Recent hysterectomy - going to the toilet

[Helen1625]

Hi

I had a full hysterectomy on Friday last week. It was open surgery, not keyhole. I'm starting to feel like I need the toilet, but I can't go. I spoke to the GP yesterday and asked him about taking some laxatives. He said not yet, give it about a week before I think about going to the toilet. He told me that the not wanting/not being able to go is called Ileus and it will settle.

For anyone who has experienced this, did you take laxatives or did you wait it out and let nature take it's course? I'm only worried that the longer it takes, it's going to be too firm when I do go.

I had a full abdominal hysterectomy a couple of months back and was given the opposite advice. The hospital (private) gave me laxatives and prune juice and sent me home with laxatives too. I think there was also something in the leaflet I received suggesting laxatives. They were definitely keen to get things moving! I’m glad they gave me things to help as it was still quite uncomfortable for the first week or so. I hope your recovery goes well.

I've just had a gynae procedure and was given the opposite advice, lots of prune juice needed!

I wouldn’t wait. I had the same op a few years ago. Your insides have all been moved around during the op and it takes a while for them to settle. The longer you wait the more impacted the waste will become. I took fybogel every day. It’s a powder you mix with a bit of water. It’s not pleasant but worked and kept everything moving. I think you’ve been given some duff advice there. I would go off what you read from women who have had the op than a male doc. I hope you’re recovering ok. I found the recovery unbelievably slow. 💐

After about 5 days I was in such awful discomfort I couldn’t sit down. LSS, I got some glycerin suppositories via the GP. If I had realised you can buy them from the chemist I would have got them a few hours earlier.
I hope you get some relief soon OP.

I took the laxatives.

I had an ovary removed by keyhole and they wouldn't let me leave the hospital till they heard gurgling in my digestive system, indicating it was working.
I think you've been given bad advice there. I was given lactulose to help me not strain and was under instructions to drink plenty to keep things soft and moving.
The stuff you've been told sounds totally wrong to me.

I had a hysterectomy in 2001. At that time they wouldn't let you out until you'd 'been'. They gave me lactulose and within a couple of minutes I had to hobble as fast as I could to the loo.

I contacted my GP with the same issue as you. It was 6 days post op and I was given a mild laxative (can't remember what it was). The GP said it was important to get things moving but not to take anything too strong. The hospital initially wanted me to go before I was discharged but then decided I could go home anyway.
It seems clear most doctors think it best to go sooner rather than later and I did find it quite uncomfortable when I eventually went.

Thank you all for your replies. My hubby has been out and bought some lactulose.

It's such a basic thing,I'm stunned they discharge anyone now without having been,they never used to! Hope it works OP.

Be quite near the toilet when you take it! Good luck!