Annoying symptoms such as constipation and bowel impaction after gastric sleeve are not something to ignore or hide under the rug. Above all, bowel impaction can lead to critical issues, including the formation of hardened stool within the body, resulting in agonizing stomach cramps and trapped gas.
The development of constipation is a complex phenomenon involving the interplay of several factors. Studies have shown that a significant proportion of bariatric surgery patients - one in four to be exact - experience constipation during the first six months after the procedure.
Furthermore, obesity itself can be a contributing factor for constipation. This correlation is attributed to several factors, such as bad dietary habits that imply consuming high-fat, low-fiber foods, besides the lack of adequate physical activities.
Bowel or fecal impaction after gastric sleeve refers to the hardening of the fecal matter within the colon and rectum, making it hard to excrete bodily waste from the anus. Obviously, the bowels face a challenge when the stool become impacted or dense, leading to intense discomfort and distress.
Bowel impaction is usually the result of persistent constipation. However, constipation doesn’t just lead to fecal or blow impaction. Indeed, it can cause other serious problems, such as rectal prolapse, which occurs when the rectum slides out of place and protrudes out of the anus.
Moreover, persistent constipation can also lead to hemorrhoids, which refer to the Enlarged and swollen veins in the lower rectum and outer anal area. rectal prolapse and hemorrhoids can cause significant discomfort and pain, but thankfully, doctors provide different treatment options to deal with these problems.
However, if you’ve undergone a gastric sleeve recently and started to experience persistent constipation or bowel impaction, your treatment plan might be a bit different from those who develop these problems in normal circumstances or on regular bases.
Constipation remains the single most common cause for bowel or fecal impaction after gastric sleeve. The factors that can lead to gastric sleeve blockage symptoms or constipation in the first place involve the following:
Anesthetic agents used during the surgery can cause the paralysis of the intestines, resulting in a persistent constipation in the days immediately following the surgery. Expectedly, these anesthetic agents can temporarily stop muscle contractions that typically push food along the intestinal tract.
As known for many, lack of exercise and physical activity makes the abdominal muscles weaker and increase the risk of constipation. The colon responds to physical activity and muscle tone, which helps maintain regular bowel habits. Getting up and being physically active as soon as possible after gastric sleeve surgery is essential to prevent this risk.
Pain medication, for instance, can cause constipation as they slow down intestinal movement, leading to reabsorption of excess water through the gut lining. Iron supplements can also contribute to constipation. Hence, a high dosage of these supplements requires special attention from healthcare providers to avoid bowel issues.
Enzyme and hormonal changes following bariatric surgery may lead to intolerances to specific food groups, such as lactose or dairy protein, which can disrupt regular bowel habits and lead to bowel impaction.
Dehydration is a long-term complication that can arise after the surgery because the stomach's capacity limits the amount of fluid intake. When dehydration occurs, water is drawn out of the colon, causing the stool to harden.
Bariatric surgery is known to drastically reduce stomach capacity, leading to a significant decrease in food and liquid intake. This, in turn, results in less waste elimination. After surgery, liquid meals are prescribed for some time, and patients eventually progress to soft foods. As a result, the amount of bulk in the intestine decreases significantly, which can affect large bowel movements.
Inadequate fiber intake is a common issue for people who consume smaller meals after gastric sleeve surgery. Not getting enough fiber in the diet can lead to constipation and other gastrointestinal issues. Doctors often suggest a gradual increase in fiber intake after the surgery.
If the bowel impaction is continuous or persistent after gastric sleeve surgery, you must contact your doctor urgently. Some patients require hospitalization and medical supervision to treat their cases.
However, if bowel impaction is mild, your doctor can prescribe selected types of laxatives to turn the hard stool into a smoother form. understanding what helps constipation after gastric sleeve can empower you to take proactive steps to prevent bowel impaction and other gastrointestinal issues. These measures include:
Some foods can cause constipation due to their high starch/low protein content, such as bananas, rice, and potatoes. It’s better to exclude these foods from your post-op diet.
You should add healthy fats to your diet, which may help you pass stool more easily. One suggestion is to add avocado slices to meat meals. Another good choice is to mix flax oil with yogurt and add it to veggies and salads.
When you feel the urge to go, just go! Patients frequently ignore or resist the urge to go, sometimes because they are embarrassed to use a public or workplace restroom. However, regularly ignoring this signal can lead to chronic, severe constipation coupled with painful gas and bloating.
After surgery, you should begin exercising as soon as your doctor permits. A regular exercise routine, even if it's just walking for 10-15 minutes once or twice each day, can significantly improve constipation symptoms and help normalize bowel habits.
Take the best position when you’re in the bathroom. Most of us sit on the toilet. However, squatting is better than sitting. If you have a history of prolonged bowel movements or feelings of inadequate emptying, you may benefit from adopting a more squatted position.
Drinking liquids is a highly important recommendation that doctors usually give to their patients after gastric sleeve. Liquids and water add more bulk and softness to the stool.
Bowel or fecal impaction after gastric sleeve could lead to dangerous consequences; one of which is bowel obstruction.
A large bowel obstruction is a serious condition that hinders the passage of stool or gas through the large intestine. Such obstruction could occur anywhere in the large intestine and can lead to severe abdominal pain and nausea.
According to a study, bowel obstruction is rare and only occurs in (0.6%) of patients, but it remains one of the most concerning complications after the surgery. It’s important, however, to distinguish between bowel obstruction that results from fecal impaction and that which can result from other pathological or surgical causes.
Above all, fecal impaction is a common type of blockage that occurs when a hard mass of stool accumulates in the digestive tract and cannot be expelled in the usual way. In the case of a large bowel obstruction, the intestine may be completely or partially blocked, which can rupture and cause a life-threatening infection.
Related Article: Diarrhea After Gastric Sleeve
Related Article: Constipation After Gastric Sleeve
Bowel impaction after gastric sleeve often results from severe constipation. Left untreated, bowel impaction could lead to bowel obstruction, which is a critical condition that requires urgent treatment. Thankfully, most bowel impaction cases after gastric sleeve are mild and can be dealt with using different dietary and lifestyle measures.
International Clinics in Turkey is one of the leading providers of gastric sleeve surgery and follow-up care. You can contact us immediately using the Contact Us button below to get a free consultation.