I don't want to be a laxative junkie!!!

Nothing seems to move unless I take laxatives now, and I'm very leery of getting too dependent on them.

I'm hoping that wears off soon. How have others reacted? Is it just way too soon to think about being "regular"?

I was on Ducolax for about 9 days (when I was totally off my painkillers). I had a car bump/set back on about day 14 and took painkillers for a week end, I returned to my softners for a day or 2.

I never thought about becoming dependant upon them because I was pretty sure the problem was being caused by the meds (lose the cause, lose the need).

I would think at 2 weeks, if your off pain meds and still having problems, I would inquire with your Dr. The other thought is increase your water intake to at least 8 full glasses, maybe more.

Julie

If you are still on pain meds that could be keeping you from going. When I stopped taking tylenol with coedine my bowels went right back to normal.
Be well...

Howdy. My situation is opposite. I took a stool softener while in the hospital and went a few hours later. I took a second one the morning I was being discharged in the hopes of "getting it all out" before having to go spend a few days at my boyfriend's mom's house. Just about pooped my pants on the ride home! I had the sweats and everything!

I had one more stool softener a week out of surgery after not having a movement for 3 days. I literally had diarrhea for 4 days (complete with cramps), and loose stools for another 2 days. I FINALLY had an "almost solid" BM yesterday (but still have cramps before going). Today I was back at the diarrhea again.

I swear I'll never take another stool softener again!

Best of luck to you. I think it's probably a temporary problem (for both of us). Hang in there.

Mellybug

You are only a little over a week post-op, so nothing is normal right now for your body. I have always had a constipation problem, and since my surgery, I have continually had to take softeners to "go". I know pain killers will cause constipation, so keep that in mind. The best thing you can do is walk, drink lots of water and fruit juice, and eat fruits and veggies. Take it easy and give yourself a chance to heal.

My colo-rectal surgeon has assured me that stool softeners are not addictive at all. I was worried when I had surgery 8 years ago and was told to use them. I have diverticulosis and plug up pretty darn easily. Diverticulosis is very underdiagnosed since it means getting a colonoscopy and most people just don't think about it when they are young and don't have a colon cancer concern.

Water helps but stool softeners keep things this is gross... moist. Laxatives, on the other hand, are stimulants and ARE addictive.

Other things in life exacerbate the diverticulosis.... such as prolapse, pain meds, etc. So for me, taking softeners is just something I do as routine maintenance when I know there will be excessive wear/tear on the GI tract (like holidays, birthdays, etc.)

well here is wat I am doing, wake up, a suppository, cup of hot coffee and patience...it just gets me "moving" so to speak and I do not have that gassy, pain feeling, that you get from laxatives. I am barely a week post-op and will continue doing this because it is working.

I have taken one stool softener a day since my surgery. On the 5th day after surgery I was so uncomfortable from bowel pressure that I used Milk of Magnesia, the full 4 TBLS - it just took once and I have been doing good ever since.

Hi- This is my first post. (not very computer literate).
I was living on prunes and H2O for the first couple weeks ( it didn't help me). Tryed laxatives 3 times which did help, but I too was afraid of becomming dependant.
My doc suggested a stool softner and fibercon or other fiber product. Have been on this for 2 days and I am more comfortable. Now I hope it is just a matter of patience for my system to recover. This has been the most difficult part of recovery for me so far.
By the way, thank you all for being there for me these last couple of weeks. So glad I found you!

Have you ever tried Benefiber? I just bought some yesterday at B.J's for about $19.99 for a huge bottle and there isn't any taste or gritty feeling to it. It can be put over mac and cheese, mixed with beverages but soda is not the best.

Another quick fix for me is that I can take a Phillips stool softener which says cramp free on the bottle and I take four at night before bed and then I don't have any trouble the next day and following day. I'll stick with the Benefiber for now. Also there is a tablet called Amitiza that is small and doesn't have any taste since it is swallowable but for me it doesn't work as well as the Miralax that I don't like because the Miralax makes me nauseated. I will stick with the Benefiber and the Amitiza for now till I see my G.I. dr. in another month.

If I'm in need of a suppository like a glycerine one and I don't want to lay down for the 15 minutes there is something called a liquid glycerine suppository that works within one to two minutes. It's better than sitting there trying to push and push when you can just sit down and give a little push and it comes out much easier. It's sort of like a mini enema but without any side effects and there isn't any medication in the glycerine suppository liquid or stick. Good luck.