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How do I put this delicately?.....

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Pattipoo

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I'm 4 weeks post op - TKR - my biggest problem these days is constipation!!.......which has led to hemmoroids (and people THEY are not bike friendly!) I'm so sorry to be bringing this up but I can't be the ONLY one suffering with this situation. It's a BIG problem for me! I'm doing ALL I know to do. I'm taking Senokot just like they gave me in the hospital after surgery. I eat lots of fruits and fiber. I know that the pain medication is the culprit but I can't do without that right now.....

am I alone??

HELP!

(I feel like one of those "Life comes at you Fast" commercials....I was breezing along - living life to it's fullest, NOW, I'm a 51 year old female with a funky limp and hemmoroids the size of a buick! owie....)
 
Honestly, your pain killers are probably the ones causing the constipation. You need to get some excellent stool softeners. Obviously, the senecot stuff isn't working. There are other products out there---talk to you MD---they can be a big help. A prescription-strength stool softenr maybe what you need. I was told that, while I was on pain meds, (percoset) that I would need to take stool softners.

If you are still taking pain meds (and, at four weks, I know I was), that is most likely causing your constipation. You are not alone in this regard.

PS---I am not a doctor, nor did I sleep at a Holiday in Express last night...

Tim C.
PSS--I find your forum name rather ironic...
 
ok This is what I did to help things move along. I know when ever I eat high fatty foods, I need to be near a bathroom. If my stool softeners werent working too well, hubby would bring dinner home with a high fat content and I would solve my issue that way. There is this one resturant that we love the food but I get a good colon cleansing from eating there. I hope this helps you.

Debbi
 
Hi. I get the impression that this is a really common experience, so it's a really good question to ask! I was also told that the pain meds were a big factor. What seemed to help me the most was a combination of stool softeners and Benefiber. They gave me Benefiber when I was in the rehab unit - I had never tried it before. It's a nice way to take a fiber supplement because it dissolves completely in liquid, and so it's really easy to swallow. Hope that helps!
Susan
 
I used a prescription of Senna and 2 Citrucel caplets a day. I always take the Citrucel and the doctor added the Senna. I had challenges the first few days home from the hospital, but since then I have had very few issues. One thing I did learn is not to wait when I feel the urge. So I didn't venture out much at first. If I delayed, then I created issues for myself. Drink lots of fluids - mostly water, too.
 
More suggestions ...

1. LOTS of water and other drinks, plain hot water helps as well
2. lots of hi-fibre cereal (Allbran is good)
3. nuts and dried prunes as well as fruit
4. if all else fails, use Fybogel, much kinder than the usual aperients but takes a day or two to work so best used to prevent rather than cure.

A point to bear in mind - it's not just the constipation that causes haemorrhoids, it's the straining at stool. Haemorrhoids are actually varicosed veins in and around the rectum. Since the rectum is designed to be empty, the presence of the stool applies pressure to these blood vessels that hinders good blood flow but the effort applied to empty the rectum does the real damage.

Just thought you'd like to know the gory details!!
 
Thanks, everyone. I knew that I couldn't be the only one with this problem!!
Jo...I appreciate the details....heck, I'm LIVING the details. My Dr. called me in a steroid ointment...if it doesn't work, I have to go in for a little snippypoo of my thrombosed vein!! Doesn't THAT sound like fun??? ouch



Not having a good day....
 
I found this lovely broken link removed: https://www.embarrassingproblems.co.uk/piles.htm!! What you can do about/with piles!! It's not at all a bad site.

Actually most piles are temporary in that they are a response to something like a brief period of constipation or pregnancy and will recede once the aggravator has gone. But some go on to a more permanent type and that's when you need to get them treated. You will see there that the vast majority respond well to injection whilst the majority of the remainder will need a banding.

I would make sure he does the banding. It's much less painful and problematic than an excision. If he can't do banding, I suggest you find someone who does!

(Oh yes - you get all sorts of information from me!!)

You might be interested to know that I worked with the surgeon who devised this procedure, originally known as Baron Bands. Tony Baron was a great surgeon though he only worked at a small provincial hospital in Essex, just north of London. There are MILLIONS of people who owe their present comfort to Tony's little gadget!!
 
Josephine's suggestion about the fruit did it for me...
Eat the prunes, put on the spurs, grab the seat and hang on!
I love this site.
 
Well haven't we all had fun experiencing Pattipoo's problem?
Miralax helps me, but sometimes creating the opposite effect. The stood softner I bought just didn't do it, so now when I run into the problem I am going to try half a dose of Miralax, it is a powder you can mix in with any beverage, I use OJ. You can't taste it. We sure have a lot of options now. Thanks for asking this question.
 
Just a thought---how many of us have been taking iron pills as well? Those little guys will seriously plug you up, as well. I know that I had to take iron pills (Feosol) before and for about a month or so after surgery. Those little devils, combined with percoset, slowed everything down inside me. I did have a presecription softener that helped somewhat.

Tim C.
 
I went 2 weeks without sitting on the toilet. My nurse told me to get MIRALAX over the counter. It said it worked in 3 days. It didnt lie, it worked. Its a bit expensive, about 14 bucks for a small container. Well worth the money. Just my 2 cents but it worked. It was uncomfortable moving the bowels at first but I continued the stuff for a few days and I was regular quickly. Like Doug said, hold on tightly and have the family evacuate the house for an hour or so! LOL, a little levity can make our experiences fun and laughing helps our spirits!!
Godspeed,
Chuck
 
You said it....it SO helps to laugh. WHO woulda'thunk that the bathroom would be such a source of anxiety after knee surgery?? Anyway...for a quick update, the steroid cream worked....the little monster has deflated (Thank the Good Lord!) and all is well in that little "corner" of my world.

I appreciate all of you, so much!!
(so weird....Miralax commercial is on TV as I type this!)
 
Prophetic intervention!!
[Bonesmart.org] How do I put this delicately?.....
 
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