The SECRETS to bowel control post surgery

[mabeckoff]

They have flusable wipes .

[AMom]

My youngest was having some problems a while ago and the doctor gave her these two, almost identical, lists in addition to the pills prescribed. (He told me the daily fruits I had been serving most often were not high in sorbitol.) We also added a smoothie snack every afternoon. He said the list is presented in decreasing amount of sorbitol order so if she chose items at the bottom of the list to give more frequent or larger servings. There was one other fruit on the list, but I can’t even guess begin to decipher what he wrote. Good luck!

A Mom

JUICES:
Prune juice
Plum S?
Pear nectar
Apricot nectar
Cherry juice
Apple juice
FRUITS:
Prunes
Plums
Peaches
Pears
Apricots
Cherries
Pluots
Red grapes
Blueberries

[golfnut]

I know this is a serious issue!

I know that attempting to get regular is by no means a laughing matter and apologize, Susan, if you misinterpreted my post. It was by far my biggest and most painful challenge during recovery and I didn't mean to imply that it was not serious. To have a bowel movement or not put me on a daily rollercoaster of emotions. I'd either come out of the bathroom ready to do a cheer or with my head hanging that I had no success. When I said you made me laugh, I was referring to some of the stories people told science projects, etc. My abdomen pain and failure to have regular bowel movements had me emotionally distraught so I know how serious this is. My back pains were minor compared to abdomen pain. I bounced back and forth from taking too many laxatives and stool softeners and eating high fiber foods to not doing enough. I even managed to get hemorrhoids, which was definitely not pleasant. When I got off the strongest pain meds, everything improved. I took stool softeners for a long time afterwards, but was able to drop the laxatives. I drank hot plum juice, which I enjoyed more than prune juice, and did so for many months. I know I got the suggestion on the forum. Be encouraged to know that eventually, this will be behind you (well, you know what I mean)

[susancook]

I know that attempting to get regular is by no means a laughing matter and apologize, Susan, if you misinterpreted my post. It was by far my biggest and most painful challenge during recovery and I didn't mean to imply that it was not serious. To have a bowel movement or not put me on a daily rollercoaster of emotions. I'd either come out of the bathroom ready to do a cheer or with my head hanging that I had no success. When I said you made me laugh, I was referring to some of the stories people told science projects, etc. My abdomen pain and failure to have regular bowel movements had me emotionally distraught so I know how serious this is. My back pains were minor compared to abdomen pain. I bounced back and forth from taking too many laxatives and stool softeners and eating high fiber foods to not doing enough. I even managed to get hemorrhoids, which was definitely not pleasant. When I got off the strongest pain meds, everything improved. I took stool softeners for a long time afterwards, but was able to drop the laxatives. I drank hot plum juice, which I enjoyed more than prune juice, and did so for many months. I know I got the suggestion on the forum. Be encouraged to know that eventually, this will be behind you (well, you know what I mean)

Karen: on the contrary, I think this whole bowel and bladder hygiene is very funny and I thought that your comment was great. When I first went to Walgreens to look at the hygiene stick, I started to laugh in the aisle trying to imagine how I would possibly use it (and just get poo on the paper and not on the magic stick). Now I use some salad tongs that the hospital gave me. My husband hopes that we don't mix it up with the ones in the kitchen.

Laugh on Karen, and we will get through this! Thanks for your help. It is a group project.
Susan

[susancook]

My youngest was having some problems a while ago and the doctor gave her these two, almost identical, lists in addition to the pills prescribed. (He told me the daily fruits I had been serving most often were not high in sorbitol.) We also added a smoothie snack every afternoon. He said the list is presented in decreasing amount of sorbitol order so if she chose items at the bottom of the list to give more frequent or larger servings. There was one other fruit on the list, but I can’t even guess begin to decipher what he wrote. Good luck!

A Mom

JUICES:
Prune juice
Plum S?
Pear nectar
Apricot nectar
Cherry juice
Apple juice
FRUITS:
Prunes
Plums
Peaches
Pears
Apricots
Cherries
Pluots
Red grapes
Blueberries

Thanks
Susan

[maggie6]

I too am having problems with constipation. I had a good laugh reading all your comments and will also try some of your suggestions. I am now at almost nine weeks post op and am wondering how long this problem last.

[susancook]

I stayed on colace and Senokot for the entire time I took narcotics. I went home with a prescription for lactulose, which I used to supplement the other medications whenever things started building up.

Linda, how much Colace and Senokot did you take every day?

[gardenia]

the use of the bidet hose

Twisting to wipe is a hard thing to do.

Those extra long thongs they gave us at hospital does not clean clean.

disposable wipes are good but you still twist and reach to wipe.

The hose + a wipe might be best if you flush - we have a septic tank here in the desert so I am careful what goes in.

After hosing, it gives you the cleanest feeling ever or have a glass of water next to you for same purpose.

gardenia

[susancook]

Twisting to wipe is a hard thing to do.

Those extra long thongs they gave us at hospital does not clean clean.

disposable wipes are good but you still twist and reach to wipe.

The hose + a wipe might be best if you flush - we have a septic tank here in the desert so I am careful what goes in.

After hosing, it gives you the cleanest feeling ever or have a glass of water next to you for same purpose.

gardenia

I love you, Gardenia because you cut to the quick and give graphic explanation of exactly what works well.
When I was using the Miralax, my poos were soft and sticky, so I used multiple wet wipes multiple times to clean up. Stopped the Miralax, can't remember who suggested the correlation of poo consistency and Miralax but I thank you very much, so am using much fewer wet wipes. My son lives in an old house in Oakland, and I was unsure how the plumbing would handle wet wipes even flush able ones. We have septic tank at Washington home, no flushing wet wipes there either.
I will try the hose when we get back home....maybe even purchase the deluxe seat warmer and butt
Air blower.
It is interesting to me that they have phenomenal research studies on the complexities of spinal surgery, yet little to no research on postop bowel problems.

