Stool softener day before?

[meyouus 415]

Is it a good idea to take a stool softener or gentle laxative the day before surgery since some complain of Constipation after surgery?

[Crosby 303]

I took one two days before. The last day was fluids anyway so I wasn't worried. Two months previous I had another major surgery and had the worse Constipation ever afterwards. I wasn't going through that again.

[meyouus 415]

I know what you mean. I had two total knee replacements and the Constipation was like concrete. Then they give you milk of magnesia, and you explode for 2 days! Probably TMI, sorry.

I just want to avoid that if I can.

[Sam58 16]

I had the diarrhea from the liquid diet. The day of surgery I still had it, on the day of discharge the surgeon recommended Mirlax, I took it until things got going and now I take it every 4days and I am having a BM every day without problems.