Laxative Prior to Surgery?

[clevergirl 41]

I met with my nutritionist on Monday who made a remark about using a laxative prior to surgery so that I wouldn't be straining after. Anyone else do this or have it recommended?

My pre-op diet is low carb, not liquid, so I will be eating solid food.

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

Whether solid or otherwise is irrelevant. High Fiber diets tend to also be higher in carbs. Being on a low carb diet tends less fiber. Combined with high Protein diet, and it's easy for you to get stopped up. I managed to avoid this for my 3 month pre-op diet until 2 days ago, where eating almonds caught up to me, and bam, bitch slapped with severe hemorrhoids. Funny thing is, I drink more than the 3.7L of Water required per day (I drink virtually nothing else). Didn't help nearly as much as carb-laden fiber. So.. laxative it is.

The only time where your body won't absorb the water from your diet is if you already have some absorption issue or you're eating slider foods (usually carb/sugar laden soft foods) where the body has no time to break things down and stuff just gets pushed through your digestive tract. I used to brag about not ever having stool problems despite gaining all that weight until I realized it was a dumb thing to be bragging about.

Edited March 29, 2017 by PatientEleventyBillion

[kins117 104]

I really thought I was going to have to, having seen other people from my surgeon's office have to do it but I was not told to do any form of laxative (I had my pre-op appointment yesterday and start 14 day liquid diet today). I think they only have the gastric bypass patients do it since they are moving intestines and such?