Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | uh-oh, post-surgery problem....

Hi friends:

thank you all for your congrats on the removal of my gallbladder. I still am glad about it, but I'm facing an unforseen problem now: very bad constipation, due to the painkillers.
I know this is not uncommon, but given my extreme stomach issues I'm afraid it's worse than usual. I've had to take hydrocodone for the past several days, for incision pain. But since Thursday, when I had my operation, I have not moved my bowels -- four days and counting. My surgeon prescribed a stool softener, then dried prunes, then milk of magnesia. Nothing has worked, even though I was also taking Heather's wonderful acacia fiber, and I'm sad to say I'm now getting quite nauseous -- a symptom I thought I'd said goodbe to, with my GB gone. Today the doc told me to get back on a liquid diet (big fun on Xmas!), walk more, and have some coffee. I did all that, and it was great to walk on such a crisp, sunny day. But so far, nothin' shaking. Forget the Xmas dinner I'm cooking -- I'm just getting desperate for my system to get ungummed and start working again.

Any thoughts, ideas?

It's funny -- I was really scared about having out of control diarrhea, which some people have post-BG surgery. And the problem is the opposite! Though after years of IBS, I know it can swing violently in the opposite direction at any time.....

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