PAinful BMs

YEOW!
Yes, I'm among the bullet-biters every morning! I get horrible cramps with BMs and I feel like I'll pass out if it gets any worse, but somehow I get through it! I've had some intense bouts when I literally pulled my hair until the pain subsided. But it's day 12 now, and the last one was much better!

Some of you who have had bowel problems before may have received a cure through your hysterectomy. True. Some fibroids and adhesions cause bowel troubles that can't be seen with a colonoscopy, 'cause it's outside of the colon.

Regardless of your bowel habits in the past, unless your doc says otherwise, it's absolutely essential to use stool softeners. Eat pears, spinach, and anything else that will keep things--how did that sister put it?--loosey goosey in there! You may still have pre-BM pain, but it will pass quicker. Dry stools are UNBEARABLE! On day 2, I actually had to don a rubber glove and disimpact myself! (I've done it for patients, so it wasn't really so gross....)

PLEASE, start from day one eating fruit--one with each meal. Our tendencies (at least mine was) are to eat "comfort foods" and baby ourselves with starch. That's fine if we balance it off with fruit AND stool softeners (they're usually very gentle). Laxatives are more harsh. Use Freelax, or something else that says "no cramping." It will just help you get on track.

I hope you colitis and IBS sufferers are among the percentage of hysterectomy patients who are cured in the process! It happens!

Sistersuzy

HI Suzie,

I too had to don the rubber glove for my first movement... 6 days post op. It was by far the most traumatic experience of my life... even worse than childbirth, pain-wise. Top that with the fact that I was scared to death I was going to hurt my recovering self and it was truly horrible.
I've been better since. I take two teaspoons of mineral oil mixed in my yogurt each day, and everything has been fine. I still do get those shooting pains right before a movement, but they pass once I go.
Thanks for sharing your experience, I thought I was the only one.

Hi Suzie!
yes, I do believe that my IBS is much better since my surgery. Mind you some days a bout of explosive diarrhea is longed for!! My poor bowels have more room now to make the stools bigger and wowie, some mornings, like this morning, I felt like I was just going to rip apart!! At least my bowels have finally decided to wake up and work on their own. I am more regular now at this point than before the surgery also. Mind you, if I stopped eating everything in site, I may not have such issues either!! :snort:

Hugs
Kat