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  • Advice needed for Radiogirl from her sister

    Can anyone give me some advice for my sister Radiogirl? She had her surgery 10 days ago and still has not had a bowel movement. Her stomach, torso, and back are all swollen. She looks like she's 7 months pregnant! She's extremely tired, although we have cut back on the Percocet, believing it to be the culprit of the constipation. She has abdominal pain, and of course, back pain, now that she's cut back the Percocet. We've spoken to doctor's office twice in last 24 hours and he says it's not unusual.

    Has anybody experienced this type of thing after surgery, or do you have any suggestions for relief. She's hardly eating anything at all, just nibbling on fruit and crackers; drinking lots of water because she's unbelievably thirsty.

    Thanks for any light you can shed on her misery.
    Marsha, her sister.
    Laura
    62 degrees
    49 yrs. young
    Surgery 3/31/10 with Lenke

    Before and After pics
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/13749126@N06/

  • #2
    Did Dr. Lenke's office have any remedies?
    Rita Thompson
    Age 46
    Milwaukee Brace wearer for 3 years in childhood
    Surgery Mar 1st - 95 degree thoracic curve
    Surgery by Dr. Lenke, St. Louis, MO
    Post-surgery curve 25-30 degree

    Comment


    • #3
      Pain meds can cause constipation. When discharged we were to call if no BM in a certain amount of time - so a call is probably needed. They may give her something to move things along. Our DR instructed me to give Miralax daily while on pain meds and it works wonderfully.

      Best wishes - hope she feels better soon.

      Dee
      Dee - Mother of two daughters, both with scoliosis KateScoliKid (16yo) 52* Lumbar curve
      Fusion Surgery 2/9/10 T-11->L-3 @CHKD Norfolk VA
      Jes (20yo) T 3 -> L 3 w/ Kyphosis

      Comment


      • #4
        Did her gut wake up?

        Did it go back to sleep?

        Should she be checked for ileus (sp?)?

        I think a child on the group had that and I think Ti Ed had that. Maybe someone will chime in.

        Good luck.
        Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

        No island of sanity.

        Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
        Answer: Medicine


        "We are all African."

        Comment


        • #5
          Radiogirl's problem

          Yes, she does have ileus, or paralytic ileus (?) and they just said that means that peristalsis is not occurring because her gut didn't wake up yet... and they're not worried.
          Laura
          62 degrees
          49 yrs. young
          Surgery 3/31/10 with Lenke

          Before and After pics
          http://www.flickr.com/photos/13749126@N06/

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Radiogirl View Post
            Yes, she does have ileus, or paralytic ileus (?) and they just said that means that peristalsis is not occurring because her gut didn't wake up yet... and they're not worried.
            If they knew it why was she allowed to eat and drink? Painful bloating is a given if the patient eats/drinks before the gut is moving as far as I know. This was strictly enforced with my kids as our surgeon considers it a setback.

            Do they know she is drinking so much and eating a bit?
            Last edited by Pooka1; 04-10-2010, 02:34 PM.
            Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

            No island of sanity.

            Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
            Answer: Medicine


            "We are all African."

            Comment


            • #7
              I'm so sorry she's having this problem! I'm really surprised if she has an ileus that they let her go home. I had an ileus and was not allowed to eat or drink ANYTHING at all-- not even little sips of water, until there were signs of it waking up again. Those first little "blips" of gas were sooooo exciting! That was on day 5 for me. I wouldn't hesitate to call your sister's surgeon and see what you should do. Unless peristalsis is happening, there is no way, even with the best laxatives in the world, that anything is going to happen. At least I don't see how. This can be a true medical problem, and they should help you with it.

              Let us know what happens, and please give her a gentle hug for me... and one for you too. It sounds like you are a wonderful sister.
              71 and plugging along... but having some problems
              2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
              5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
              Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

              Corrected to 15°
              CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
              10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

              Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

              Comment


              • #8
                Mom

                My sister Melissa has similar problem. She had her surgery the same day Radiogirl. She took Milk if Magnesia and that helped alot. You will have to ask pharmacist for dosage.

                Pam

                Comment


                • #9
                  They gave me some kind of drink which tasted like lemon/lime and 12 hours later I had diarrhea. Now 2 days later the percocet backed me up again, so I ate lots of fruit and drank prune juice. So now it seems to be all working again.
                  Lynette - 44 years old.

                  Pre-surgery thoracic 55 degrees
                  Pre-surgery lumbar 85 degrees

                  Post-surgery thoracic 19 degrees
                  Post-surgery lumbar 27 degrees

                  Surgery April 1st 2010.

