Bowel recovery after hysterectomy

[sobermommy]

Hey ladies...just wondering something. I had lap assisted vaginal hysterectomy Wed last week. I am wondering how long it should take for my bowels to start feeling normal again? I am taking stool softeners...and I know they are affected from the surgery. I was given an intrathecal injection of pain medication as part of my anethesia plan and they did say it takes a bit longer after that injection. Not to be too graphic but I just don't have any sensation that you would normally have when you need to have a bowel movement. Lots of bloating. I used a laxative and it was effective yesterday but it took more pushing than I would have liked...and some vaginal bleeding started again. I don't want to use laxatives too often and become dependent on them.  I plan to discuss this with the gyn at my first follow up on Monday. I am just wondering what it was like for others who have been through this. Thanks....God bless...Lynn

[sobermommy]

Thanks so much for the great support and advice. I had my first follow up today. Healing is going good even though I have still been bleeding everyday. Bowels are starting to work a little more like normal. Doc said to use stool softeners for the whole 6 weeks and Miralax is great but said it is best not to use everyday. She suggested that if one day goes by without a bowel movement...then use it the next day. I am glad that things are starting to work again. Thanks again for everything. God bless...Lynn

[Cherie762]

I had this problem when I had my hysterectomy, I dint use a laxative I forced myself to drink more juice and eat fruit, that made my bowels more normal, it takes a long time to really feel 100 percent , this is a major surgery, becareful not to do to much too soon.

[Laney8463]

Lynn,
I take the Miralax once a day usually after supper. It disolves in water and is basically tasteless.... The stuff works great
Laney

[sobermommy]

That is great to know. I was worried about the laxatives and I only took them once...lol. So...do you take it once daily or wait for every other day?

[Laney8463]

Hey Lynn,
I too have had the same problem as you. I went to see the NP at my gyn/oncs office on Monday and I asked her the exact same question that you did. It has been 3 weeks for me and Im still not back to normal. I was concerned and stopped taking the miralax. She said, things won't get back to normal until we are basically back to our old routines as far as being up and about, moving around like we were preop and eating the usual stuff again. I told her I was concerned about taking the miralax for so long but she said, take it for another month, it won't hurt you. So I started it again and it really does work great. No straining and no cramping. I hope this helps. I hope you are feeling better
Take Care
Laney

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

I haven't had a hysterectomy, but I did have a laparotomy a few months back and it took quite a while for my bowel to get working again (more than a week).  I think there are meds that can help (I was taking meds to increase gastric motility for a while, and was very uncomfortable until things started happening again) - and you won't become dependent on laxatives in just a few days...

Don't go straining it's not good for the healing ...  talk to your doc for advice too. though hopefully some others will chime in here.

Make sure you're drinking plenty of water.

Oh, yeah, be patient.  1 week is very short for recovery from y our surgery...

best wishes and speedy recovery