Post-Op Hysto - Bowel Protocol that Works for Me

hi there H Sisters

I have had three abdominal surgeries over a period of three years, that together, add up to a Total Hysto - this past NY Eve, through my hospital's Emerg, I ended up having the final chapter - a mid-line/vertical incision surgery to remove my ovaries, tubes, and a huge complex cyst. Other Gyne parts came out in two related surgeries since 2005.

I have noticed that here, as in my own experience, problems with constipation and gas are commonplace following abdominal surgery. So I will share what I have learned, and what works for me.

First, the Do's
Do drink lots of water. Yes, you have to get up and pee frequently, but that is good to get that gas and stool moving around, and to promote post-catheter bladder health.
Do take a stool softener, twice a day, like Colace.
Do take a VERY mild laxative that will not cause cramping, like Milk of Magnesia, twice a day.
Do use a local non-cramping agent to assist in the first few days, like glycerine suppositories. This is a lot better than having to give yourself an enema, which would be the next local step, but is a lot harder and more likely to cause cramping.
Do eat really simple low-fat food, and get rid of almost all the "comfort food" your lovely friends bring over when it's not appropriate healing food.
Do eat something that has complex and easily digested and low gas-producing fiber every morning, like steel cut oatmeal.
Do taper off the pain meds as soon as you can.

Don't eat a lot of fiber throughout the day. Fiber bulks you up, and produces gas that will hurt like heck. Even if you typically enhance what you eat with additional fiber, dial that back immediately following surgery. Eat simple fiber, and not to excess. Don't eat a lot of fresh fruit or raw veggies that first week, if that produces gas in a system that has been stalled and being sustained on mostly simple hospital food.
Don't take a strong laxative. Cramping = more pain.
Don't drink a lot of coffee.

Most people are constipated post-surgery because the anesthetic paralyzes the bowel for longer than the surgery, and then the pain meds act like a big chaser, that keep the bowel very very sluggish. Many people have to kick-start the bowel. This must be done consistently and slowly.

If you try to do this with fiber, I predict you will be gassy and no closer to actual movement, which is the goal here. This will happen by means of your own bodily movement combined with very very gentle agents, like Milk of M or senekot, and local helpers, like glycerine for the first few days. Water and stool softeners will make the whole process less likely to result in a nasty hemmy or anal fisssure on top of all the other problems.

This may not work for you. But this time, it has worked really well for me. And so I thought I would pass along the key points. Comfort, in those first few days, really does matter.

Mary

Great advice! One thing I found...CALTRATE! Take it! It did WONDERS for me and my trouble with going to the bathroom! It is a calcium supplement that has magnesium in it, and it is the best thing, I'm telling you!

This is great advice. I'm going to use some of your suggestions. I do think that many people over-react with the fiber and that can be bad. I found myself thinking I needed to add some Benefiber to my diet the day after surgery and I have never had to use the stuff ever in my life. I just need to eat healthy foods and use the other suggestions.

I have been lucky, I was able to go to the bathroom yesterday, only two days post-op and I went again today. I can't believe I'm celebrating poop but it's scary when your body doesn't operate the way it normally does. I'm taking it as a positive sign that things are on the right track.

that's great that everything is working for you. For those of us who it didn't, benefiber can be very helpful, especially because it won't cause cramping or excess gas (doesn't cause excess gas like high fiber foods because it's insoluble.) But to be able to do it on your own is even better! :-) Two days post op is great.

The water is so key.

Go ahead and celebrate poop! We all do here. lol

Hooray for poop!! It really alleviated the gas pain. I too had surgery on 1/7 and 1st bm on 1/9. I backed off the colace since it was working a little too well. Now trying benefiber tablets and activia yogurt with good results, less urgency and looseness. Thank God for this site, we can discuss such things!!

Thank you so much Mary for sharing your process. You have highlighted a couple of things I've been doing that may have been adding to my gas and discomfort. I've always been afraid of laxatives, but the good ol MOM remedy sounds good. Hopefully my system will get back on track soon.

Voleta

	Quote:
I've always been afraid of laxatives, but the good ol MOM remedy sounds good.

Please don't take laxatives of any kind (and that includes Smooth Move tea) without checking with your doctor first.

s,
-Linda

I like the benefiber powder mixed with water, but for the same reason you prefer it over stool softeners. It never creates "too loose" and even prevents diarrhea.

I guess I was lucky! I didn't have much gas pains and no trouble with constipation even when I was taking the narcotics. What I did to help, though, was plenty of liquids, movement, and 6 fiber pills a day. At first I took stool softeners, too, but I had bouts of diarrhea. Now, at almost 4 weeks post op, I am down to just 4 citrucel fiber caps a day.