Bowel prep

Hi I wasn’t given any advice on preparation - and had no problems at all. Took a while to ‘get moving’ afterwards- but I didn’t eat much for a few days so to be expected. Suggest you ask at your pre op appointment as each hospital seems to have different advice.

Thank you so much for replying. I have pre op next week so will check. I'll try and calm down a bit!

It is hard waiting, but if you read experiences of most of us, the op is so much less bad than we imagine. Mine was abdominal and was therefore in hospital for 2 days but not much pain at all. Was just so pleased it was over!

Thank you. Did you have to follow a diet in the run up?

Hi Clem16

I didn’t have any bowel prep or special diet before my hysterectomy. I had no bowel problems after the op went naturally after 3 days. I had abdominal surgery.

Linda xxx

No nothing at all.

Thank you. As a topic not so much talked about but pretty important!

Hi Clem16, officially, all I was told to do at my pre op assessment was to not eat after a certain time the night before, but to drink two special clear drinks that they gave me, one before bed and one when I got up in the morning. Unofficially, from what seemed sensible to me, the day beforehand I had my main meal at lunchtime, and then had just fruit and yogurt in the evening. This would be so that I’d naturally have a poo in the evening and be clear for the next day, and not have much build up in my bowel so that there be very little to get moving again post op. I’ve no idea if that’s what did it, but I had no post op wind pains and had a poo naturally on day 4. I also kept my diet light for the first few days post op - mostly protein and fruit.

Thank you, that's really helpful. 

Hi, I had a laparoscopic total hysterectomy 3 weeks ago. I had to be at the hospital for 7.30am, couldn't eat after 2.30am the same morning and only drink water between 2.30 and 6.30am. No special drinks or diet needed.

Despite my best efforts I got bunged up (constipated) afterwards - you can’t really squeeze… just a watch out!

Best of luck with the op - I was a nervous wreck before mine but it was so much better than I worried about!