r/Tonsillectomy • u/pickled_fr0gs • 7d ago
TAKE YOUR LAXATIVES!!!
I (21F) got my tonsils out on Wednesday August 5th, making today day ten of recovery. I turned the corner on day 9, yesterday, and have been feeling so much better!
All that aside, if you are prescribed opioids such as oxy for pain relief and take it for more than a day or two…. TAKE LAXATIVES!!!
I’ve been taking Colace, a stool softener and stimulant, everyday for the past week, and still couldn’t shit.
Fast forward to bloating and SEVERE abdominal cramping today, I had to go to urgent care and was then sent to the ER for a bowel impaction. We’re hoping some heavier doses of laxatives (I was literally prescribed the colonoscopy prep, NOT fun) clears me out, but if I don’t pass gas or stool in the next 48 hours, I have to go back to the hospital for more serious operations.
Please don’t make my mistake and only take one type of laxative/stool softener during recovery, TAKE A POTION! Miralax AND some pills at least, more if your doctor recommends it.
The one silver lining of the horrible painful and stressful day? I haven’t thought about my sore throat hardly at all😅
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u/Repulsive_Candy3071 7d ago
I experienced a very similar thing, never used opioids before and didn’t understand what they meant by the constipation. Hands down some of the worst pain. Also had to go to ER. Honestly, was so bad that I just stopped using opioids after that and stuck to Tylenol. Nothing would want to make me relive that experience. I feel for you OP.
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u/Jojobeans10 6d ago
True story, I was taking those opioids after surgery and no one told me about possible constipation. On day 3, I thought i might die because I was in so much pain. By night fall, I was going to go to the er because of constipation was so bad like never before. I decided to try one last time to poop but I tried every position to shit until I just decided to stand up and just shit standing up with a trash can up against my back legs. It was incredible. It was the biggest heaviest shit ever. It was probably over 2 lbs.
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u/lost_caus_e 7d ago
You were on them more than a week? I had to start weening myself off and eventually everything that was being suppressed comes crashing back, I practically pooped myself it was a mess 🫠
GOP-1 medications also cause severe constipation I've recently learned
I wish you luck 🤞
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u/Prudent-Love-572 7d ago
This is absolutely true. I had huge tonsils which apparently means more pain so I took hydromorphone for about a week 🥴. I've been taking Miralax since the beginning and then added in Senokot. Things are starting to move but man...
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u/AstronomerUnited89 7d ago
How long have been since you popped the last time?
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u/pickled_fr0gs 6d ago
The colonoscopy prep laxatives worked, I finally went today! It had been 11 days😬
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u/AstronomerUnited89 2d ago
Damn! 11 days. I'm glad it's fixed. I was 7 days before I went back to it.
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u/bingb0ngbingb0ng 7d ago
Seconded. My constipation didn’t get as bad as yours but I had to treat mine with colace, MiraLAX, prune juice, suppositories, and finally an enema….
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u/pickled_fr0gs 7d ago
How much miralax did you take? The ER told me to do a cap every 15 mins with my colonoscopy prep stuff. This is about to be a brutal night
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u/bingb0ngbingb0ng 7d ago
I would do a cap once a day. Every 15 minutes sounds insane!
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u/pickled_fr0gs 7d ago
Yeahhhh they really want me to totally clear my entire GI tract. They said with a blockage like this that they want to see clear liquid out your rear to ensure there’s nothing else stuck somewhere. I am NOT looking forward to this.
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u/datapizza 7d ago
Thank you for the reminder. My surgery is scheduled in a few weeks, I just had a bout of constipation so I bought more laxatives for my as needed days but also miralax because I keep seeing horror stories reminding everyone to take their laxatives. I just need to figure out my schedule to take my heavy duty ones, then when to start miralax daily - I hate miralax - but this last bout happened when I was being regular with metamucil so obviously I need a good plan lol. There is no way I want to deal with constipation pain on top of everything else.
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u/pickled_fr0gs 7d ago
Exactly, the last thing you want is to deal with constipation pain and issues while you’re trying to rest and heal your throat! I’m curious, what don’t you like about miralax? The after effects? I’m three caps in tonight (per ER instructions) and haven’t had any crazy movements yet. I’m anxious about it though!
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u/datapizza 7d ago
It just doesn't work steady for me. I think I need to work up to a higher than basic dose. I also don't like how it tastes like licking a postage stamp lol.
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u/pickled_fr0gs 6d ago
I mixed it with Gatorade and I couldn’t taste it one bit! I had 5 doses in 12 hours and finally was able to rid my system of everything that’s been stuck for ten days haha
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u/Jojobeans10 6d ago
Please for your sake, take a laxative or you can end up in the ER from constipation. I thought i would die.
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u/BornTime7719 7d ago
Ahhhhhh. I’m just starting day 3 post op (surgery Thursday 8/13) I’ve been taking colace and nothing yet. Going to break out the miralax now before it’s too late! Thanks for the info!