6 days post hysterectomy - BM concerns

Hello sisters im new to the forum...and have so many questions...my most conern is how often should i have a BM...my dr made sure i had one before going home from hospital my surgery was 3/15/2016 i had a BM on the 17th an the 19th nothing since...I've been taking stool softners but nothing but gas has passed am i ok...:

Hello ElaineSmith1419, welcome to Hystersisters!
How often your bowels should move depends on how often they were moving before your surgery; for some people, that may be twice a day, while for others, three times a week is sufficient. Personally, mine move once or twice a day, and I was back to that after about a week. To help your bowels to move more regularly, be sure to take regular walks, which will help more than anything else. Also have some peppermint tea, and try supplementing your diet with magnesium, which promotes proper bowel function; food sources include leafy greens, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and dark chocolate. To train your bowels to move properly, try sitting on the toilet immediately 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. Best wishes for your continued recovery!

Thanks for this info. I too am a little concerned about bowel movement it has been 1 week today and I am doing well. I am going to try to stop the pain medication and I'm am sure that will help.

I too had some BM issues in the beginning but I was on some strong pain meds every 6 hours. Now that I"m down to 2 doses a day (one upon waking and one before dinner),I am have at least 1 bm a day and usually more than that. Things will improve.

My doctor listed Colace/Docusate Sodium 100 mg as part of my daily medications to take after surgery. Double check your papers to see if you're supposed to be taking a particular laxative, or a certain dose. The pain killers and general abdominal weirdness is going to cause constipation. I ended up taking 300 mg docusate sodium a day to get my bowels moving.

I take stool softeners once a day (twice a day during the first week or so) and I still find that I need Mira Lax once or twice a week. The first week I had to use an enema to get things moving. If you are concerned about the length of time I would try the enema and do it as directed on the package. It really helps me when I get to constipated. I know it is gross but when you need help going you just gotta suck it up sometimes lol. Prune juice also helps. Good luck.

I was discharged on 3/13, but i had to have a bm before i was discharged. When I got home I had another bm. After that I went 5 days without a bm. I used mirilax once a day and used duculax a few times and sinikot. Ever since then, I pretty much go everyday. Before my surgery I was having problems having a bm and I was on 290 mg of Linzess plus mirilax once a day. 5 days is way too long for me to go without a bm.

I would consider purchasing a squatty potty. If you go to YouTube you will see how it helps. It is a little odd, but has been a life saver for me when I do need to have a bm. It was several days after I got home till my first arrived. I however did not use softners. I did notice walking, getting up helped. Research the squatty potty. It will help. 3 weeks post op.