Need help getting my bowels moving after hysterectomy

Hello I'm 2 weeks post op. And I'm having a really hard time with getting my bowls moving... any suggestions? Thx

Our bowels are no-doubt sluggish post-op. Focus your diet on increased fiber and magnesium: dark leafy greens, whole grains and fiber cereal, nuts, seeds, avocados, fruits (dried, fresh or frozen in smoothies), prune juice and enough water-water-water to swamp a canoe. Without the water, you're just making rocks! Avoid highly processed foods and gas producing foods for now since they are harder to digest. My go-to was Fiber One Original cereal with raisin bran added, dried prunes, prune juice evenly throughout the day. I also propped my feet up on a low footstool for proper colon alignment. Moving around / walking can also help.

If-if-if you need something to help you along, Smooth Move tea. The "moving" ingredient is senna - natural, but still a laxative which is why you want to use it sparingly otherwise your body will become dependent on it.

I had to stay on top of my digestion for about 7 weeks before I got to some semblance of normal. Here's to lubed tubes!

My doctor advised me to use Miralax every single day that I was still on pain medication (which can stop you up apart from the surgery). I worked up to 3 doses per day until things started going on their own again. I was also told that normal bowel function would not return for some time. That if you were daily before, you may not be daily again for awhile. So, just know that it's normal, if uncomfortable!

Oh! And walk/move around as Cussette said! This really makes a difference in getting your body to 'wake up' after surgery!

One good way to wake up your bowels is to have a glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon, first thing in the morning. For magnesium, have some dark chocolate or pumpkin seeds, or try making a smoothie with almond milk, cherries, spinach, and ground flaxseeds; that's what ultimately worked for me. Another trick I frequently recommend, to kick-start your bowels without the laxatives, is to do the "potty squat", as Cussette described, right 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. Here's hoping you'll be back to 💩 soon!

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Originally Posted by histo73 Hello I'm 2 weeks post op. And I'm having a really hard time with getting my bowls moving... any suggestions? Thx

My tried and true remedy is 5 mg bisacodyl (dulcolax pink) at night and a glass of water with Miralax in the AM. I have done this since surgery and anytime I am on constipating pain meds. I generally have trouble with my bowels, so I have to stay on top of it. 365 days a year I also take 2 Citrucel before bed to help bulk me up with fiber so I can stay regular. It is the non-gas-forming kind of fiber, which is important because gas is the last thing we need right now. With this remedy, I have haf a bowel movement every morning since 6 days post op. Good luck!

Walk, walk, walk, as much as you can and be sure to drink lots of water

My doctor said, while water, prune and fiber will help with normal constipation, it really doesn't after surgery. During surgery you are given medication to stop all flow of body eliminatory functions. Getting it restarted is an issue sometimes. While urine will resume quickly, your bowels have "dried out" during this time. The blockage/constipation is at the bottom of your bowels, not the top, so adding things orally does not usually work. He suggested a laxative suppository. It will unblock the "bottom" so the top can come down naturally. Hope this helps.