Surgery in 6 days...what can I do to prevent constipation?

I have surgery in 6 days, and I need to know what I can do now in order to help with constipation. I hate the feeling of it. I know that it is expected after surgery. Would it help if I started eating prunes ? Does someone have an answer to this or any other suggestions to what I should do in order to make my recovery easier. Any help with this from my sisters is greatly appreciated.

I spoke with the nurse at work about this, she had a TAH about 5 years ago. she said to drink 1/4 cup of warm prune juice twice a day and it will keep us regular, also she said that flax seed oil is good too with cinnamon.
hugs me.

You can take a stool softener daily starting now. Just look for one that doesn't say "with stimulant laxitive". Those cramp me up if I take them too much. Eat plenty of fiber and drink lots of water.

HTH

You also need to know that constipation is common side affect of narcotic pain meds. Try to get switched over to ibuprofen/tylenol as soon as possible. I was actually very comfortable without narcotics by the 4th day, but I was very careful not to do too much, because overdoing can cause pain which leads to the need for stronger pain meds.

Also, take frequent slow short walks around the house and drink lots and lots of water.

s and Best Wishes,
Kay

I am a big fan of Psyllium Fiber by Yerba Prima. I get it from the health food store and it is about $7.00. Mix a tablespoon with OJ and down the hatch. After my OOPH, I started to take it & 3 days post-op I had a BM. I still had painful cramping with the BM, but the fiber makes things "slide out." Not to be graphic, but you don't need to be pushing... OUCH! I am 16 days post op and take it every other day now to keep things moving. It is great stuff.

I forgot to add that before using any supplements either before or after sugery, you should check with your Dr and make sure he approves. Some have had surgeries postponed or cancelled because of seemingly innocent supplements that, in reality, carried risks.

s,
Kay

The day before my surgery, I was instructed to do the Half-Lytey bowel cleanse. Needless to say, the day before I was on a clear liquid diet and did the cleanse the next day. My doctor wanted to make sure my bowel was completely empty prior to surgery.

I was on Percocet after my surgery and had constipation. I took it for 4 days and switched to Tylenol. I ate fresh fruits and had a bm the very next day. After that, everything was smooth sailing.

My doc recommended 1 cup of prune juice, 1 cup of applesauce and 1 cup of wheat bran. Take 2 tablespoons twice daily.

Worked wonders before and after surgery!!

Because I was on hydrocodone for a week and a half before surgery, I experienced extreme constipation! That was a problem that I never had before. The thing that worked for me FINALLY, was I drank a 4 oz glass of prune juice each night before going to bed, and I tool two stool softeners each night. I will be honest with you...the prune juice was horrible!!! However, I found that if I plugged my nose before, the prune juice was tasteless, and then when I finished I had a glass of water waiting! Many people like the taste but not me.
It worked though! Good luck, and after surgery when you get home, continue the stool softeners AND prune juice.
I had a TAH BSO on April 15th, and it went very smoothly. In fact, it was the best decision I ever made!! I am pain-free now and so thankful.

Karon

I've had bowel problems since birth, am diagnosed with spastic colon, lazy colon (love that one), and IBS - C, I am in a constant fight between constipation and taking stuff that makes me sick or throws me the other way.

Most important - whatever you do, and whatever you take - DRINK LOTS OF WATER - the water itself and walking, etc. is necessary for proper BM and is double important if your taking anything medicinal or otherwise to help.

I don't do laxatives (so bad for you) or fiber stuff (works by bulking up the poo, thus making it easier to pass - for me just makes passing more painfull). Rosie was also very right - don't do stimulant laxatives, they are a nightmare and just really bad for you. If you can drink prune juice, go for it, it's a great natural laxative. If you cannot (I cannot - I also have ulcers that are VERY sensitive to juices), you might try something else. If you must try over the counter stuff, Phillips Milk of Magnesia works well for me (and I've tried them all) when I skip a few days, it's fairly gentle and no cramps, etc. Sounds dumb, but I can also drink fancy coffee's from starbucks and that really works well. Many people use their daily cup of coffee to stimulate the bowels, but yes....stimulant, so not probably the best for your health. Another old fashioned, but tried and try help is drinking a teeny bit of mineral oil (I take about a tablespoon). This is NOT for every day, but can really help to get things started again after a lapse in BMing. Again, it is not for long term use, as it can cause vitamin depletion, but it is one of the best options for one-time start up. My husband had rectal surgery a few years ago and they had him on stool softeners for a month or so - he also had suppositories, which may sound bad, but could be very nice to help things move through smoothly after surgery right close to the area.

My best suggestion would be to ask your doctor/nurses etc. what they would suggest. Everyone is different and depending on what medicines, herbals, diet, etc. you are on there will be different things that will work better. I know I probably sound "weird" about all of this, but when you've done BM problems for 40 years -you get a lot of experience.

Good luck
TANK