7 days with no bowel movement, I'm miserable, cramping, bloating, hip and horrible back pain, it hurts to sit, stand and walk, I think I'm impacted because it's right there at the exit, but won't budge, it's not dry, liquid droplets of poo do dribble occasionally. I have been taking stool softener, miralax, lots of water, eating fruits, this is worse than the surgery, help!
Hi Sally, it took me a week to go after prolapse surgery. Have you tried prune juice? I still have a cup of warm prune juice now to avoid constipation. Linseed helps too. Good luck
Short term suggestion for immediate relief - have you tried glycerin suppositories? They work very quickly (less than 5 minutes) and I found them very good for clearing the lower rectum.
Longer term have you tried Movicol sachets - they treats constipation but you can take more sachets if you're impacted.
Both these things have worked for me in the past.
What you're describing happened to me! I blame it on the fact that they no longer give you medication to clear your bowel pre op. My consultant said that, during the hysterectomy op., they necessarily handle the bowel and it is this handling that causes the bowel to stop working for several days. I took me a whole week to pass that hard motion blocking the exit (not a nice subject, sorry!) and I only managed it then by sitting on the hospital bidet and running very warm water onto my lower back/bottom.
This seems to cause the area to relax and then you can aid the exit of the stool with your fingers. Once this is passed, relief is immediate and long lasting but before that I couldn't eat and no amount of suppositories etc. had any effect.
By the way, the dribbles of poo you mention I had too. These are liquid poo that leaks out past the impacted stool.
Are you at home? I was not allowed home until I'd passed the offending motion! Ask for help from your GP if you are. Cosmocol (a cheaper version of Movicol that you buy over the counter) has instructions for dealing with impaction (8 sachets a day!) and can be prescribed. Prune juice and linseed won't be sufficiently effective in this situation but they are good for dealing with general constipation.
i know how painful and worrying this is but it will pass and I hope it is soon, for your sake!
Pam
I was told to do a "pre-op bowel cleanse" and although it sucks sitting on the toilet all day it definitely helped with being able to go afterwards!
Yes I came home day after surgery, they said if I passed wind I was good to go. This is worse than giving birth 😩I called Dr today and said to continue the colace(stool softener) and start Miralax, i have used a gloved finger and gotten little soft bits out. I see him for follow up Wednesday, praying things move soon, it feels like I'm going to destroy all the surgeons work when the big one finally passes, I have stitches nearby, Thankyou for your advice and compassion.
I wish I had had a cleane out before surgery! I did have a bowel movement the day before surgery and had already started taking stool softener, I never thought this would happen 😩
Doctor said I can't use suppositories or enema because of the surgery I had😩
Sally, have you got a foot stool or two if poss? If you sit with a foot on each stool and lean with arms on knees and RELAX! Just sit there awhile, some gentle rocking back and forth can help to loosen the stool and get the muscles working again. I read about a "Squatty stool" on this forum, they are quite wide and mine is about 7" high. You sit in a natural position for emptying the bowel with these and I'm still finding it useful so good for anyone who has constipation. I got mine on amazon. Take heart, all this will soon be over and you will be 'new woman'! Good luck Poll X
I have one stool I've been using, it always worked before just not now, I'll try rocking
It's just so painful with stitches and all the soreness from surgery 😞
Are you still taking pain killers? Some of us need them longer than others but you doc can advise what will help most and maybe prescribe something stronger until you feel better. Trouble is the strong ones can make constipation worse. Are you having a little walk round now? It does help to keep moving but don't stay on your feet too long as you still need to rest with feet up. I had my hysterectomy done 34 years ago and we were kept in hospital for 8-10 days then under the eagle eyes of the nurses! Also keep taking the laxatives as they will work eventually, (wow, what an explosion)! lol
Why can't you take suppositries? I had vaginal hysterectomy 4 days constipated I phoned the ward they told me to use 2 glycerin suppositries nurse said that's what they would have given me if I had been on the ward. I wish I had only taken one, two was too much. 7 days Is far too long to be like that. Good luck x
It all depends on how the hysterectomy was performed. If it was vaginal, then maybe you can use suppositories but if the surgeon went in through an abdominal incision, then I was told that suppositories were not allowed. Your GP or, better still, hospital team, would be the ones to ask.
i do hope you find relief soon,Sally!
Hi Sally, I had my op in February this year and I too had AWFUL pain because I could not go for a week, never ever had constipation before! I was recommended Lactulose as Movicol gave me terrible wind, I also had prunes each day for breakfast, I still have them most days. Don't forget, feet up on a low stool, (you can use two wrapped toilet rolls), relax and keep the curve in your back as you lean forwards at the hips. Drink lots of water too - good luck, you will feel a lot better x
Also, consume excessive amounts of coconut oil!
Thankyou God and all of you ladies!! That has got to be the worst pain I have suffered in my 61 years on earth! Believe me I tried everything you all suggested. What finally got a breakthrough was applying heat to low back while sitting and leaning back in a bean bag chair, knees up, trying to rock a little, 4 doses of Miralax, stool softener(overdose), water, water and more water! Partial relief came around 7Pm last night(Monday), it took about an hour for the large impacted BRICK to drop, OMG, i yelled out (not intentionally), hurt so bad, but immediate relief from back pain too! Since then I have had multiple smaller bricks drop, still very sore, but am diligent to drink water, stool softeners, and fiber diet, I can't express how THANKFUL I am to God and all of you🙏🏼
Well done, Sally! Excellent news, so pleased for you.
Pam
I'm feeling your relief Sally! Just keep taking the laxatives but don't overdo it if you want diarrhoea! Keep moving around at least once an hour to keep muscles as strong as poss at this stage. Were you given any post op exercises to do? Keep us informed, we're all with you. X
LOL!