Constipation After Gastric Sleeve: Causes & Treatment

If youve had gastric sleeve in Turkey and still struggle with constipation, you’re certainly not alone. Constipation after gastric sleeve surgery is very common among patients. Thankfully, however, it’s usually temporary and can be managed easily.

Gastric sleeve or sleeve gastrectomy is simply about cutting out a big chunk of your stomach to make you feel full quickly after eating and encourage you to lose more weight. However, the surgery can also cause other unpleasant side effects like constipation, diarrhea, and nausea.

constipation can cause discomfort and affect the overall quality of life of the patient. It’s important to understand the connection between weight loss surgery and constipation and the measures that can be taken to prevent and treat such a problem.

Is Constipation After Gastric Sleeve Normal?

If youve just had gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey, you e going to face a lot of changes. Constipation after gastric sleeve is quite normal and common, but is often temporary and resolves with time.

Indeed, many doctors consider constipation to be just a normal part of the journey, so don get too nervous about it. You may have trouble drinking as much water or eating as much fiber as you used to, and your diet is likely to change a lot. Plus, the medications you e taking may make constipation even more likely. Just hang in there and give it time. It’s likely to go away sooner than you think.

Nonetheless, everyone is different when it comes to the frequency of their bowel movements. Some people visit the bathroom a couple of times a day, while others are more like once-a-week visitors. If its been more than three days since your last visit to the bathroom, that may be a red flag.

The longer you go without defecting, the harder your stool can become, making it a real struggle to push it out. If you e having too few bowel movements, you may face more straining and your poop may become rock-hard or pebble-like, which might make you feel bloated, constipated, and frustrated. In fact, constipation after surgery is a source of regret for many patients.

Causes of Constipation After Gastric Sleeve

Obesity surgery in Turkey, particularly gastric sleeve, can lead to changes in the digestive system that can result in constipation. This can be due to a number of factors, including:

Reduced Food Intake

Weight loss surgery results in reduced food intake, which can cause a decrease in the amount of fiber and fluid in the diet. That alone can cause constipation over time. So, its important to pay enough attention to portion size.

Reduced Physical Activity

The gastric sleeve can also result in reduced physical activity because patients may feel fatigued and exhausted to do exercises after the surgery, which can lead to constipation.

Caffeine Intake

its important to be mindful of your caffeine intake. Depending on the person, it can either have a laxative effect or make constipation even worse. In either case, caffeine might be a source of problems after surgery.

Supplements

lets not forget about those supplements you may need to take. After having gastric sleeve surgery, it can be tough to get all the nutrients you need from food alone, so supplements might be prescribed to you by your doctor. However, be warned, that some supplements like iron can lead to constipation. To counter this, your doctor might recommend taking a stool softener along with your iron supplement.

Changes in the Digestive System

Since gastric sleeve or sleeve gastrectomy alters the anatomy of the digestive system, food will not pass smoothly through the body, making it more likely to develop constipation and other symptoms. According to a study, bariatric surgery can change the patterns of gastrointestinal motility and nutrient digestion and absorption.

Medications

Certain medications taken after gastric sleeve can also cause constipation, such as pain medications and calcium carbonate. It’s important to tell your doctor about your constipation to prescribe better medication for you.

Quick look at: gastric sleeve 10 years later

Treatment of Constipation After Gastric Sleeve

If you haven gone to the bathroom in over three days, you need to take some action. You can try taking Dulcolax tablets, but make sure to follow the right instructions. Heres some advice to help you avoid constipation after your bariatric surgery:

• Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids to help keep things moving. Aim for at least 1.3 liters a day.
• Move around: Take some short walks throughout the day or as much as you can handle to help your body function as smoothly as it should. Consider cardio, yoga, or pelvic floor exercises.
• Use laxatives: If things get really tough, try using Metamucil, Dulcolax, and other types of laxatives. Just make sure to follow the instructions for the best results. However, if you don see results within 24 hours, don hesitate to reach out to your bariatric care team for some help.
• Get enough fiber: Fiber is the secret ingredient that keeps your stool soft. You can take fiber supplements (15 grams a day). It’s not just about getting enough protein in your diet after a bariatric procedure. Youve got to keep an eye on fiber too!  If you e looking to add more fiber to your diet, you can start with some tasty options, such as oatmeal, nuts and almonds, fresh fruits and berries, veggies, and leafy greens.

Related Article: What to Pack for Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

Prevention of Constipation After Gastric Sleeve

Constipation can lead to unpleasant and even dangerous health issues, such as hemorrhoids, hernias, or intestinal blockages. So, prevention is key here. Constipation can be prevented by following certain measures, such as:

• Increasing fluid intake: Its important to drink at least eight glasses of water per day to help prevent constipation but steer away from alcohol.
• Eating a high-fiber diet: A diet high in fiber can help regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation.
• Increasing physical activity: Regular exercise can help stimulate the digestive system and prevent constipation.
• Avoiding certain foods: Certain foods, such as dairy products, bananas, and white bread, can contribute to constipation. So, it’s better to steer away from them.

Constipation After Gastric Bypass

Constipation isn’t only common after gastric sleeve, but also after gastric bypass surgery. Having a hard time in the bathroom after gastric bypass occurs due to changes that happened in your digestive tract and the way it operates.

When the size of the stomach is dramatically reduced and the path of food is diverted directly to the small intestines, it becomes more difficult to consume fiber-rich foods and for your body to even absorb them properly, leading to constipation. However, just as in the case of gastric sleeve, patients can prevent and treat constipation by following different approaches.

The Bottom Line

Constipation after gastric sleeve surgery is relatively common and could add up to the gastric sleeve cost in Turkey. There could be several causes for this, such as alterations in your digestive system, inadequate fluid and fiber intake, and a sedentary lifestyle.

Thankfully, however, there are a plethora of ways to manage and avoid temporary constipation. If constipation persists for more than four weeks post-surgery, it would be wise to seek the advice of a healthcare professional.

International Clinics in Turkey provides gastric sleeve surgery to international patients along with careful diet plans to ensure optimal recovery and prevent constipation. You can contact us immediately for any inquiry using the button below.

Read more:

Gastric Sleeve Surgery Abroad