What do you do when you are away from home and needed to do your daily poo and did not bring your extender stick? I planned on using a bathroom that had single toilet so my husband could help me if I needed to do my daily poo (I can reach the urine wipe with very minimal bending)...but where we were was just a busy female bathroom with 4 stalls. I managed to hold it until we got home, but it was difficult. Suggestions?
Susan, you advocate for better excretion hygiene ;+}

[susancook]

Cleanup on aisle 5

I went grocery shopping with my daughter at one of those fancy stores. I was at checkout and suddenly had horrible lower abdominal pain and knew that I needed to get to a toilet quickly! Of course, the cashier was taking his sweet time going through the few items that we had while I was tightening every butt muscle that I had. My granddaughter asked me what was wrong as I was making some horrible faces. I paid quickly and left the cart with my granddaughter, but didn't have my reacher for butt hygiene which was in the car. Fortunately, my daughter assisted with the hygiene, but I worry about being alone in such a situation. Should I carry a roll around suitcase with all of my supplies just in case?

I am beginning to hate asking for help. I am impatient. I drop a pill on the floor and cannot pick it up. It's the little things that are bugging me. I want my new life immediately! I worry about running out of pain pills since the NP did not mail me a new prescription. Now I need to stretch out my pills, take sleeping pills, pray for less pain.....

Whine, whine, whine....

Susan

[mabeckoff]

I went grocery shopping with my daughter at one of those fancy stores. I was at checkout and suddenly had horrible lower abdominal pain and knew that I needed to get to a toilet quickly! Of course, the cashier was taking his sweet time going through the few items that we had while I was tightening every butt muscle that I had. My granddaughter asked me what was wrong as I was making some horrible faces. I paid quickly and left the cart with my granddaughter, but didn't have my reacher for butt hygiene which was in the car. Fortunately, my daughter assisted with the hygiene, but I worry about being alone in such a situation. Should I carry a roll around suitcase with all of my supplies just in case?

I am beginning to hate asking for help. I am impatient. I drop a pill on the floor and cannot pick it up. It's the little things that are bugging me. I want my new life immediately! I worry about running out of pain pills since the NP did not mail me a new prescription. Now I need to stretch out my pills, take sleeping pills, pray for less pain.....

Whine, whine, whine....

Susan

I carry a smaller version of the tongs when I leave the house

[Irina]

I went grocery shopping with my daughter at one of those fancy stores. I was at checkout and suddenly had horrible lower abdominal pain and knew that I needed to get to a toilet quickly! Of course, the cashier was taking his sweet time going through the few items that we had while I was tightening every butt muscle that I had. My granddaughter asked me what was wrong as I was making some horrible faces. I paid quickly and left the cart with my granddaughter, but didn't have my reacher for butt hygiene which was in the car. Fortunately, my daughter assisted with the hygiene, but I worry about being alone in such a situation. Should I carry a roll around suitcase with all of my supplies just in case?

I am beginning to hate asking for help. I am impatient. I drop a pill on the floor and cannot pick it up. It's the little things that are bugging me. I want my new life immediately! I worry about running out of pain pills since the NP did not mail me a new prescription. Now I need to stretch out my pills, take sleeping pills, pray for less pain.....

Whine, whine, whine....

Susan

Call Sharon and remind her to mail a script. She mailed mine promptly, may be yours was lost in the mail or sent to the wrong address? I hope you'll get your pain medicine prescription soon! I know what you mean about worrying about running out of these pills...

I also recommend this version of the grabber:

http://www.amazon.com/Carex-Inch-Gra...ywords=grabber

It is very good for picking up round shape items and paper. I keep it in the kitchen and use it to pick potatoes and cans from the bottom of my pantry. You can also use it pick up cans from the top shelves. The type that we've got at UCSF is good for dressing up, but this reacher above is very useful in the kitchen.

[Confusedmom]

You can also get grabbers that actually fold down to about 12 inches. Carry them in a large (light obviously) purse when you got out. Along with the tongs (in a ziplock bag). Before you know it you will be able too squat to get something you dropped (but I think that's restricted for at least 4 months).

[gardenia]

Most people are constipated

Are you taking too much laxative or stool softener? It got to a point that I had to stop taking the stool soft because it made a product in a consistency of heavy sticky glue. Hard to clean.

Husband has been on a diet and feeding much more vegetables so I am regular for the first time in my life.

However, he lost 25 pounds and I am at the same. The baby fat is not moving anywhere. (wish it would be directly up or directly back so when sitting long my bones are not so hurting)

Wear a Depend on days that you might think something will happen...

[Susie*Bee]

I'm thinking back-- first, I never used tongs--just the very tips of my fingers and it was quite a stretch. Some things I found/find very annoying when having to use handicap stalls are: some toilets are not elevated, some have the toilet paper so that you can't reach it without twisting (I learned to check it out first and get it before hand if needed), and I figured whoever designed them had no idea about what real problems people have-- that all you need to do is install a grab bar. Back to your basic question, though. I found for myself that it was easier (after wiping the "wet") to step away from the toilet seat and squat "just a little" without the toilet being in the way, and then wipe. That may not work with you but it helped me. And I had to forego all the rules we were brought up on about which direction to wipe from... no twisting allowed, so no wiping f to b. One of the things that always worried me was what if I dropped the TP on the floor! Fortunately I didn't.

I'm sorry you are having these difficulties! Hopefully you will outgrow them soon.