Tips For Pooping After A Hysterectomy

If your uterus or other lady parts are facing eviction soon, or have already been evicted, your doctor should have talked to you about pooping. Constipation is common in women who are recovering from a hysterectomy, and it can be very painful, or so I’ve heard. Fortunately, I didn’t experience any constipation after I lost my uterus, but, it wasn’t because of luck. In this article, I provide tips for pooping after a hysterectomy, so you can crap like a champ and avoid some unnecessary pain!

Tips for pooping after a hysterectomy

Why is it Hard to Poop After a Hysterectomy?

There are a few factors that lead to constipation in women that have had a hysterectomy. Some of them being:

 
  • Anesthesia can paralyze bowl movement.
  • Pain medication can cause constipation. Ironically, this can lead to pain.
  • Immobilization due to lying in bed during recovery.

Tips for Pooping After a Hysterectomy

Move Around

My surgeon advised me to start walking as soon as possible after my hysterectomy. For me, that meant to walk within the first 24 hours after surgery, but each case is different. Ask your doctor or surgeon when you can start walking after your hysterectomy.

Normally, I like to site scientific articles to back up my case, but really, you can just think about it. If you’ve ever owned a dog, you probably know that they need to walk around before they can do their business. 

Or, how about pooping joggers? Check out this link for a long list of joggers caught on camera pooping on someone’s lawn. 

Back when I used to run a lot, I’d always bring toilet paper and hand sanitizer in a small backpack. No, I didn’t poop on anyone’s lawn! But, I did poop in the woods mid-jog several times. 

You should avoid jogging for at least a few months after a hysterectomy! Ask your doctor when you can be cleared for such activities and listen to your body too! I only brought the pooping joggers up to make a point – moving around makes “it” happen.

When your doctor clears you to do gentle exercises other than walking, you may find these articles useful: “11 Post-Hysterectomy Exercise Ideas,” and “13 Post-Hysterectomy Exercise Ideas.“

Post-Hysterectomy Exercise Ideas
Click the image for 11 post-hysterectomy exercise ideas.
Post Hysterectomy Exercises
Click the image for 13 more post-hysterectomy exercise ideas.

Drink Plenty of Fluids

Healthline tells us that drinking plenty of fluids, especially warm ones, can help ease constipation. Try:

  • Plenty of water
  • Warm water
  • Warm tea
  • Soup
  • Broth
  • Juice
  • Smoothies 

Eat Plenty of Fiber

Eating plenty of fiber is a crucial tip for pooping after a hysterectomy! I incorporate a lot of fruit and vegetables into my daily diet, which is one of the reasons I didn’t suffer from constipation after my operation. 

Organic, dried fruits like apricots, dates, and figs helped me crap like a champ! Dried apricots are something I consume almost daily to prevent cold sore outbreaks. Due to their high lysine content, they really work! (I figured since I’m writing about poop, I should just go ahead and continue to overshare. But, hey – it’s useful information that can help someone, so there ya go!)

Check out these organic dried apricots on Amazon. So well priced! So delicious! (That was an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, I will earn a commission if you purchase through the link.)

Here is a list of high-fiber foods I recommend to help you poop after a hysterectomy:

  • Dried apricots (affiliate link)
  • Dried dates
  • Dried figs
  • Dried mangoes
  • Oatmeal
  • Bananas
  • Apples
  • Berries
  • Beans
  • Lentils

Thanks for Reading!

Thanks for reading! If you know someone who would benefit from this post, please share it. Subscribe for more hysterectomy recovery tips! I promise to never flood your inbox, as I only send emails about once a month max.