Ileostomy Reversal - No Bowel Movement After 3 Days?

Hi everyone! I just had my reversal done on March 13th, and I was in the hospital for 5 days! Since I've been home, I haven't had a bowel movement in 3 days! I have taken Miralax the past two days! Does anyone know if this is normal? TIA. Oh, and I wonder if drinking a beer might help?!? Lol

No idea, but 8 beers might be better.

Being put to sleep will interfere with bowel movements. They say it takes time for your bowels to wake up. I had a small procedure a couple of days ago and it took a while for me. Be sure you drink a lot of water. Best wishes.

Hi!
Congratulations! I had my ileostomy reversed on April 14th, so just one day after yours. I've found that I haven't been very regular yet. It definitely takes time for everything to wake up. I've found that eating easy-to-digest, non-fibrous foods, and drinking tons of water is helping me. I'd be careful with the carbonation in beer. I already experience a lot of pain and a heavy, full feeling before a BM. Carbonation could exacerbate those feelings.
-Rae

Hi Miss, when I had my surgery a long time ago, the surgeon suggested I chew gum but don't swallow the gum.

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Hi there, Rae, you got it just right. I would stay away from any carbonated drinks of any kind. The enemy of the post-surgery belly is gas! The exquisitely... not in a good way! Maybe take the cap off and get rid of the gas before drinking... flat beer is no fun. A nice glass of Pinot Noir would be much better and safer.

Not trying to scare you, Miss Worrier, but... I had a gas bubble in the hospital after reversal and it was really scary. I kept telling the nurse and docs that I had to have an NG tube in my stomach but they wouldn't listen. I had my past experiences to go by and I knew. After a day (at least) of absolute agony, they decided that I was right. The nurse wound up climbing on top of me in the bed, hands shaking, in a total very scary panic trying to feed the NG up my nose as I was almost passing out from pain. It took quite a while as I had to swallow constantly to help the tube down my throat.

When the tube broke through and entered my stomach, the container to which the tube was attached filled up in a split second and looked like it was going to explode with the volume. My belly had been like 6 months pregnant before and it looked like a balloon just deflated inside me as my belly assumed its normal shape! That was the first and only time I was ever really scared in the hospital.

Nurses out there, please listen to your patient, they will often know a lot more about their condition and, in particular, how their body reacts to certain events than the nurse does. As with me... been there before and have the terrifying memories to prove it!!!

If you begin feeling pressure, enough to swell your belly, then pay attention to increases in pressure. If it ever gets painful and feels a bit like a drum when you tap with your finger, then do not hesitate to go to the ER. It can escalate pretty quickly, so take it seriously.

Meanwhile, have a nice glass of Vin Rouge... good for your blood.

Stay safe and I hope you don't need the drumsticks!!! Eamon

Something I found very good at home was Ramen Noodles, year, the college kid go-to snack. They are soft and very easy to digest. I mix a few sauces together for flavor with just the noodles the first time. You can add various bits and pieces as you feel better. Tomatoes add great flavor, a soft-boiled egg broken up and mixed in, maybe thinly sliced meat eventually. If you Google "Noodle Bowls" you can get some great combinations. Pickled Ginger is really good for you. If you can handle pickled foods? You can repopulate your insides with the best good bacteria by eating pickled food. I love mini pickled red and green sweet pickled peppers and little whole pickled beets...great for digestion and full of iron. Beets are great roasted in your oven.

Eamon