Re: Its me again... oops, posted before I finished it!
From: Jo Eslick (joanne@bombobeach.com)
Sat Sep 14 23:08:41 2002
At Sat, 14 Sep 2002, Jo Eslick wrote:
>
>Laura,
>
>I had a five hour lap surgery on August 1st.... it is very IMPORTANT to
>open your bowel after surgery!! Here in Australia you aren't allowed to
>LEAVE hospital after a major surgery until you have passed a bowel
>motion.
>
>I was put on the laxative regime I mentionned in my message to you three
>days after surgery because I still hadn't moved at all. You are risking
>a reforming of adhesions if you are constipated. Your bowel is a huge
>muscle that needs to be continuosly moving, if it isn't, because of
>constipation, it gives scar tissue the opportunity to re-attach to your
>bowel & abdominal wall. CALL YOUR DOCTOR NOW!!!!
>
>I can't stress enough how important this issue is! I have had THREE
>surgeries since April last year because of adhesions & my bowel was
>unrecognisable because adhesions covered it all. My surgeon said he
>couldn't see the difference between my small and large bowel it was so
>bad! PLEASE don't wait another day, do something about it NOW.
>
>Laxatives are NOT going to harm you, it is IMPORTANT for you to open
>your bowels so that you don't form an obstruction!!!! The last thing you
>need is an emergancy situation and bowel surgery done in a hurry!!
>
>Start drinking water NOW, walk around as much as you can. Another few
>things that can help..... squat on the floor.... I have put several
>sheets of newspaper on the floor folded... by squatting, you actually
>straighten out the last section of bowel which is how it was designed to
>work..... until man invented the toilet.... (I was taught this by a
>physiotherapist who works with ARD & endo patients every day) once you
>feel the feices moving, sit on the toilet with your feet on a low stool,
>or several books so that your knees are above your hips......
The other thing the same physiotherapist & I discussed was a "Bowel
Massage" all you need to do is place your right hand on top of your left
hand, starting in the lower left side of your abdomen, brush up towards
your ribs, across your abdomen to the left, then down to the lower right
quadrant, lift your hands up and start on the lower left side again. You
need to do this at least 100 rotations; you will find the friction
creates heat, which soothes the pain & colicky feeling, while the actual
massage stimulates bowel movement. This is a very old traditional
Chinese therapy. My physiotherapist believes it works too and teaches
her patients how to use it. She was delighted to discover that I was
already using it as a part of my regular morning routine.
Sorry Laura,.... I hope this makes better sense now!!
Love & warm gentle hugs,
Jo
--
Joanne Eslick
Founder Australian Adhesions Support Group
http://www.bombobeach.com
NSW Australian Co-ordinator of
International Adhesions Society
http://www.adhesions.org
--
I am not a medical person, and all my messages are based
on personal experience. I am a fellow adhesions sufferer
reaching out to help others.