Mum had her debulking surgery on Thursday evening and it was very successful. Full removal of ovaries, uterus, omentun, appendix etc.
However she is really really struggling with pain as they think the bowel has gone to sleep. This also means she’s not really slept. Did anyone else have this? Any advice? I’m guessing the pain will reduce once she manages to fart but it was really sad to see her so sore and it felt like the nurses couldn’t do much to help (even though they were giving her pain meds it didn’t seem to make much difference).
thank you for any advice or support x
Written by
georgiageorgia182
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hi, I would concur with Katmal, mobilising will help and peppermint. I'd suggest trying peppermint tea if she can tolerate it, as it can help with passing wind. It is common with debulking ops, the nurses should keep an eye on things for her. Hope it resolves soon. Judith
Hi, so glad that your mums op went really well , that must be a huge relief! Unfortunately the sleepy bowel is very common & should in time right itself but her insides have all been moved around & it does take time to settle. One thing I would say , from my own experience, is that even though she won’t feel like it, she must force herself to drink literally jugs of water & that will really help !! Big hugs Dee X
Movicol keeps the stools soft internally while you wait for things to kick start. I had same thing after surgeries but using Movicol really made the difference.
You should be able to get a box prescribed. Its standard stuff on the chemo ward. Or GP. You can also buy from Boots and the pharmacist can advise on dosage.
Hi I had this myself and it was excruciatingly painful.
During my op they put my bowel to sleep to separate it from the ovary, but kind of forgot to wake it up again.
I got discharged from hospital after just 2 nights but I was like a barrage balloon, I couldn’t burp, hiccup or fart if my life depended on it.
After an extremely painful weekend of ‘blowing up’ my GP made an emergency visit to me at home and prescribed me CosmoCol powders with the understanding that if I didn’t start to improve by morning she was calling an ambulance to have me readmitted.
Luckily the CosmoCol did the trick and normal bodily functions resumed.
I hope this helps your lovely mum as it is soo painful holding in all that wind.
I had similar problems. Despite eating bran and taking stool softener and laxatives it took about 10 days for things to start moving. I was still in hospital for a wound infection and they just said that the bowel doesn’t like being handled. I think lots of us have had the same issue.
My left side hurt quite a bit and my colon got trapped, after it was figured out and released it was a 2 month recovery. If she can tolerate it lightly rub down on the left side it may help and allow any gas to escape. Best wishes for a successful recovery. Liz
Hi, yes, it's called ileus. I had the same. I hate to say it it was a bit traumatic as I was vomiting bile until they started working again...best not to eat anything that takes any hard digestion. It will come right. Poo will probably be yellow and loose for a couple of weeks until the bowels settle and she may feel everything move inside when she shifts from laying down to upright...perfectly normal so don't worry. I hope she recovers soon....all the best for her 🥰xx
Hi, if it is trapped wind I sympathise as the pain can be really severe. The only thing that gave me relief was peppermint capsules by a company called Lindens (we found them on Amazon). Good luck xx
Yes! I did have post-op ileus (paralytic ileus) - it is truly horrid. It is caused because the bowl is handled during the surgery and it disrupts its movements. I needed a lot of laxatives of various sorts. I also needed a tube down to my stomach to draw off the bile which couldn’t go down (it had to come up). The staff at my hospital did that too late to stop me projectile vomiting green bile. If it is done in time it can prevent that. I think it’s called a ‘nasal-gastric tube’.
They shouldn’t let your mum go home without passing a stool. I hope she doesn’t start vomiting but it is possible. If she does start vomiting and they don’t put an NG tube in (via her nose) then ask them why not? She will also probably need drips to replace lost electrolytes. She will also probably be ‘nil by mouth’ for a while. Also maybe a soft cushion she holds against her stomach will help if she does start vomiting.
Yes, and of course good pain management (which is tricky as that can cause constipation as well). Everything did come right for me in the end but it is miserable. I don’t know what pain relief she is having but it doesn’t sound like enough!
