Question for those who have used magnesium citrate

My surgeon returned my call today from out of State while on vacation.My post-op appointment is only 4 days prior to surgery..and since I am recovering from a bleeding ulcer I needed to find out when to discontinue the high dosages of delayed release acid reducers and the prescribed dietary supplements of iron and calcuim...She said 2 weeks prior.

While I had her on the line I asked her about bowel preps..she informed me her usual practice is only to have LAVH patients do so but thinks it would be best to have me do so also...her recommendation is:

"Mag Citrate" although my surgery is a TAH! I told her that I wanted to pick up everything I need pre-op off of my next paycheck..

She told me she will give specific details for using, at pre-op appt.

Now here is my question...I have looked on line and found more than one form...so how am I suppose to know which form of Magnesium Citrate to purchase?

I had my LAVH on Oct 21 and had to do the bowel prep the day before, and only clear liquids that day, and no liquids at all after midnight. I went to CVS and bought one bottle of cherry Magnesium Citrate. It is best to get it very cold. You must go ahead and drink the whole thing. The cherry flavor takes the edge off the heavy salty flavor, but , I drank it in two phases, while holding my nose and looking at the TV. It's best to just suck it down. I drank half, waited a few minutes and then drank the other half. I drank it at noon and about 2pm, I was in the bathroom on/off for a few hours. When you go to the drugstore, go straight to the pharmacist and he will show you what to get. Also, ask the surgeon if you can eat breakfast that morning. My surgeon told me the day before the surgery, I could have breakfast that morning and then no more food after that-the clear liquids only until midnight. Thank goodness I had the breakfast which was boiled eggs and toast. This provided a cushion to my stomach against the mag cit which can possibly make you a little nauseous. Nothing like a bit of Coke or sprite afterwards to get rid of the taste-which does not last long.

Good luck!

Thank you..Spalover..I also have one additional question for post-op(ers) regarding post--op pain meds..

Also while I had my surgeon on the phone I did ask about post-op pain meds..because of the healing ulcers ALL NSAIDS are out of the question forever more! She said she will likely write the prescription for me to have at home and available for recovery at the time of my pre-op appt. She said she will likely prescribe Vicoden, Tylenol w/ Codine, Dilaudid, or Darvon

Narcotic based pain meds also add to constipation don't they?

Is there any other way to control or manage the pain that you may know of that I might ask about which are NOT narcotic or NSAIDS??

Hi there,

I too have a strong history of bleeding ulcers, though not active, and NSAIDS have long been out of the question for me. As for the pain meds, I have taken Tramadol in the past (Ultram)...it does provide some moderate relief. I just called my pharmacist to be sure, and he said it is not considered a narcotic (I was not certain, but did not think it was). I have also noticed that Tramadol does not give me nearly as much trouble with constipation as some of the other pain meds I have taken either.

That is about the only med I can think of for now. I was sent home with Percocet post-op, and did okay with it--the constipation was not too bad so long as I drank tons of fluids and ate some fruit and such.

Please take care & I wish you the very best at your pre op appt--be sure to write down a list of all your questions before you go in, as I know if I don't, everything gets forgotten in the confusion and haste I also wish you the best for an uneventful surgery & a speedy recovery--please do keep us posted! s

Sincerely, Trish

While narcotics can definitely cause constipation, I know that I needed them after surgery to help manage pain. I was initially on percocet and then switched down to vicodin. To help offset possible constipation I made sure to drink plenty of fluids and to eat fruits and veggies (initially I drank High Fiber V8 juice and ate natural applesauce when I couldn't stomach the idea of actually eating more solid food). In my case, doing that combined with a couple doses of milk of magnesia early on helped stave off any constipation. Since the first couple weeks after surgery I've slowly built back up to more fiber intake (i.e. whole grains along with more fruits and veggies) and am vigilant about drinking lots of water. Result? I haven't had constipation once since surgery!

You've gotten some great input already!

In my opinion, the best way to know about your bowel prep (as in which one to purchase) is to call back and find out for sure. There are different preparations out there, and it's best to get the one your particular doctor is used to working with. As the other (((sister))) mentioned, a pharmacist can also be of great assistance when you're presented with lots of alternatives.

I've done a few different bowel preps (although I did not have one for my TAH) and it's just most important that you do what your doctor recommends - nothing more and nothing less.

It is true that narcotic pain meds tend to constipate. I was put on stool softeners when I took them, although to be honest stool softeners and laxatives don't really do much for me other than upset my stomach. Again, it's probably best to speak directly with the about which pain meds might work for you. There is also something called the On-Q pain pump which might be a good non-narcotic alternative for you.

To all of the Post-op(pers) who took the time..Thank You ever so much!

The wealth of information you have provided has answered many of the questions I have pertaining to my surgery.

Better yet I now have additional questions with suggestions as has been posted here to add to my arsenal of questions to ask my surgeon at my pre-op appointment!

I will have all written on paper to take with me, when I attend the pre-op, as all information is vital to me for an optimistically successful outcome!

I do hope you, all my sister post-op(pers) do not mind if in the near furture..if I find additional questions that I may seek your valued input! ...Thanks Again!