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First poo following surgery

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User
Posted 12 Nov 2019 at 07:45

Apart from leaving hospital, this was my next hurdle, so although it caused me some anxiety, it was successful and without any drama.

Also, if you're pre-op it might be worth checking the toilet seat at home is secure and fix or replace as necessary. 

Here's how I approached it:

I kept hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.

I ate little and often but didn't over indulge.

After emptying the catheter bag, I would see if I could sit on the toilet and get off it again. If I wasn't ready, then no rush, I could at least consider how to do it.

As time went by, I was more mobile, so I figured that gravity is key.

I took a sena tablet before bed.

Passing wind was an opportunity to walk to the toilet as a test run (I wasn't sure of the sensation). This happened a few times.

Again, standing when possible lets gravity do the job, so when I felt ready I sat on the toilet and gently shifted my weight around the seat (also pulled my cheeks apart).

I wasn't keen on pushing so again relied on gravity which worked for me.

Edited by member 12 Nov 2019 at 10:23  | Reason: Added note for pre-op.

User
Posted 12 Nov 2019 at 14:35
A moment of sheer paradise when it arrives đŸ’©đŸ˜‚
User
Posted 12 Nov 2019 at 07:45

Apart from leaving hospital, this was my next hurdle, so although it caused me some anxiety, it was successful and without any drama.

Also, if you're pre-op it might be worth checking the toilet seat at home is secure and fix or replace as necessary. 

Here's how I approached it:

I kept hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.

I ate little and often but didn't over indulge.

After emptying the catheter bag, I would see if I could sit on the toilet and get off it again. If I wasn't ready, then no rush, I could at least consider how to do it.

As time went by, I was more mobile, so I figured that gravity is key.

I took a sena tablet before bed.

Passing wind was an opportunity to walk to the toilet as a test run (I wasn't sure of the sensation). This happened a few times.

Again, standing when possible lets gravity do the job, so when I felt ready I sat on the toilet and gently shifted my weight around the seat (also pulled my cheeks apart).

I wasn't keen on pushing so again relied on gravity which worked for me.

Edited by member 12 Nov 2019 at 10:23  | Reason: Added note for pre-op.

User
Posted 12 Nov 2019 at 13:44
On reflection, I wish the hospital had made more of an effort to stress the need for roughage, etc., before surgery.

It is all very well to discharge a constipated patient post-op with all kinds of laxatives and ispaghula husk powder drinks after his intestines have been buggered about with, but if we were forewarned we could have gone into surgery with bowels full of soft stools, ready for nature to take its course after the trauma of surgery.

I read all the leaflets they gave me, and I don't recall it ever been mentioned. To paraphrase the great Rod Stewart, ‘The First Fart is the Greatest’

Cheers, John.

User
Posted 12 Nov 2019 at 19:37

I remember that moment!

Good for you

 

User
Posted 13 Nov 2019 at 18:54

I have DD & usually have up to a dozen mucus poo's a day, after my 2nd discharge from hospital on Sunday I hadn't been that day, by Monday afternoon I was still "motionless" took 2 movicol treatments & by 8pm I laid my first egg. Tuesday morning saw the blockage cleared & all was well, Wednesday morning, I was blocked up again! 2 more movicol sachets & just cleared again ( boy it was uncomfortable) so it looks like movicol daily until a bit more healed.Moral of the story, you are given laxatives for a good reason, keep your stools soft cos it's bl**dy uncomfortable if you become constipated.

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User
Posted 12 Nov 2019 at 13:44
On reflection, I wish the hospital had made more of an effort to stress the need for roughage, etc., before surgery.

It is all very well to discharge a constipated patient post-op with all kinds of laxatives and ispaghula husk powder drinks after his intestines have been buggered about with, but if we were forewarned we could have gone into surgery with bowels full of soft stools, ready for nature to take its course after the trauma of surgery.

I read all the leaflets they gave me, and I don't recall it ever been mentioned. To paraphrase the great Rod Stewart, ‘The First Fart is the Greatest’

Cheers, John.

User
Posted 12 Nov 2019 at 14:35
A moment of sheer paradise when it arrives đŸ’©đŸ˜‚
User
Posted 12 Nov 2019 at 19:37

I remember that moment!

Good for you

 

User
Posted 12 Nov 2019 at 19:55

Hi John,

Luckily the nurse on my pre-op briefed me on starting a low residue diet a day and half before I had to starve. Having said that though, once given the green light to eat post-op.. all sorts of food was offered even though I was marked up as LD (light diet?) on the board.

Reading comments on this site got me thinking about problems other people had on the subject. Especially as my hungry eyes were bigger than my belly. 

User
Posted 12 Nov 2019 at 20:03

Hi Pete,

It was a moment of bliss, and on target. Result!

User
Posted 13 Nov 2019 at 18:54

I have DD & usually have up to a dozen mucus poo's a day, after my 2nd discharge from hospital on Sunday I hadn't been that day, by Monday afternoon I was still "motionless" took 2 movicol treatments & by 8pm I laid my first egg. Tuesday morning saw the blockage cleared & all was well, Wednesday morning, I was blocked up again! 2 more movicol sachets & just cleared again ( boy it was uncomfortable) so it looks like movicol daily until a bit more healed.Moral of the story, you are given laxatives for a good reason, keep your stools soft cos it's bl**dy uncomfortable if you become constipated.

User
Posted 13 Nov 2019 at 20:02

Hi Staggered,

Seems I'm following a similar pattern, hard then soft so it's definitely going to take a while to settle down, and about half an hour after today's delivery I had some kind of spasm which was pretty painful.

User
Posted 11 Sep 2023 at 12:02

I was concerned about this after my operation. I was prescribed laxatives and senna which I took for a week. On my first day back home nothing happened and I began to worry about getting constipated and straining my internal wounds. I drank loads, ate normally which for me is a diet with a goodly amount of roughage, walked about a bit the morning of day two at home and then I went. Great relief mentally and nothing painful at all. I did cut back on day four on the laxatives and then had a difficult evacuation so I started on half measures again and everything returned to normal. Now six weeks after surgery and back to a regular pattern.

 
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