2 Questions: BM and Self-stimulation

So, the first question is, I'm now 5 days since surgery, 6 from my last BM from the bowel prep and still have not gone. I'm taking Doculate Sodium which is a laxative & stool softener given by my doctor. Nothing...lots of gas coming out but no movements. I'm starting to think this is going on way too long and should call my doctor tomorrow. What were your experiences on how long it took for the first time you went?

Second question: Since yesterday, I have not been able to keep sex off my mind. It's so bad that it's making both me and the boyfriend restless and a bit cranky. He's fine taking care of himself until I'm clear but I'm wondering, how long do I have to wait until I can masturbate? Nothing internal just something to stop my mind from breaking.

It was a vaginal laproscopic complete w/Davinci, ovaries remained.

Help?!
This is me right now:

I didn't have bowel prep requirements but I went two days after surgery. It was a bit straining but it didn't hurt. I'd shoot an email or voicemail to the surgeon and ask about laxatives. That's what I did.

My personal experience with pill laxatives is that the gas pain gets pretty bad for sometimes hours before I feel the urge to go. And then I end up with a poopslosion.

The alternative would be enema which works fast and so the discomfort is short lived. Personally, I can't contort my body long enough to self-administer at this point of my recovery.

I opted for supposotories because it works in about 15 min and I can do it myself.

As far as sex on the mind....I feel for you. It's been INSANE in my mind since the day before surgery and afterward it didn't let up. Which is weird for me as I haven't had a partner in several years and didn't miss it or think about it till now!

Im wanting it more than ever now too..whew! from what I understand until the doctor releases you its not a good idea to have an orgasm because the insides are still healing and it may cause pulling and stretching. Ask your doctor though just to be safe

It took me 6 days before I had a bowel movement. From the 1st day home from hospital, I took 1 Colace morning & 1 in evening for 12 days ( til the bottle of 24 was empty & I didn't get more) and also 2 tsp. of benefiber stirred into something 3 times/day. I am 6 weeks today & still taking benefiber. Saw my dr yesterday for my post-op and she said continue with that benefiber for like forever. I had posterior repair work done so my main concern (and dr.'s too) was to keep things soft! Walking around helps to get things moving too. I know I was real uncomfortable by the 5th day but I think it's pretty normal for it to be 6 or 7 days after surgery. I'd check with your doc before laxatives or enema because of what others here mentioned - I didn't want it exploding out of me !!

I didn't have a bowel prep and it was the evening of the 4th day from surgery that I had my first bowel movement. Christmas Eve. I must say it was kind of painful because my rectummuscles hurt from all the work done inside. I had a DaVinci laprscopic hysterectomy (kept my ovaries) a bladder sling and some vaginal repair work. My doctor put me on a prescription laxitive and I always took stool softeners at night anyway. I took some gas x to help alleviate the gas pain. No problems with BM's now. I'm 4 weeks out.

As far as the sex things goes, I know what you mean. My sex drive hasn't been like this in a long time. It started about two weeks after nurgery. The doctor does not want me to have an orgasm until I'm cleared. No pressure on my pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. He said I need to heal inside. I suggest you talk to your doctor and them what they think and for how long. I can't have intercourse for 3-4 months!! Believe me, I play a lot of computer games!! HaHa

Take care of yourself and don't too much too soon. Let yourself heal.

I had a TAH and didn't have a BM until 7 days, 4 hrs post-op (yes, I was counting! ) My doc called me at home on day 4 and I had told her at that time, no BM. She said try colace and also myralax. I started taking colace. I don't like laxatives. As a poster mentioned above, sever cramping right before and then a pooplosion! yuck yuck. I've had a few more BMs since Weds. Wasn't sure how much or how long I should take colace, since BMs should only be every 2 days or so anyway. I may take a couple a day just to keep everything smooth.

As far as the big O, def ask your doc. I'm sure a lot of it depends on what/when things were done for you. My doc mentioned hold off on sex until 6 weeks. She didn't say anything about self stim, but I didn't ask. So far I'm ok with things the way they are, so is DH. We were intimate the night before surgery (figured since mine was abdominal, it'd be ok, and doc didn't forbid it), to help take of of things for a while. Was actually very nice. It was very caring and sensual (hopefully not TMI!), more than typical, because of the situation.


Good luck to you!

Drink lots of water, hot tea helped me, soft foods, and walking every hour or so. Stay away from dairy products.

So, I've switched over to MOM today instead of the dulcolax which has done nothing. No BM still but holy crap I got the gas and the gurglies which is far more than I've had so far. I'm thinking after I take a dose this evening, things should start moving in the morning. If not, I've grabbed some laxative suppositories.

I *know* I have to go. I can feel backed up, it's getting pretty uncomfortable now. One way or another, I'm going to go tomorrow darn it!

You might want to call your dr to be on the safe side. I had my surgery on a Monday, didn't get the urge to go until Saturday. By then I was so constipated it was stuck and I was pushing, sitting on the toilet, laying on my side (because I couldn't sit on a chair). I ended up calling the dr. (I had been taking a laxative) after one enema. Still nothing, did a second enema per the dr. Finally 6 hours after the 2nd enema I finally went (about 17 hours after the initial urge). If I hadn't gone soon after the 2nd (although 6 hours isn't very soon), I was going to have to go to the ER per the dr. I had never experienced anything like that in my life, and I had had 4 abdominal surgeries in my twenties.

I would definitely drink as much water as possible. I also decided switched back to a very bland diet but with fiber.

Again, though call the dr. I would hate for someone to have to go through what I did.

I had a Laparascopic partial hyst, on Dec 11. They took my uterus and of course the Fibroid. I was VERY constipated. I ate prunes, fiber cereal stool softener, and when I couldn't take it anymore (day 5 or 6) I took Milk of Magnesia. TMI, but it wasn't a good idea, cause while it did push things along, my stool was SO hard, that it ended up hurting, and I pushed out a hemmerhoid. I think Miralax is the way to go , much more gentle, and kept things soft also.

By day 10, my husband and I couldn't stand the curiosity anymore, and just had to see how things were working. Just 'outercourse" but the orgasm was still there, not as strong, cause I was being very cautions, but things are much improved, and exactly the same as before if not better.

BEST of luck!