Bowel Prep or No Bowel Prep???

I see a lot of women on here talking about bowel prep & see where some doctors don't require it. My doctor had not said anything about this yet but I am wondering what the difference is in doing it or not doing it? Will doing it before hand make things easier on the system later?

I see where a lot of people have trouble having a bowel movement after surgery. I'm lactose intolerant so I plan on just having a little bit of milk to get me going!

My dr. didn't require a bowel prep. I didn't any instructions about whagt to eat beforehand from him either. Several friends told me to eat very light the day before so that is what I did. I still got constipated afterward though. Pain meds tend to do that. After the first BM though I got a handle on it and took my Marilax every morning in my glass of grape juice and ate several prunes each day. For me that work great.

It seems to be totally up to the doc if they require a prep or not. I did not have to do it, but nothing after midnight the day before and come in with empty stomach. Which I think most of us do, some emptier than others.

I doubt the prep has anything to do with the recovery and the number of issues. Pretty much everybody seems to have some issues, I was slow starting and then had the runs for a couple of days. There is no way of knowing or preparing for it, you just take what you get.

Drs all have their own procedures and reasons for them. Your dr will know what is best for you, so it's really important that you do exactly what he/she orders. I'd ask him/her any questions that you have.
I got my orders at my pre-op visit the day before surgery.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Snoopin I see where a lot of people have trouble having a bowel movement after surgery. I'm lactose intolerant so I plan on just having a little bit of milk to get me going!

Careful, Snoopin if you are anything like me milk will give you allot of gas which I hear is a bad thing post-op since we will have too much gas as it is the issue is passing the gas.

I see your date is two days before mine! I have been eating lots of fiber, bran, flax seeds, etc so I am very regular before I go in, I hear that works too along with stool softeners and fiber after.

I do have to do the bowel prep and cannot wait after hearing all these stories UGH!

Keep in touch !

I find out at my pre-op on June 3rd if I have to do a bowel prep or not. I have my fingers crossed that I don't!!! Oh and my toes too!!! I was surprised that I had to take my solar nails off so I am preparing myself for the worst

Best wishes to everyone!!!!!

I know I have to do one but all they told me is the 'kit is in the mail'

I am going to call again today and say 'yes I understand the kit is coming please tell me what surprises are in the kit'

my stomach hurts thinking about it.

Like others have said, every doctor is different. I had my pre-op on Friday and I don't have to do any bowel prep, nor was I given a special 'diet' for prior to surgery. Just the usual nothing to eat/drink 12 hours prior and no drugs that can affect clotting as of now.

I didn't have a special diet either. I just chose to eat lightly. My sister in law's friends took her out the day before and she had a cheeseburger and she said that was a huge mistake. I have celiac disease and watched what I ate very closely before and afterwards. I didn't want any more gas pains then were necessary.

I had to do the prep - but it really wasn't all that bad. The day before surgery I had to take 4 ducolax at 8am, then drink 64 oz of gatorade mixed with mirolax starting at 10am. By 3pm I was pretty much done with everything. No pain at all. It gave me something to do besides worry!

Honestly, do whatever your doctor recomends - they have their own surgery systems so you don't want to do a prep if they don't order one or skip it if they do. It can mess up your hydration and recovery.