dVH/RALH Hysterectomy yesterday: Stool softener

Surgery yesterday. Dr. recommends staying on stool softener while on narcotics. In d/c instructions, it stated dulcolax or miralax. Dh bought Phillips docusate sodium. Will this be ok? It says stool softener laxative which is what web md says dulcolax does. Thanks!

You may want to call your doctor's office to make sure this is okay to take. Taking the wrong thing could have detrimental effects to your recovery. You could also bring your discharge instructions to the pharmacy and ask a pharmacist which products match the description if You are in a pinch. But it would really be best to call your doctor.

Hi Zizzag,

I agree with Mischief's advice to call your doctor, just to be sure.

I too still find all these products confusing - but laxatives are different than stool softeners.
Here is an article you may find helpful: Laxatives vs Stool Softeners.

Hugs and feel better. Drink as much water as you can and walk small amounts at a time to help get your organs moving.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend any type of laxative, because your bowel can become dependent on them, which could make the constipation worse. However, I do second Marciamae's recommendation to take regular walks; that's the absolute best thing you can do for this. If your narcotic pain medications are constipating you, peppermint tea can help with that. Also try supplementing your diet with magnesium, which promotes proper bowel function; food sources include leafy greens, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and dark chocolate. Another trick I frequently recommend to get your bowels back on track is to sit on the toilet right after a meal; this stimulates the gastro-colic reflex, in which the stomach tells the brain that it's full, then the brain tells the colon to empty its contents, to make room for the new stuff coming in. To prevent straining, sit with your knees drawn into your chest, and your feet elevated on a low stool; this straightens the rectum, so the poop can pass through without straining. Here's hoping you'll be back to 💩 soon!

I used a straight stool softener, Colace is the most well known brand, but it does not have a laxative. A stool softener is usually just sodium and it works by drawing water into the bowels and thus softening the stool. A laxative stimulates bowel movement by affecting the smooth muscles of the bowel, and that can be irritating and as mentioned above, your bowels can become dependent on it.

Send hubby back to the store for plain old stool softener, after talking to your doctor's office.

One thing that helped me immensely was a smoothie made with orange juice, frozen cherries (the unsweetened kind), baby spinach and chia seeds. Sometimes I added Greek yogurt for protein and good bacteria. One of those a day really helped move things along, and I still drink one when I need it.