So I'm 3 days post op and haven't had a bowel movement yet. It hurts more every time I try and I'm terrified of prolapse or at least popping a stitch . I'm drinking litres of water and eating pretty much only fruit and laxatives. I'm so afraid this is going to be a big problem!

   I believe a phone call to your doctor would be in order.

If nothing else it could give you the reassurance you need. At worse you'll have to go see him/her.

Git-er-dun

Hugs,
   Jeanette

Hello,

I've gone through gender confirmation surgery, breast augmentation and other surgeries and learned that when eating fruit, staying hydrated and eating properly in general it still takes three or four days before a bowel movement. Laxatives can help somewhat but the fruit and staying hydrated are the most important things to do.

If you go past four days your surgeon needs to be called for advice.

I'm still on the ward and saw a doctor who said I'm healing well. They are stepping up my laxative regime. I personally think that I'm not going to have any luck until my catheter is out.

El:

I too have been under general anaesthesia several times for my various procedures.  GA actually shuts your body down.  That is why you  have a breathing tube in and other significant life support monitors and constant support from several nurses and assistants.  Surgery is serious business.

But your body will recover.  And it recovers in stages.  The GI tract is the last to "wake up" after surgery and it may take many days for it to become active.

However, if you are passing gas or making bowel sounds, then you are proceeding well.  My first movement after my GCS was about five days after.  I still had my cath in and I had to use a bed pan.  It was the most embarrassing time of my life.  But I felt so much better afterwards.

As others have mentioned, staying hydrated and using laxatives should help.  Your doctor should be watching for the signs of peristalsis and help you to have a movement soon.  Right now worry is your biggest enemy.  You will work through this.

-Sandy

It can take time. With the pain killers and anatheisa it takes longer. You may need them to add something like Prune juice or to do something if it lasts much longer though. Hugs
Mariah

I'm passing a fair amount of wind so I'll try not to worry so much!

Wind is fine so long as it's coming from the proper place, see my blog post below (and the first link).

https://karenpayneblog.com/2016/08/15/bad-surgery-story/

Hi El,

Nothing to worry about. Had the same issue. In fact I did not have bowel movements until the 7th day after the surgery, but then again I had undergone sigmoid-colon with penile inversion. But as long as you are passing wind you will be fine. Hopefully in a day or two things will return back to normal.

Best of luck!

After my surgery I was confined to bed for 6 days and without being able to move around, things really got blocked up. Day 5 they gave me a laxative that I hope never to take again. Within a few hours everything came out and I couldn't have held it if I wanted to. That was one really nasty bed pan and I feel sorry for the nurse that had to empty it.

As long as the medical staff are aware of the issue they will know what action needs to be taken when. Just don't try to force the issue and follow the doctors instructions.

Thanks for all the support and advice everyone! I'm glad to report that 5 days post op the combo of 4 laxatives did the trick and my plumbing works really well now! I even have a defined stream of wee (admittedly 45 degrees to the right)

That's about how long it took for me too and I was equally as scared. Glad it worked out for you.

Quote from: El on February 20, 2017, 12:52:39 PM
Thanks for all the support and advice everyone! I'm glad to report that 5 days post op the combo of 4 laxatives did the trick and my plumbing works really well now! I even have a defined stream of wee (admittedly 45 degrees to the right)

I'm glad everything came out all right! 

Also, you are severely swollen down there and you'll pee like holding your thumb on a garden hose for a few weeks.  But that should settle down too.  Just give it time and you should be fine!

-Sandy

Anyone having surgery needs to know that any surgery where the GI tract may be manipulated can result in delayed bowel function return.  On top of that pile being NPO (almost nothing in the system), the narcotics used for sedation and opiates for post op pain control can all cause constipation.

Glad to hear you finally had a movement.  To anyone undergoing surgery, if you are passing gas you will eventually have a bowel movement.  But if you have concerns post op, definitely bring them up your surgeon.