Constipation

[Dilpreet123]

Had a c-section 6 days ago. But the intestine is not opening yet. Still struggling with constipation. what can i do

[Llizzie]

Hi Dilpreet. Get some lactulose and also glycerin suppositories. I tried lactulose but it only starts on the top of the colon so everything was still stuck. I didn’t want to take an suppository but it worked like a charm, and I had a pain free poo. You leave it in and then lie down until you feel you have to go. good luck. I was miserable for days but this really worked for me. Also drink lots and lots of water if you’re taking lactulose, it draws water to the colon so you need to be well hydrated.

[Dilpreet123 in reply to Llizzie]

Thanks for the reply, where can I buy glycerin suppositories. It is a really painful experience. After how many days will I be fine?

[Llizzie in reply to Dilpreet123]

Your local pharmacy will have them. It worked straight away for me within 15 mins but generally usually within the hour. Mine didn’t hurt it’s just a bit uncomfortable while you wait for it to work. But make sure you’re hydrated before you do it.

[Purpledoggy]

Lactulose or prune juice for constipation but also recommend a stool softner like dulco-ease. After initially being constipated I then started having monster firm poos and stool softners have been essential (as well as drinking loads of water). Never had this before so was a bit of a shock! Xx

[Wishingfortheday]

I was told this can happen after a c section, due to a combination of anaesthetic, pain relief used while in the hospital and reduced mobility in the early days post-op. The lactulose and glycerin described above are a good place to start and hopefully will do the trick. If those don't help the constipation may have progressed to faecal impaction, and you can ask the pharmacist for Macrogol (one brand name is CosmoCol). These are drink sachets that draw moisture to the intestinal tract and in my experience worked well. Hope you are soon feeling more comfortable x

[Emdog87]

Fybogel sachets worked well for me, you can pick them up in supermarkets. Drink 2 a day. Also kiwis are good to get things moving, eat 2 a day or stick them in a smoothie. X

[AmandaSteve89]

Following my cesarean section, I developed constipation, maybe due to the heavy pain meds, and it was pretty tricky for me to manage bowel motions. My doctor recommended Colace Glycerin ( colace.ca/products/colace-g... ) to me as I was constipated after surgery, and he advised me to incorporate and develop a good eating pattern containing vegetables and fruits. However, I tried to eat mostly food containing proteins like meat and eggs, with a few veggies and fruits tossed in for good measure. I also began drinking 2 litres of water. I use these stool softeners when constipated since they work nicely for me.