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What Does Fecal Impaction When On Narcotics After Knee Replacement Surgery Indicate?

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Posted on Fri, 26 Jun 2015
Question: i am taking a narcotic after having knee replacement surgery 4 days ago. no bowel movement yet
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Answered by Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (1 hour later)
Brief answer....it is quite usual to get constipation after surgery and narcotic pain killers
Detailed answer....
Hello,
Thanks for the query.
I have read your query and understand your concern.
The combination of too little fluid,too little food,no activity and narcotic pain killers after your surgery,all make you severely constipated.
Since it is already 4 days of your constipation,your stools are rock hard and so ideally you should get an enema to remove this.
Once your hard stool is passed, you can carry on with some stool softener like colace or laxative like enulose.
Start drinking plenty of water and consuming more of fresh fruits and green vegetables to add Fiber to your diet.
So get an enema first.
I hope it helps,however you are most welcome to revert to me for any further query.
Best of luck
Thanks
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1978

Answered : 6704 Questions

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What Does Fecal Impaction When On Narcotics After Knee Replacement Surgery Indicate?

Brief answer....it is quite usual to get constipation after surgery and narcotic pain killers Detailed answer.... Hello, Thanks for the query. I have read your query and understand your concern. The combination of too little fluid,too little food,no activity and narcotic pain killers after your surgery,all make you severely constipated. Since it is already 4 days of your constipation,your stools are rock hard and so ideally you should get an enema to remove this. Once your hard stool is passed, you can carry on with some stool softener like colace or laxative like enulose. Start drinking plenty of water and consuming more of fresh fruits and green vegetables to add Fiber to your diet. So get an enema first. I hope it helps,however you are most welcome to revert to me for any further query. Best of luck Thanks