You need to fight her corner for her because she might not be able to demand what she needs.
Morning GeorgiaI feel for your mum..I remember how the pain kept me awake the first few nights, it's exhausting. Has the surgical team been to see her? I would suggest asking to speak to them as they will advise the nurses what meds are best..
I was blown up like a balloon, it's so uncomfortable. I had Senna tablets and laxido sachets and then had an enema which got me going..such a relief!
See if an enema is an option for your mum, you do have to push sometimes to get things sorted. Thinking of you both..she will get past this horrid phase but its not nice whilst you're in it! Xxx
Please don't take (or accept) senna for a "sleepy" bowel!!! It's a stimulant laxative and can cause bowel rupture in extreme cases. The gentler laxatives (Movicol, lactulose) are much safer.
It sounds like a sleepy bowel is different to chronic constipation then, my mistake, I hadn't read the other replies. Think my situation was constipation with a lot of pain..I'm sure the team will advise appropriately in any case xx
I agree. Senna caused me great pain (at least nothing worse) - the stool softeners are ok; lots of those powders. Possibly an enema or just a glycerine rectal pessary.
yes I had a post op ileus too even though I had a stoma at the time. I was given very strong pain meds, oxycodone and then a stool softener, laxido. It did the trick . I think it is quite common with an op such as this where the bowel is involved. I’m sure she is in the best place and that they will monitor this carefully.
Yes it is very uncomfortable being distended. I used peppermint, walking, twisting, massage up on the right hand side across under the rib cage and down on the left hand side as recommended by cancer yogi Vicki Fox.
Hi. Bowels don’t like being handled and tend to go to sleep, partly due to the anaesthetic and partly due to being moved around during the operation. I’m glad the operation went well. As others have said, your mum should drink lots of water ,try peppermint tea or peppermint oil in hot water, laxido or similar should be available in hospital. In general, you’re not allowed to go home until you’ve got up and walked, and gone to the loo. On the plus side, the first time passing wind feels amazing, it’s such a relief. I also wonder if some of us have a problem with this as we have spent a lifetime being told not to break wind in public.
After my last surgery two years ago (liver resection) i mentioned when i was in HDU that i had had terrible constipation after my previous surgery. Straight away they started giving me Movicol several times a day. But nothing, and i mean nothing not even a gurgle, happened for days and they discharged me without having had a BM. My instructions were to keep talking the Movicol, which works by absorbing water into the stool thus keeping it soft..so when i finally had a BM a few days after getting home, it was pain free.
I’m just 2 weeks out of the same operation and totally sympathise! But it does get better once you start passing wind. Walk as much as possible and drink as much peppermint tea as you can stand is what worked for me. It took about a day and a half once the pains got really bad.
Hi yes I this happened to me, I was vomiting for 2 days, they said the bowel doesn't like being handled and exposed, they put a nasal gastric tube in and I was nil by mouth for two days then a light diet for another 24 hours and it resolved. Hope Mum gets sorted out l.
Like other already I had this and its horrid but does get better eventually. Peppermint helped me a little. I found a pillow under my knees so tummy wasn't so stretched also helped for comfort.
lots of helpful advice here. My thought is for a bit later, when your mum is feeling a little better. During the operation it isn’t just internal organs that get moved around, but also muscles (they get pushed aside) and connective tissue (gets cut). If you can find an osteopath who works cranially, or, failing that, a good masseuse, some body work might really help. I’m 3+ years after surgery and I’m still finding bits of tightness which, once resolved, allow my bowels to work more freely.
Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't got through and replied individually, but thank you so so much for all your replies - I have read and felt encouraged by them all!
Mum is now a week after surgery and feeling so much brighter. I've been forcing her to walk around and drink peppermint tea - and I also just think with time everything has eased. Hopefully coming home over the next couple of days once she has a bowel movement and think she will recover much faster in her own bed and with the cats!
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Post debulking surgery
Debulking surgery options 
Is it worth going through debulking surgery?
Ca-125 after debulking surgery 
Debulking Surgery
