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Is this normal after surgery?

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Posted 6/9/2010 2:34 PM (GMT 0)
I had sub total colectomy leaving about 6-7 inches of my colon on 5/5.  I ended up in the hospital for nearly a month b/c I had a small bowel obstruction requiring a second surgery.  The first few days following my second surgery I did have frequent watery bm's as they told me would happen for a while.  Since I have been home I have ususally 2 bms very early in the am which are soft and formed.  I am grateful for this however worried that I'm not having multiple movements throughout the day.  Also later in the afternoon I start to feel like I need to have another bm or as if I just have trapped gas that won't budge.  Should I be worried that things are moving enough?
Posted 6/9/2010 2:41 PM (GMT 0)
What was your surgery for? Colonic inertia? Crohn's? Cancer?

Sue
Posted 6/9/2010 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
I wasn't diagnosed with colonic inertia.  I had a dilated, very long redundant colon resulting in chronic constipation for 10 yrs.
Posted 6/9/2010 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
You are very recently out of surgery and will need to be patient with the recovery process. As a comparison I have no colon and no rectum and have a frequency of 6-8X in 24 hours. You have some colon and a rectum, I presume, so you frequency will be lower than mine. So, this might be your normal. As long as you don't feel bad; things are fine. What you are describing in the afternoons may well be gas. Gas pains are common in the first couple months post surgery.

Give yourself some time to recovery. Things will change. If you feel stopped up drink grape juice. Stay active, exercise increases motility and will keep your system moving. Walk every day and try not to get anxious about this.

Sue
Posted 6/9/2010 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the reassurance.  I do notice that I start to get less active in the afternoon b/c I'm still tired from surgery.  I have been doing light housework and walking every morning when I feel good.  I'll try to stay more active later in day and see if that helps.  Other than that, as long as I keep going every morning things are good.  I go for my post op appt tomorrow so I'll talk more with my surgeon.  You are probably right that I haven't given this enough time.  Thanks again.

o

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