Why is it so hard for people who have had an operation to have a bowel movement afterwards I thought it was just because they were in a hospital, but my DH had a double hernia and was released the same day so its not that. I told him about my pysillium husks and he said no at first, but this morning he asked for it

Akiwican

Hi Lesley,

It's probably the result of (a) the anaesthetic and/or (b) painkilling drugs he took after.
Anything with codeine will always slow things down - in fact codeine is our first drug of choice to treat patients with diarrhoea.

I hope he's back to normal now and recovering well from his surgery.

Cheers, matey.

Roz

Rose bud is right...anesthesia and pain meds can cause problems....but it's also the surgery itself. Manual manipulation of the bowel is common in a lot of surgeries....but especially hernia!

It's not uncommon for a surgeon to "run the bowel" when the abdomen is open....to make sure they didn't make any slips, and to check for tumors, abnormalities, etc.

With a hernia operation the surgeon has to manipulate the bowel a little....make sure it's not damaged, back where it belongs, etc.

It seems, tho....that this manipulation causes the bowel to become shocked to a degree.....and that segment, or the entire bowel, will often shut down for a period of time.

Today, with simpler, less invasive procedures....like laparoscopic surgery....the shut down doesn't usually last long...sometimes only minutes or hours....especially if you get up and moving as soon as possible after!

Make sure your hubby moves around a lot....even walking up and down the hall. The more he moves, the faster the recovery will be!

Unless his MD told him otherwise, pysillium husks or a mild laxative (like MOM) is fine....he should be back to normal soon!

Cindy
(fyi....RN for over 25 years)

Thanks for posting that helpful information, Cindy!
I've never had a problem with constipation following general anesthesia, even when I had my tubes tied, but I'm considering having an elective hernia repair (umbilical) late this fall and I'll be on the alert for the possibility that this could happen. I don't think they're up to doing umbilical herniorrhaphies by laporscopy just yet, but it would be a bonus for me if it could be done that way (less recovery time!). I had my gallbladder removed laparoscopically several years ago and was back to work in 5 days...absolutely amazing!

Even when the op doesn't involve the bowel itself, the anaesthesia affects the peristaltic motion of the muscles which move the material along in the intestines. After my hip ops, the nurses would listen to my abdomen for "bowel sounds" - gas rumbles. Until they got those, I wasn't allowed solid foods & was on a 'soft diet' = lots of jello & fluids. The first time, I used the morphine pump a lot for the first 2 days & didn't have 'sounds' for 3 days. The second time, I cut down the use by just lying still and not minding that it ached some (never got horrible) and I was eating the next day.

Everyone is different in their response to anaesthetic & morphine & other drugs.

Great information here I will let him know what happened. Dont know if it was the pysillium husks, stopping the codine or the bowels finally relaxing after the stress of the op.... but he has gone now.

He has 10 staples in one side and 9 in the other. Yes, he is walking around as much as possible. He has to go back to work in a week!

Akiwican