Waking up from a major surgery is a harrowing experience, so the last thing you need is to have constipation after surgery, as well. Your body feels like it has been weighed on by something immovable, your eyes are sensitive to light, the headache and the lack of coordination is uncomfortable. There are tubes coming out all over the place, so imagine your concern when you find that, on top of that, you have constipation after surgery.
On waking up the nurse comes in and monitors your blood pressure. They check on your catheter to make sure that there is adequate urine output. Several times a day, the residents and nursing staff check your blood pressure, among other things. Then the shocker:
“Have you passed wind?” 
We have been programmed by our parents not to talk about ‘passing wind.’ And here are these strangers asking you if you farted already! Passing wind or farting is an indication that your bowels are working. If there is no passing of wind after a certain period of time, this can be considered as constipation after surgery. This can be indicative of a complication.
Remedies for constipation after surgery
There are remedies to constipation after surgery. Your fluid intake may be increased and fibre supplements can be given to induce bowel movement. You can be given a suppository that may quickly relieve you, or if that does not work, you can be given a mild laxative. Generally, these elementary remedies work. An enema can be administered, or a manual manipulation of your anal sphincter, to physically remove the hardened waste. These are all embarrassing to read about, I know. But the consequences are dire if constipation after surgery remains uncorrected.
Constipation after surgery should not be allowed to cause complications
Truthfully, there are some complications in constipations after surgery that can give rise to even more complicated complications. Confusing? Fact: there have been rare cases when constipation after surgery reached the critical limit and another surgery was required. In some cases, a colostomy procedure had to be performed.
Taboo aside, constipation after surgery is not an experience for the faint hearted. Your body feels like it’s about to advertise its contents to the outside world. There is an urge that cannot be ignored and yet you have to be forced to bear down and relieve yourself. Worst is if you have to have this done in a bed pan. Embarrassment is the least of your concern. The staff will help you out, if you have constipation after surgery, as they will be very concerned for your physical welfare, and this is all a part of the natural course of any major surgical procedure, which nurses expect may happen, so you just have to straighten your spine (unless your had a spinal surgery) and take it with dignity.