Unfortunately, constipation is a common side effect of surgery. It can happen for a few different reasons: the anesthesia used during the procedure, pain medications you're taking or how much and what you're eating and drinking.
Anesthesia paralyzes your muscles. This stops movement in the intestinal tract. Until your intestines "wake up," there is no movement of stool.
Many people experience constipation after surgery due to pain medications, anesthesia, or a lack of movement following the procedure. The outlook for people with constipation after surgery is generally good. Most people will feel better within a few days once they receive treatment.
General anesthesia can inhibit the gastrointestinal function of patients which includes delayed gastric emptying, small bowel transit and colonic transit [11, 12]. For this reason, patients undergoing general anesthesia cannot take food immediately after surgery.
After surgery you might notice changes to your bowels including: pooing more often. having little or no warning that you need to poo or pass wind. changes to your poo such as loose runny poo (diarrhoea) or hard, difficult to pass poo (constipation)
Surgery can also affect your stress level2 and your medication routines. 3 These changes can lead to a different bathroom pattern. Usually, these changes resolve as you recover. For many people, bowel function returns to normal just after a few days or weeks, depending on the condition.
The body absorbs water from undigested food as it passes through the colon. The waste material (poo) is then stored in the back passage (rectum) until you pass it out of the body through your anus. Straight after surgery to remove part of your colon, your poo might be a bit looser and more frequent.
Postoperative delirium or cognitive dysfunction – In some cases, confusion and memory loss can last longer than a few hours or days. A condition called postoperative cognitive dysfunction can result in long-term memory and learning problems in certain patients.
After the procedure
You'll probably feel groggy and a little confused when you first awaken. You may experience side effects such as: Sleepiness. Nausea or vomiting.
Frequent and/or loose stools are common. It takes your body time to adjust after an operation. Avoid foods which seem to cause diarrhea or gas. If you are having more than 5-6 movements each day, talk with your doctor unless you were told to expect this.
Get moving.
As soon as your doctor says it's OK, get up and move around as much as possible. Even a short walk down the hospital hallway will help. Exercise helps move digested food through your intestines and signals your body that it's time for a bowel movement.
You may temporarily need a urinary catheter. This is a thin soft tube put into your bladder while you are asleep, to drain the urine during and after the surgical procedure.
Most side effects happen immediately after your operation and do not last long. Possible side effects include: feeling sick or being sick (vomiting) – this usually happens immediately, although some people may continue to feel sick for up to a day. shivering and feeling cold – this may last a few minutes or hours.
General anesthesia causes you to become unconscious. This type of anesthesia, while very safe, is the type most likely to cause side effects and to carry risks. Most side effects are minor and temporary, such as nausea, vomiting, chills, confusion for a few days, and a sore throat caused by a breathing tube.
Constipation after surgery is caused by a combination of factors. General anesthesia slows down your digestive system, and the slower it is, the harder your stool. You may be given other medications during surgery that also slow your gut. And some pain medications like opioids, given after surgery, also slow digestion.
These include drowsiness, slowed reaction times, and difficulty concentrating, remembering new information and finishing complex tasks. Thankfully, these unwanted effects usually wear off by the next day, but sometimes they last for a few more days or even weeks.
Three months: You should feel a lot better now, though some people may experience intermittent fatigue. Six months: By now, post-surgical fatigue should be resolved entirely. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are still dealing with low energy.
Your anaesthetist will want to see if you have an increased risk for damage to teeth before the anaesthetic starts. This is more likely in people with teeth in poor condition or in people with dental work such as crowns or bridges.
At most hospitals, the placement of an indwelling catheter is considered standard for surgical procedures that: Are expected to last one hour or longer. Involve the urinary tract. Will require the patient to go to the ICU after surgery.
Unfortunately, constipation is a common side effect of surgery. It can happen for a few different reasons: the anesthesia used during the procedure, pain medications you're taking or how much and what you're eating and drinking.
There are several possible causes of constipation, including not eating enough fiber, not drinking enough water, not getting enough exercise, and some medical conditions and medications. If you've been having trouble going to the bathroom for several weeks or longer, reach out to a provider for guidance.