# My bowels are still sleeping but I can't



## nogutsnoglory (Dec 5, 2011)

I am in so much pain from the resection of a chunk of my small intestine that I can't even sleep. The bugger though is sleeping and they won't let me have anything to eat or drink until it wakes up.

What can I do to wake them up? What is the average amount of time it takes for the bowels to wake up?


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## Grant (Dec 5, 2011)

Hi nogutsnoglory, after my last surgery last year I had to ask for an enema 4-5 days after because like you it was very uncomfortable & painful. They let me start eating again 3 days after. Until you start eating then in my experience not much happens. They kept asking if I'd passed wind & my reply was always no & I wont until I've eaten. 
Best to have a word with the medical staff to see if they can help you shift things along I reckon.
Hope things improve real soon
Grant


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## ekay03 (Dec 5, 2011)

It took mine 4 or 5 days to wake up. Walking is the best thing you can do to wake them up. I have also heard that chewing gum can help. If they would let you drink water that would help them to wake up too. It is miserable after a large surgery like that. I hope you feel better soon.


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## littlemissh (Dec 5, 2011)

Hi, I had surgery on 22nd nov and it took 5 days for any wind or bm. Had wind on day 5 and bm day 6. Felt very distended until then. I was started on enteral (nasojejunal)feeding on day 2 but at a slow rate and i encouraged my bowel with chewing gum and trying to mobilise once I got out of ITU.
I found that trying to gentle massage my abdomen helped me feel more comfortable.

Good luck to you, hopefully soon they will start 'stirring'.


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## nogutsnoglory (Dec 6, 2011)

My bowels woke up today and I had D 5 times but still haven't passed gas. I am so distended and nauseous. Is it normal to have BM and no gas? Will I have an obstruction?


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## littlemissh (Dec 6, 2011)

Its fine to have bm's and no gas, just that often the bowel when it is only just working can only manage gas. I felt distended even after my my bowels woke up, I found walking helped a little but really it was time after another couple of days the distended feeling started to settle. Try some gentle massage as well, that helped me.


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## Sybil Vane (Dec 7, 2011)

Do you have an NG tube? Those always help with that nausea/distended feeling. I actually ask for those, which is odd, I know, but it's saved me so much agony in the past. If your pain increases, tell your surgeon. I ended up with an obstruction at the surgery site and I was very nauseous and started throwing up. Make sure they give you zofran or phenergan for the nausea.


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## nogutsnoglory (Dec 7, 2011)

Surgeon hasn't recommended an NG tube he thinks all the D might be due to the liquid diet and now wants me on a low fiber diet to constipate me. He said if that doesn't help they might put me on anti diarrhea meds.


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## Sybil Vane (Dec 7, 2011)

Surgery sucks. I'm sorry you're going through this. I was always distended and nauseous and did not have easy recoveries. I will keep my fingers crossed that the diet change works for you!


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## Emily (Dec 7, 2011)

It took me 11 days to wake mine up. To pass the time, I abused the benadryl script I got for my Dilaudid itching. I was allowed IV Benadryl every 4 hours, so I'd request it it every 4 hours, and sleep like a baby  Also it majorly helped with the Dilaudid itching. But this probably slowed my bowels down further. In the end an enema fixed the issue extremely quickly.
Hope you get outta there with working bowels soon! Request suppositories/enemas if it's getting unbearable.:hug:


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## nogutsnoglory (Dec 11, 2011)

Sybil Vane said:


> Surgery sucks. I'm sorry you're going through this. I was always distended and nauseous and did not have easy recoveries. I will keep my fingers crossed that the diet change works for you!


Thank you Sybil I'm doing better and they gave me some more solids and meds to bulk up my stool.


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