls and spent about 30-40 minutes looking at the falls. She want to check out more attractions but I had to pull the plug on our plans, and asked to go back to the car. My wife was disappointed but understood. On the way home, we stopped at the Tim Hortons, and I was able to has a tiny tiny bowel movement. The first one since the surgery 5 days earlier. There was nothing solid about it , considering that my last meal was a ceasar salad the night before the surgery. I actually started to feel better on our ride back to the hotel room, but I was tired as hell.

When we reached the hotel room, I was able to have another tiny tiny bowel movement, and that made me feel even better. Still tired so I laid down for a nap. Now here's an embarassing moment that I wouldn't be sharing if you knew my full name......I woke up after 45 minutes and went to the washroom to take another dump because I woke up having wet farts. Well, when I got to the toilet, I realized that I had completely soiled my drawers and the bed while I was sleeping. The milk of magnesia has finally unplugged me, and i made one hell of a gross mess. The whole experience was very embarassing. I don't think my wife totally understood what I was going through, but she got some change and laundry detergent and we cleaned the bedding ourselves at the hotel laundry mat. At least, I didn't have to call the cleaning staff in to take care of the mess.

Day 6 and 7 were bad, but not as bad as before, because I was forcing down the protien shakes and my bowel movements were happening again. I lived in fear of diarehea. And, the gas production in my stomach surfaces as my biggest problem. Since day 3, every 2-3 hours I was getting gas pressure so bad it was causing me to hic up. Gas-X would settle it down. But I was taking it twice as often as the box was recommending, and I was begining to think the gas-x wasn't doing anything other than disolve the gas back into my stomache fluids so it could create more intestinal problems for me.

I flew home on Day 7, it was a long 3 1/2 hour flight. I found myself finding a nuetral position that was most comfortable for me, which was an upright position. I was worn out and needed to sleep. I have sleep apnea and I'm unable to sleep well without a CPAP but that day I was able to breath ok by extending my jaw forward before drifting off to sleep. this trick is the first time I've ever tried it, and it probably doesn't work that well but it seemed to work well at least on that plane ride.

Day 8, my first day of softfoods. I really didn't start to recover from my stomach problems until I started to eat soft pureed food. This leads me to beleive that existing on an almost liquid diet just isn't good for the stomache. After, I switched to cottage cheese, and apple sauce, and tuna, and mushed vegies, I felt better.

By end of day 9, I was feeling better, and my hunger has returned.

Today, I'm 2 days before my first fill, and I don't feel any restriction at all. This is discouraging because I find myself eating like I used to, and my weight loss has changed to weight gain.

Anyway, this must be a pretty long rant by now.

Good night, All!

regards

Tyler