by jr2 » 26 Aug 2013, 14:51
Hi Sarah,
I haven't had surgery, but having read lots of surgical stories, it doesn't sound at all out of the ordinary to be having some problems. The pelvic floor muscles that are involved need to be able to relax to let urine or poo out. Having had surgery you have the effect of anesthesia and the effect of the surgical wound, which can itself cause the muscles in the pelvis to guard, or become tense. On top of that you've probably got some swelling going on. If your surgeon says its ok for you to soak in a warm bath you might find it helpful to soak prior to having a BM to get the muscles to relax. I even remember someone saying they pooped in the bathtub. You might also want to try adjusting your position on the toilet to minimize that stretching out pressure feeling on the surgical site. Sometimes it can help to put your feet up on a step stool, or raise yourself off the toilet by using your arms while you're sitting to push yourself upward so that the anal canal isn't being so stretched when using the toilet.
Most people say that things became a lot easier after the second or third week following surgery.
And as always, if you have any concerns or questions about what is going on during your recovery, don't hesitate at all to call your surgeon's office.