To upcoming bandsters-some possibly helpful info regarding meds

[LonghornGirl 0]

Please speak to your doctor concerning the adverse effects that narcotic (at home) pain meds can have on you. Was banded 10 days ago and when I went for my one week post op had not gone to the bathroom. I guess in all of the excitement of finally being on the road to better health I overlooked the fact that I had not had a bowel movement since the day before surgery. No one ever mentioned to me that the medicine used during surgery and the viacodin/hydrocodone that was sent home with me could cause Constipation. Believe me, it can and it does. So before surgery discuss w/ your surgeon what type of OTC meds you can use and when is a good time to start using them. I'd venture to guess that if I had realized the situation I was about to be in I would have started Miralax or Milk of Magnesia (acceptable to my doctor) on day 2 or 3. The pain that is associated with the introduction of gas during your surgery will be 10x worse if you can't go to the bathroom.

Just something to put out there so that hopefully no one else has to deal with it.

Renee'

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Poor Renee! Your nurses should've warned you! ALL opiates can be constipating. If you only take a couple doses you'll probably be ok but if you take more than that, you run the risk. And of course NEVER go over 2-3 days without a bowel movement; even if you are post op and on liquids. If you are constipated, contact your surgeon to find out what he wants you to take and like Renee said, do it sooner rather than later. It's a real threat when you are on an opiate pain killer, like vicodin, lortab, or hydrocodone.

[LonghornGirl 0]

hey RM,

still slightly miserable but getting better!

I think maybe I didn't realize that I hadn't gone potty. I just wish someone ANYONE would have mentioned it. The doctor said when that feat is accomplished all my pain will go away. So hopefully it will be soon!

Remember guys and girls talk to your doctor. I don't want to see any of you in the shape I was (and am still partially in) for the better part of a week!

[Bama2 0]

The same thing happened to me about 5 days post-op. I just didn't realize I should have taken SOMETHING before it got that bad! Maybe the ones about to be banded will see these posts and not get in that shape.:smile:

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I even dragged out my (unused) bottle of "hydrocodone elixir" and it doesn't say "can cause constipation" I'm flummoxed! It SHOULD!

Thanks for sharing this; it's a good reminder. Nurses should put this on your discharge orders but if they don't know the doc prescribed it or get busy or forget and then you don't catch that it's been a while (which is understandable, post op we're dealing with a bunch of changes!) then you can be very unhappy very quickly!

Hang in there! :smile:

[LonghornGirl 0]

my DH brought me my medicine the first day so to be honest I didn't read the pamphlet or the bottle and still haven't actually looked at it to see if it had the warning or not....

hopefully future bandsters will see this and won't go thru the pain some of us did...

does anyone know if there's a way to get this post as a sticky so that it will stay more visible to the newbies????