What will my bathroom habits be like immediately following surgery?

You may have trouble urinating for the first 24-48 hours after surgery due to the location of your anal surgery being in proximity to the prostate, the residual effects of anesthesia, and also the effects of pain medication. This can be normal. To counteract this try walking, urinating in the shower, and taking prescription pain medication only if necessary (we recommend switching to Advil or Motrin as soon as you can comfortably do so). Also it is common in the first day or 2 to feel the sensation of needing to urinate, but not actually having a full bladder. Again, this is normal. If you have had prostate issues in the past, do let us know. We may be able to prescribe something to help. If the bladder becomes so full to the point of bloating and discomfort and none of the above techniques helped you to achieve urination, please call us.

You may have trouble defecating for the first 24-48 hours after surgery due to the residual effects of anesthesia, pain medication, and the nature of the work that was done. This is normal. To counteract this keep extremely well hydrated with water and fruit juices, consume a diet with low proteins, and utilize stool softeners, fiber, and milk of magnesia or MiraLAX as a gentle laxative. Please do not use enemas or irrigation. If after 2-3 days you still have not had a bowel movement or are starting to feel bloated, distended, and in pain please reach out to us. You may drink a half-bottle of over-the-counter magnesium citrate to really get things moving but do be in touch prior to usage.