UPDATE:a
As a bit of history, I had been taking 2-3 collapse tabs every night at bedtime plus a dose of Miralax to keep my stools soft for a year prior to my surgery. I got home from surgery about 3 PM on Monday with ;1 Percoset in me and starting to feel some pain. Kept on the Percoset combined with 600 mg Ibuprofin throughout the evening and stil had right much pain. I'll be the first to admit I don't have very much tolerance for pain. After a call to my dr. I took 1 and a half Percoset and finally got ahead of the pain about midnight and was able to sleep the rest of the night.
I took serious everyone's comments about drinking plenty of water. I drank 10 eight ounce glasses from 3 pm to midnight. I also took 2 collapse at 4 pm, 2 more at 7 pm and two more at 10 pm, plus a dose of Miralax at 6 pm and again at 11 pm. It really paid off.
As I posted earlier, my first bowel movement was unexpected while soaking but did not hurt at all. Just a slight burning sensation. This was about 10 am on the morning following surgery. I kept up the 10 glasses of water the second day, with 1 collapse at 10 am, one at 5 pm and two at 10 pm, plus a dose of Miralax at 10 pm. I ate lightly, concentrating on high fiber things that I knew had kept by stool soft previously, like whole wheat bread, baked fish, stir-fried spinach, grapes, etc. I had a second bowel movement later in the afternoon, also while in the sitz bath. Both were soft but formed, not runny. I didn't take the Percoset the second. Day and only took the Ibuprofin.
Day three. I didn't take anypainmeds last night and slept al the way through. Stomach a little irritated from the Ibuprofin, but I try to eat before taking it. Had a soft, bowel movement again this morning on the commode and not painful. Still a slight burning sensation, but not pain. Took only 400 mg of Ibuprofin this morning. Continuing with tub soaks inwarm water every3-4 hours and lots of water and high fiber light eating. So far so good....