Constipation blues

May be worth skipping this one if you have a weak stomach

I mentioned constipation earlier and I think it's probably the worse element of post-surgery recovery. The region around your bowel takes a fair battering in the operation itself and then the painkillers conspire to back you up. I get stress related constipation as well so had not passed anything significant on the day of the surgery itself despite the two microlax (localised enemas) taken that morning. 

The documentation you are given tells you to try not to be constipated but not to strain, and it's hard to square that circle. You can feel the stool inside when you sit on the toilet seat, but it refuses to shift even if you adopt the suggested feet up position. Sometimes there is a feeling of movement but then only a fetid fart is pushed out, or a faint gurgle and the feel of an internal rearrangement. And as you sit there you are in some part straining despite your best efforts, so you are dribbling urine from your penis end which is trickling down the catheter tube or dripping on the floor. Even if you do get a movement it often feels unfinished and you do not leave satisfied.

Speaking of leaving - if you sit down and attempt a bowel movement, ALWAYS wipe even if you think nothing has happened. Sometimes 'a turtle will just show its head', not enough to feel - until you stand up. So if in doubt wipe, and finish off with baby wipes. Incidentally don't forget the environment - you should store used wipes in a container and throw them away because even flushable wipes will not fully break down and can clog the pipes.     

It is painful when you do not have a movement and frustrating when you try to. It's not even satisfying when you do finally succeed. I don't really have any advice on what to do about it either - cutting back on the painkillers may help, but then it hurts more.  Spending extended time on the loo is hard when you only have one in a shared house. Eating fibre doesn't seem to make much difference. It just sucks. Good luck.

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