Surgeons perform more than 600,000 colorectal procedures a year in the United States to treat conditions affecting the lower gastrointestinal tract, according to the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. Conditions that might require colorectal surgery include cancer, bowel obstruction, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and rectal perforations caused by diverticulitis. Patients may experience problems with constipation or diarrhea after surgery until the operative area heals. One or two doses of milk of magnesia can help with constipation, but check with your surgeon before taking it.
Colorectal Surgery
Patients with colorectal disease may have sudden or long-term symptoms such as pain in the abdomen, rectal bleeding, diarrhea, weight loss, constipation, cramps, fever, vomiting or poor appetite. Depending on the patient's overall health and the reason for surgery, the procedure may require a large incision in the abdomen or pelvic region or it may be performed through several small incisions using special instruments and a tiny video camera. Postoperative recovery is usually longer and more difficult after an open procedure and may involve several days in the hospital, while a minimally invasive procedure is done on an ambulatory surgery basis. Contact your surgeon if you have bleeding from the rectum, fever, swelling in the abdomen, vomiting or chills that might indicate postoperative complications.
Milk of Magnesia
Milk of magnesia, also called magnesium hydroxide, is an osmotic laxative that comes in tablet and liquid suspension forms and is available over the counter. Because magnesium is not absorbed well by the body, its presence in the colon draws in water and stimulates the lower gastrointestinal system. Milk of magnesia acts gently but quickly, usually resulting in a bowel movement within three hours, according to Drugs.com. Other osmotic laxatives include magnesium citrate, lactulose and polyethelyne glycol.
Postoperative Constipation
Constipation after colorectal surgery is a common but uncomfortable side effect of the procedure. Drinking extra water and adding fiber to your diet can help to soften the stools. Your postoperative instructions from your surgeon may advise you to take one tablespoon of milk of magnesia, if there is no bowel movement after two days, and to repeat the dose in six hours if necessary, according to Colon & Rectal Surgery Associates. If you have more than three watery stools within a 24-hour period, discontinue the laxatives and call your surgeon if there is no change.
Concerns
Although milk of magnesia and other osmotic laxatives are relatively safe, certain categories of patients should not take them. For example, patients with kidney disease, the elderly and those taking medications such as diuretics, ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers could develop kidney failure after taking milk of magnesia, according to "The Merck Manual for Health Care Professionals." Milk of magnesia could also upset your fluid and electrolyte balance if you take it too often or in too large a dose.
References
- Ohio State University Medical Center: Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Constipation
- Drugs.com: Milk of Magnesia
- ColonRectal: Anorectal Surgery Post-Operative Information
- The Merck Manual for Health Care Professionals: Constipation
- SAGES: Laparoscopic Colon Resection
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