                  Posterior spinal fusion from T9 to sacrum.
                  Dr. Cronen at University Community Hospital - Tampa, FL.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Ativa sp? yogurt really works.And prune juice tastes disgusting I could not drink that but eating prunes worked for me.I hope she feels better soon.
                    Aug.17,09 Anterior
                    Aug.20,09 Posterior
                    Fused T-10 to Sacral Pelvis
                    Cedars-Sinai
                    Dr.Pashman

                    Sheri 47 years young
                    Husband married 30 years
                    3 kids 29,28,25
                    4 grandkids 10,8,5,3

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      My surgery was a little over three weeks ago and I have been battling constipation ever since. Once her bowels get going have her try Milk of Magnesia..it got me started again...but the relief was temporary as I got backed up again a few days later. I started drinking Citrucell twice a day and that did the trick for me. It's not fun to drink but after the constipation I had I'd do anything to not have it again. I have been fine for a week now having regular bowel movements... Have her try the citrucell, it's worked fantastic for me.

                      Rich
                      Pre-Surgery Lumbar 65 degrees
                      A/P Fusion T10-Pelvis by Dr. Christopher Good
                      Virginia Spine Institute, Reston, VA 3/17/10, 3/18/10
                      Post-Surgery Lumbar 19 degrees, and 2" in height

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Hi Marsha, so to hear that Laura has this problem but unfortunately it seems to always seems to be the case with strong pain meds. On my worst day at home, I used Microlax (sp?) to get things going and then as my appetite was crappy, I drank Isowhey protein shakes with Flaxseed Meal twice daily and then ate two kiwi fruit before bedtime. I also used to drink between 2-3 litres of water per day. Our Pharmacist told me that if all else fails naturally, to take Coloxyl (stool softener) every 2nd day to keep things from packing up. I also stuck to eating mostly yoghurts and stewed fruits.
                        Hope this helps
                        Vali
                        44 years young! now 45
                        Surgery - June 1st, 2009
                        Dr David Hall - Adelaide Spine Clinic
                        St. Andrews Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia
                        Pre-op curve - 58 degree lumbar
                        Post -op - 5 degrees
                        T11 - S1 Posterior
                        L4/5 - L5/S1 Anterior Fusion

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          A friend of mine who is a rehab nurse strongly recommends the prune juice or prunes esp. in AM. She also says sometimes cold foods are more appealing than hot when you're feeling bad. That swelling is very normal and may be around for a while. I know sometimes my abdominal pain/bloating early on was worse than the back pain. I also can identify with the constant thirst. I think pain meds have something to do with that, too. I had to have a suppository to get things started in the hospital and took colace on a regular basis as long as I was taking percocet. Once I got away from the hospital food, I ate like I was on steroids and did not lose any weight with this surgery. Because I was eating pretty much normally, my system worked OK with the colace. I also walked around the house a lot in those early recovery days. Sometimes just a little bit of movement helps other things move. Am sorry Laura's so miserable right now. Would hope the Dr. would prescribe something or make some kind of recommendation to help her at this point.


                          Anne in PA
                          Age 58
                          Diagnosed at age 14, untreated, no problem until age 50
                          T4 to sacrum fusion
                          63 thoracic now 35, 92 lumbar now 53
                          Dr. Baron Lonner, 2/2/10
                          Am pain-free, balanced, happy & an inch taller !

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I am so sorry Laura is having this problem. I just feel horrible for her! If I could do something for her I would believe me. I would have surely thought they would have addressed this before she left the hosp, although I know once I went (finally) at the hosp then they started looking at the day I could go home immediately. I was a little scared to leave so quickly, but it worked out okay in the long run anyway - I sure wish it would have for her. Although, I have had problems with constipation myself, but I've always been able to manage through each episode without anything, but it wasn't easy. If they said she had an ileus in the hosp, I would have thought they wouold have gotten an x-ray of it to determine the severity. Please give her my best and do not hesitate if I can do ANYTHING at all to help.
                            Rita Thompson
                            Age 46
                            Milwaukee Brace wearer for 3 years in childhood
                            Surgery Mar 1st - 95 degree thoracic curve
                            Surgery by Dr. Lenke, St. Louis, MO
                            Post-surgery curve 25-30 degree

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Hi...

                              The ileus is relatively common after a big spine surgery. Once it clears, your sister will feel like a totally new woman! There have been a lot of good recommendations. I'd recommend a trip to the store, and trying as many of the remedies as possible.

                              Regards,
                              Linda
                              Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                              ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                              Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

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